With apple season on the horizon, this apple streusel bread is THE dessert to make this fall. Tender and moist, this spiced loaf is filled with a double dose of juicy apples (fresh apples and applesauce) and comforting warm spices. Topped with a buttery cinnamon brown sugar streusel and covered in a thick vanilla bean glaze, this combination of flavors makes for the perfect fall treat!!
Being from the South, I am no stranger when it comes to baking with fruit. From my Spiced Banana Cake to my Bakery Style Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins, I am always ready to put a new spin on a classic family dessert. And this delicious easy apple streusel bread is no exception!!
Moist and flavorful, this cinnamon apple bread recipe is a must bake during apple season. Just like my Cinnamon Swirl Apple Bread, this perfectly spiced loaf is loaded with cozy warm spices (think cinnamon and nutmeg) and fresh grated apples. While the addition of applesauce and sour cream provides a tender crumb, the sweet cinnamon brown sugar streusel provides a satisfying crunch and the vanilla bean glaze is the perfect creamy finish. It's like enjoying your favorite coffee cake but in loaf form!!
Serve a thick slice of this easy quick bread warm with a large cup of coffee for all the cozy fall vibes.
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Why You'll Love This Quick Bread Recipe
- Easy to Make - Simple to make with minimal ingredients, this quick sweet cake comes together in no time and is perfect for any occasion. Serve it as a fall-flavored breakfast treat, snack, or dessert!!
- Apple Flavor - This apple streusel bread doubles down on its sweet apple flavor. Brimming with a combination of freshly grated Honeycrisp apples and applesauce, it feels like you are eating straight from the orchard.
- Brown Sugar Streusel Topping - Thick, buttery, and full of sweet molasses notes and warm cinnamon, this delicious crumble topping delivers an epic crunch.
What Kind of Apples are Best for Baking Apple Bread?
For this apple streusel bread recipe, I chose my favorite go to apple, the Honeycrisp. Honeycrisp apples have a sweet and slightly tart flavor which pairs perfectly with warm cinnamon and nutmeg. They are firm, hold up well in high heat, and don't turn into mush once they are baked.
Granny Smith, Fuji, Braeburn, Pink Lady and Gala apples are also great choices. Whichever apple you decide to use, it is important to choose an apple that is firm enough to hold up to high heat and doesn't become too soft while baking. Look for apples that are firm to the touch, bright red in color, and have a strong apple aroma.
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredients for the Apple Bread
Ingredients for the Cinnamon Streusel and Vanilla Bean Glaze
Ingredient Notes:
- Fresh apples - I chose to grate and drain the apples instead of dicing them into small pieces. While baking, the apples will loose moisture due to their high water content. That extra juice will change the texture of the bread making it more dense. With grated and drained apples, you get an even distribution of fruit without excess moisture and apple flavor in every bite!!
- European or Irish butter - European-style and Irish butter have higher butterfat content and less water compared to American butter. A higher percentage of fat yields more flavor and moisture. I used Kerrygold Irish Butter for this recipe.
- Applesauce - Using applesauce not only enhances the apple flavor but due to its high water content, it helps this bread stay extra moist for days.
- Spices - This bread is filled with warm and comforting cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Sour cream - Sour cream provides moisture making this bread moist and tender. It also adds a subtle tang which plays well with the tart Honeycrisp apple. It helps to thicken the batter and ensures the shredded apples are distributed throughout and do not all sink to the bottom. Be sure to use room temperature full fat sour cream.
- Sugars - I used a combination of light brown sugar and granulated sugar. While they both provide sweetness and flavor, brown sugar has more moisture and gives this loaf a tender and moist crumb.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Chopped Nuts - If you love nuts, you can add a little crunch to the batter by folding in toasted and finely chopped pecans or walnuts for extra flavor and texture. Or add them to the streusel!!
- Cream Cheese Glaze - Switch up the vanilla glaze and drizzle the cooled bread with the cream cheese glaze from my Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Glaze instead. Or for a classic flavor combination top the cooled bread with a peanut butter glaze!!
- Spices - If you are craving a little more spice, try substituting the ground cinnamon for apple pie spice or pumpkin spice.
- Cinnamon Sugar Topping - Streusel not your jam? Replace it with a cinnamon sugar topping instead. Mix ⅓ cup of brown sugar or granulated sugar with 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon together and sprinkle the sugar mixture on top of the loaf right before it goes into the oven.
- Serving - Cake and ice cream is always a good idea!! Serve thick slices of this delicious apple cinnamon streusel bread warm with vanilla bean or salted caramel ice cream.
- If you're out of sour cream, replace it with full fat greek yogurt.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you happen to try any from the list above or add your own spin with new ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below.
Top Tip: To prevent your apples from turning brown, toss them with a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice after grating and prior to draining.
Step by Step Instructions
This apple streusel bread recipe couldn't be easier to make, just make sure all of your ingredients are prepped and ready to go. Here are the step by step instructions on how to make and bake this delicious apple streusel bread. For the full method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.
Before you start, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Step 1: Make the crumb topping. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugars, salt, and cinnamon. Pour the melted butter over the flour mixture and stir to combine.
Step 2: Sift together the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
Step 3: Cream together the butter and sugars. In a stand mixer, cream the softened butter and sugars together on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Step 4: Add in the eggs, applesauce, and vanilla. With the mixer on low, add in the eggs, vanilla extract, and applesauce, one at a time mixing after each addition.
Step 5: Alternate the dry and wet ingredients. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients alternately with the sour cream.
Step 6: Add in the grated apples. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the grated apples.
Step 7: Scoop batter into prepared loaf pan. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, using an offset spatula to smooth the top.
Step 8: Top with streusel. Top the batter with the brown sugar cinnamon streusel topping.
Step 9: Bake!! Bake the loaf cake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the bread cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Step 10: Glaze and enjoy. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, and milk. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake, then enjoy!!
Baking Tips for Success
- Sift the flour - Sifting helps to aerate the flour, prevents flour clumps, and evenly distributes the dry ingredients.
- Measure the shredded apples after draining - Because apples hold a lot of water, it is important to drain them prior to adding them to the batter. To do this, place the shredded apples in a linen towel or paper towels and squeeze them until they no longer release any liquid. Next, pack the drained apples into a measuring cup until you reach 1 cup. For me, this was about 1 large honeycrisp apple. I peeled my apples because that is what I prefer but feel free to leave the skin on if you like.
- Don't over-mix - Although this loaf cake is simple, it is very easy to over-mix. When you add in the dry ingredients, mix on low and only mix until they are just combined. This ensures a light and fluffy texture.
- Cool before glazing - Allow the apple crumble bread to cool for at least two hours prior to glazing. If it is too warm, the glaze will melt off of the cake.
- Line the loaf pan with a parchment paper sling to ensure easy removal from the pan after baking. To make a parchment sling, spray the loaf pan with non stick baking spray then line the pan with parchment. The parchment paper should be long enough to hang over the sides of the pan.
- Pan Choice - For the best results, I suggest using a aluminum loaf pan. Avoid using glass or ceramic pans as they conduct heat poorly leading to an uneven bake.
Bake Time
The difficult thing with loaf cakes like this one is trying to figure out the bake time. You risk removing the cake from the oven before it has had time to bake all the way through.
Because every oven is different, bake time can vary. Here are a few tips to make sure you take your loaf cake out of the oven at the right time:
- Gently press down on the center of the loaf with your finger. If the loaf springs back to touch when pressed, then it is done. If the area that was pressed stays indented, it needs a few more minutes. Remember, the loaf will continue to bake for an extra 10 minutes while cooling in the pan.
- Start checking the bread at 50 minutes, and then check it every 5 minutes thereafter.
- The center of the cake should not jiggle too much. It should be firm.
- Since all ovens vary in temperature, use an oven thermometer. The bread should bake within 55 to 60 minutes. If it is taking longer for your loaf to bake, it could be that your oven is not calibrated correctly.
Recipe FAQs
The easiest way to test your quick bread for doneness is the toothpick test. Insert a wooden skewer in the center of the bread. If the skewer comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, it is done baking. I like using a wooden skewer over a cake tester. It is thicker and does a better job at catching wet batter.
If the skewer comes out with wet or sticky batter, then it needs more time. Due to the high moisture content, it is normal to see moist crumbs. You want to avoid any sticky, wet batter.
Yes, European-style or Irish butter is a must for this recipe due to the flavor and texture it gives the bread. Because of the higher water content, using American butter will add too much moisture. Do not replace the butter with oil or American butter as it will not yield the same results.
Yes, I recommend grating the apples. Since this recipe calls for draining the apples of excess moisture, the easiest way to do this would be to grate the apples. Grating the apples also allows for better distribution of the fruit in the batter.
Dense apple bread could be from over-mixing the batter or not draining the apples prior to adding them to the batter. Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined to prevent an over mixed batter.
The likely reason your apple bread is falling apart is too much moisture. For this apple recipe to be successful, it is important to drain the apples completely of liquid before adding them to the batter.
Storage & Freezing
Wrap any leftover apple cinnamon bread in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. It can be left at room temperature for 2 days. After 2 days, place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should keep up to 5 days in the fridge. To serve, warm the slices in the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds.
To freeze, allow the unglazed bread to cool completely. Slice the loaf into 12 individual slices and wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap. Then, place in a freezer safe ziplock bag. They will keep for 2 months.
When ready to bake, thaw the slices in the refrigerator over night. Bake the slices on a baking sheet at 350F for 3 to 5 minutes. Or, reheat for a couple of seconds in the microwave.
More Fall Recipes You'll Love
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📖 Recipe
Easy Apple Streusel Bread with Vanilla Bean Glaze
Ingredients
For the Cinnamon streusel topping
- ½ (79 g) cup, plus 2 tablespoons All purpose flour
- ⅓ (67 g) cup Light brown sugar
- 1 (12 g) tablespoon Granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ (57 g) cup Unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
For the Apple bread
- 2 (250 g) cups All purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 6 (84 g) tablespoons Unsalted butter softened to room temperature, (use a European style or Irish Butter - I used Kerrygold Irish Butter)
- ½ (100 g) cup Granulated sugar
- ½ (110 g) cup Light brown sugar packed
- 2 Eggs room temperature
- 2 (30 g) tablespoons Unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
- ½ (120 g) cup Sour cream room temperature
- 1 cup Grated apples such as Honeycrisp, packed and drained of liquid
For the Vanilla bean glaze
- ½ (60 g) cup Powdered sugar sifted
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla bean paste you can also use vanilla extract
- 1 (15 g) tablespoon Milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. The parchment overhang should be on each of the longer sides for easy removal.
For the cinnamon streusel
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Add in the melted butter and use a fork to mix until combined.½ (79 g) cup, plus 2 tablespoons All purpose flour, ⅓ (67 g) cup Light brown sugar, 1 (12 g) tablespoon Granulated sugar, 1 ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Melt the butter and pour over the flour mixture. Stir with a fork until combined. Place streusel in the refrigerator until ready to use.¼ (57 g) cup Unsalted butter
For the apple bread
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.2 (250 g) cups All purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoon Baking powder, ½ teaspoon Baking soda, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- Peel and grate 1 apple into a bowl. After grating, using paper towels or a linen towel, squeeze the apples by hand until they have released all of their liquid. After draining, measure 1 cup of the shredded and drained apples. (This was about one medium apple for me.)1 cup Grated apples
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and sugars together on low speed for 1 ½ minutes until combined. Scrape the bowl then increase the mixer to medium speed and beat for an additional 1 ½ minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.6 (84 g) tablespoons Unsalted butter, ½ (100 g) cup Granulated sugar, ½ (110 g) cup Light brown sugar
- On low speed, add the eggs one at a time, until each one is incorporated and the mixture is light and fluffy. Next, add in the applesauce and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle. (The mixture may look a little broken at this point but it will come back together.)2 Eggs, 2 (30 g) tablespoons Unsweetened applesauce, 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
- With the mixer on low, add ⅓ of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. If still you see a little specs of flour its ok. Next, add in half of the sour cream and mix on low until just combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add in another ⅓ of the flour mixture, repeating the same steps as above. Add the last half of the sour cream, mixing until just combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the last of the flour and mix until almost incorporated. Add the grated apples and mix the rest of the batter by hand with a rubber spatula. Be careful not to over-mix.½ (120 g) cup Sour cream
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Tap the pan a few times on the counter to release the air bubbles then smooth the top of the batter with an offset spatula until smooth. Top the batter with the streusel topping and gently press down so it adheres.
- Bake at 350℉ for 55-60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or cake tester comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Allow the bread to cool in the loaf pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then using the parchment overhang, lift the bread from the pan and onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For the vanilla bean glaze
- After the cake has completely cooled, make the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, and milk. Whisk until combined then drizzle over the top of the cooled cake. Enjoy!!½ (60 g) cup Powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon Vanilla bean paste, 1 (15 g) tablespoon Milk
Notes
-
- Measure the shredded apples after draining - Because apples hold a lot of water, it is important to drain them prior to adding them to the batter. To do this, place the shredded apples in a cheesecloth or paper towels and squeeze them until they no longer release any liquid. Next, pack the drained apples into a measuring cup until you reach 1 cup. For me, this was about 1 large honeycrisp apple. I peeled my apples because that is what I prefer but feel free to leave the skin on if you like.
- Sift the flour - Sifting helps to aerate the flour, prevents flour clumps, and evenly distribute the dry ingredients
- Line the loaf pan with a parchment paper sling to ensure easy removal from the pan after baking. To make a parchment sling, spray the loaf pan with non stick baking spray then line the pan with parchment. The parchment paper should be long enough to hang over the sides of the pan
- Pan Choice - For the best results, I suggest using a aluminum loaf pan. Avoid using glass or ceramic pans as they conduct heat poorly leading to an uneven bake.
- Properly measure your flour. To properly measure your flour, use the spoon and level method. To do this, fluff your flour first, then spoon it into your measuring cup. Use the back of a butterknife to remove any excess flour. For best results, use a kitchen scale!!
Emily
This looks like a dream! What a great idea to bake this loaf and welcome the upcoming fall season - thanks for the recipe.