Cinnamon Swirl Apple Bread
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This lovely apple bread has a generous cinnamon swirl and crisp sugared top.
This cinnamon swirl apple bread will give you all the fall feels. Chock-full of tart apples, it has a generous cinnamon swirl running through the center and a crisp sugared top. Similar to other fall quick breads, like pumpkin bread or cranberry nut bread, it’s easy to throw together – and it’s really just a cake baked in a loaf pan.
My kids claim I ruin everything with nuts, so I’ve intentionally left this apple bread nut-free, but I think a handful of walnuts or pecans would be delicious mixed into the batter. Be sure to wait until the bread is completely cool before slicing; you can even let it cool overnight, as it keeps moist for days. Thank you to Caitlyn over at Erhardts Eat for the recipe inspiration!
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need To Make Cinnamon Swirl Apple Bread
Step-by-Step Instructions
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, 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 mix 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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Cinnamon Swirl Apple Bread
This lovely apple bread has a generous cinnamon swirl and crisp sugared top.
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 and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray an 8.5 x 4.5-inch 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
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 1 slice
- Calories: 205
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Sugar: 16 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Cholesterol: 52 mg
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.
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So good! My husband doesn’t like anything with cooked apples, but he loved this. And my kids helped me bake it, and they definitely enjoyed the fruits of their labor! Thank you for a wonderful recipe. I wish I could have taken a picture, but to didn’t last long enough.
My husband is in heaven. It is so full of flavor and moist. He said ‘cannot stop eating it’. Absolutely amazing. Thanks for another great recipe, Jenn.
My husband and 3 kids told me to tell you THANK YOU!!! This bread was delicious! Emphasis on “was” because it didn’t last long at all 😊
🙂 Glad it was a hit!
Hi! First I want to say I do like your recipes. I have your book and it is an excellent source for new ideas. I did make this bread and it was delicious. However … I thought the batter to cinnamon mixture ratio was off. For me at least I thought there should be more batter. The bread didn’t rise as high as I would have liked. I’m not sure I would make it again, a bit too fussy but it did taste great.
All’s I can say is delicious!! Made the bread today in a bundt pan. Will definitely be on the list to make again!
So delicious!
Liked the recipe but did find that the cinnamon was not strong enough flavor this time. Sweet – good texture and liked the “idea” of a swirl but that didn’t turn out so well for me. Next time, more cinnamon – at least for me.
I must say, I never leave reviews
But this apple cinnamon bread is THE BOMB! 💥
I love this bread! I added ground walnuts to the cinnamon-brown sugar mixture. The best part is that is calls for melted butter rather than softened. I don’t know how many times, I’ve had the urge to bake and realized the butter was in the freezer. My question is whether or not this technique can be used with other quick bread recipes.
Hi Mary, so glad you liked it! If your question is regarding whether or not softened butter can be replaced with melted, I think it really depends on the recipe. If you have a question about a specific recipe of mine, I’m more than happy to weigh in. 🙂
This was absolutely delicious. So light and the taste of fall. I made into four smaller loaves to share with friends and it was perfect. Thank you for your wonderful recipes Jenn. You bring much joy to our family and friends.
Sorry Jenn – forgot to fill in the stars🤦♀️
Does this recipe work just as well if doubled?
Yep!
Jenn, I just loved this. Because I am watching my weight, I usually try a new recipe , have a piece and give the rest away…don’t want to part with this one. Don’t know if I can trust myself to have just one piece a day. I chopped the apple and folded it in.
The bread was moist and just delicious. It’s a candidate for your cookbook. Thanks for another winner
Hi Jenn! My granddaughters aged 5 and 8 went apple picking and shared the apples with me. I saw this recipe and decided to make it for them. They loved it and so did I. So moist and love the crunchy top! My daughter and I love all your recipes. She will be getting your cookbook for Christmas!
Another winner from Jen! My apple bread looks exactly like the picture and is delicious. I didn’t have enough milk so I substituted in a 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt. This worked just fine, bread came out moist and yummy. Nice change from banana bread!
Amazing! Couldn’t resist making this and it didn’t disappoint. Thank you!
How many carbs in a slice of this cake? Thanks….
Harriet… Email waltersharriet@aol.com
28 grams. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
This was delicious. I am also going to make it with some fresh cranberries mixed with the apples. Or a bit of fruit preserves on top of first layer of brown sugar/cinn layer Then top w remaining batter and sugar. No preserves
on top layer
Thank you fir this delicious recipe ellen in ct
Delicious cake, perfect texture and perfect for autumn! So many great recipes to choose from, next I’m going to try the rustic apple tart!
Couldn’t wait to make this and it was a big hit. Great with coffee. Will make again.
Hi, Jenn- Took your suggestion about the nuts: added about 2/3 cup chopped walnuts to the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture and the result was delicious! Love the texture and flavor contrasts of tart apple, sweet cinnamon swirl, soft buttery cake and crunchy nuts. The only other change I made was was adding 1 T apple butter for high altitude adjustment. Thanks for yet another stellar recipe!
I’m making this but it is taking way longer than 50 mins. Smells great but I have had to put foil on top to stop browning. Suggestions?
Love all your recipes!
Hmmmm…. that’s a bit of a head-scratcher. Did you make any changes to the recipe? Was your rack in the middle position of the oven? Also, you may want to check your oven temp to see if it’s correct. Here are some tips on how to do that.
Wondering if this recipe would be suitable for two small loaf pans?
Your comment(s) please.
Thank you.
Sure, Janice, that should work. Hope you enjoy!
Hello Jenn: Looks like a wonderful fall recipe. Do you think it would work with cardamom instead of cinnamon? If so, how much?
Hi Susanna, because cardamom is really pungent, you could replace some of the cinnamon with it, but I wouldn’t suggest using the full 1-1/2 teaspoons. I’d recommend 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon cardamom. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Can this be made into mini loaves? If yes, any thoughts on if the cooking time should be adjusted?
Sure — I’d start checking them at 30 to 35 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
Made this lovely recipe yesterday…just delicious! Would this work with mini loaf pans? If so, how would you adjust baking time?
Glad you liked it! Yes, minis should work here; I’d start checking for doneness at 30 to 35 minutes.
I just finished baking this and had my first bite, perfect! It had the right balance of apple, cinnamon and sweetness, and the texture was somewhat light and moist which was really nice. The recipe was so easy to follow too; the only thing I changed was the type of apple – I prefer McIntosh apples for baking and it turned out well;
Thank you, Jenn! I love your recipes, they always turn out well for me 🙂
We love this sweet bread but did make a change. I subbed chunks from your chunky applesauce for the raw apples in this apple bread. I was afraid the bread might be too moist or soggy because of the change but it was fine. We love your chunky applesauce recipe too. Thanks for the recipes!
I had a Granny Smith in the fridge left from pie-making last week, so I decided to try this recipe since it looks so good and easy. This cake did not disappoint!! I threw a handful of chopped pecans in with the cinnamon and brown sugar mixture and served the cake topped with fresh whipped cream. Wow! A new fall favorite! Thanks 😊
Do I use 2% milk? If so, why use 2%?
Thank you!
Hi Paula, Any kind of milk, from skim to whole, will work. Enjoy!
I just took this out of the oven and it smelled so wonderful, I could not wait for it to cool to sneak a slice. It is delicious!
I don’t see the nutrition information for this recipe. I wanted to know the carbs per slice. Am I missing it? Thanks. This looks delicious.
Hi Susan, I just added the nutritional info. Each serving has 28 grams of carbs. Hope that helps!
It was a gorgeous, warm fall afternoon today and I made this at lunch time. I had apples to use up and made this with a Macintosh because I didn’t have any Granny Smiths. My house smelled like an apple cider donut and the bread was excellent. Thank you for a great recipe!
Hi Jenn, Can I use a different apple? I have Honeycrisp.
Sure, Mimi – any tart baking apple will work. Enjoy!
Hi, Jenn!
Can this be made in a square pan? What size pan would be used and what adjustments would be necessary?
Hi Terri, I think it’d work in an 8-inch pan. The cook time may be shorter; I’d start checking around 40 minutes. Hope it turns out well!
This is the first recipe of Jenn’s that I found disappointing. It is nothing special and I will not be making it again. Ordinarily, I love the recipes on this site. Two stars at the most!
Dear Jenn, I just love your recipes. I want to make this bread but ingredients say 1/2 cup of butter or one stick. I thought each stick is a 1/4 cup so should it be 2 sticks? Pls advise.
Hi Trish, 1 stick is the equivalent of 1/2 cup so the recipe is correct as written. Hope you enjoy!
Can I make muffins from this recipe? What time & temp?
Hi Catherine, I do think it’d work. I’d bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes.
This is amazing and just what I needed to usher in Fall. I might have to take it to work so I don’t eat it all myself. Love every recipe I’ve made from your website! Thank you!
🙂 Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn. 💜🌸💜
This looks amazing!! I can hardly wait to try it. Every recipe I’ve made from you is just exceptional. I’m sure this one will be no different! Thank you for all your recipes and your help in our cooking adventures!
Dear Jenn, I made this delicious apple bread today, my two boys finished it all in less then 30 minutes and asking me to make it tomorrow again. I am planning to make it and serve it with vanilla ice cream to our guests on Saturday. Its so so good and easy to make. Regards from Prague, Europe
Hi Jenn!!
Looks wonderful. Would Honey Crisps work?
Hi Brenda, I do think they’d work well.
Hi Jenn, could you use a 9 x 5 loaf pan instead? If so, any adjustments on cooking time? Thanks!
Hi Kathleen, I think it’d be pretty flat, so I’d increase the recipe by 1.5 for a 9×5 pan. The cook time will be a bit longer; I’m guessing 60 to 65 min. Please LMK how it turns out. 🙂
Will this bread freeze because of the apples?
Hi Darlene, I do think you could freeze it, although you might lose the lovely crisp top.
HI: I am looking to bake a plain cinnamon swirl bread that my husband loves to use for toast. If I left out the apples for this, would I have a good bread like that? Or would I need to substitute something for that one? Or do you have a recipe for just the cinnamon swirl bread that you like Thanks!
Hi Jane, This is really more cake than bread, and I think it’d be a little dry without the apples. I have a wonderful cinnamon swirl yeast bread in my cookbook. I’m happy to share it with you — just email me at jennifer@onceuponachef.com.
Best ever recipe. So moist and delicious. My husband and I ate half the loaf with coffee. Will probably make another as the last half won’t make it thru the day. Love all your recipes 💞
Wow, that was fast, Linda! So happy you and your husband enjoyed it. 🙂
I really enjoyed this quick bread/cake. The only suggestion I would make to the recipe is to have the milk eggs at room temperature. I should have known better, but not all readers will. Thanks for all your delicious recipes!
When you click on the link from the email the ingredients are missing; refreshing or going to reviews etc causes the page to reload and then is correct.
This looks delicious! Do you think this would work to send in a care package?
Hi Michelle, I do think it would work, as it keeps well for days.
Wow! Simply wonderful……great flavor and very moist. Perfect bread/cake for the fall season and easy to put together. A keeper for sure! 🍏
Looks delicious, I wondered whether you can replace the melted butter with equal amount of olive oil please?
Hi Sylvia, It will change the flavor quite a bit, but I think it will work. I’d love to know how it turns out if you try it.
Jenn,
I discovered your blog just 2 weeks ago and I have made 5 different recipes already including this one. I swapped regular milk for evaporated and added chopped pecans in the cinnamon sugar mix. It turned out delicious!! Not as sweet as other quick breads which I appreciate, texture and taste were very good! Will be making it again!!! (The other two Apple recipes that I loved were the Apple galette and the French Apple cake., both loved by my family)
Quick question, with the addition of milk, is this bread freezable?
So glad you’ve discovered the blog and have enjoyed what you’ve made so far! Yes, despite the milk, you can freeze this; just keep in mind that the top may no longer be crispy once you thaw it. Hope that helps!
Question: Can I substitute vegetable oil for the melted butter or will that not work? FYI, I really enjoy all of your recipes – your site is my go-to for delicious cooking!
Sure, Shawn – I think that should work. So glad you enjoy the recipes!
Would I need to change anything if I added some walnuts to the sugar/cinnamon mixture?
Hi Annette, I think it will work well without any other changes. I’d love to know how it turns out!
Hi jenn
Could I use buttermilk ,or yogurt or sour cream instead of milk.
Thanks
I don’t recommend it here, Dagmar – sorry!
I don’t see quantities for milk or vanilla in the recipe. Please provide so I can make this delicious looking loaf asap.
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth, I apologize – there was a weird glitch that scrambled a bunch of the ingredients. It is fixed now.