Sweet and lightly spiced Cinnamon Apple Bread is pure homemade comfort in loaf form. Packed with fresh apples and cinnamon sugar filling, this sweet bread is topped with a vanilla icing!
More classic bread recipes include my favorite cinnamon zucchini bread and this sour cream banana bread! Happy baking!
Easy Apple Cinnamon Bread Recipe
Do you have any apple dessert lovers in your life?
I think I’m that person to my friends and family. Yes, I love just about all desserts and sweet things (I have a whole blog about them, after all) but I have soft spot in my heart for treats involving apples.
From Apple Doughnuts to Slow Cooker Apple Cake, I love it all. Add a little cinnamon in the mix and you’ll win me over for sure.
These two ingredients were simply made for each other, and there’s no better way to enjoy them than slicing into a loaf of Apple Cinnamon Bread.
- Apple bread made with real pieces of apple folded into the batter doesn’t get nearly the attention it deserves.
- With a vanilla icing on top and plenty of cinnamon, this Apple Cinnamon Loaf is easily one of my favorite quick breads.
- I’ve even got tips below on how to make this into muffins!
We’re big dessert fans around here, obviously. So if you need more ideas, I suggest starting with our easy heaven on earth cake or rich and delicious ding dong cake.
Ingredient Notes
Aimee’s Advice
Be sure to scroll to the end of the post to get full ingredient amounts and directions!
- All-purpose Flour– no fancy flour needed! Make sure to measure the flour correctly, using our tips and tricks!
- Sugars- you’ll need granulated sugar for the bread, brown sugar for the filling, and powdered sugar for the glaze!
- Unsalted Butter- if you use salted butter, it will still turn out great. Use our tips and tricks on how to soften butter quickly.
- Vanilla Extract- use a pure vanilla, or make your own using my homemade vanilla extract recipe!
- Apples- I like to use granny smith or golden delicious in this recipe. The more tart the apple the better, since there is plenty of sweetness to balance the apple flavor. Be sure to dice the apple small.
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Bread
- Prepare the Bread Batter. Combine wet ingredients, then dry ingredients.
- Dice the Apple. Peel and core one large apple then dice into small chunks. You should have about 1 cup worth of apple.
- Cinnamon Sugar Mixture. Mix together a bowl of brown sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
- Assemble. Pour half the batter into a prepared bread pan (use baking spray or my homemade cake release). Cover with half of the diced apples (press them slightly into the batter). Sprinkle with half of brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. Pour the remaining batter over apple layer; top with remaining apples and add more brown sugar/cinnamon mixture. Pat topping into the batter with the back of a large spoon.
- Bake for 50 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees (or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean). Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Make the icing.In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. Whisk everything together until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cooled bread and allow to set, about 15 minutes. ENJOY.
Recipe Notes
- Make sure the bread is cooled entirely before you pour the icing on top. If the bread is warm the icing will melt and not set on top.
- Don’t stress too much about getting every piece of apple exactly uniform. While you want the apple pieces roughly the same size a little variety is just fine, as they get baked right into the bread.
- If you won’t be serving the apple cinnamon bread immediately, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap to keep it moist.
- Freeze bread- You can freeze the loaf whole or cut it into slices to freeze it in individual portions. Thaw completely in the refrigerator or on the counter top before warming slightly to serve.
My kids and I enjoy this bread for breakfasts, snacks and even as a dessert alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
If you want a little less sweetness in your apple cake, I suppose you could leave off the icing. I, however, love what it adds to the bread in both taste and appearance.
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Muffins
I love that this delicious bread can also be made into muffins! This recipe will make about 14 regular size muffins.
- Pre-heat oven to 350℉. Line regular muffin tin with liners or spray with baking spray. Set aside.
- Put 1 Tablespoon of batter in the bottom of each muffin well.
- Top the batter with a layer of about ½ Tablespoon of diced apples. Sprinkle about ½ Tablespoon of brown sugar and cinnamon mix over the apples.
- Top with another Tablespoon of batter and another ½ Tablespoon of brown sugar mix.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes or until tops of muffins have browned and are set.
- Cool muffins completely in the tin.
- Remove muffins from the tin and drizzle with icing.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
- For a gooey treat, these Lemon Bars are always a hit!
- Make a batch of this classic Puppy Chow Recipe for snack you can’t stop eating.
- Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies are one of my favorite cookies from childhood.
- Apple Dumplings the way the Pioneer Woman created, covered in Mountain Dew!
- This Crumb Cake is New York style, and makes the the perfect breakfast.
- Almond Bars are a soft moist cookie bar, perfect for freezing too.
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Apple Cinnamon Bread
Ingredients
For the bread
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup milk
- 1 large apple peeled and finely chopped (about 1 cup apple bits)
For the icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
- In a small bowl,. combine brown sugar and cinnamon together and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine granulated sugar and butter until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and continue to beat on medium speed until combined.
- Add flour and baking powder, then mix in the milk.
- Pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Cover with half of the diced apples (press them slightly into the batter).
- Sprinkle with half of brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.
- Pour the remaining batter over apple layer; top with remaining apples and add more brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.
- Pat topping into the batter with the back of a large spoon.
- Bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in pan 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the icing ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cooled bread and allow to set, about 15 minutes. ENJOY.
Notes
- Store wrapped at room temperature or freeze for later!
- Can you freeze Apple Bread? Yes, apple bread freezes beautifully! You can freeze the loaf whole or cut it into slices to freeze it in individual portions. Thaw completely in the refrigerator or on the counter top before warming slightly to serve.
- What kind of apples to use in baking? I like a tart apple like Granny Smith or Golden Delicious in this apple bread recipe. However, any kind of apple you like baking with will taste great in this bread.
- Want to make muffins? See blog post for details!
Nutrition
All the good flavors of apples and cinnamon baked into moist and sweet loaf of Apple bread.
I started following March 1 of 2012. The first recipe I got from you was spinach lasagna. I’ve been following every cents and loving your recipes.
The date was actually March 13 of that year and it was spinach meat, lasagna
I started following March 13 of 2012. The first recipe I got from you was spinach and meat lasagna. I have been following ever since then. Love all of your recipes.
Oh my goodness you’ve been around here for some time! You’ve seen so many changes through the years, including all my hairstyles, haha! Thanks for sticking with me!
I think its awesome how yout blog started. Im just some1 that loves recipes . I am single so its hard 2 make jyst anything. Im not sure how i come across your site other than it is 1 of my favorite sites.
My first alone recipe when i was a kid was hershey chocolate cake and my first recipe with my mom was lemon meringue pie.
I was 11 or 12 getting my fix for recipes and its something ive never stopped enjoying. So thank u for your hard work i enjoy your site. Sharon
Thank you for the sweet comment. Lemon meringue pie is no easy feat as your first recipe!
Just made this and it is fantastic. It’s got lots of crunch with the cinnamon topping and the bread base is just sweet enough. The icing is just a wonderful extra. I really believe I could sit and eat the whole loaf. Thanks so much for the recipe.
It’s one of my favorites too!
This was delicious! It came out perfect. I used Bobs Red Mill Cup for Cup gluten free flour – everyone loved it. Thanks for sharing!!!
So glad to hear it!
Just made this loaf. It’s not sickly sweet like I thought it would be! Perfectly balanced. It came out like bread with all the fluffiness of a cake 😊 will definitely be making this again
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Hello. I am baking this recipe right now and it is spilling
Over the loaf pan. I used the size in the recipe. Any idea why this is happening?
Thanks!
This is absolutely delicious!
So disappointed. Made this bread for the 3rd time and had something very unusual happen. After cooling, I flipped the bread and the bottom half stuck in the pan separated at the first apple level. Hoping to salvage it.
Sounds like you need to really grease your baking pan, or line it with parchment paper.
I cannot wait to make this bread. Pumpkin is not my favorite fall food, apples certainly are! Thanks for the recipe! Happy Autumn to all.
This is a great recipe and easy to make healthier for those that need more in their diet or need lower calories for weight loss. I love it and eat it lots! Everyone thinks it’s amazing and it’s so easy you can make it last minute!