Cinnamon Applesauce Bread – 🍎🍞😍 This applesauce bread is packed with fall flavors and comes together quickly! I serve mine with homemade honey butter, because why not?
Table of Contents
Spiced Applesauce Quick Bread Recipe
You won’t need scented candles ever again. Just make this applesauce bread! The scent of apples, cinnamon, and bread baking makes your house smell absolutely heavenly.
The bread is supremely moist and soft, with just enough cinnamon to complement the applesauce, without being overpowering.
It’s actually more like an apple spice cake that happens to baked in a loaf pan, so we’ll call it bread. You know, because bread is healthier than cake so you can have extra.
I used every softening and moistening trick in the book to keep this applesauce quick bread supple and tender. Applesauce, coconut oil, and sour cream all lend moisture to the bread. I loathe dry bread and cake, and this is anything but.
The crust is slightly firmer and chewier, while the interior is soft, fluffy, and springy.
It’s great zapped in the microwave for a few seconds to warm it with a big dollop of honey butter or toast it.
Applesauce Bread Ingredients
To make the applesauce quick bread, you’ll need:
- Eggs
- Cinnamon applesauce
- Granulated sugar
- Melted coconut oil
- Light brown sugar
- Sour cream
- Vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon and nutmeg
- Salt
- All-purpose flour – if you need to keep this recipe gluten-free, feel free to substitute a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour
- Baking soda and baking powder
And for the cinnamon honey butter, you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- Honey
- Cinnamon
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Applesauce Bread
This homemade applesauce bread recipe is so quick and easy to prepare! Here are the basic steps for this fall quick bread recipe:
- Whisk together everything but the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Once the mixture is well combined, stir in the remaining dry ingredients.
- Turn the batter into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Bake for roughly an hour or until the top is set and firm and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- In the last 15 minutes of cooking, tent your bread with a sheet of foil if it’s looking a bit darker before you anticipate the center to cook through fully.
- Let the applesauce quick bread cool for 30 minutes in its pan before slicing and serving it. It needs that extra bit of time to set up.
- Cinnamon honey butter: Stir together the softened butter, honey, and cinnamon. You can add as much or as little cinnamon as you’d like, it’s up to you! You can also serve your applesauce bread with a simple butter and confectioners’ sugar glaze, a vanilla cream cheese glaze, or just eat it plain.
Recipe FAQs
I love baking with coconut oil in place of other cooking oils, especially for quick breads, muffins, and cookies, and far prefer it to melted butter. Oil in general keeps things softer, springier, and bouncier than butter.
I didn’t notice any overt coconut flavor. However, if you’re concerned you can use another oil (such as vegetable or canola). Between the applesauce, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla, any coconut flavor is masked though.
Yes, plain Greek yogurt can be used in place of the sour cream. That said, you don’t want to use regular yogurt here as it’s much runnier than Greek yogurt.
I used store-bought cinnamon applesauce. If you use plain applesauce, you may want to bump up the cinnamon in the batter. I haven’t tried using reduced-sugar applesauce, and while I’m sure the recipe works, it won’t be as sweet. I love the bread as is and wouldn’t make the sacrifice.
I don’t see why not! You’ll want to use smooth applesauce for this recipe though, not chunky.
Theoretically, yes. However, fresh apple chunks will release moisture into the batter and will likely increase the bake time. I’ve only made this recipe as written, so I can’t say for sure whether adding apples to the the batter will work.
If you’re looking for a more chunky apple bread recipe, make my Apple Fritter Bread.
You could definitely add a dry mix-ins, like chopped pecans, walnuts, or even chocolate chips! Or, add even more flavor with warm spices like ginger and allspice.
Probably, but you’d need to drastically shorten the cook time to about 20 minutes. Baking this as a loaf is easier though than making individual muffins, in my opinion, so definitely try this recipe as written first!
No, you need to use a 9×5-inch loaf pan for this recipe. The batter will overflow if you use a smaller pan such as an 8×4-inch loaf pan and you’ll wind up making a huge mess.
This is the one exception to a smaller loaf pan: 5x3x2-inch loaf pans will work! You’ll need to adjust the bake time according to the size of your mini loaf pans. But I’d say about 25 to 30 minutes but again, check for doneness with the toothpick test to know for sure.
Storage
Store leftover applesauce quick bread in an airtight container at room temperature. It will last up to 5 days. The cinnamon honey butter will last up to 1 month in the fridge and can also be frozen.
Freeze leftover bread for up to 6 months!
Simply wrap the cinnamon applesauce bread in a few layers of plastic wrap or store it in a freezer-safe bag. When you’re ready to eat it, set it out on the counter to thaw.
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Applesauce Bread with Honey Butter
Equipment
- 1 Large Bowl
- 1 Wire Rack
- 1 Small Bowl
Ingredients
Bread
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup cinnamon applesauce, plain may be substituted, consider adding more cinnamon
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup melted coconut oil, canola or vegetable oil or melted butter may be substituted
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup sour cream, lite okay; Greek yogurt may be substituted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon, not teaspoon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Honey Butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter, extremely soft
- ¼ cup honey, or to taste
- pinch cinnamon, optional and to taste
Instructions
Make the Bread
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside (don’t use an 8-by-4-inch pan; it’s too small)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the first 7 ingredients, through optional salt.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and stir until just combined; don’t overmix. Batter will be thick and with a few lumps. Don’t try to stir the lumps smooth.
- Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the surface lightly with a spatula.
- Bake for about 56 to 63 minutes (I baked exactly 60), or until top is set and firm, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. In the last 15 minutes of cooking, tent bread with a sheet of foil (lay it loosely over top of pan) if your bread is looking a bit darker before you anticipate the center to cook through fully; I tented mine.
- Allow bread to cool in pan on top a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before turning out onto rack to cool completely.
Honey Butter
- Combine the butter (make sure it’s extremely soft and squishy), honey, and optional cinnamon in a small bowl and whisk vigorously until smooth and fluffy.
- Extra portion will keep airtight in the fridge for at least 1 month.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Apple Quick Bread Recipes:
Apple Pie Bread with Streusel Topping — If you like apple crumble pie, you’re going to love this EASY no-mixer apple pie bread! Soft, tender, moist bread with the contrast of the slightly crunchy crumble topping is PERFECT!
Apple Zucchini Bread with Brown Sugar Frosting — Super soft, moist, and topped with the BEST frosting ever! One bowl, no mixer, EASY recipe for the best apple zucchini bread that everyone LOVES!
Carrot Apple Bread — This apple carrot bread tastes like carrot cake that’s been infused with apples. It’s a no mixer recipe that goes from bowl to oven in minutes!
Apple Fritter Bread — The bread tastes as decadent as the apple fritters of my childhood, no deep frying required and it’s more like cake disguised as bread.
Peanut Butter Apple Banana Bread — Jazz up regular banana bread with peanut butter and apples! A perfect combo that tastes amazing together! Fast, easy, no mixer required, and a hit with everyone!
Originally published August 23, 2019 and republished September 16, 2022 with updated text.
Loving your ‘breads’ :) Have you (or anyone else) ever tried them using coconut flour? If so, what quantities/substitutions would you use?
Coconut flour is sooooo highly absorbent and really is like a sponge! So without trying it first hand in this recipe, I really don’t know what to recommend. I don’t bake with it often enough to be able to guesstimate, either.
Was about to make some persimmon butter when I realized that I had persimmon puree from LAST year still in the freezer. I tripled this recipe and made no changes other than subbing persimmon puree for the applesauce. Oh, and I had no nutmeg, but used ginger.
It smells divine and tastes sooooo good! They are perfect. Sometimes recipes are too oily and sometimes too dry. These came out perfect! I got 2 loaves and a dozen muffins out of it and I’ve already eaten 2! It is 85 degrees and sunny in San Diego, but at least it smells like fall here! Thank you!!!
I live in San Diego too! And yes, it’s HOT here! Small world :)
I wish I just had a random stash of persimmon on hand and could sub that for applesauce, wow, how wonderful that sounds! And the ginger for nutmeg. Glad the texture was perfect, not too oily and not too dry! Stay cool on this ‘fall’ day :)
Hi. How long did you bake for muffins?
My guess for muffins is usually around 20-ish minutes, give or take, depending on how big they are.
I have made this a couple times. Very good, but definitely very coconutty!
Funny I really don’t taste the coconut oil but if you do and if anyone is sensitive to it, just sub with canola or veg oil like I wrote in the recipe. Thanks for trying this recipe a few times!
Made this bread twice in the last week! Has just the right amount of spice and sweetness without being too much. I really enjoy reading your blog and trying your recipes!
Thanks for making it, and twice in one week! Love that! Thanks for reading and glad you’re enjoying my site and recipes!
I baked this today & it is great! Especially with the honey butter:)
I added a little extra applesauce & this will be our Rosh Hashanah dessert.
Thanks Averie!
Thanks for trying it and how nice it will be your Rosh Hashanah dessert! Happy New Year!
Just made this recipe! I didn’t have cinnamon applesauce so I used plain unsweetened and added an extra tablespoon of cinnamon! Also added a cup of pecans and baked in 2 8×4 pans for 40 minutes.
Tastes awesome with or without the honey butter :)
Aaand a few hours later, one loaf is already gone :) My dad and mom had half a loaf each!
Well that’s awesome to hear! So glad it’s a big hit with your whole family!
Made this last night and mmmm soooo delicious! I didn’t even need to put the butter on. Very hard to stop at one slice!
So glad to hear it was a big hit and didn’t even need butter :)
Could you include banana in this recipe?
Yes and you may need to add slightly more flour then.
I’ve read a few posts here and I can actually relate. I am in love with Marie Callender’s cornbread. They are simple to make and super yummy, especially with honey butter. I’ve been a fan of MC’s ever since I was a little girl, and have fond memories of eating it with my family back in San Jose, CA. Check out their website http://www.mccornbread.com to order your cornbread mix. They also stock a variety of gourmet products I’m sure you will enjoy.
Hi Averie! Just made this bread, and it is oh-so-delish! Thought I would share with you the changes I made to the recipe. The subs were because I couldn’t wait til I had the right ingredients, not because I’m all about changing a recipe.
I used ground flax instead of eggs, safflower oil, buttermilk instead of sour cream, and added some pureed apple filling (about 1/4 cup) since I was worried that the buttermilk wasn’t as thick as sour cream. Since I had regular applesauce, I used a total of 2 Tbsp cinnamon. It is totally awesome!
Thanks so much for the recipe!
Wow you are kitchen warrior and so inventive and creative working with what you DO have!! I wish everyone was even 1/10th as creative and resourceful as you are…I’d never have to answer about 95% of the emails that come across my desk which are baking substitution questions :) What you did sounds amazing and the fact that you also got great results with flax eggs is good to know! And way to go for using 2 tbsp of cinnamon. My kinda girl :)
You never disappoint! I had to alter slightly because of what I had, but Greek yogurt, a little less whole wheat flour and homemade applesauce with extra cinnamon and it looks just like yours and tastes sooo amazing! Thanks for another fabulous bread recipe!
Thank you for trying the recipe and tweaking as needed and so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for saying my recipes never disappoint! That’s awesome!
Could I use regular brown sugar instead of the light??
Regular brown sugar and light-colored brown sugar are usually one in the same; as opposed to dark brown sugar which is, well, darker :)
I made this once and it was delicious!! I will definitely keep this recipe and continue to use it. I wanted to try to make this with almond flour and I should not have messed with a good thing because it didn’t rise as well and was very dense. :( I suppose I can substitute the flour with wheat flour.
So glad that when you followed my recipe, it turned out delicious!
Unfortunately almond flour has zero gluten in it; it’s a nut, not a grain, and behaves NOTHING like all-purpose flour. I would even be slightly worried to use wheat flour, because again, very low gluten levels, and it will be prone to being dense, gummy, and thick. I would advise just sticking with the recipe as written :)
Oh yes, I can already smell it :) what a heavenly recipe!
this recipe sounds divine! i wanted to ask if it’s possible to make this dairy-free…do you think i could skip the sour cream? or is there some non-dairy substitute i could use to retain the moistness of the cake (what about more applesauce)? thanks so much!
I would use dairy-free/vegan sour cream like Daiya, Tofutti, or similar. I wouldn’t skip it though.
This looks awesome. I was wondering if you can fold diced apples into the batter and bake? Would the moisture from the apples alter the texture?
Thanks!
Make sue not to skip the applesauce in lieu of apple pieces. You could add the diced apples and they will give off some juice/liquid, so you may need to bake a few minutes longer. And yes, the bread texture will change from smooth to chunky.