Apple fritter bread is a soft cinnamon-spiced quick bread layered with tender apples and a brown sugar swirl. It brings the cozy apple-and-cinnamon flavor of an apple fritter into a sliceable homemade loaf, without the work of frying.
Apple fritters are one of my favorite donuts, but frying at home is not my favorite kitchen project. I made homemade donuts once, and while it was fun, I wanted an easier way to bring those fall flavors home. This apple fritter bread is my answer: plenty of apples, warm spices, and no pot of oil.
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Why you'll love this apple fritter bread
Apple fritters are a fall favorite that combine crispy, golden exteriors with soft, cinnamon-spiced apple centers. Each bite gives you that perfect contrast of textures: a crunchy outside with a tender, juicy filling that's loaded with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. The dough is lightly sweetened to let the natural flavor of the apples shine through, and once fried, each fritter is dusted with a touch of sugar or glazed for a little extra indulgence. It's like biting into the best parts of a donut and a fresh apple pie, all in one. Pair a warm apple fritter with your morning coffee, and you've got the ultimate autumn treat!
This loaf gives you the warm apple and cinnamon flavors of an apple fritter in a recipe that fits more easily into a morning at home. You mix the batter, layer it with spiced apples and brown sugar, and let the oven do the rest.
- It is baked instead of fried.
- The apples and cinnamon sugar are layered throughout the loaf.
- It uses familiar baking ingredients.
- It can be made ahead for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat.
- Individual slices can be frozen for later.
Commercial fryers and kitchens in general are much more suited to the task. One day should I have a bakery I will undoubtedly try my hand at donuts again, but for now this Apple Fitter Bread gets me the fix I need from my own kitchen.
If you are looking for another apple recipe that does not require frying, try my Easy Homemade Apple Crisp or our amazing Apple Cider Donut recipe!
Ingredients and why they matter
The full measurements are in the recipe card below, but a few ingredients make an especially important difference.
- Apples: Firm baking apples hold their shape and release less water than soft apples. Peel, core, and dice them before measuring.
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar is used in both the cinnamon swirl and the apple filling. It adds sweetness, moisture, and a deeper flavor around the apples.
- Cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg: These spices give the loaf its warm fall flavor. Keeping the cinnamon-sugar swirl separate from the apple filling creates more distinct layers.
- Salted butter: Softened butter helps create a tender crumb. The additional ¼ teaspoon salt balances the sweetness.
- Baking powder: This provides the lift in the loaf. Check the expiration date if your baking powder has been open for a while.
- Milk: Milk loosens the batter and adds moisture without making it too thin.
Best apples for apple fritter bread
Firm baking apples are the best choice because they soften in the oven without completely disappearing into the bread.
Granny Smith apples provide a tart contrast to the sweet brown sugar. Honeycrisp and Braeburn apples are slightly sweeter but still hold their shape well. You can also combine a tart apple with a sweeter one for a more balanced flavor.
Avoid apples that are already soft or mealy. They can release too much moisture and make the areas around the filling feel wet.
Dice the apples into small, even pieces. Large pieces take longer to soften and can make the loaf difficult to slice cleanly.
How to make apple fritter bread
This recipe has three simple components: cinnamon sugar, bread batter, and spiced apple filling.
- Prepare a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and a parchment-paper sling.
- Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon for the swirl.
- Peel, core, and dice the apples. Toss them with brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
- Make the bread batter by creaming the butter and sugar, adding the eggs and vanilla, and then gently mixing in the dry ingredients and milk.
- Layer half the batter, apples, and cinnamon sugar in the pan. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Bake until the center is set and a tester comes out without wet batter.
The batter will be fairly thick. Spread it gently into the corners instead of adding more milk.
Kendra's Tips for a fully baked loaf
Use the right loaf pan
Use a 9 x 5-inch light-colored metal loaf pan. A smaller pan creates a deeper loaf and increases the chance that the edges will finish before the center.
Dark pans absorb more heat and may cause the outside to brown too quickly. If the top is becoming dark before the center is done, loosely cover the loaf with aluminum foil.
Measure the apples after preparing them
Peel, core, and dice the apples before measuring the required 2 cups. Measuring whole or roughly cut apples can leave you with too much fruit and additional moisture in the loaf.
Try to keep the pieces close to the same size so they soften at approximately the same rate.
Mix the batter gently
Once the flour is added, mix only until the dry streaks disappear. Overmixing develops more gluten and can make a quick bread firm or rubbery.
I prefer to finish this step by hand with a spatula. It gives me more control and makes it easier to stop mixing at the right time.
Check the center carefully
Apple fritter bread can look finished around the edges while the batter surrounding the apple layers is still underbaked.
Insert a thin knife, skewer, or cake tester into the thickest part of the loaf. Avoid testing directly through a piece of apple. A few moist crumbs are fine, but there should not be wet batter on the tester.
Let the loaf cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before lifting it onto a rack. Wait until it has cooled completely before slicing. The crumb continues to set as the loaf cools.
Serving, storing, and freezing
Serve apple fritter bread at room temperature or gently warm individual slices. It works well for breakfast, brunch, an after-school snack, or alongside a cup of coffee.
Once the loaf is completely cool, store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to 5 days. Bring refrigerated slices to room temperature or warm them briefly before serving.
To freeze the loaf, wrap it tightly and place it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. You can also freeze individual slices with parchment between them. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Apple fritter bread FAQs
Use firm baking apples such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn. Granny Smith adds tartness, while Honeycrisp and Braeburn provide a sweeter flavor. A combination also works well.
The loaf may be underbaked, contain too many apples, or have apple pieces that are too large. Measure 2 cups after peeling, coring, and dicing the apples. Check the center of the loaf for wet batter before removing it from the oven.
The center should look set and spring back lightly when touched. A tester inserted into the thickest part should come out without wet batter. Test in more than one location because an apple piece can make the tester appear wetter than the surrounding bread.
An unglazed loaf can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Refrigerate it if you plan to keep it longer.
Yes. Allow the loaf to cool completely, then wrap it tightly and freeze it for up to 3 months. Freezing individual slices makes it easy to thaw only what you need.
Yes. Bake the loaf the day before you plan to serve it. Let it cool completely before wrapping it so condensation does not collect inside the container.
Traditional apple bread usually mixes the apples directly into the batter. This apple fritter bread uses separate layers of spiced apples and cinnamon sugar to bring more of the flavor associated with an apple fritter into each slice. It is still a baked quick bread, so it does not have the fried exterior of a traditional fritter.
Recipe
Cinnamon-Spiced Apple Fritter Bread
Equipment
- 1 9 x 5-inch metal loaf pan light-colored
- 1 apple peeler
- 1 glass measuring cup
- 1 parchment paper
- 1 mixing bowl set
- 1 Rubber Spatula
- 1 Cooling Rack
Serving Size Adjustment
If needed, you can double or triple the serving sizes.
Unit Conversion
Selected US Customary or Metric Unit.
Ingredients
Cinnamon sugar swirl
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Bread batter
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup salted butter softened to room temperature
- ⅔ cup sugar granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
Spiced apple filling
- 2 cups apples peeled, cored and evenly diced
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon ground
- 1 teaspoon cloves ground
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg ground
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Line the pan with a strip of parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the long sides to lift out the cooled loaf.
- Make the cinnamon sugar swirl. Stir together ½ cup brown sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.½ cup brown sugar, 1 tbsp cinnamon
- Prepare the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Set aside.1 ½ cup all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt
- Make the apple filling. Place the prepared apples in a medium bowl. Add ½ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Toss until the apples are evenly coated. Set aside.2 cups apples , ½ cup brown sugar, 1 tbsp cinnamon, 1 tsp cloves, ½ tsp nutmeg
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until lighter in color and creamy.½ cup salted butter , ⅔ cup sugar
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until combined after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.2 large eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two additions, alternating with the milk. Mix gently after each addition. Finish folding the batter by hand and stop as soon as no dry streaks remain.½ cup milk
- Spread half of the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Spoon half of the apple filling over the batter, followed by half of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Carefully spread the remaining batter over the first layer. Top with the remaining apple filling and cinnamon sugar.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes. Begin checking the loaf at 55 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
- The loaf is done when the center feels set and a tester inserted into the thickest part comes out without wet batter. A few moist crumbs are fine. Test in more than one location so you do not mistake a tender apple piece for uncooked batter.
- Cool the loaf in the pan for about 15 minutes. Use the parchment to lift it from the pan, then transfer it to a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Measure the apples after peeling, coring, and dicing them.
- Firm baking apples such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Braeburn hold their shape well.
- Do not add additional milk because the batter appears thick.
- Store the cooled loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Freeze the whole loaf or individual slices for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Made this apple fritter bread? Leave a star rating and tell me which apples you used. Your feedback helps other home bakers know what to expect.
More apple and cinnamon recipes
If you are ready to keep baking, try one of these next:
- The Best Apple Cider Donuts
- Easy Homemade Apple Crisp
- Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Heavy Cream
- Browse More Homemade Bread Recipes
If you are looking for more bread recipes, try my bread recipe collection.
And let's be honest, Fall is my favorite holiday, so make sure to try one of my fall favorites.
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Brenda Noteboom says
Yum!