Apple Bread
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With a hint of spice and everything nice (including juicy apple bits), this easy and quick apple bread recipe is moist with a tender-crisp crust on top.
My family has always loved quick bread recipes (hello, pumpkin bread and banana bread). They make a delicious snack, a simple dessert, or a great quick bite for breakfast as you head out the door. This is the best apple bread recipe as it has a taste very much like my apple spice muffins and greets your family with a heavenly aroma as soon as they walk in the door. It bakes up moist and tender, studded with juicy bits of chopped apple, with a decadent soft crisp crust on top. It’s great on its own or spread with a smear of butter or apple butter.
Like my apple spice muffins, this is a recipe you can use any kind of apple you want in, even apples that are going a little soft. What other ingredients do you need? Just a bunch of kitchen staples you probably already have on hand, like sugar, flour, vegetable oil, milk, vanilla extract, eggs, allspice, and cinnamon.
If the ingredients aren’t simple enough, the instructions are just as simple! All you need to do is mix the ingredients together, pop the batter in a loaf pan, and wait for it to bake. I mean, they don’t call it apple quick bread for nothing, right? But I guess we could also call it easy apple bread as well, right?
In the interest of being neighborly, I also like to double this so I have one loaf to keep and one to give away as a nice surprise to someone who would enjoy a little pick me up. Who’s ready to get baking?
Recipe Ingredients
- Apples
- Sugar
- Self-rising flour (see my FAQs for how to make homemade self-rising flour).
- Vegetable oil
- Milk
- Vanilla
- Eggs
- Allspice
- Cinnamon
How to Make Quick Apple Bread
Peel and dice your fresh apples, then place them in a large bowl.
Then add in the wet ingredients, including the eggs…
Oil…
Milk…
And vanilla.
Give that a stir before adding the sugar.
Mix ingredients together until well combined like above.
Now we’re going to dump in the remaining dry ingredients, including flour…
Ground cinnamon…
And allspice.
Stir until well combined and there are no dry spots.
Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Spread batter into the prepared bread pan.
Bake in a 350-degree oven for one hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow the apple bread to cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before turning out.
Look at all of those juicy chopped apple pieces!
Enjoy!
Storage
- Store the bread loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- You can also freeze apple bread slices for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Recipe Notes
- Now, I’m just using granulated sugar for this quick bread recipe, but you can use a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar if you like.
- Any neutral oil will work for this recipe, including vegetable oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or lightly flavored olive oil.
- To make self-rising flour according to my recipe, you’ll need all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Instead of allspice, you can use a combination of ground ginger and ground nutmeg or just ground nutmeg.
- Another option is to use apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice instead.
- If you like, fold in a cup of chopped nuts before placing the batter into the pan. Pecans and walnuts are always good options.
- Alternatively, fold in a cup of raisins, craisins, or chopped dates.
- Instead of diced apple, you can use shredded apple.
- Don’t overmix the batter!
- Add a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar on top of the bread before baking for added sweetness and crunch.
- Speaking of added sweetness, you can also top the cooled bread with a dusting of or a simple vanilla glaze.
- For a healthier cinnamon apple bread recipe, substitute all or a quarter of the oil for apple sauce. This has the bonus of adding more apple flavor.
Recipe FAQs
How do you serve apple bread?
Simply serve your homemade apple bread warm with a spread of butter or apple butter. For dessert, turn it into caramel apple bread with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce. YUM.
What are the best apples for baking?
Granny Smith apples are the most popular baking apple. But other good apple varieties include Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Braeburn, , Fuji, Pink Lady, and Jazz apples.
You may also like these appetizing apple recipes:
Ingredients
- 3-4 medium apples, peeled and diced about two cups
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
Instructions
- Peel and dice apples, then place them in a large bowl. Add eggs, oil, milk, vanilla, and sugar. Stir with a large spoon until well blended.3-4 medium apples, peeled and diced, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/4 cup milk, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 cups sugar
- Add flour, cinnamon, and allspice. Stir again by hand until well combined.2 cups self-rising flour, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- Grease a loaf pan with cooking spray and spoon batter into the pan.
- Bake at 350 for one hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow it to cool in the loaf pan for five minutes, then turn out.
Video
Nutrition
Great! This one will go with my banana bread recipe. Have to make a run to our local produce stand to find some apples, then get outta my way..sounds delicious, Christy.
If I wanted to go sugar free would I use the same amount of Splenda
instead of the sugar (2 cups)? Do you know of another brand that would
work better with this recipe?
TIA
I use Splenda all the time with baking but here’s what I’ve learned:
-Stevia is a healthier, more natural sugar substitute. If you can, go with that.
-Sugar substitutes are equal substitutes, even though they seem sweeter. So 2 cups is 2 cups.
-Splenda doesn’t leave the baked goods as dense as when using real sugar.
-Some might pick up a chemical-taste when using Splenda. That’s what I heard today after making pumpkin bread with is.
Hope that helps!
I have also found that recipes I use Splenda in do not brown like using sugar so I usually add in just a bit of sugar with the Splenda. We don’t like a pale banana bread, etc.
Oh, Christy, you read my mind. I was combing through your recipes the other day thinking, “Now, isn’t there one for apple bread in here somewhere?” And lo and behold, here you come with it now! Thank you so much. I’ll make a loaf tonight to bring to my officemates tomorrow — and maybe one more for the staff at the animal shelter where I volunteer! Thank you again.
Sounds good and easy…….can’t wait to make. What size loaf pan do you use? Thanks!! ;o)
Thank you for this recipe…I have been looking for a quick and easy apple bread. I knew I could count on you 🙂
Christy–So many of your recipes call for self-rising flour and I don’t have any in the house. How do I use all-purpose flour in this recipe? Thanks!
Hey Barbara! Its simple to make your own. I put a link to my page with the recipe in the instructions right beneath the photograph of the ingredients. I’m not at my computer right now or I’d send again.
Thanks, Christy. I guess if I had read the entire posting, I would have seen your link. I’m printing out the recipe and adding the ‘make your own self-rising flour’ info. Love your emails and love your recipes. I’ve tried a lot of them and they always turn out great. Made the ‘Apple Fritters’ the other day for the grandkids and they couldn’t stop eating them!
Can you use chunky apple sauce instead of chopping up apples?
Oh Christy… “thanks,” for generally using the “self-rising,” flour… I’m a southern gal and that’s what both my Mama and Grand always used, they just thought that buying something that already had the baking soda/baking powder was easier than having to buy all the “extra,” ingredients only to combine them once you needed to “bake,” whether it was homemade biscuits, or the finest cakes anyone could ever dream up!! Honestly, I think Ina or maybe Paula were the first two “real cooks,” that actually mixed those in. . . never did understand it anyway.
So happy you’re on the mend! To Blessed to be Stressed, I’m praying!!
didnot fine how you make self rising flour.
thanks
This looks absolutely delicious Christy and the best part is how easy it is. I love these kind of recipes. Going to try it today. Was wondering how it would be to pour a glaze made with apple cider over it when cool. Just a thought…
My mother just called with the same idea! lol I’m sure it would be good, but you might want to try it on it’s own first. The crunchy topping is absolutely divine on this and it is very moist and fairly sweet.
Oh Diane, my thoughts exactly… I’m thinking about adding some confectioner’s sugar and apple cider to make a thin but yummy glaze, also!!
YUM, Yum!!
I made this apple bread a few weeks ago and forgot to leave a comment. Christy, it was absolutely delicious! We really like the little crust all around. I made it in a loaf pan this time but I think I will try muffins next time so will get more of the little crunchy crust. I used Granny Smith apples and the tartness of the apples was perfect with the sweetness of the bread. I only had 2 apples on hand but it still had plenty of apples. Thanks for sharing!
I am so glad you liked the bread Julia!! Thank you so much for giving it a try!