Apple Bread with Cinnamon Swirl
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This delicious apple bread has a generous cinnamon swirl and a crisp, sugared top. It’s easy to make and the perfect cozy fall treat.
This cinnamon swirl apple bread will give you all the cozy fall feels. Packed with tart apples, it has a generous cinnamon swirl running through the center and a crisp, sugared top. Like other fall quick breads—pumpkin bread, cranberry orange bread, and banana bread—this apple bread recipe is easy to whip up and perfect any time of day.
My kids insist I ruin everything with nuts, so I’ve intentionally kept this recipe nut-free, but I think a handful of walnuts or pecans would be a delicious addition to the batter. Just be sure to let the bread cool completely before slicing—or even let it sit overnight. It stays moist for days! A special thanks to Caitlyn over at Erhardts Eat for the recipe inspiration!
“I made this recipe, and entered it in my local Apple Bake Contest in Pennsylvania that me and my sisters always enter and it won best of show!!! It’s so good! 🍁♥️”
What You’ll Need To Make Apple Bread With Cinnamon Swirl
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds a rich, caramel-like sweetness and depth to the cinnamon swirl. When measuring brown sugar, always pack it tightly to eliminate air pockets.
- Cinnamon: Provides a warm, aromatic spice that infuses the bread with classic cinnamon flavor.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and contribute to the bread’s structure and moisture.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the bread and helps with browning.
- Butter: Adds richness and a tender crumb to the bread.
- Milk: Moistens the batter and helps achieve a soft, tender texture.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the bread with its aromatic richness.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the foundational structure for the bread. To ensure accuracy, always measure flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off—it makes a difference!
- Baking Powder: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the bread rise and become fluffy.
- Tart Baking Apples: Contribute a tart contrast to the sweetness and add texture to the bread. Granny Smith apples are ideal.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
In a small bowl, stir the brown sugar and cinnamon until evenly combined. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, combine the eggs and granulated sugar.
Beat the eggs and sugar on medium speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
With the mixer on low, gradually add the melted butter followed by the milk and vanilla, and whisk just until evenly combined.
Add the flour, salt, and baking powder to the batter.
Mix on low speed until evenly combined.
Add the apples to the batter.
Fold with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated.
Line the long side of the pan with a parchment paper “sling” and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray again. Spoon about 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan.
Sprinkle about 2/3 of the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture on top of the batter.
Spoon the remaining batter over top.
Sprinkle the batter with the remaining brown sugar-cinnamon mixture.
Using a butter knife, swirl the layers by making a zig-zag motion through the batter once in each direction (don’t overdo it!)
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until the bread is golden brown and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool on a rack for about 30 minutes.
Use the parchment sling to lift the bread out of the pan and onto the rack.
Let cool completely before slicing, a few hours or overnight. Store loosely covered with aluminum foil on the countertop.
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Apple Bread with Cinnamon Swirl
Ingredients
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ½ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup peeled cored, and finely diced tart baking apples, from 1 apple (preferably Granny Smith)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray an 8½ x 4½-inch (22 x 11-cm) loaf pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Line the long side of the pan with a parchment paper “sling” and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray again.
- In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon until evenly combined. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, beat the eggs and granulated sugar on medium speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the melted butter followed by the milk and vanilla, and mix just until evenly combined.
- Add the flour, salt, and baking powder to the batter and mix on low speed until evenly combined.
- Add the apples to the batter and fold with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated.
- Spoon about ⅔ of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle about ⅔ of the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture on top of the batter. Spoon the remaining batter over top, followed by the remaining brown sugar-cinnamon mixture. Using a butter knife, swirl the layers by making a zig-zag motion through the batter once in each direction (don't overdo it!).
- Bake for about 50 minutes, until the bread is golden brown and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool on a rack for about 30 minutes, then use the parchment sling to lift the bread out of the pan and onto the rack. Let cool completely before slicing, a few hours or overnight. Store loosely covered with aluminum foil on the countertop for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Comments
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Just made this and it is so delicious! Thanks for another great recipe!
Hi, could I use already stewed apples? I stewed some of my glut last year but now am struggling to find recipes to use it🙈
Thank you!
Unfortunately, I don’t think they’ll work here — sorry!
I accidently stood someone up from my church (who I’d never met before), wasting almost an hour of her time. I felt so horrible that I ended up having a nightmare about it the next day. I decided to use at least an equal amount of my time to make something I knew her and her whole family would love, so I of course to Jen’s site I went. The day after delivering this bread, I received a morning text from her saying how AMAZING the bread was and how she needed the recipe. Then, on Christmas Eve, the pastor came up to me, and in a very Italian fashion, kissed his hand and while releasing, said the bread was “stupendous!” Your bread saved me from those first impressions that can haunt a person. I am now the girl who made the amazing bread! THANK YOU JEN. Your bread redeemed me.
LOL — so glad the bread saved the day! 🤣
I doubled the recipe to make one loaf for my church’s Christmas bake sale and 1 loaf for us. The only change I made was to add some finely chopped pecans in with the struesel to loaf for my family. I was nervous because it took longer to bake and I had to use my pyrex loaf pans. While our loaf was intended for the freezer, hubby guilted me into cutting into it today. Oh, my goodness, it is so delicious! I don’t understand the comments from people who thought it was tasteless. Thanks again for another wonderful recipe. Going to check to see if I have more apples to make a few more loafs to give us gifts. And I’ll definitely be mixing in chopped pecans with the struesel!
Love this recipe — easy, moist, and delicious! We’ve made it 3 times in the last month! Last time I made it, I didn’t even peel the apple! Thanks Jen!
Oh my goodness this recipe is delicious! I had a few granny smith apples left over from Thanksgiving that I wanted to use up and I checked your site [always the first search for recipes] and the apple bread sounded good. It turned out to be the best! I baked it in 2 5×3 pans[very full]. The apple pieces in the batter with the cinnamon sugar swirl keeps it moist. Thanks for the recipe. Will be bringing more of these loaves to my neighbors for Christmas!
Hi Jenn, I just wanted you to know how wonderful your recipes are (so far I’ve tried baking your French apple cake and then did the apple and cinnamon loaf today). Superbly delicious 😋. My tiny negative feedback is that the measurements are in cups instead of grams so it’s a bit tricky. However, thank you for sharing your expertise and recipes.
Hi Sue, so glad to hear you’re enjoying the recipes! The great majority of my recipes (including this one) include conversions to metric/weight measurements. To view them, scroll down to the recipe, and immediately under the recipe title on the right side, you’ll see a little toggle. If you move it from “cup measures” to metric, you’ll see measurements that will work for you. Hope that helps!
Thank you and you’re an amazing chef 👩🍳
💗
Hi!! I’m very interested in trying this recipe. I’m thinking of making it for a Secret Santa gift! How long do you think it would be good being wrapped in plastic wrap and kept in the fridge? Thanks in advance!!
Hi Martin, It should last nicely for 4 to 5 days. 🙂
Hi Jenn can I use honeycrisp apple?
All of your recipes are amazing!
Glad you like the recipes! Yes, Honeycrisp apples will work. 🙂
I made this recipe yesterday and it’s a winner! My husband just adored it! Thank you!!