Apple Bread Recipe

Name: Apple Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: For the streusel; 1/4 cup (50 g) brown sugar; 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar; 1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons butter, melted; For the apple bread; 1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature; 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar; 1 large egg, at room temperature; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 cup plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt; 1/3 cup whole milk; 1 large Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Golden Delicious apple, peeled and diced; Special equipment; 9x5-inch loaf pan

Nothing screams fall like the scent of baked apples and cinnamon filling your kitchen. This Apple Bread is a seasonal twist on a classic coffee cake. It’s moist and buttery, with a touch of spice and a crumbly streusel topping. So, there’s everything to love.

Who said you can’t have cake for breakfast? Apple Bread is a great, indulgent breakfast alongside a hot cup of coffee or tea. You can also serve it for dessert with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream on top.

You probably have everything you need in your house to make this recipe, so it is perfect if you’re looking to bake something tasty on a whim. If you’re going apple picking this season, it is also the perfect way to use up those fresh, crispy apples.

The Best Apples for this Recipe

You want to use firm, crispy apples that will hold their structure under heat. Some varieties that work well are Granny Smith, Fuji, Honeycrisp, Cortland, and Golden Delicious. Steer clear of softer varieties, like McIntosh and Macoun.

If you want to learn more about apple varietals and which work best for your different fall baking needs pop over and read our guide to the best baking apples.

A loaf of homemade apple bread with a few slices cut and laid in front of the loaf. — Hannah Zimmerman

Tips and Tricks for the Best Possible Apple Bread

This apple bread is considered a quick bread, which means it should be pretty easy to pull together. Just adhere to these tips to ensure that you get the perfect loaf every time.

Keep the butter, eggs, milk, and yogurt at room temperature. This will give you a smoother batter without any chunks.
Use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer. It will be much more difficult to create a smooth batter if you are mixing by hand.
Don't over-mix the batter. Use a low speed on your hand or stand mixer and mix until the ingredients are just combined.
Line the pan with parchment paper. This will make it much easier to remove the cake after baking.
Be careful not to over-measure the flour! When you measure flour, you want it to be light and fluffy, not packed, and dense. Use a fork or spoon to fluff the flour in its container before scooping it up in your measuring cup.

Ingredient Swaps and Variations for Apple Bread

One reason why I love this Apple Bread recipe is because it is customizable based on your flavor preferences and the ingredients you have on hand. Here are some ways you can change the recipe and make it your own.

If you don’t have any Greek yogurt on hand, sour cream will work in its place.
If you’re a pumpkin spice lover, feel free to swap the cinnamon in the batter for pumpkin spice.
You can add 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to your apple cake to give it some crunch.

Slices of cinnamon streusel apple bread on plates and topped with butter. — Hannah Zimmerman

How to Store Apple Bread

Apple bread will keep for 3 days in a sealed container at room temperature. If you want to make the bread ahead of time, you can wrap it in aluminum foil, place it in a sealed bag, and freeze it for up to three months. Just let the frozen cake thaw at room temperature for 2-3 hours before serving.

If you need more guidance on how to freeze baked goods, this guide to freezing and storing banana bread (another favorite of mine) is a great source!

More Quick Bread Recipes to Try

Apple Bread

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 50 mins

Total Time 65 mins

Servings 8 servings

Special equipment: 9x5-inch loaf pan

For the streusel

1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted

For the apple bread

1 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt
1/3 cup whole milk
1 large Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Golden Delicious apple, peeled and diced

Preheat the oven and prepare loaf pan:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line it with a single sling of parchment paper. Leave a 1-inch overhang of parchment paper on the long sides of the pan for easy removal after baking.
Make the streusel topping:

In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Slowly drizzle the melted butter over the dry ingredients, tossing the mixture with a fork as you pour. Once all the butter is added, mix until you have a crumbly, doughy mixture. Set aside.

Hannah Zimmerman
Mix the dry ingredients:

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Combine the wet ingredients:

Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a beater attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue to mix on medium speed until fully combined. Add the yogurt and milk and mix on medium speed until all ingredients are evenly combined with a smooth, creamy texture.

Hannah Zimmerman

Hannah Zimmerman
Combine the wet and dry ingredients:

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat all the ingredients together starting on low speed and increasing to medium speed for 1-2 minutes, until a smooth batter forms with no lumps.

Hannah Zimmerman
Fold apples into batter:

Add the diced apples to the batter. Using a rubber spatula, fold the apples into the batter.

Hannah Zimmerman
Pour batter into loaf pan:

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the streusel over the top.

Hannah Zimmerman
Bake:

Place in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes, until the streusel is golden-brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Cool:

Let the apple bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then use the parchment overhang to lift it out of the pan and place on a wire rack. Let the loaf cool on the rack for an additional 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Hannah Zimmerman

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
384	Calories
16g	Fat
56g	Carbs
6g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories	384
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g	20%
Saturated Fat 9g	47%
Cholesterol 63mg	21%
Sodium 314mg	14%
Total Carbohydrate 56g	20%
Dietary Fiber 2g	6%
Total Sugars 35g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 67mg	5%
Iron 2mg	8%
Potassium 117mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.