Apple bread loaded with chopped apples, nuts, and warm spices is the perfect way to jump into fall. This amazing apple cinnamon bread recipe comes from my grandmother’s kitchen and creates an incredibly moist loaf thanks to fresh grated apples and buttermilk. The combination of fall spices and fresh apples makes this one of the most delicious quick breads you’ll ever taste.
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Why This Apple Cinnamon Bread is Amazing
Apple cinnamon bread is one of my favorite fall recipes, and this one is one of my grandmother’s delicious recipes! It’s filled with amazing fall spices and fresh apples to create the perfect apple bread. The recipe calls for buttermilk, which boosts the flavor and moisture of the bread to outstanding levels, creating a tender crumb that’s impossible to resist.
Apple bread ingredients
Take a look at this list to make sure you’re ready to make the perfect apple cinnamon bread.
- All-purpose flour – Provides structure and creates the tender crumb base for the quick bread
- Salt – Enhances all flavors and balances the sweetness throughout the bread
- Baking powder – Primary leavening agent that creates a light, fluffy texture
- Baking soda – Works with buttermilk’s acidity to add extra lift and tenderness
- Cinnamon – Essential warm spice that defines the classic fall flavor profile
- Ground nutmeg – Adds aromatic warmth and complexity to complement the cinnamon
- Ground cloves – Provides deep, warming spice notes that enhance the fall spice blend
- Shortening – Creates tender texture and helps maintain moisture in the finished bread
- Dark brown sugar – Adds rich sweetness and molasses notes that complement the spices
- Eggs – Bind ingredients together while adding richness and structure
- Buttermilk – Provides tanginess, moisture, and reacts with baking soda for extra tenderness
- Apples – Fresh fruit that adds moisture, natural sweetness, and classic fall flavor
- Walnuts – Contribute crunchy texture contrast and nutty richness that pairs perfectly with apples
What type of pan to use for apple bread
For this recipe, you’ll use a loaf pan. I suggest using either a glass or metal pan; metal pans are ideal for making bread, as they warm up faster than glass pans do.
When the pan heats up quickly, the dough rises more effectively and produces crispier, browner edges, both of which are ideal for making the perfect loaf of bread.
How to make apple bread
- Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl and whisk to combine thoroughly.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the shortening, sugar, and eggs. Beat well with an electric mixer.
- Stir in the apples and about half of the sifted dry ingredients. Add buttermilk and stir with a spoon. Add the rest of the flour mixture and stir just until well mixed. Fold in the walnuts.
- Pour the batter into a greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the bread from the pan and cool it on a wire rack.
The best apples to use for making apple bread
When it comes to baking, apples are not all equal. The most well-known and frequently used apple for baking is the Granny Smith.
Granny Smith apples have a nice crisp texture that holds up well in the baking process. They’re also not super sweet, so they balance the sweetness from the other ingredients in the recipe.
Jonagold, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady apples are also great options to use in this recipe. If those are not available, use the crispiest, least mealy apples you can find to get the best results from this easy bread recipe.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: Wrap cooled bread in aluminum foil and store on the counter for 4 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- Reheating Method: This bread is delicious at room temperature and doesn’t require reheating. For warm bread, toast individual slices lightly.
- Freezing:Â Wrap the cooled bread entirely in foil, place in a freezer-safe zip-top bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Love apples? Try these recipes!
- Air Fryer Apple Chips
- Apple Bread Pudding
- Apple Coffee Cake
- Apple Muffins
- Applesauce Cake
- Caramel Apple Martini
- Easy Apple Cobbler
- Homemade Apple Crisp
- Old-Fashioned Apple Pie
- Sugar Free Apple Pie
Favorite quick bread recipes
Check out my easy bread recipes and the best fall recipes here on CopyKat!
This recipe is from the archives of my grandmother, Ethel Eynard. Jefferson City, MO. 1982.
Apple Cinnamon Bread – Moist Fall Quick Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 2/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup coarsely grated raw apple (about 2 medium apples)
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- Grease for the pan (shortening)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with shortening.
- In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine the shortening, sugar, and eggs. Beat well with an electric mixer.
- Stir in the apples and about half of the sifted dry ingredients.
- Add the buttermilk and stir with a spoon until incorporated.
- Add the rest of the flour mixture and stir just until well mixed.
- Fold in the walnuts.
- Pour the batter into a greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the bread from the pan and let it cool on a rack.
This was a great way to prepare fresh apples.