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!
Be sure to check out our updated collection of BEST EVER APPLE RECIPES here!
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!
If you love Bread as much as we do, find all of our Best Bread Recipes Here!
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.
-
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
📫 Save this recipe! Send it to your email! 📩
I consent to receiving emails from this site.
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
📫 Save this recipe! Send it to your email! 📩
I consent to receiving emails from this site.
-
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
📫 Save this recipe! Send it to your email! 📩
I consent to receiving emails from this site.
Caramel Apple Bread bursting with fresh apple, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, then topped with an incredible 3 ingredient caramel glaze topping.
Jackie says
Thoughts on if this woukd turn out just as good with an all purpose gluten free flour?
Jessica says
I don’t have a lot of experience working with all purpose gluten free flour Jackie, I’m sorry! If you try it, let me know how it goes!
Tiffany says
Hello, my daughter and I made this bread today with all purpose gluten free flour and it is amazing! We did have to add a tsp. of xanthum gum, since we did use the gluten free flour.
Bek says
I’ve just made it with gluten free flour and made mini loaves…. just delish… remember when you use gluten free flour you tend to need to add just a little more flour. I check consistency of batter, if it’s a bit too runny then add table spoon at a time extra till you get the right consistency.
Alison says
Bek, So happy you were able to enjoy this recipe! Thank you for your comment, it is so helpful for the many using gluten free flour!
Tiffany says
Hello, my daughter and I made this bread today with all purpose gluten free flour and it is amazing! We did have to add a tsp. of xanthum gum, since we did use the gluten free flour.
Clara says
I am going to make this bread. I have one question do you use all purpose flour or self rising?
Jessica says
I use all purpose flour. 🙂
Paula Lee says
I make my caramel glacé in the microwave. Much easier, it won’t burn and a whole less mess. Just stir it every minute or so. Use my Pyrex mixing bowl!
Jess says
How long do you keep it in the microwave for?
Jessica says
I’m not sure I understand Jess… can you elaborate for me? I’m guessing you’re referring to the caramel glaze on top. You’ll melt the butter first, which is about 20-30 seconds in a microwave.
Amy says
Hi, I read the section on baking and it refers to yogurt banana bread. Would the cooking times be the same for the Caramel Apple Bread? Thanks. It looks delicious
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BAKE CARAMEL APPLE BREAD?
A regular 8-9″ loaf pan of yogurt banana bread will bake in about 45-55 minutes. If you like using mini loaf pans, they take 30-35 minutes to bake.
Jessica says
That was a typo- I fixed it! Thank you! Same baking times.
Lori says
Jessica, I forgot to print off your previous recipe of this caramel apple bread which I made two weeks ago, and we loved it just the way you had it at that time! Is there any way that you can tell me what your old recipe was for the glaze? I’d rather do it that way than use ice cream. Thank you, Lori
Jessica says
I just added it back for you Lori! 🙂 I’m so glad you like the recipe!
Lindsay says
The glaze was awful, based on reading comments it should be just brought to a simmer not a full boil as instructions say, I couldn’t try it again as I had no more butter but I added an extra splash of milk to my nasty separated goo and popped in in the microwave for 2 minutes stirring every 30 seconds or so and tada the glaze was saved, will not be trying this stove top method again. Even though you may have successfully made it this way a thousand times your instruction on how to properly make it is poor even though “it’s so easy”.
Jessica says
I’m sorry you feel that way Lindsay! I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from others that their glaze turned out perfectly. I’m glad you were able to tweak yours to save it. I’m not sure what happened!
Jessica says
I wanted to let you know that I found a NEW GLAZE RECIPE that I’ve put in with my Caramel Apple Bread. I think you’ll like it!
Marla says
The video shows three eggs added; the recipe shows two. Which is it? Thanks.
Jessica says
The video does actually only show 2 eggs… one of my eggs ended up being a twin! 😉 It’s 2 eggs, just like the text recipe shows. I didn’t mean to confuse you!
Christina says
This recipe is staying in my rotation! It’s amazing!
April says
Yesss…..forget pumpkin, I want caramel apple everything and this bread is at the top of that list! Nom nom nom.
Pam white says
Going to make this today. But noticed I bought regular apple sauce. Not unsweetened…can I use it ????
Alison says
Pam, It will probably be a little sweeter but it shouldn’t affect it too much!
Pam white says
Want to make this today, but noticed I bought sweetened applesauce not unsweetened….can I use what I have ???? Ty cant wait to try. 🤗
Jessica says
Sure! You can decrease the sugar slightly if you’d like. But I think it’ll turn out great!
Martha Rost says
They all look delicious, thank for sharong, Can’t wait to try.
Pam white says
Made today. ..just awesome, so moist. I will be making this a lot especially with the holidays coming up. Wonderful as is. Wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you for sharing.
Nellie says
Pam – I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I’m sure all your friends and family will appreciate this holiday season too!
Vic says
I have all ingredients except apples..could I grate carrot?
Nellie says
Vic – I think the bread would taste great with carrots substituted in, but you may want to hold off on the caramel topping. I’m not sure that would go very well with carrots!
Malisha says
Which glaze is better?
Alison says
The reviews are decidedly mixed, although I will say that people begged for the easy version to also be added back on! Hope you enjoy it either way!
Barbara says
So let me start off by saying your directions were excellent! Secondly, I only had dark brown sugar and golden delicious apples but the bread still turned out beautifully.
I just did the glaze – left it for a few then went back to stir and it looked lumpy! So I added a little more milk and heated it up and stirred. Just poured over the bread and it looked wonderful! The real test will be my husband!
Alison says
Barbara, I’m happy the directions were easy for you to follow! I hope you enjoyed it and that it passed the real test!
BettyAnn Reed says
I have made this recipe twice and it turned out fantastic both times. I used the older 3 ingredient recipe for the glaze and it is so easy to make. I love brown sugar and butter and think this glaze recipe is more like the old fashioned caramel frosting. Just follow all of the tips given to you when making it. This bread is wonderful with a cup of coffee or tea. Thanks for sharing it.
Nellie says
Thank you for the kind comments BettyAnn! So glad you enjoyed the bread!
Teresa says
Hi,
I made the glaze with brown sugar, milk, and butter. It was delicious. The first time I did it it failed because I put it in the freezer for a bit and then heated it up and the quick temperature changes affected it. But the second time, it worked perfectly following your directions. I wanted to know…can the glaze be made a day or two in advance?
Jessica says
Yes, the glaze can be made in advance Teresa!
Kathy says
I am not the best baker in the world, however, this came out fantastic!! Will make several more to give out at the Holidays … Apple Bread with the original icing.
Alison says
Kathy your friends and neighbors will be so pleased! Thanks for sharing!