This homemade Apple Bread is one of life's greatest joys 🙂. It's soft and moist, filled with delicious apple chunks, and interlaced with a beautiful cinnamon sugar swirl. The recipe is extremely simple, and the batter only takes about 10 minutes to make.
About This Recipe
The first time I tried making apple bread was when I was 14. There used to be this giant apple tree in a parking lot in our neighborhood. It was filled with apples, but sadly, none of them ever got picked. By the end of the season, the ground would be strewn with fallen, mushy apples.
Well, one summer, I decided to do something about it. My friend and I grabbed a backpack and fishing net, and we went to the tree. We came back with a bag full of apples and I made a bunch of apple desserts over the next month. I would have to say this apple bread was one of my favorites.
Using tart apples is key for this recipe. The tartness balances better with the sweeter components of the bread, like the cinnamon sugar swirl, and the sweet crumb. I recommend something like Granny Smith. If you're using freshly picked apples, go for ones that are just ripe or slightly under.
Key Ingredients
This is a very standard "sweet bread" recipe, similar to what you'd find for banana bread or zucchini bread.
For the batter, you'll need eggs, sugar, melted butter (or equal parts vegetable oil), milk, vanilla extract, flour, salt, baking powder, and diced apples. For the apples, I recommend a tart variety like Granny Smith.
For the cinnamon sugar swirl, you'll need brown sugar and ground cinnamon. Brown sugar can be substituted with white sugar if you don't have it.
Instructions
STEP 1: Using a stand mixer or hand beater, beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, 2 minutes.
STEP 2: Add the melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract, and mix until combined.
STEP 3: In a small bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until combined. Stir in the apples.
STEP 4: Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
STEP 5: Spoon ½ the batter into a greased bread pan, then sprinkle ½ of the cinnamon sugar topping. Spoon the rest of the batter on top, followed by the rest of the cinnamon sugar.
STEP 6: Starting from one side of the pan, insert a bread knife through the batter. Drag the knife in a zig-zag motion to the other side.
STEP 7: Bake at 350°F for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. It's OKAY for there to be a couple dry crumbs, but there should be no streaks of wet batter. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Best Homemade Apple Bread
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup melted unsalted butter
- ½ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ cups peeled diced apple (I used one medium Granny Smith apple)
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 ½ x 4 ½-inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or hand beaters to beat the eggs and granulated sugar together until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the melted butter, milk, and vanilla, and mix until evenly combined.
- In a small bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Gradually add this to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. Stir in the diced apples.
- Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Add ½ of the batter into the pan, then sprinkle ½ of the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top. Add the rest of the batter and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- To create the swirl, insert a butter knife in the batter and drag the knife through the batter in a zigzag motion. Do this only once.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (a few crumbs are ok but there should be no visible streaks of batter). Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife along the edges to remove the bread. Finish cooling on a wire rack, then slice and enjoy!
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