Name: Apple Bread with Cinnamon Glaze
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 280 g apples (cored); 2 Tbsp granulated sugar; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 250 g all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 85 g butter, melted; 2 Tbsp olive oil ( or vegetable oil); 2 large eggs; 100 g soft brown sugar; 50 g granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 125 g greek yogurt; 45 g milk; 120 g powdered sugar; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1-2 Tablespoons milk

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This moist apple bread recipe is simple to make. It’s filled with juicy apple pieces and warming spices and topped with a cinnamon glaze. The loaf batter is really quick to whip together (extra quick if you leave the apples unpeeled!) A perfect afternoon treat.

About this apple bread

This quick bread can be whisked together in about 15 minutes. It’s bursting with apple flavor, plenty of warm spice, all wrapped up in a moist, buttery cake. No mixer needed.
I add both butter and oil to the batter, and it’s the combination that makes this apple bread so moist. The butter brings flavor, while the oil stays liquid at room temperature, which is what keeps the loaf soft for days.

I use the same oil-and-butter approach in Dutch apple cake and vanilla cake for the same reason. A little Greek yogurt adds acidity for an extra-tender crumb. Then there are the warming spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger.

The whole thing is finished with a simple cinnamon glaze drizzled over the top. It’s great on its own, or sliced and spread with some cinnamon cream cheese.

Apple varieties to use

can use many varieties of apples for this loaf. For sweet apples, try Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Braeburn. If you like a tarter bite, go with Granny Smith. You can use any baking apple variety you’ve got, each one just brings something a little different. I like to leave them unpeeled. If you’ve only got cooking apples, they tend to break down faster when baked, so leave the chunks a bit bigger so they don’t turn to mush.

Variety	Profile (sweetness + texture)
Granny Smith	Tart · keeps clear chunks, adds bright flavour
Braeburn	Balanced · holds shape with light juiciness
Pink Lady	Sweet-tart · crisp bite, stays firm
Honeycrisp	Sweet-tart · juicy yet holds structure
Fuji	Sweet · bakes softer, adds moisture
Jazz	Mildly sweet · gentle bite, keeps shape

Key ingredients and why

Apples: About 280 g (around 2 medium apples), cored and chopped into half-inch chunks. I toss them with a little cinnamon and sugar before folding them into the batter. No need to peel them unless you prefer to.
Butter and oil: I use both. The melted butter brings rich flavor and the oil (olive oil or vegetable oil) keeps the bread moist for days.
Brown sugar and white sugar: A mix of both. The brown sugar brings deeper, caramel-like sweetness and extra moisture. The white sugar adds lightness.
Greek yogurt: Adds moisture and a touch of acidity, which helps create a really tender crumb. You can also use sour cream.
Spices: Cinnamon, ground ginger, and nutmeg. It’s a classic warming spice combination that pairs perfectly with apple.
Baking powder and baking soda: Both are used. The baking soda reacts with the acidity from the yogurt for a good rise, and the baking powder gives it extra lift.

Method

Line an 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper (a 9 x 5 inch pan works too, but the loaf will be slightly lower.)
Core and chop the apples into half-inch chunks, leaving the skin on if you like. Mix with cinnamon and a little sugar. Set aside.
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a small bowl. In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, oil, brown and white sugar, eggs, vanilla, yogurt and milk until smooth.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet, then gently fold through the spiced apple pieces. The batter will be thick.

Close-up of thick, brown batter with visible chunks of red-skinned apple being stirred with a light blue spatula.

Spoon into the pan and and bake until a skewer comes out clean.
For the glaze, stir together powdered sugar, cinnamon, and just enough milk to make a smooth, pourable consistency. Drizzle it over the cooled loaf.

Tips

Don’t overmix. Stir just until you no longer see dry flour. Overmixing develops extra gluten and can make the loaf dense. Check that your baking powder is fresh, too.
Weigh your ingredients. Measuring by weight (grams) gives you the most consistent results, especially with flour.
Make it as muffins. Divide the batter between 12 lined muffin cups and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 18-22 minutes. Start checking at 18 minutes. A skewer should come out with a few moist crumbs.
Freezing. Cool the loaf completely, wrap it tightly in two layers of parchment paper and one of foil, then freeze for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature, still wrapped, to prevent condensation.
Storing. Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Related recipes

If you love this apple bread, here are a few more apple and fall baking recipes you might enjoy.

Apple Hand Pies with Puff Pastry – flaky puff pastry stuffed with spiced apple filling.
Caramel Apple Pie – a classic apple pie made even better with caramel sauce.
Brown Butter Banana Bread – another moist quick bread loaf, with brown butter and yogurt for a tender crumb.
Pumpkin Coffee Cake Muffins – light oil-based pumpkin muffins with a buttery crumb topping baked inside and on top.