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This deliciously sweet apple bread with hints of seasonal spices is the perfect fall dessert. Each bite is packed with chunks of apple and hints of cinnamon and vanilla. Make this your new fall favorite indulgence.

Apples are in season right now and so delicious! For more sweet apple goodness, try this Cinnamon Apple Bread, Caramel Apple Slab Pie, or Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls.

Front view of apple bread, topped with a sweet glaze.

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

Fall Favorite: This apple bread is the quintessential quick bread to make at home to kick off the fall season.
Pantry Staples: This recipe comes together quickly and easily with ingredients you probably already have!
Crowd Pleaser: Your whole family, from the youngest to the oldest, will fall in love with this delicious bread! Surprise your kids with a warm slice when they come home from school, and they’ll be singing your praises.

The Best Apple Bread Recipe

Fall baking is one of my absolute favorite times to be in the kitchen. (Now I’m just waiting for the temperatures to finally cool down!) When apples come into season I always have to prepare a batch of this delicious apple bread. It’s so delicious and the perfect mix of hearty and indulgent!

This really is the best apple bread recipe. It’s so simple and has a super soft texture. Spread some creamy cinnamon honey butter over a slice of warmed bread, and you’ll be in fall heaven. You may want to make an extra loaf because this apple bread never lasts long.

What Are the Best Apples for Making Apple Bread?

When baking it’s best to choose a tart and crisp apple instead of a sweet one. This helps to balance the flavor so the apple bread isn’t overly sweet. The best options are Honeycrisp or Granny Smith. These apples can also be found year-round if you’re looking to make this bread outside of the fall season.

Ingredients in Apple Bread

The simple ingredients in this apple bread are pantry staples, ones you likely already have on hand. That’s what makes this recipe so great! I recommend stocking up on all of them because they’re common ingredients in many delicious fall recipes. Note: exact measurements are in the recipe card below.

All-Purpose Flour: Forms the bread’s body and structure.
Granulated and Light Brown Sugar: Sweetness and moisture for a yummy caramelized flavor and softness.
Cinnamon: Adds a cozy flavor that goes great with apples.
Nutmeg: Gives a tasty hint of nutty spice.
Baking Soda and Powder: Makes the bread rise and get fluffy.
Salt: Balances flavors and makes everything tastier.
Eggs: Holds things together and makes the apple bread moist.
Oil: So the bread ends up extra moist and tender.
Vanilla Extract: For sweet, warm flavor. I recommend using pure vanilla extract or making your own blend.
Apples: The star ingredient! They bring sweetness, moisture, and a fruity flavor.

For the Glaze:

Apple Cider: Gives the glaze a punch of apple flavor and also adjusts the consistency.
Salted Butter: For richness.
Powdered Sugar: Makes the glaze nice and sweet and also gives it a smooth texture.
Vanilla Extract: For a little extra warmth.

Do the Apples Have to be Peeled?

Yes. Unfortunately, the peel will begin to separate from the apple during the baking process, creating not only air pockets but also an unappetizing texture. To peel the apples quickly, I prefer to use a potato peeler and then slice them into chunks using a knife.

4-photo collage of the batter and glaze being prepared.

How to Make This Apple Quick Bread Recipe

This deliciously decadent bread is super simple to prepare and will make your kitchen smell like fall. A win-win! Follow these simple steps to prepare two tasty loaves.

Preheat Oven, Prep Pan: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray and line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper, also greasing the paper.
Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together, then set aside.
Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, oil, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. This will be a very thick batter.
Add in Apples: Fold the apples into the batter and add to the prepared bread pan.
Bake: Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.

To Make the Apple Cider Glaze:

Boil the Cider: In a small saucepan, bring the cider to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half.
Combine with the Other Ingredients: Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Drizzle the warm glaze over the top of the cooled bread.

Top-down view of bread cut into 4 thick slices.

Tips and Tricks

Getting ready to whip up a batch of apple bread magic? Before you dive in, here are some tips to ensure it turns out perfectly.

Picking Your Apples: When picking apples for this recipe, be sure to select a variety that stands up well to baking. You don’t want your apples to turn to mush. Granny Smith is a tart green apple often used in pies and would be great in this recipe, but there are several other kinds that are sweeter if that is your preference. Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Jonagold, or Braeburn are great options.
Don’t Overmix the Wet Ingredients. Once the ingredients appear to be combined stop whisking them and move on to the next step. Overmixing can cause the bread to be too dense and heavy.
Split Your Batter: You can split the batter into two 9×5 inch bread pans, but the loaves will be shorter and take less time to bake.
Check if Done: Be careful not to underbake your bread. This dense bread takes a long time to bake through. Be sure to check the center of it with a toothpick, as baking times will vary depending on your specific oven.
Keep Your Oven Closed: Try to avoid opening the oven until you’re sure it’s fully baked. Sometimes a draft can cause the bread to fall if it’s not close to being done.
Other Mix-Ins: You can add walnuts or pecans to give your apple bread more texture and a nutty flavor.
Serve With: Apple bread is delicious on its own, but even better when you slather it with some cinnamon honey butter or apple butter!

3 slices of apple bread stacked on top of each other, and one being picked up.

Storing Leftover Apple Bread

Countertop: This bread is best fresh out of the oven. We never have leftovers at my house. If you’re lucky enough to have more than crumbs left, wrap leftover bread in plastic wrap and store it at room temperature for up to four days.
Freeze: This bread can be frozen by wrapping it in two tight layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. It will stay good in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temperature before slicing and serving.

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

The Best Apple Bread Recipe

What Are the Best Apples for Making Apple Bread?