Cinnamon Apple Bread is a cozy, moist, and delicious loaf filled with Fall flavor. Juicy, buttery apples, tender sponge, and a hint of spice make this one of the best apple desserts around.
Best Cinnamon Apple Bread Recipe
This cinnamon apple bread has the most amazing texture, with rich warmth and buttery-soft apples in every bite. Then, I added an apple glaze on the top to double down on the flavor, and it really takes it to the next level.
So many of my recipes on Spatula Desserts are made with apples, so you can tell it's an ingredient I am very familiar with! I enriched the batter with a bit of brown sugar and cinnamon spice, and this extra molasses content gives it some subtle caramel undertones that are utterly delicious during the Fall.
What's more, this recipe is so simple. You won't need any fancy ingredients or kitchen equipment, and it all comes together in just 15 minutes. I always love baking sweetbread recipes, and this is one of my favorites!
Katalin's Key Take On What Makes This Cinnamon Apple Bread So Moist
No one wants a dry apple bread loaf! The best hack is to use both oil and yogurt in the batter (like in my pumpkin bread), which makes it super moist and fluffy. Pay attention to my mixing technique, too, as overmixing will make the gluten toughen up and prevent us from achieving the best soft texture.
It is also critical to use the right variety of apple, and not too much! I recommend a variety like Granny Smith or Braeburn so that the slices keep their shape and don't go mushy. We want just enough without overloading it, or there will be wet pockets in the sponge from all the water released from the apples during baking. I'll give you all my tips below on how you should slice them to help with this, too.
We also enrich the batter with brown sugar, which is moister than regular white granulated sugar. Sugar is a tenderiser, so this acts in our favor to give a lovely, tender loaf with a touch of molasses flavor.
Finally, don't overbake it! Overbaking is the number one cause of dry baked goods. Apply the toothpick test to make sure you take it out at the right time.
Prepare the Apples
Peel and core the apples before slicing them into evenly sized pieces around ½ cm or ¼ inch wide. They need to be the same size so that they cook evenly.
Place them in a bowl with the cinnamon and brown sugar, and stir to coat them in it.
Whip Up the Batter
Place the room-temperature eggs, yogurt, sugar, and oil in a large mixing bowl and whisk them until thoroughly combined and smooth. Finally, add the vanilla extract. This can be done with a simple balloon whisk; you don't need electricity!
Now sift the dry ingredients: flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into the same bowl. Switch to a rubber spatula to gently fold these dry ingredients into the wet mixture. You only need to fold until the dry ingredients are incorporated into the wet ingredients. Overmixing leads to gluten development, which leads to a firmer, chewier texture.
Bake & Enjoy, Easy!
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), and do not use the fan setting.
Prepare your loaf pan (I use a 9×5-inch / 23×13 cm) by lining it with two strips of parchment paper that cross over each other and go all the way from one side to the other, covering the base. Make them long enough that a small margin overhangs at the top on each side. This makes it really easy to lift out the apple bread after baking!
Pour half of the batter into the pan and tap it on the counter to let it spread evenly. Spoon half of the sugary cinnamon apples evenly over the top, and then pour the remaining batter over them. Smooth the surface, then press the rest of the apple pieces gently into it.
Bake the apple bread in the pre-heated oven for 60-70 minutes. It is a very wet batter, which is why it needs a long time in the oven. But be careful not to overbake. Bake only until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool completely in the pan before removing it by gently tugging on the parchment paper.
You can serve cinnamon apple bread as it is, or with the glossy and delicious apple glaze. Prepare this by mixing apple juice with powdered sugar until smooth, then spooning it over the cooled apple cinnamon loaf cake. Don't glaze it until it has cooled completely, or the glaze will melt and sink into the sponge rather than sit on top.
I love to serve this recipe with coffee in the afternoon, or keep it as a sweet breakfast idea!
Storing & Freezing
Storing an apple loaf is so easy. If there are any leftovers, that is! Store it on the counter in an airtight container for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To keep it for longer, you can freeze it, which also helps if you need to make it in advance. Wrap the cinnamon apple bread tightly in plastic food wrap and place it in a ziplock bag before freezing. It will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
Flavor Variations
This cinnamon apple bread can be made with different spices to suit your tastes. Add a pinch of ginger for some fiery warmth, or even cardamom for a more aromatic edge.
Try it with a chai spice blend by adding cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and star anise. Pumpkin spice goes well with apple, and is another great option for Fall!
Add chopped nuts for some added texture. Pecans taste particularly good with apples, and will give it an even more amazing Fall flavor. You can also swap a small amount of the all-purpose flour with pecan flour (or other nut flour) to have some subtle nutty depth.
I also enjoy adding dried cranberries and raisins, especially around the holidays.
Instead of the easy apple glaze, drizzle over some pecan butter or even a caramel sauce. Or go one step further and add a streusel topping.
You can also make this apple bread recipe with pears! Use a variety such as Bartlett or Williams pears.
Ingredient Substitutions
This recipe already uses oil instead of butter in the apple loaf, and to make it entirely dairy-free, you could substitute a thick plant-based yogurt, like oat yogurt. You can try one of these egg substitutes, such as a flax egg or aquafaba, making this recipe entirely vegan/plant-based.
To make it gluten-free as well, use a gluten-free flour and check out my flour guide for more tips on the best choices.
All-purpose flour is best for this apple bread recipe. You can use cake flour instead if that's all you have, but avoid using bread flour as it is too high in protein and will make the sponge chewy.
If dairy isn't a problem, you can replace the Greek yogurt with crème fraîche or sour cream.
If you don't have brown sugar, you can use entirely white granulated sugar, but you'll miss that layer of richness, and it will be a touch less tender. I do recommend adding it if you can.
It's always worth noting that making any changes to a written recipe will affect the final taste and texture. Read my baking guides section to learn more about common baking ingredients and what the best swaps are.
Expert Tips To Make Cinnamon Apple Bread
- Make sure that the eggs and yogurt are at room temperature before you begin making this recipe, so take them out of the fridge ahead of time.
- Use thick Greek-style or Turkish-style yogurt for the best taste and texture. Don't use flavored yogurts or anything sweetened.
- Avoid stuffing too many apple pieces into the apple bread batter, as it will make the batter too watery.
- If the cinnamon apple bread is browning on the top too fast in the oven, place a piece of aluminum foil over it. Do this loosely, and slightly domed to let steam still escape.
What Equipment To Use
Always weigh your ingredients by the gram using a digital scale rather than measuring by volume. Baking is all about precision!
Avoid overmixing ingredients by combining them with a hand whisk and a rubber spatula. I bake this cinnamon apple loaf in a 9×5-inch/23×13 cm loaf pan.
Check that you are baking at the correct temperature by using a digital oven thermometer. Many mistakes in baking come down to the oven being too hot or too cold!
Try Some Of My Other Fall Dessert Recipes
I love baking during the Fall, it really is the best baking season. I have so many Fall recipes on Spatula Desserts, and here are some of my favorites to try next:
- Apple Tarte Tatin
- Cinnamon Apple Babka
- Pumpkin custard pie
- Cinnamon Streusel muffins
- Pumpkin Streusel Loaf
And if you love baking with apples as much as I do, don't forget to check out my roundup of the best apple desserts!
Have You Tried This Recipe?
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Cinnamon Apple Bread
Ingredients
Cinnamon Apple Bread
- 180 g (⅔ cups) Vegetable oil
- 100 g (½ cups) Granulated sugar
- 50 g (¼ cups) Brown sugar
- 3 Eggs at room temperature
- 120 g (½ cups) Yogurt thick Greek or Turkish style yogurt at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 240 g (2 cups) All purpose flour
- ½ teaspoons Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Apple insert
- 2 Apples 2 mid-sized apples e.g. Granny Smith.
- 55 g (¼ cups) Brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
Glaze - optional
- 90 g (¾ cups) Powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons Apple juice
US customary cup measurement is an indicative figure only. Measure the ingredients with a digital scale by weight (gram). Baking is art but also science which requires precision and accuracy.
Instructions
Make the apple insert
- Peel and core the apples, then slice them into about ½ cm / ¼ inch pieces. Mix the slices with the brown sugar and cinnamon, and set them aside.
Make the apple bread batter
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), no fan. Grease a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal.
- Whisk the room temperature yogurt, eggs, sugar, and oil in a large bowl until fully combined and smooth. Add the vanilla extract and mix it in.
- Sift the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Gently fold with a spatula until the mixture is just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Add half of the apple mixture on top in an even layer. Repeat with the remaining batter, smoothing the surface, then finish with the rest of the apple mixture, pressing the pieces gently into the batter.
Bake
- Bake the apple bread at 350°F (175°C) for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If the bread was browning too much, cover the top loosely with aluminum foil.
- Let the apple bread cool completely to room temperature before serving, as it will finish setting while it cools.
- If desired, prepare the glaze by mixing apple juice with powdered sugar until smooth. Spoon the glaze evenly over the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides.
- Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Notes
- Measure your ingredients accurately using a digital scale.
- For the batter, ensure that all the ingredients are at room temperature.
- Be careful not to overmix once you add the flour; this keeps the bread soft instead of dense.
- Make sure to place parchment paper on the bottom of the cake pan—it will be convenient later for transferring the cake.
- Bake the cake until the toothpick test; the toothpick should come out dry. However, do not overbake the cake after this, as an overbaked cake can become dry.
- Add a handful of chopped nuts or raisins to the batter for more texture.
- Glaze only once the bread is completely cooled; otherwise, the glaze will melt and soak in instead of setting on top.
Dawn
Hi, I am making this but have some questions first. You say to peel & slice apples, but I see that yours are in chunks and not peeled? Next you say to put have the batter in the pan and top with half the apples, but I see that you seem to mix half the apples into the batter and is this in half the batter or all of it then placing the rest of the apple on top and pushing them in a bit? Please let me know, this sounds amazing.
Katalin Nagy
Hey, regarding whether to peel apples, it doesn't matter; you can peel or not.
In terms of whether to mix in half of the apples or place them on top of half of the batter, again, not much difference. It is safer not to mix so you don't end up with a lot of apples on the bottom of the pan, therefore the instructions say so.
Dawn Sonnett
Hi, Thanks for the update. Yummy!
Marvina
No apple cider. What could I replace it with?
Katalin Nagy
There is no apple cider in this recipe 🙂
Olivia
It was much easier than I though and the perfect bread for my morning coffee.