The smell of apples sizzling in cinnamon takes me straight back to cozy afternoons. I pull this Apple Cinnamon Quick Bread together when the air turns crisp and the kitchen begs for warmth. The loaf bakes up plush and golden, with tiny pockets of tender fruit and a whisper of spice that lingers on the tongue. A thick slice with soft butter melts into little rivers that taste like fall. I love how simple it feels, stir, pour, bake, while the house slowly fills with a gentle, homey perfume that makes everyone wander into the kitchen for “just one more” slice.
Table of Contents
Where this little loaf comes from
I learned to bake by watching my aunt whisk batter with a wooden spoon, never a mixer in sight. She called it “afternoon bread,” something sweet enough for company but easy enough for weekdays. Apple Cinnamon Quick Bread follows that spirit: a simple batter, fruit folded in, and a fragrant crust that crackles as it cools. Quick breads took off in twentieth-century American kitchens because chemical leaveners replaced long rises, freeing home cooks to bake on busy days without fuss.
My version keeps the heart of that tradition, speed and comfort, while leaning into moisture and aroma. I use oil and yogurt for a soft crumb, plenty of cinnamon for warmth, and chunks of apple that stay bright and juicy. A slice is lovely with tea, delightful for lunchboxes, and perfect beside a scoop of vanilla on a slow evening. Most of all, it tastes like home.
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Apple Cinnamon Quick Bread
Apple Cinnamon Quick Bread with a plush crumb, juicy apple pockets, and a delicate cinnamon-sugar crust. Easy to prepare, cozy to bake, and perfect for fall sharing.
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf (10 slices) 1x
Ingredients
2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup neutral oil (sunflower or canola)
1/2 cup plain yogurt (whole milk or Greek, room temp)
2 large eggs (room temp)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 cups peeled, diced apples (about 2 medium; Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping: 1 tablespoon sugar + 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare: Heat your oven to 175°C/350°F. Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over the sides, this will make it easy to lift the bread out later. Set the pan aside while you prepare the batter.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until the mixture looks even and the cinnamon is well distributed. This step prevents clumps of spice and ensures the bread bakes with a uniform flavor.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a separate large bowl, combine the oil, yogurt, eggs, both sugars, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth, glossy, and slightly thickened. The mixture should look creamy and smell sweet and spiced, this is the base of the bread’s tender texture.
- Combine wet and dry: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Using a spatula, fold gently from the bottom up, turning the bowl as you go. Stop mixing as soon as no flour streaks remain. Overmixing can make the bread dense, so a few small lumps are perfectly fine.
- Add apples: Gently fold in the diced apples until evenly distributed through the batter. The apple pieces should be small enough (about 1 cm) to soften in the oven but large enough to give each slice juicy bursts of fruit.
- Prepare topping: In a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. This mixture will add a crackly crust on top of the loaf.
- Fill the pan: Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top with a spatula, then sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar topping evenly over the surface. This step gives the bread its golden sparkle and gentle crunch.
- Bake: Place the pan in the center of the oven. Bake for 55–65 minutes, checking around the 50-minute mark. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs (no wet batter). If the top browns too quickly, tent it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
- Cool: Remove the pan from the oven and let the bread rest for 15 minutes. Then lift it out using the parchment sling and place it on a wire rack. Allow it to cool for at least another 15 minutes before slicing. This helps the crumb set and makes slicing easier.
- Serve: Slice thick or thin depending on your mood. Enjoy warm with butter, as breakfast with yogurt, or as dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. However you serve it, each slice carries the cozy aroma of fall.
Notes
Choose firm, tart apples like Granny Smith for structure, or Honeycrisp for juicy sweetness.
Measure flour correctly by spooning it into the cup and leveling with a knife.
Avoid overmixing to keep the crumb tender.
Loaf keeps 3 days at room temperature (wrapped), 1 week refrigerated, or up to 3 months frozen.
Warm slices lightly before serving to revive the cinnamon aroma.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Bread, Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
Why this Apple Cinnamon Quick Bread works
I love how this loaf delivers big comfort with minimal effort; every step is there for flavor, tenderness, and that gorgeous bakery smell.
Moist crumb that stays tender
Oil and yogurt team up to keep the crumb soft for days, even after slicing. Oil coats the flour so gluten stays relaxed, while yogurt adds gentle acidity for lift and a tender bite. The result is a loaf that slices cleanly without crumbling, with a plush interior that still feels light. I can wrap it overnight and find the texture just as inviting the next morning.
Apples that taste like apples
Instead of grated fruit that disappears, I dice firm, slightly tart apples so they keep their shape. Those juicy cubes dot each slice with little bursts of flavor. A touch of extra cinnamon clings to the fruit, so you get tiny pockets of spiced apple, like the best part of pie, tucked into a portable slice.
Balanced sweetness and aroma
Brown sugar brings caramel notes, while granulated sugar keeps the crumb light. A ribbon of cinnamon sugar on top bakes into a delicate crackle. If you’re curious about the spice itself, the background and varieties are well summarized on Wikipedia, which helps explain why different cinnamons smell slightly different when warmed in the oven. All together, the loaf comes out fragrant, cozy, and beautifully balanced.
Step-by-step instructions + smart tips
I set out everything first so the bake feels calm and intentional; it’s a small ritual that makes the kitchen smell like fall even before the loaf hits the oven.
Prep the pan and whisk the dry mix
Heat the oven to 175°C/350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line with a sling of parchment. In a bowl, whisk 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon until evenly speckled. This early mix keeps pockets of spice from clumping and helps the crumb bake evenly from edge to center.
| Ingredient | Amount | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 2 cups (260 g) | Structure without heaviness |
| Baking soda | 1 tsp | Lift + deep browning |
| Fine salt | 1/2 tsp | Balances sweetness |
| Ground cinnamon | 2 tsp | Warm, cozy aroma |
Stir the wet, fold in apples
In a second bowl, whisk 1/2 cup neutral oil, 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 2 large eggs, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, and 1/3 cup light brown sugar until glossy. Fold the wet into the dry just until the flour streaks vanish. Gently fold in 2 cups peeled, diced apples (about 2 medium). Stop mixing early; a few tiny lumps are fine and protect that tender crumb I crave in Apple Cinnamon Quick Bread.
Bake, cool, and serve
Scrape into the pan, smoothing the top. Stir 1 tablespoon sugar with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle over the batter. Bake 55–65 minutes, until a tester comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool 15 minutes in the pan, then lift out to finish on a rack. I love it warm with tea; when I’m in a fruity mood, I pair a slice with our hibiscus tea so the tart sip brightens each bite.
Variations & serving ideas
Once the base is second nature, playful twists keep the loaf fresh through the whole season and make sharing even sweeter.
Nutty crunch or oat crumble
Fold 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter for toasty pops of texture. Or scatter a quick crumble, 2 tablespoons cold butter, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/4 cup oats, over the top for a bakery finish. I often bring this version to brunch alongside our light crustless spinach quiche, and the savory-sweet duo disappears fast.
| Variation | Add | Swap |
|---|---|---|
| Walnut crunch | 1/2 cup walnuts | Reduce cinnamon sugar by 1 tsp |
| Pecan maple | 1/2 cup pecans + 1 tbsp maple | Replace 1 tbsp sugar with maple |
| Oat crumble | Oats + butter + brown sugar | Skip cinnamon sugar topping |
Breakfast plate or dessert plate
For breakfast, toast a slice and swipe with Greek yogurt and thin apple slices. For dessert, warm the loaf slightly and add a spoon of olive-oil ice cream, the peppery finish complements cinnamon. If you’re exploring oils, our overview on olive oil tips offers a friendly guide to flavor and storage.
Final thoughts
There’s a calm joy in recipes that feel like muscle memory, whisk, fold, bake, breathe. Apple Cinnamon Quick Bread lives in that pocket of comfort for me. The batter comes together in minutes, yet the payoff is a full hour of cinnamon-apple perfume drifting through the house. I lean on this loaf for busy mornings, last-minute guests, and the kind of quiet evenings when a warm slice and a book are all I need. When apples are abundant, I’ll bake this alongside a pan of apple crisp and share both, because some flavors deserve a little celebration. If fall had a soundtrack, I’m sure it would sound like a knife tapping gently through this tender crumb.
For more cozy bakes, I rotate it with our seasonal sourdough pumpkin muffins; they share the same easy spirit and make the kitchen feel welcoming any day of the week. However you slice it, I hope this loaf becomes a small, delicious ritual in your home too.
FAQ
Which apples make the best texture and flavor?
I reach for firm, slightly tart apples, Granny Smith for bright bite or Honeycrisp for juicy sweetness, because they hold shape and contrast the crumb. Dice them small (about 1 cm) so each slice carries balanced pops of fruit. If you’re craving more apple on the table, our gentle guide to hibiscus tea pairs beautifully with Apple Cinnamon Quick Bread and keeps the sweetness in check.
How do I store and freeze for peak freshness?
Cool the loaf fully, then wrap snugly. It keeps at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerated up to a week; for longer storage, freeze slices in a single layer, then bag and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp or toast lightly. I find Apple Cinnamon Quick Bread tastes closest to fresh when thawed overnight and rewarmed for a minute to revive the aroma.
Can I reduce sugar without losing tenderness?
Yes, trim the granulated sugar by 2–3 tablespoons and keep the brown sugar for moisture. Balance sweetness with tart apples and warm spice. For background on why sweetness perception shifts with aroma and texture, the overview on cinnamon is a helpful read. Even with modest sugar, Apple Cinnamon Quick Bread stays plush thanks to oil and yogurt.
What should I serve with a cozy autumn slice?
I love it with a small bowl of yogurt and a drizzle of good oil after reading our friendly olive oil overview. For a brunch table, add squares of our crustless spinach quiche and a spoon of warm apple crisp for contrast. However you pair it, Apple Cinnamon Quick Bread brings that soft, spiced center-of-the-table comfort everyone reaches for.
4 Comments
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