Nutty Cinnamon Apple Quick Bread
Full of warm cinnamon, spicy apples, and nuts, this fluffy quick bread is rich in flavor. Since it’s not overly sweet, enjoy this loaf for breakfast, dessert, or even as a snack!
October 1, 2020
Fall has officially arrived, so bring on all the apple and pumpkin flavors! 
I love this time of year — the crispness in the air, pulling out my favorite sweaters, the perfect excuse to sneak cinnamon or apples into recipes… This Nutty Cinnamon Apple Quick Bread was my first seasonal bake, and it was a great choice to start out autumn right.
Layers of creamy cinnamon-y batter, spiced apples, and crunchy cinnamon nut topping, all drizzled with an optional glaze. Perfection 
This loaf bread comes together quickly — mine was baked closer to 45 minutes than to an hour (like many quick breads), which is a huge bonus in my opinion. And the best part: because it’s not overly sugary, you can enjoy it for breakfast, dessert, or an afternoon snack with a big mug of tea!
How to Make It
Chop Apples & Prepare Cinnamon Topping
This loaf bread has two repeated layers made of creamy cinnamon-y batter, spiced apples, and crunchy cinnamon nut mixture to incorporate all the best parts throughout.
First, prepare your apple by peeling and chopping it, then tossing the pieces with a little sugar and cinnamon.
The cinnamon nut topping is a blend of cinnamon, brown sugar, and chopped walnuts of pecans. I loved the addition of the crunchy nuts. The ones that ended up on top got beautifully toasted in the oven.
Make the Cinnamon Batter
The batter is made of mostly standard baking ingredients. It would work equally well with gluten free 1-to-1 flour or regular all-purpose flour.
I decided to throw in some plain Greek yogurt for a creamier, fluffier loaf, and I really liked this addition. You could also substitute sour cream if you have that instead. If you have neither, just increase the milk from 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup total.
Just make sure to not overmix the batter once you add in the flour mixture, or you’ll end up with a loaf that’s slightly tough instead of light and airy.
Layer your loaf
Layer half of the batter, half of the cinnamon apples, and half of the cinnamon nut topping. Swirl it all together with a knife, and then repeat the layers with all that remains.
I love a good cinnamon swirl throughout, so I chose to swirl the cinnamon and apple mixture in both layers. Of course, if you prefer one thick ribbon of cinnamon and apples, just swirl a large path one time after you get everything layered in the pan.
Bake at 325° (for dark coated, nonstick loaf pan) for 45-55 minutes. I hate overcooking baked goods, so I took mine out when the toothpick was just barely still wet. As it cooled, it continued to bake completely and was perfectly moist for days.
Cool It & Make your Glaze
Cool the loaf in the pan for at least 10 minutes before trying to remove it.
Meanwhile, make the optional glaze. It’s a simple mix of powdered sugar and milk. My glaze was a medium thickness — it poured nicely but also soaked into the loaf over the next day. Adjust the proportions to your desired consistency.
After 10 minutes, transfer your loaf to a cooling rack. If you don’t mind a melty glaze, drizzle it on immediately. Or if you’re the patient type, let it cool for another 20 minutes before drizzling.
Serve
Serve for the perfect fall breakfast, dessert, or afternoon snack!
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Serve room temperature, or warm it up in the microwave or toaster oven and slather with butter.
You can also freeze the loaf if desired. I’d recommend pre-slicing all your pieces before packaging it up to make it easier for defrosting.
Perhaps have this Cinnamon Apple Bread following a dinner of Tuscan Chicken Rolls? Or as an evening snack alongside an Autumn Old-Fashioned?
Enjoy, and let me know how what you think in the comments and ratings!
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Nutty Cinnamon Apple Quick Bread
Equipment
- dark coated 9x5-inch loaf pan
- bowls & mixer
Ingredients
Apple Mixture:
- 1 large apple
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Cinnamon Topping:
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Cinnamon Loaf:
- 1 1/2 cups gluten free 1-to-1 flour, or all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt, or sour cream
- 1/3 cup milk of choice
Optional Glaze:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tbsp milk of choice, depending on desired consistency
Instructions
Apples:
- Peel and chop your apple into small chunks. Toss with 2 tsp sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. Set aside.
Cinnamon Nut Topping:
- Combine brown sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, and chopped nuts in a small bowl. Set aside.
Cinnamon Loaf:
- Thoroughly grease a 9x5-inch dark coated loaf pan and preheat oven to 325°. (For a light pan, raise the temperature to 350°).
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 tsp cinnamon; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, beat together sugar and butter until creamy. Slowly beat in eggs. Add vanilla, milk, and Greek yogurt until well-mixed. Add flour mixture until just combined - do not overmix.
- Pour half of the batter into prepared pan. Add half of the chopped apples, and then half of the cinnamon mixture. Swirl through the batter with a knife.
- Pour on remaining batter, top with remaining apples, top with remaining cinnamon mixture. Swirl again with a knife. (I like my cinnamon mixture all throughout the bread. if you prefer one thick ribbon in the middle of the loaf, carefully swirl a large path through the bread, or only swirl one time with the top layer instead of for both layers).
- Bake at 325° for about 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out almost clean. It will continue cooking slightly while it cools. Let bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing.
- Make the glaze: mix powdered sugar and 1-2 tablespoons milk until smooth and creamy; stop adding milk when you've reached your desired consistency.
- After 10 minutes, slide a knife around the edges of the bread and transfer to a cooling rack. Drizzle with glaze. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
- After 10 minutes cooling, transfer your loaf to a cooling rack. If you don’t mind a melty glaze, drizzle it on immediately. Or if you’re patient, let it cool for another 20 minutes before drizzling.
- Substitute for Greek yogurt/sour cream: Omit Greek yogurt or sour cream; increase milk to 1/2 cup instead of 1/3 cup.
- The calorie count includes the use of walnuts, butter, plain Greek yogurt, and 2% milk where there are optional substitutions.
- You can also freeze the loaf if desired. I'd recommend pre-slicing all your pieces before packaging it up to make it easier for defrosting.
I am a bread lover and knew I had to try this recipe. I made it this morning. Easy to follow recipe, all the ingredients are Staples in my kitchen so I didn’t need to run to the store to get anything. What a delicious bread!! It’s a wonderful fall treat. Thank you for sharing your talents.
Linda, thank you so much for your comment! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe and that it was easy to follow! Stay tuned for more fall favorites 😊