Caramel Apple Bread bursting with fresh apple, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, then topped with an incredibly delicious & easy to make caramel glaze. Fantastic apple quick bread recipe that everyone goes crazy over!
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Caramel Apple Bread is the perfect recipe for quick sweet bread this time of year. Use any type of apple that you’d like, although I love it with Pink Lady apples. This recipe is easy to make, but it does take some time as you need to cool the bread, then after you drizzle the glaze, you’ll have to let the glaze set. It’s well worth the wait though as this Caramel Apple Bread has incredible flavor!
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UPDATED: After receiving a ton of comments with mixed results on the Caramel Glaze, I’ve replaced the recipe! So below you’ll find the updated, new & improved, EASY version that tastes absolutely amazing. Enjoy!
Another Update: I added back the instructions and ingredients for the original 3 ingredient glaze!
How long does it take to bake Caramel Apple Bread?
A regular 8-9″ loaf pan of caramel apple bread will bake in about 60 minutes. If you like using mini loaf pans, they take 30-35 minutes to bake. If you’d like to adapt this recipe for muffins instead, bake those for 14-18 minutes. Always check for doneness either by measuring the temperature of the bread with a meat thermometer- it should read 190 degrees F, or by inserting a toothpick in the center and having it come out clean.
Did your apple bread sink in the middle?
This happens to me occasionally too! Often it’s because I’ve over mixed the batter. Quick bread (referring to a bread recipe that doesn’t use yeast) does not like to be stirred too much, so try to just barely mix all the ingredients together. Another culprit could be overfilling the pan. The bread pan should be only half full each time. As always, make sure your leavening ingredients- baking soda and baking powder- aren’t too old. Baking soda should only be on your shelf for 6-9 months before purchasing new. I purchase it in bulk (I bake a lot!) and refrigerate it to help it last longer.
How do you peel an apple?
There are a few ways to peel an apple, but I prefer to use a simple metal peeler. Wash the apple, then begin peeling away the skin starting at the top of the apple and circling around. You can also use a paring knife, or a fancy apple peeler like this one here, that also slices and cores your apple.
Caramel Apple Bread Recipe
- 1 cup smooth unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup peeled, cored, and finely diced apple (1 apple)
Caramel Glaze:
- 5 TBSP butter
- 3 TBSP caramel ice cream topping
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- dash of salt
How do you make caramel apple bread?
- Spray a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray, then set it aside. Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Combine the applesauce, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Whisk well to blend.
- Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir just enough to combine; do not over mix. Fold in the apples.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared pan.
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Bake on the center oven rack until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean, about 60 minutes.
-
Remove the pan from the oven and put it on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes, then remove the loaf from the pan and place it on the rack to finish cooling.
-
To make the caramel glaze topping: Melt butter in a small bowl. Whisk in caramel ice cream topping. Add in powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking in between. Once it’s all added, whisk until smooth. If caramel glaze is too thick to drizzle on the bread, put it in the microwave for 20 seconds.
-
Pour caramel over the top of the apple bread. Let sit 1 hour, until caramel topping has set. Slice and Enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter, or in the fridge. Freeze bread by wrapping completely in plastic wrap twice, then wrapping with foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.
AVOID SUNKEN BREAD
The easiest and best way to avoid sunken bread is to use a cooking thermometer to check the inside of the loaf. Fully cooked bread will register 200°F on a thermometer. My all-time favorite thermometer is the Thermapen. It’s super fast and incredibly durable. Another great cooking thermometer is the ThermoPop which is a more basic version that works just as well!
CARAMEL APPLE BREAD
Ingredients
- 1 cup smooth unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup peeled cored, and finely diced apple (1 apple)
- Caramel Glaze:
- 5 TBSP butter
- 3 TBSP caramel ice cream topping
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- dash salt
Instructions
- Spray a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray, then set it aside. Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Combine the applesauce, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Whisk well to blend.
- Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir just enough to combine; do not over mix. Fold in the apples.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake on the center oven rack until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean, about 60 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and put it on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes, then remove the loaf from the pan and place it on the rack to finish cooling.
- To make the caramel glaze topping: Melt butter in a small bowl. Whisk in caramel ice cream topping. Add in powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking in between. Once it's all added, whisk until smooth. If caramel glaze is too thick to drizzle on the bread, put it in the microwave for 20 seconds.
- Pour caramel over the top of the apple bread. Let sit 1 hour, until caramel topping has set. Slice and Enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter, or in the fridge. Freeze bread by wrapping completely in plastic wrap twice, then wrapping with foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Video
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Alternative Recipe for Caramel Glaze {this is the glaze that was in the recipe originally)
3-Ingredient Caramel Glaze
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 TBSP milk
To make the caramel glaze topping: Melt butter in a small saucepan on medium heat. Add in brown sugar and milk and whisk constantly. Bring to a boil, then boil for 2 minutes while continuing to whisk. Remove from heat and <strong>let cool about 30 minutes to 1 hour</strong>, until caramel has thickened, stirring every 10 minutes or so. You need to continue the stirring while cooling so that the sugar fully dissolves. <em>(See more tips on making the caramel glaze below!
TIPS ON MAKING THE CARAMEL GLAZE:
It seems that some are having a hard time making the caramel glaze, so I wanted to elaborate on how it’s done. It’s a very, very simple recipe and method. I have an electric stove, so if you have a gas stove, you’ll want to decrease the temperature to low when cooking it. It comes together very fast- on my stove on heat level 4 (medium low) it takes me about 8 minutes. So in 8 minutes I’ve added the cold butter to the pan, melted the butter, added the brown sugar and milk. Once that begins boiling- NOT a full, hard rolling boil, just a gently boil- time 2 minutes, then take the pan off the heat.
Leave it in the pan to cool! If the temperature changes too drastically here, the caramel will separate. So leave it in the pan and just give it a gentle whisk every 5-10 minutes. I’ve glazed the bread several ways. You can let it sit for more like an hour and you’ll have to spread it around like I did in the video. I’ve also let it sit for more 30-40 minutes and have poured it on the bread- it coats it nicely, then runs down the sides, no spreading necessary. Leave the glaze for a couple hours to fully set! During this time the sugar continues to dissolve so that the glaze isn’t grainy.
I hope that helps! I think it’s almost too simple- resist the urge to equate it with making caramel-it’s a lot faster & easier.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 TBSP milk
Instructions
- To make the caramel glaze topping: Melt butter in a small saucepan on medium heat. Add in brown sugar and milk and whisk constantly. Bring to a boil, then boil for 2 minutes while continuing to whisk. Remove from heat and
- let cool about 30 minutes to 1 hour
- , until caramel has thickened, stirring every 10 minutes or so. You need to continue the stirring while cooling so that the sugar fully dissolves.
Notes
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More amazing quick bread recipes that we love:
- How to make Banana Bread easy
- Sweet Coconut Quick Bread
- Best Zucchini Bread recipe
- Easy Lemon Quick Bread
- Yogurt Banana Bread recipe
- Dutch Apple Quick Bread
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Quick Bread
- Caramel Banana Nut Bread
- Best Ever Pumpkin Bread
- Lemon Buttermilk Quick Bread
- Caramel Apple Quick Bread
- Cinnamon Raisin Quick Bread
- Peppermint Chocolate Quick Bread
- Cranberry Orange Quick Bread
- Cinnamon Roll Quick Bread
What apples can you use to make apple bread?
When you bake apple bread it’s a good idea to use a more robust variety of apple so that the apple holds up when baking. My favorite variety of apple to use is Honey Crisp. If you can’t find Honey Crisp apples or if they’re a bit too expensive, you can also use Fugi apples or Granny Smith apples. Try to avoid using softer apples like Red or Golden Delicious as they’re not ideal for baking.
Best Bread Pan?
I bake a lot of bread and the pans I prefer are either ceramic, glass or cast iron. These pans will bake bread more evenly and release the bread more easily after baking. I don’t like using dark or nonstick pans because the bread cooks unevenly. It darkens on the outside before the bread is cooked on the inside, so the coloring is uneven. Read more about which bread pan is the best here!
Can you make apple cake instead of apple bread?
You can use this exact recipe to make a caramel apple cake instead of apple bread. Simple follow the recipe directions using a 8×8 glass pan instead of a bread pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes and then proceed with the recipe as indicated.
Can I grate the apple instead of dicing it?
You can grate the apple needed for this recipe instead of dicing it. Know that the apples will be smaller and will blend into the bread after baking. You might not have the bits of apple chunks throughout each slice but it will still taste delicious and have a great apple flavor.
Can apple bread be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze this apple bread. I prefer freezing it before adding the caramel glaze. It will stay fresh for 2-3 months in the freezer. I like to first wrap it in parchment paper or freezer paper, then put it in a ziplock freezer bread. Instead of using a ziplock bag you can wrap it in foil or plastic wrap.
CARAMEL APPLE BREAD
Ingredients
- 1 cup smooth unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup peeled cored, and finely diced apple (1 apple)
- Caramel Glaze:
- 5 TBSP butter
- 3 TBSP caramel ice cream topping
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- dash salt
Instructions
- Spray a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray, then set it aside. Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Combine the applesauce, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Whisk well to blend.
- Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir just enough to combine; do not over mix. Fold in the apples.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake on the center oven rack until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean, about 60 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and put it on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes, then remove the loaf from the pan and place it on the rack to finish cooling.
- To make the caramel glaze topping: Melt butter in a small bowl. Whisk in caramel ice cream topping. Add in powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking in between. Once it's all added, whisk until smooth. If caramel glaze is too thick to drizzle on the bread, put it in the microwave for 20 seconds.
- Pour caramel over the top of the apple bread. Let sit 1 hour, until caramel topping has set. Slice and Enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter, or in the fridge. Freeze bread by wrapping completely in plastic wrap twice, then wrapping with foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Video
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Caramel Apple Bread bursting with fresh apple, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, then topped with an incredible 3 ingredient caramel glaze topping.
Lorna says
Any replacement for applesauce? Thanks
Jessica says
You can use canola oil. 🙂
Mairianna says
I made it just now and it was perfect. I took it out of the oven before the 60 minutes was up. The caramel sauce was perfect too!
Jessica says
So glad you enjoyed it Mairianna! 🙂
Terri says
The glaze issue coul Be when the milk is added?? Video shows the milk being added after the sugar and butter have boiled but the instructions say to add the sugar and the milk at the same time? Could this be the issue because mine did not come out like yours either
Jessica says
Nope- I’ve made it so many ways, it really doesn’t matter when the milk is added.
Theresa says
Please send me the carmel apple bread recipe
Jessica says
You can print a version at the bottom of the post!
Noelle says
I made this for the first time last night and it was fabulous!! My two Labs even got a bite and now they won’t quit staring at the counter. 🙂
Jessica says
LOL!! I’m glad everyone loved it!
T Mac says
Can this be made ahead and frozen? How would you thaw and would freezing it make the carmel sauce crumbly?
Jessica says
I actually think it’d freeze pretty well. The caramel sauce firms up, so it shouldn’t be an issue. Just let it come to room temp slowly when you’re thawing it out again– don’t try to rush it by microwaving it. 😉
Sara says
Doing a bake sale to help pay for my daughters Washington dc trip. This is one i know will do good! I have just made the caramel glaze and didnt have one issue. For those having problems treat it like you do making fudge….when you think your done stiring(whisking) KEEP stirring! lol Glaze came out PERFECTLY!
Jessica says
Thanks Sara– so glad it worked out well and that you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
Meredith says
I made this today. I changed it up a bit. I baked it in a rectangle pan to make it like squares. I also doubled the recipe. After it was baked, I poked holes like a poke cake and added a jar of caramel sauce. ( I love caramel! ) The caramel glaze turned out perfect! The baking time was about 50 min. Thank you for sharing this recipe! 🙂
Jessica says
Such great ideas!!
Joyce says
This is a great recipe. My family love it and me also. Will make again, its a keeper
Jessica says
I’m so glad your family enjoyed it Joyce!
Samantha Young says
Wonderful recipe!!! Everything was perfect!! Glaze turned out perfect! Thanks!
Jessica says
So glad you liked it Samantha!
debbie says
I didn’t want it too sweet so omitted the 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and made the 1/2 cup of brown sugar heaped and it still turned out great. Very yummy, will be making it again.
Jessica says
So glad you made it work for you and loved it Debbie!
Gayle says
I made the caramel sauce twice and it failed both times! Followed your directions exactly. Separated and became grainy. But the bread is wonderful.
Jessica says
Glad you liked the bread Gayle… did you see my tips below the recipe for being successful with the caramel sauce?
KITA says
Thanky ou so much Kate! This comment sincerely made my day. I just pulled this recipe up this morning. It is awesome to hear that you are still digging it too!
Bruce says
Very easy recipe to follow! My caramel sauce came out just fine!
Waiting for the caramel to hardened on the bread is driving me crazy can’t wait to taste it!
Jessica says
Ha! Yes, it’s a slight test of patience there at the end, lol. I hope you liked it!!
susan bergling says
Excellent bread! And my glaze turned out perfect. Great Instructions! Thank you!
Jessica says
I’m so glad you liked it Susan!! The glaze is my favorite part!
Robin Graham says
My nephew, Steven, who is intellectually disabled made the bread at school with the teacher’s help. It was a great Mother’s Day surprise for me. Very delicious. He then brought the recipe up on the computer for me to get the recipe. What a pleasure to have him.
Sonny Walker says
I will bake bread .It looks delish.
Laura says
Could you grate the apple instead of chunking it? Can this be made into mini loaves? If so how long for baking time and how much in pan 1/2 fill 3/4 fill? would it make 2 or 3 minis? Was thinking this is different for bazaar tables when Im asked to bake!! TY
Jessica says
You can grate the apple, but I think it tastes better cut into small pieces. Just my opinion though! I’d fill the mini pans about 2/3 full and bake for 30-40 minutes.
Joanie says
Oh my goodness, this cake is so delicious! I loved the bits of apples scattered throughout and that caramel glaze/frosting is out of this world!
Jessica says
So glad you liked it Joanie!