This apple bread recipe is a moist, old-fashioned quick bread with a little chunk of apple in every bite, a lot like our best banana bread. Applesauce keeps it tender, coconut and pecans add texture, and an easy maple glaze goes on while the loaf is still warm. It’s simple to make, great for brunch or an afternoon snack, and full of that cozy bread recipe everyone loves.
A Moist Apple Bread That Feels Like an Old-Fashioned Favorite
The secret to how moist this loaf is comes from applesauce. It does double duty, adding apple flavor and keeping every slice soft for days. Fresh chopped apples fold right into the batter, so you get real fruit in the crumb instead of just spice. If you like apple flavor in easy forms, you’ll want to try this alongside slow cooker apple butter and a batch of slow cooker apple cinnamon oatmeal.
The maple glaze is what takes it over the top. It’s just butter, maple syrup, and powdered sugar whisked smooth, then spread over the warm loaf so it soaks into the top. If a glazed quick bread sounds like your kind of thing, you’ll love this cherry bread too. And when you’re in a fall baking mood, keep this easy pumpkin bread and cinnamon roll casserole on your list.
This one travels well, which makes it a nice addition to any easy potluck dessert spread. Bring it to a brunch or a family get-together and set it next to something like Snicker apple salad, and it won’t last long.
FAQs
A mix works best. This recipe uses Granny Smith and Honeycrisp, so you get one tart apple and one sweet apple. The combination gives the bread a nice balanced flavor.
The applesauce. It adds moisture along with the fresh chopped apples, so the loaf stays soft and never dries out.
Yes. The shredded coconut and chopped pecans add texture, but you can leave either one out if you prefer a plain apple loaf.
No, but it’s worth it. The glaze adds a sweet, decadent top. If you skip it, the bread is a little less sweet and works well for breakfast.
You can. Divide the batter into 3 or 4 small loaf pans depending on their size. Start checking them early, since smaller loaves bake faster.
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. To keep it longer, freeze it for up to 3 months and thaw before serving.
Yes. Pumpkin pie spice already has cinnamon in it, so plain cinnamon is a fine swap if that’s what you have on hand.
That’s normal. Once the apple bread starts to cool, the top can shrink down a little. It doesn’t affect the flavor or texture.
Yes. The coconut oil is only 2 tablespoons, so you can swap it 1:1 for vegetable, canola, or avocado oil. Melted butter works too and adds a little richness. The shredded coconut in the batter still gives you that flavor.
Ingredients
See the recipe card below that has the printable, full ingredient list and instructions.
For the Bread
- 2 medium apples, peeled and chopped (Granny Smith and Honeycrisp) – Fresh fruit and little bites of apple in every slice.
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice – Keeps the chopped apples from browning.
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce – Adds moisture and apple flavor.
- 2 large eggs – Bind the batter and give it structure.
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted – (or vegetable, canola, or avocado oil) – Adds richness and a soft crumb.
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract – Rounds out the flavor.
- ½ cup dark brown sugar – Sweetens the loaf with a light molasses note.
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour – The base of the bread.
- 1 teaspoon baking soda – Helps the loaf rise.
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice – Warm fall spice that pairs with apples.
- ½ teaspoon sea salt – Balances the sweetness.
- ½ cup shredded coconut – Adds texture and a little chew.
- ½ cup chopped pecans – Adds crunch.
For the Maple Glaze
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted – The base of the glaze.
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup – Gives the glaze its maple flavor.
- ¾ cup powdered sugar – Thickens the glaze and adds sweetness.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, toss the 2 chopped apples with 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and ½ teaspoon sea salt.
- In a large bowl, mix 1 ½ cups applesauce, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla, and ½ cup dark brown sugar until well combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir just until incorporated.
- Stir in the chopped apples.
- Fold in ½ cup shredded coconut and ½ cup chopped pecans.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake about 50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean in the center.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool about 10 minutes before removing from the pan.
How to Make the Maple Glaze
- Whisk together 2 tablespoons melted butter, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, and ¾ cup powdered sugar until smooth.
- Spread it over the warm loaf. Add extra chopped pecans and coconut on top if you like.
Tips
- Use two different apples, one tart and one sweet, for the best balanced flavor.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Stir just until the flour disappears so the loaf stays tender.
- Spread the glaze while the loaf is still warm so it settles into the top.
- The top may shrink down a little as it cools, and that’s perfectly normal.
- To make mini loaves, divide the batter into 3 or 4 small pans and check them early.
More Recipes
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Recipe
Apple Bread Recipe
Ingredients
For the Bread
- 2 medium apples peeled and chopped (Granny Smith and Honeycrisp)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup shredded coconut
- ½ cup chopped pecans
For the Maple Glaze
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Toss the chopped apples with the lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- In a large bowl, mix the applesauce, eggs, coconut oil, vanilla, and brown sugar until well combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir just to incorporate.
- Stir in the chopped apples.
- Fold in the shredded coconut and chopped pecans.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake about 50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean in the center.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool about 10 minutes before removing from the pan.
- Spread the maple glaze over the warm loaf.
Maple Glaze
- Whisk the melted butter, maple syrup, and powdered sugar until smooth, then spread over the warm loaf.
Notes
- Use one tart apple and one sweet apple for balanced flavor.
- Don’t overmix the batter so the loaf stays tender.
- Glaze the loaf while it’s still warm.
- The top may shrink slightly as it cools, which is normal.
- Divide into 3 or 4 mini loaf pans and bake for less time if you prefer smaller loaves.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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