If you love all things apple, this apple cinnamon bread is one you’ll bake again and again through fall—or any time you crave a warm, spiced loaf. Each loaf is made with pantry basics like brown sugar, warm spices, and crisp apple pieces folded into a tender, moist crumb. The recipe yields two loaves: enjoy one this week and freeze the other to keep on hand for quick breakfasts, snacks, or an autumnal treat.
Apple baking season is here—think cinnamon, nutmeg, and fruit-sweet comfort in every slice. This quick bread uses baking powder and eggs for rise, so there’s no yeast to fuss with. The texture is similar to classic banana bread: lightly sweet, soft, and studded with diced apples for bursts of fresh flavor. Baking two loaves is convenient: keep one for immediate enjoyment and freeze the other for a ready-made treat later.
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Two Loaves — This recipe makes two loaves, which is handy for sharing or freezing. Wrap a loaf tightly and freeze it for months to enjoy whenever you want a fresh slice.
Quick and Reliable — This is a quick bread, meaning no yeast and minimal hands-on time. Baking powder and eggs provide the lift. The result is a sweet, tender loaf flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Helpful Tips Included — The instructions include practical, no-fail tips to keep the crumb tender and the apples evenly distributed. These pointers apply to most sweet quick breads.
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Apples — Use crisp, firm, slightly tart-sweet apples. Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Fuji work well, and a mix of varieties is fine.
- Dry ingredients — All-purpose flour, packed light brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and ground nutmeg form the base of the batter.
- Spices — Ground cinnamon and nutmeg create warm fall flavor that complements the apples.
- Eggs — Use large eggs at room temperature. Cold eggs can disrupt the batter, so let them sit 15–20 minutes before mixing.
- Dairy and fat — Whole milk and melted butter (or light olive oil) produce a soft, tender crumb.
- Vanilla — Use real vanilla extract for best flavor.
- Lemon juice — Fresh lemon juice tossed with the diced apples prevents browning and brightens flavor.
How to Make
Full ingredient measurements, printable instructions, storage details, and a video tutorial are included in the recipe card below.
Preheat and prepare pans — Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans (or 8 x 4-inch pans) with softened butter or nonstick spray.
Prep apples — In a medium bowl, pour 1–2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice. Peel, core, and dice apples into 1/4-inch cubes, then toss them in the lemon juice to prevent browning. Set aside.
Mix dry ingredients — In a large bowl whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar, 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg until well combined and lump-free.
Add wet ingredients — Whisk in 4 large eggs, 1 cup whole milk (or 2%), 1 cup melted butter (or light olive oil), and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Stir until smooth but avoid overmixing.
Fold in apples — Gently fold the diced apples into the batter with a spatula until evenly distributed. Keep mixing minimal to preserve a light crumb.
Scoop and bake — Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans, smoothing the tops. Bake on the center rack for about 50–60 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center; if it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, the loaves are done. If the tops brown too quickly, tent each loaf loosely with foil and finish baking.
Cool and slice — Let the loaves cool in the pans for at least 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and invert each loaf onto a cooling rack. The bread can be sliced warm, but it slices more cleanly once cooled to room temperature.
Expert Tips
Measure flour by first fluffing it in the bag, spooning it into measuring cups, then leveling the top for accurate amounts. Overmixing develops gluten and yields a dense, gummy loaf—mix only until the ingredients are combined. If the top browns too fast, cover loosely with foil to prevent burning while the center finishes baking.
Serving Suggestions
One loaf yields about 10–12 slices. Serve warm with softened butter or a smear of whipped honey butter for an extra-special treat. Thick slices make a satisfying breakfast or afternoon snack paired with coffee or tea.
Storage Notes
When completely cool, wrap loaves tightly in plastic wrap. Store at room temperature up to three days, refrigerate up to a week, or freeze well-wrapped (plastic plus foil) for up to six months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and rewarm slices in a toaster oven, or microwave single slices wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel to keep them moist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Crumbly loaves usually result from overmixing the batter or overbaking. Mix just until combined and watch the bake time closely to avoid drying the crumb.
Excess moisture can come from underbaking or uneven mixing that leaves pockets of wet ingredients. Return the loaf to the oven for another 5–10 minutes and check again. Also ensure apples are diced small and well mixed into the batter so moisture is distributed evenly.
More Bread Recipes
Healthy Banana Bread
Cottage Cheese Bread
Hawaiian Bread Recipe
Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe
Apple Bread Recipe
Video
Video tutorial available in the original post.
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced apple
- 1–2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk (or 2%)
- 1 cup melted butter (or light olive oil)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans (or 8 x 4-inch) and set aside.
- Pour lemon juice into a medium bowl. Peel, core, and dice apples into 1/4-inch cubes. Toss apples in the lemon juice to prevent browning.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg until well combined.
- Add eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth, taking care not to overmix. Fold in the diced apples until distributed.
- Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake on the center rack for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If tops brown too fast, tent with foil and continue baking.
- Cool loaves in the pans at least 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, invert onto a rack, and cool to room temperature before slicing for best results.
- Once cool, wrap tightly in plastic. Store at room temperature up to 3 days, refrigerate up to 1 week, or freeze tightly wrapped for up to 6 months.
Notes
To reheat, thaw frozen loaves in the refrigerator overnight and rewarm slices in a toaster oven. Microwave individual slices wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel to keep the bread moist.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 slice (~275 kcal). See nutrition label below for calories, carbohydrates, protein, fat, and micronutrient estimates.