Apple Cinnamon Bread

Loaded with tender apples and warming spices, this Apple Bread is not only delicious but also deceptively good for you.

Like my recipes for Baked Apples, Apple Crisp with Oat Topping, and Dutch Apple Pie, this Apple Cinnamon Bread combines warming spices, fresh apples, and a buttery streusel for the ultimate combination of both flavor and texture. Unlike my other apple dessert recipes, this recipe uses 100% whole wheat flour, only a TINY bit of refined sugar, and way less butter!

But you would never know it by the taste or texture! This Apple Bread is light, tender, and perfectly sweet. Paired with a cup of mulled apple cider, this apple cinnamon bread is perfect for breakfast, celebrating fall, or just curling up on the couch with a blanket and a book -- now, doesn't that sound like a perfect afternoon?!

Notes on Ingredients

• Flour: To keep this apple bread 100% whole grain, use either whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour. White whole wheat flour makes lighter bread, but I typically use whole wheat flour because it is what I have on hand. You can use all-purpose flour, but you'll lose the whole-grain flavor.
• Apples: I recommend using Granny Smith apples, as their tartness pairs well with the sweet crumble. However, you can use any apple that is suitable for baking, such as Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn.
• Honey: Use honey or maple syrup to sweeten the apple bread batter.
• Buttermilk: The acidity in the buttermilk helps to keep this whole wheat quick bread super light and tender. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own by combining vinegar or lemon juice with milk or the non-dairy milk of your choice. The recipe card includes instructions for making homemade buttermilk.
• Spices: This recipe calls for cinnamon and nutmeg. Do yourself a favor--grate a whole nutmeg bulb using a Microplane, it will taste SO much better than ground nutmeg that can overwhelm a recipe.
• Applesauce: Adding applesauce to the batter helps cut back on the fat while keeping the quick bread super tender and moist. I recommend unsweetened to control the refined sugar. If you have homemade stovetop applesauce or Instant Pot applesauce on hand, they both work well here.
• Melted Butter: Using melted butter in the quick bread will produce a rich, buttery flavor. Instead of butter, you can use canola oil or melted coconut oil.
• Oat Streusel: The streusel topping on this apple bread is optional, but it adds wonderful texture and flavor. Make it with whole wheat flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, and butter.

3. Combine Wet Ingredients. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, honey, applesauce, and vanilla extract.

4. Fold Batter Together. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and use a spatula to fold the batter together. Mix until the flour is completely moistened and the ingredients are well combined. But don't overmix, as that would result in tough bread.

6. Assemble. Pour the batter into a loaf pan greased with butter or lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the apple bread batter.

7. Bake. Bake the apple bread until a toothpick comes out dry; this will take between 50-55 minutes. While the bread is baking, take a moment to enjoy the aroma of apples and cinnamon wafting through the air. FABULOUS!

Storage Instructions

• Refrigerate: Because this Apple Cinnamon Bread is made with whole grains and no preservatives, store it once cooled in an airtight container in the refrigerator, not at room temperature. It will last 4-5 days refrigerated.
• Freeze: Alternatively, you can freeze the Apple Bread for up to 3 months. Let the bread cool completely after baking, wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil, and place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months and defrost overnight in the refrigerator.