Apple season is the perfect excuse to start baking, and these 20 Best Apple Bread Recipes are some of the coziest ways to put fresh apples to good use. From classic apple cinnamon bread to streusel-topped loaves, caramel apple bread and creative variations, there’s an apple bread here for every fall baking mood.
Apple quick breads are especially good for fall because they’re easy to make, don’t require yeast and make your kitchen smell amazing while they’re baking. Fresh apples add natural sweetness and moisture, while cinnamon, brown sugar, nuts and other warm spices give these breads all of those flavors we associate with fall.
Bake a loaf for breakfast, serve slices with afternoon coffee or make an extra loaf to share with a friend. Many apple breads freeze beautifully too, so they’re perfect for stocking the freezer during apple season.
And if you have even more apples to use, don’t miss my 50 Best Apple Recipes for Fall, with apple pies, cakes, crisps, muffins, breakfast recipes and plenty more.
Classic Apple Bread Recipes
Sometimes a simple loaf of homemade apple bread is exactly what you want. These classic recipes put fresh apples front and center, usually paired with cinnamon, brown sugar and nuts. They’re easy enough for everyday baking and just as good for breakfast as they are for an afternoon snack.
1. Fresh Apple Bread
Fresh Apple Bread is the kind of classic fall quick bread you’ll want to make every apple season. Fresh chopped apples keep the loaf moist, while warm spices give it plenty of cozy fall flavor.
Make an extra loaf while you’re at it—apple bread is wonderful to have tucked away in the freezer.
2. Apple Cinnamon Bread
Apples and cinnamon are one of fall’s best flavor combinations. Apple Cinnamon Bread is a tender, warmly spiced loaf filled with fresh apple in every slice.
It’s especially delicious served slightly warm with a little softened butter.
3. Apple Walnut Bread
Crunchy walnuts are a natural addition to a classic apple loaf. Apple Walnut Bread combines juicy apples with nuts and warm spices for a bread with plenty of texture and flavor.
Serve it for breakfast with coffee or wrap up a loaf to give as a homemade fall gift.
4. Apple Pecan Bread
Apple Pecan Bread is another classic combination, with sweet apples and buttery pecans tucked into a moist quick bread.
Toast the pecans before adding them to the batter for even more nutty flavor.
5. Apple Cider Bread
Apple Cider Bread is the perfect fall themed quick loaf recipe! This bread is full of chunks of fresh apples. It’s very generous with the apples!
Apple Streusel and Cinnamon Breads
If the crumbly topping is your favorite part of coffee cake, this section is for you. These apple breads feature cinnamon swirls, buttery streusel and bakery-style toppings that make a basic quick bread feel a little more special.
6. Dutch Apple Bread
Dutch Apple Bread is loaded with fresh apple and topped with a sweet, buttery crumble. It’s somewhere between apple bread and coffee cake, making it an especially good choice for breakfast or brunch.
This is one of those breads that’s difficult to resist while it’s still warm from the oven!
7. Apple Streusel Bread
A generous layer of buttery crumbs turns a simple loaf into Apple Streusel Bread.
The contrast between the soft apple-filled bread and crunchy streusel topping makes this a great choice when you want something a little more special than traditional apple bread.
8. Cinnamon Swirl Apple Bread
Slice into Cinnamon Swirl Apple Bread and you’ll find a ribbon of cinnamon sugar running through the middle.
It’s an easy way to make a classic apple loaf look and taste a little more impressive.
9. Apple Crumb Bread
Apple Crumb Bread has plenty of tender apple pieces underneath a thick layer of sweet crumbs.
If you’re the person who always goes for the piece of coffee cake with the most topping, this is the apple bread for you.
10. Apple Coffee Cake Bread
Part quick bread and part coffee cake, Apple Coffee Cake Bread combines a moist apple loaf with the flavors and crumbly topping of a classic coffee cake.
Serve thick slices alongside a hot cup of coffee for a cozy fall breakfast.
Caramel and Indulgent Apple Breads
Apples and caramel belong together! These recipes take traditional apple bread in a sweeter direction with caramel, glaze and other decadent additions. They’re still called bread, but several of these are definitely dessert-worthy.
11. Caramel Apple Bread
Caramel Apple Bread turns the flavors of a favorite fall treat into a moist, sliceable loaf.
Fresh apples and warm spices are topped with caramel for a bread that’s especially good when you’re craving something sweet.
12. Salted Caramel Apple Bread
A little salt balances the sweetness in Salted Caramel Apple Bread. The combination of tender apples, rich caramel and flaky salt gives this loaf an irresistible sweet-and-salty finish.
This is one I’d happily serve for dessert.
13. Apple Fritter Bread
If you love bakery apple fritters, you’ll want to try Apple Fritter Bread.
Fresh apples and cinnamon sugar are layered into a soft quick bread and finished with a sweet glaze. You get all those wonderful apple-fritter flavors without having to fry anything.
14. Glazed Apple Cinnamon Bread
Glazed Apple Cinnamon Bread starts with a moist apple-and-cinnamon loaf and finishes with a simple sweet glaze.
The glaze makes it pretty enough for a brunch table while keeping the recipe easy enough for everyday baking.
15. Caramel Apple Monkey Bread
Caramel Apple Monkey Bread is a fun change from a traditional sliced loaf. Bite-sized pieces of dough are baked with apples, cinnamon and caramel for a gooey pull-apart bread that’s meant for sharing.
Serve this one warm!
Creative Apple Bread Recipes
Once you’ve made classic apple bread, it’s fun to experiment with some different flavors. Apples work beautifully with everything from maple and cranberries to bananas and cream cheese, so there are plenty of ways to give traditional apple bread a twist.
16. Toffee Apple Bread
Slices of this Toffee Apple Bread and a cup of hot coffee are the perfect way to enjoy some quiet time in the morning or afternoon.
17. Cranberry Apple Bread
Sweet apples and tart cranberries balance each other perfectly in Cranberry Apple Bread.
This is an especially nice loaf to make later in the fall when fresh cranberries arrive in stores, and it would be right at home on a Thanksgiving breakfast table.
18. Apple Banana Carrot Bread
Apple Banana Carrot Bread is a fruity, moist quick bread topped with sweet cream cheese frosting. It’s like banana bread and carrot cake all in one!
19. Apple Cream Cheese Bread
Apple Cream Cheese Bread combines tender apple quick bread with a rich cream cheese element for an extra-special loaf.
This is a great option for brunch or when you want an apple bread that’s a little more indulgent.
20. Apple Butterscotch Bread
Apple Butterscotch Bread is a quick loaf with some amazing flavors. It happens to be a “guy” favorite at my house!
Tips for Making the Best Apple Bread
- Choose good baking apples. Apples that hold their shape during baking work particularly well in quick breads. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn and Pink Lady are all good choices.
- Chop the apples fairly small. Large chunks can make a quick bread difficult to slice and may create overly wet pockets in the loaf. Small pieces distribute more evenly throughout the batter.
- Don’t overmix. Once you add the dry ingredients, mix the batter just until everything is combined. Overmixing can make quick bread tough instead of tender.
- Watch the top of the loaf. Apple breads can take a while to bake through the center. If the top is becoming too brown before the inside is finished, loosely tent it with foil.
- Let it cool before slicing. It’s tempting to cut into apple bread immediately, but giving it time to cool helps the loaf set and makes cleaner slices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Best Apples for Apple Bread?
For most apple bread recipes, you want an apple that’s flavorful and firm enough to hold up during baking.
Granny Smith is always a reliable choice and its tartness provides a nice contrast to sweet quick bread. Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Pink Lady and Jonagold are also excellent.
You can also combine two varieties. Using one tart apple and one sweeter apple can give your bread more interesting flavor.
Do You Peel Apples for Apple Bread?
Usually, yes. Peeled apples blend more seamlessly into quick bread and give the finished loaf a softer texture.
However, leaving the peel on isn’t necessarily a problem, particularly if the apples are finely chopped. Follow the directions in the individual recipe you’re making.
Should Apples Be Chopped or Shredded for Apple Bread?
Both work, but they create different results.
Chopped apples give you noticeable little pieces of fruit throughout the bread, while shredded apples blend more completely into the batter and add moisture.
Most recipes specify which method works best, so follow the individual recipe rather than substituting one for the other.
How Do You Keep Apple Bread from Getting Soggy?
Apples naturally release moisture as they bake, so it’s important to use the amount called for in the recipe.
Avoid adding extra apples simply because you have them. Too much fruit can create wet pockets and prevent the center of the bread from baking properly.
Also make sure the loaf is completely baked before removing it from the oven.
How Do You Know When Apple Bread is Done?
Insert a toothpick or thin knife into the center of the loaf. It should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
Because apple pieces themselves will remain moist, try inserting the toothpick into a portion of bread rather than directly into a chunk of apple.
Can You Freeze Apple Bread?
Yes! Most apple quick breads freeze very well.
Let the bread cool completely, then wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap followed by foil, or place it in a freezer-safe bag.
You can also freeze individual slices. Wrap them separately and pull out a slice whenever you want a quick breakfast or snack.
How Should Apple Bread Be Stored?
Most apple quick breads can be stored tightly wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days.
For longer storage, refrigerate the bread. Recipes containing a cream cheese filling or frosting should generally be refrigerated.
Time to Start Fall Baking!
There’s nothing quite like the smell of apples and cinnamon baking in the kitchen on a fall day. Whether you start with Fresh Apple Bread, pile on the crumbs with Dutch Apple Bread or satisfy your sweet tooth with Apple Fritter Bread, there are plenty of delicious ways to turn fresh apples into homemade bread.
And if one loaf of apple bread isn’t enough to satisfy your fall baking mood, browse my 50 Best Apple Recipes for Fall for even more ways to use your apples. You’ll find everything from apple muffins and breakfast recipes to cakes, pies, crisps and desserts.
Happy apple baking!
