This apple pie bread recipe produces the most delicious loaf of bread you’ll ever eat. It is infused with all the flavors of an apple pie! Juicy apples along with a streusel topping turn into the perfect bite of moist bread. If you have an abundance of apples on hand, this is a great recipe for you!
Post updated: September 2019 and September 2024
Why This Recipe Works
Apple Pie Bread is going down in history for a handful of reasons:
- This easy apple pie bread recipe is my all-time favorite bread, dessert, apple recipe and fall recipe.
- I have made dozens and dozens of loaves of this apple bread recipe and they all get devoured quickly, and with little breathing involved.
- All the flavors of fall in one little pan.
- Because I make this delicious quick bread so often, I was prompted to purchase an apple corer/peeler years ag which I absolutely love to pieces.
- Perfect for an afternoon snack or as a dessert served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- This delicious bread recipe is such an easy and quick bread to make in the fall!
- The streusel topping really does take this recipe over the top and make it the perfect fall treat. You are going to love this bread!
Recipe Ingredients
Butter – Use salted butter for a saltier flavor or unsalted butter to cut back on salt.
Brown sugar – If you prefer, you can add more naturally sweet apples and reduce the amount of brown sugar you added. Other sugar substitutes that would be great are maple syrup, coconut sugar or stevia.
Light brown sugar and dark brown sugar can be used interchangably.
Milk – Use any variety of milk.
Eggs – Room temperature eggs work best when baking. Let sit out for 20 minutes, if you have time for it.
Apples – Use medium baking apples such as honeycrisp, gala, golden delicious, jonagold or granny smith. A mix of sweet and tart apples will bring a lot of dimension to the flavor of the loaf.
Vanilla extract – This will enhance the flavor just enough!
Flour – All-purpose flour is my go-to for this recipe, but replace this with a gluten-free variety for a GF bread.
Baking powder – Ensure your leavening agents are fresh and in date.
Salt – Any variety works great. Sea salt is my go-to.
Apple pie spice – A great substitution for apple pie spice would be 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon + 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Streusel crumble – The perfect, delicious crumb topping contains melted butter, flour and brown sugar.
How To Make Apple Pie Bread
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Throw the butter, milk, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla into a bowl. Mix with a stand or hand-held electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is creamy.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and apple pie spice. Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture until incorporated.
Step 2
Peel and core 4 large apples (or 6 medium or 8 small). This should come out to be about 4 cups when chopped.
Chop the apples into bite-size chunks and fold them into the batter. Pour the apple mixture into a greased 9×5 loaf pan.
Step 3
For the topping, combine streusel ingredients in a small bowl: brown sugar, flour and melted butter.
Stir until crumbly. Sprinkle over the top of the loaf and bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes.
When a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, you’ll know your loaf is done! Let cool completely on a wire rack and slice using a sharp knife.
Recipe Notes
- When you begin adding the chopped apples to the batter, it’ll seem like you have way too many. Trust me, keep adding and keep stirring! It always works out.
- Make a batch of Rhubarb Peach Jam or Cherry Berry Jam and add a little to your slice of bread for a delicious over-the-top treat! Honey butter is a great addition, too.
- If you notice that your bread is getting really brown on top but not done baking yet, place a piece of aluminum foil over the top and let it finish baking covered.
- Allow the bread to cool in pan before inverting and removing. Run a butter knife down along all edges before doing this to prevent it from sticking.
- This loaf is on the crumbly side, so serve with a fork if needed! My boys always make an absolute mess when they eat this with their hands.
Best Apples for Apple Bread
I recommend using a variety of fresh apples and at the very least, use two kinds: one sweet and one tart. My favorite combo is Granny Smith apples and Honeycrisp apples.
Sweet/Softer Apple Brands
- Fuji
- Honeycrisp
- Red Delicious
- Golden Delicious
- Cortland
- Gala
Tart (or a little Sour) Apple Brands
- Granny Smith
- McIntosh
- Ida Red
- Braeburn
- Empire
- Jonathan
How To Store Cinnamon Apple Pie Bread
You can store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or tightly wrap plastic wrap around the loaf pan.
Delicious Apple Recipes
- This fall make this amazing Apple Pie Jam! Put it on your English muffins, pancakes or with peanut butter! This is a great, DELICIOUS way to use up extra apples in the fall!
- These blueberry apple muffins are the perfect way to start your day. Made with sour cream instead of milk, these homemade muffins are moist, tender, delicious muffins packed with juicy blueberries and tons of tasty apples!
- Make Instant Pot apple pie filling quickly and easily! Throw this delicious apple filling into your next apple pie for a perfect holiday or any time dessert.
- Homemade Apple Cider made in your slow cooker will warm you from the inside out with amazing flavors. It is a must-have fall drink and homemade tastes so much better.
- This is the best Apple Coffee Cake recipe you’ll find. Enjoy as an indulgent breakfast treat or an any-time snack or dessert!
- These caramel apple pancakes are the absolute perfect fall breakfast. Fluffy pancakes packed with apples and caramel flavor and then topped with MORE apple topping and warm caramel sauce!
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Apple Pie Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 4 cups diced apples 4 large apples
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp apple pie spice substitute (1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg)
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the butter, brown sugar, milk, eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is creamy.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and apple pie spice (or cinnamon and nutmeg). Gradually add the flour mixture to the large bowl and mix until fully incorporated. Fold in the apples and pour into the prepared loaf pan.
- To make the topping, combine 2 tablespoons of melted butter with 1/2 cup each of flour and brown sugar. Mix with a fork until crumbly and pour evenly over the top of the batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes. When a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, the bread is done. Cut into slices and serve warm.
Notes
- When you begin adding the chopped apples to the batter, it’ll seem like you have way too many. Trust me, keep adding and keep stirring! It always works out.
- Make a batch of Rhubarb Peach Jam or Cherry Berry Jam and add a little to your slice of bread for a delicious over-the-top treat! Honey butter is a great addition, too.
- If you notice that your bread is getting really brown on top but not done baking yet, place a piece of aluminum foil over the top and let it finish baking covered.
- Allow the bread to cool in pan before inverting and removing. Run a butter knife down along all edges before doing this to prevent it from sticking.
- This loaf is on the crumbly side, so serve with a fork if needed! My boys always make an absolute mess when they eat this with their hands.
Adding a topping to an old recipe does not make it your recipe.
Just found your recipe. Was wondering if this can be made into mini loaves…..great gift idea right?
How long would the baking time be for mini loaves?
Hi Nancy! Great idea! Mini loaves should work great. Start checking for doneness at the 25-minute mark and use the toothpick trick. I hope they turn out great!
Megan
So, I just found your recipe this morning, had all the ingredients; and made it this afternoon. We thought this was moist and delicious! I love apple recipes because apples are always in the grocery store, unlike seasonal fruits. I’m sure that I am much older than you and I have also sliced open my hand. Once upon a time, if you wanted boneless chicken breasts, you had to debone them yourself. When I was a newlywed and trying to impress my husband with my culinary skills, my boning knife slipped and my thumb looked like I had deboned it! From them on, we had bone-in breasts!
Can you use self-rising flour?
worst cut i ever got, was trying to cut ham off the bone. ended up with a nasty cut on my finger. still haver a scare from it.
I just found your website (about 2 years too late, LOL). I was looking for a good chili recipe and yours happened to show up first on Pinterest. I will be making this later today as it sounds really good. Also the apple pie bread. Guess I’ll have to use my good old paring knife. I’m now following you on Pinterest.
Hello, I’m so glad you’re here! Enjoy the recipes!!
Megan
I was looking for an unfussy recipe for apples. I am still not confident to attempt pie crust right now. Thank you for this! Will watch out for my thumbs!
Well I too had a near hit and miss using a knife to peel apples, and as a result I am scared now to do so since I came close to losing my finger!
Oh no, Patricia! After my incident I invested in an apple peeler and it was the best finger-saving kitchen appliance I’ve ever purchased. Don’t give up on making the bread! It’s so good!!
Megan
Well today it’s raining so I love to bake when we got yucky weather & my boyfriend loves Apple crisp so I’m baking it now smells so good thanks for sharing ???
I hope it turns out great, Joan! It’s one of our faves!
Megan
Trying out this pie bread today since my husband loves apple pie and apple crisp. Love to try new things when im off.. considering that i work in food service for a living, it may seem that it would be the last thing i’d want to do, I actually find it relaxing and fun..Will let you know how it goes..Thanks for posting it.
That IS saying a lot that you love to bake after coming home from a food-service job! How awesome that you love baking so much! I hope your husband loves the bread…it’s one of our absolute favorite recipes.
Megan
When I was a child I cooked on the weekends with my dad. He loved to cook so we were in the kitchen every weekend. After he sharpened his knife I asked to touch it. He gave it to me and I bounced it off my hand a few times and said. Dad, this isn’t sharp. He said well, if you pull it don your hand it will cut it. So I did and that was my first kitchen related injury. A trip to the ER with a slice in the palm of my hand. Can you say DUH!
Hi Megan! Quick question – this recipe says 1/2 cup softened butter, but in the photos it looks like the butter is almost completely melted – can you clarify? Thanks so much! 🙂 Danielle
Hi Danielle! Yes, it should be softened and not melted. Sorry…my photos aren’t always totally accurate. Always go by my written recipes!
Megan
Definitely going to make this bread. Sounds delious.my worst experience in the kitchen has to be the day I went to take out baking pan and forgot oven mitts …that hurt and left some serious blisters….. They of course healed .can’t wait to bake this bread. Thanks, Tami
I just had to share my experience making this Apple Pie Loaf. It’s awful!
It was still doughy after cooking half an hour longer than called for (1 1/2 hours total).
For starters it says about 4 cups of bite sized apple pieces. Not only is 4 cups too much but it should be diced pieces. I stopped adding apple after 3 cups because it looked like there was almost more apple than batter. As it was it wouldn’t all fit into one pan so I made 2 mini loaves too. But even they were doughy after cooking about an hour.
Hi Jo-Anne! I’m so sorry you had a bad experience with this bread! We ADORE this recipe and I always make it exactly as the recipe states!
🙁
Megan
Hi Jo-Anne. The recipe says 4 apples, not 4 cups of apples 🙂 that may explain the gooey-ness of your bread 🙂 Oddly enough, you were right when you felt you should stop at 3 cups- I think it’s smart to follow your instincts over a recipe sometimes (even though this time I dont think it was the recipe)- I have wished I had many a times!!
"This should come out to be about 4 cups when chopped." This is a copy and paste from your instructions.
Recently drove to Ellifay, Ga to the apple farms. Bought a peck of apples, came home and impatiently started peeling and then using a mandolin sliced not only apples but the knuckle of my index finger. That’s my worst apple incident, but after stoping the bleeding and bandaging the finger, I made fried apple pies that were the best ever. Haven’t used the mandolin since.
I remember my friend Dancy tryng to put the blades in the mixer she had it plugged in and accidently turned it on .. needles to say dessert making was cut short she had to be taken to the hospital to get stitches..
While I haven't cut myself that badly I have grated myself a time or two, but my real kitchen event happened one evening when I was home by myself. My husband flew for one of the major airlines and was gone, so I was preparing dinner for myself. I was sautéing onions and bacon together (I'm southern). I was multitasking as well and had turned away to another task. I turned back and glanced at the bacon and onions and they were about to burn so I quickly grabbed the pan off the stove and gave it a little shake to move the onions around. When I did the bacon grease sloshed out of the pan and covered the top of my right hand. It was the strangest sensation. It didn't hurt. It felt like candle wax melting. I knew it was a bad burn so I immediately stopped everything, fixed a bowl of ice water, and sat for a good thirty minutes or so with my hand in the ice water to stop the burning process. I did eventually go to the doctor for treatment but that's another story.
I absolutely love this recipe! So much so I added it to my ultimate apple recipe roundup…I hope you will come by and take a look! Have a great week xo http://dreamingofleaving.com/2015/09/21/worlds-best-apple-recipe-roundup/
Just made this , yummy
my husband and I looked at mandolins quite often for many years. They were pretty expensive and we did not know if we needed to indulge in one. We finally got an outlet store and the first thing we saw on Clarence was a mandolin. It have a ceramic blade on it so we knew it would be sharp and handle any job we gave it. Whenever he used it I told him to be sure to use the finger guard. I was in the kitchen talking to him one day while he was slicing a potato on the mandolin. About the time I told him to use the finger guard he started to holler. He cut the end of one of his fingers off. We don't have a mandolin anymore. If I had a brand-new Apple peeler core slicer, I would make the pie from Pioneer woman's website. Scrumptious Apple. It is delightful. When I make one I typically make two or three to give away. I ran to the grocery store today to buy apples to make this bread. I will be doing that in about 15 minutes.