Embracing apple season with this Apple Cinnamon Bread. Made with fresh apples, warming cinnamon, seasonal nutmeg and topped with an incredibly delicious maple walnut crumble topping and a sweet, simple icing, this bread is super moist and incredibly delicious! It makes a perfect breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
ABOUT THIS APPLE CINNAMON BREAD
If you’re looking for a delicious way to use some fresh autumn apples, this recipe is definitely it. It’s delicious year round and the cinnamon and nutmeg will make you feel like it’s October no matter what month it is. It’s so good with coffee for breakfast and is also a super satisfying snack or dessert.
To make this Apple Cinnamon Bread even more of a treat, it’s topped with the tastiest maple walnut crumble! It’s buttery, sweet, spiced with cinnamon and sweetened with both granulated and brown sugar. It’s made more amazing with homemade maple candied walnuts!
BAKING WITH APPLES
I love baking with apples! Here are a few reasons why:
- They are a natural sweetener: You’ll still need to add sugar, but I love their subtle, natural sweetness. Speaking of fruit adding natural sweetness, definitely try my recipe for The Best Banana Bread!
- They add lots of moisture: Like zucchini, apples add lots of moisture when used in baking. My Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread is also super moist!
- Flavor: Apples are delicious as is. Whether you bake or cook with them or just toss some in a salad, I love the flavor they add.
- Tart-Sweet: Apples are not as tart as lemons and how tart they are varies depending on the type of apple, but I love how apples are both tart and sweet.
WHAT TYPE OF APPLES SHOULD I BAKE WITH?
It’s fine to use just one type of apple in this bread, but my preference is to use two or three different types. Using more than one type will add more flavor. My favorite trio to bake with is McIntosh, Granny Smith, and Honey Crisp.
ABOUT THE MAPLE CANDIED WALNUTS
Before getting baked, this bread is topped with a delicious crumb topping that features maple glazed walnuts. The recipe can be made with or without the walnuts, but if you’re planning to use them, you will make them first.
To candy the nuts, toss them with a little salt and cinnamon then add them to a hot skillet over medium high heat. Add the maple syrup and stir until the nuts have toasted and are coated in the syrup. The syrup will caramelize after 3-4 minutes.
OTHER USES FOR MAPLE CANDIED WALNUTS
Do yourself a favor and double the maple walnut recipe so that you end up with some extras! You can enjoy them as a sweet snack or add them to salads or cheese boards.
CAN I LEAVE OUT THE MAPLE CANDIED WALNUTS?
The candied walnuts are delicious, but if you prefer, you can substitute them.
Here are some other options:
- Use a Different Nut: If you don’t have or care for walnuts, almonds and pecans are also really nice in this recipe.
- Skip the Maple Glaze: Another easy option is to just use walnuts and skip the maple glazing part. Just add an additional tablespoon in place of the maple syrup.
- Leave Out the Nuts: Replace the walnuts with an additional 1/4 cup of flour and an extra tablespoon of brown sugar.
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST CRUMBLE TOPPING?
To make this Apple Cinnamon Bread even more delicious, it’s sprinkled with the tastiest maple walnut crumble! I use the same crumble recipe that I use in my Pumpkin Bread with Maple Walnut Streusel. It’s full of additional fall flavor, crunch and sweetness!
The first thing you’ll want to do is make the maple glazed walnuts. Once the walnuts have cooled, continue with the crumb topping first before making the cake batter. Since we’re making it with melted butter, it needs a few minutes to chill and become the right consistency in the fridge.
To make the topping, just mix the melted butter, flour, granulated and brown sugar, cinnamon and maple glazed walnuts together. It’ll seem a bit wet at first, but it’ll thicken up in the fridge.
Once the batter has been mixed and poured into the pan, remove the crumble from the fridge. If needed, use your hands or a fork to break it up a bit so that the pieces are somewhat similar in size. It’s not possible to get them all the same size and the walnut pieces will be a little bit bigger than other pieces, but try to get them somewhat uniform.
TOP IT WITH ICING
This Apple Cinnamon Bread is definitely special enough as is, but for an extra sweet treat, add some icing!
Here’s to baking with apples! This Apple Cinnamon Bread is moist, flavorful and the perfect fall treat! My favorite way to enjoy this bread is with coffee in the morning preferably while looking out at some colorful changing leaves! That said, it’s delicious and will give you all the cozy, warm fall feels no matter the time of day or year it’s enjoyed! 🙂
Apple Cinnamon Bread
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Category: Baking, Quick Breads
- Cuisine: American
Description
Tart, sweet apples make this Apple Cinnamon Bread recipe moist, dense and delicious. It’s perfect for breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients
FOR THE MAPLE GLAZED WALNUTS
- 1/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spiceÂ
- pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
FOR THE CRUMBLE
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flourÂ
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2Â teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup maple glazed walnuts, cooled and chopped (recipe above)*
FOR THE BREAD
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
- 3 medium apples*, peeled (grate 1 1/2 cups of apple and chop the rest)
FOR THE ICING (OPTIONAL)
-
- 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream (plus more if icing is too thick)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
FOR THE MAPLE GLAZED WALNUTS
- Â In a small bowl, toss the walnuts with 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon and a small pinch of salt. Add them to a dry skillet on medium-high heat. Add the maple syrup and stir to coat the walnuts. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 3-4 minutes until the nuts are toasted.
- Turn nuts out onto a sheet of parchment paper. Spread the nuts out (they’ll be hot and sticking together, so you’ll want to use two forks to unclump them instead of your hands). Allow nuts to cool and dry for about five minutes and then lightly chop them.Â
FOR THE CRUMBLE
- Combine the butter, flour, sugar, cinnamon, and prepared maple walnuts in a bowl butter in a small bowl. Set aside in the fridge to chill while you prepare the batter.
FOR THE BREAD
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Leave excess paper along two sides to make it easier to remove the bread once baked.Â
- Sift together the dry ingredients and set aside.
- In a large bowl or in the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk to combine the sugar and vegetable oil. (Use a stand or hand mixer or whisk by hand).
- Beat the eggs in one at a time followed by the vanilla. Whisk in the sour cream or yogurt followed by the dry ingredients. Gently fold in the grated and chopped apples just until combined. Spread batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle sprinkle the crumble evenly on top of the batter.
- Bake for 50- 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center. Allow cake to cool in pan for ten minutes and then turn it out to cool on a rack. Once completely cool, drizzle with icing if desired.
FOR THE ICING
- In a medium sized bowl, sift the powdered sugar. Add the milk and vanilla and use a whisk or spoon to combine.
Notes
*For the apples: McIntosh, Granny Smith, and/or Honey Crisp are recommended.Â
**Substitution Options for Maple Candied Walnuts: Use a Different Nut, Skip the Maple Glaze (Just add an additional tablespoon in place of the maple syrup), or substitute the walnuts with an additional 1/4 cup of flour and an extra tablespoon of brown sugar.
Keywords: apples, quick bread, apple coffee cake, icing, dessert, breakfast, walnuts, maple
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