Dutch Apple Bread is made from scratch with butter, sugar and fresh apples. This apple quick bread recipe has amazing flavors and is topped with a cinnamon streusel and drizzled with warm vanilla glaze.
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The Best Apple Bread
This Dutch Apple Bread is something I love any time of the day. I have at least 4 recipes I have written already that are similar but I have to say, this one is my favorite! This apple bread has the best aroma and an almost pound cake like texture- you will not be able to stop eating it. I love how easy it is to make as well!
Dutch Apple Bread Recipe Ingredients
For the Bread, you will need:
-Butter: We use ½ cup softened butter, which is 1 stick. I usually use salted butter, but use what you have on hand!
-Sugar: You need 1 cup of granulated sugar to make this bread nice and sweet.
-Eggs: Just 2 large eggs is all you need to help bind this bread together well.
-Milk: You will need ½ cup milk for the batter. Dairy milk or almond milk works best. I do not recommend using soy milk.
-Vanilla: Using 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to help enhance the flavors in this bread.
-Flour: Use 2 cups of all-purpose flour for the base of this bread dough.
-Salt: You will need ½ teaspoon of salt to help enhance the flavors in the bread.
-Baking powder: You need 1 teaspoon of baking powder to help the bread rise and leaven properly.
-Apple: You need 1 ½ cups diced peeled green apple (you can also use a HoneyCrisp apple, Fuji, or similar!)
-Nuts: Using ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans will add a fantastic crunch to the bread.
For the Topping, you will need:
-Butter: You will need 5 tablespoons of cold butter. This will help to give the crumbly texture we want.
-Flour: Using ⅓ cup of all-purpose flour is needed for the topping to turn out just right.
-Sugars: Use 2 tablespoons each of granulated sugar and brown sugar to make the topping sweet.
-Cinnamon: 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon will give the topping a nice warm flavor.
For the Glaze, you will need:
-Butter: Use 1 tablespoon of melted butter to make the glaze taste nice and rich.
-Powdered sugar: You need ½ cup of powdered sugar to make the glaze smooth and sweet.
-Milk: You will need 1 tablespoon of milk to get the glaze to the right consistency.
-Vanilla: Use ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract to help enhance the flavors in the icing.
How to make Dutch Apple Bread
Prep
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Then, line a bread pan with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray. I use a 10″ bread pan but this recipe works in standard 8″ loaf pans as well. The baked bread will just be taller.
Chop apples into small square pieces, set aside.
Make the bread batter
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the butter and sugar together.
Next, add in eggs, milk, and vanilla extract and stir well to incorporate.
Then, mix in the dry ingredients (flour, salt, and baking powder. )
Now time to fold in apples and nuts.
Lastly, transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan.
Make topping
Start by combining the cold butter, brown and white sugars, flour, and cinnamon. Mix with a fork or pastry blender until crumbly.
Then, sprinkle the cinnamon mixture over the batter in the pan.
Bake
Bake for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in bread, comes out clean. (Internal temperature of bread will be 200 degrees F when fully cooked.)
Let cool before adding the glaze.
Glaze
Mix together the melted butter, powder sugar, and milk until smooth.
Remove the bread from the pan and drizzle the glaze over the top.
Slice and serve. Enjoy!
WHAT IS THE BEST TYPE OF APPLE TO BAKE WITH?
There are many types of apples to choose from and although they are all delicious on their own, when baking some hold up better than others. I have baked with many different apples and my all time favorite truly is Granny Smith green apples. They are in every store and easy to find, they are crispy and hold their form well when they have been cooked down. More types that are good for baking with are Fuji, HoneyCrisp, Pink Lady and McIntosh Red apple. I’d avoid Red Delicious, Golden Delicious or other soft apples as they tend to fall apart and lose flavor when baked.
DUTCH APPLE BREAD
Ingredients
Apple Bread Batter
- ½ cup softened butter 1 stick
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs large
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ cups green apple diced & peeled
- ½ cup walnuts or pecans chopped
Dutch Crumb Topping
- 5 tbsp cold butter
- ⅓ cup flour
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Vanilla Glaze
- 1 tbsp melted butter
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp milk
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a bread pan with parchment paper or spray with non-stick baking spray.
- Chop apples into small square pieces, set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add in eggs, milk, and vanilla extract and stir well to incorporate.
- Mix in the flour, salt, and baking powder. Fold in apples and nuts.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes, until toothpick inserted in bread comes out clean. (Internal temperature of bread will be 200 degrees F when fully cooked.) Let cool before adding the glaze.
- Whisk together the melted butter, powder sugar and milk until smooth. Remove the bread from the pan and drizzle the glaze over the top. Slice and serve. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Can you Freeze Apple Bread?
Yes, you can freeze this Dutch Apple Bread as long as you securely wrap it and store in an airtight container. I like to wrap mine in foil then store in a freezer Ziplocked bag. Be sure to eat it within 1-2 months! Also, do not add the glaze until after you have thawed it.
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!
How do I peel an Apple?
Many recipes for apples require that you core and peel them. There are a variety of ways to do this, and they’re all simple!
If you’re just peeling & coring a few apples at a time: I like to use a basic vegetable peeler, plus an apple slicer that cuts apples into 16 pieces. These smaller slices are better for baking as the apple cooks faster since they’re smaller slices. That way the crust/cake or whatever you’re baking apples into isn’t too dark before the apples are done cooking!
If you’ve got a large batch of apples to cook: If you use a lot of apples, you probably should consider getting one of these handy peeler corer slicers. You can peel, core & slice half a bushel in about 15 minutes with this tool!
Choose which category of apple recipes you’d like to browse:
Apple Pies
Apple Cookies/Bars
Apple Cakes
Apple Breads
Miscellaneous Apple Recipes
What Type of Vanilla Extract Should I Use?
A few years ago I tested 10 different vanilla extracts and found new favorites! I love using TOTONAC’s Mexican Vanilla for everyday use. It’s pure vanilla and contains no alcohol, which I like because I don’t like the taste of extracts made with alcohol. Each time I try another, I go back to Totonac’s quickly afterward; it’s so good! I also love using Nielsen Massey Vanilla Bean Paste. Again, this one has the best flavor by far!
What Spices are Good in Apple Bread?
Baking apple bread? Don’t forget the spices! Adding cinnamon is a must – it will add some delicious warmth and natural sweetness to your loaf. A dash of nutmeg in the bread batter can also be wonderful when paired with cinnamon, as it lends a delicate flavor and aroma. Throw in a pinch of clove to round out the nutty, earthy notes that will really bring out the sweetness of the apples. The combination of these three spices ensures that your homemade apple bread is flavorful, moist, and utterly scrumptious!
How to know if the bread is done?
Your bread should register about 200 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer to ensure that it has been cooked fully. Not only that but the top should appear to be a nice golden brown color and as the bread cools, it shouldn’t sink, but should instead remain well-shaped with a rounded top.
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!
My Apple Bread sank. What happened?
This happens to me occasionally too! Often it’s because I’ve overmixed 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.
More amazing quick bread recipes that we love:
- CARAMEL APPLE BREAD
- APPLE BANANA BREAD
- APPLE BREAD PUDDING
- GLAZED APPLE WALNUT BREAD
- APPLE CINNAMON MONKEY BREAD
- PUMPKIN APPLE GINGERBREAD
- APPLE PIE QUICK BREAD
- GLAZED APPLE CINNAMON BREAD
- APPLE PUMPKIN BREAD
- BEST APPLE RECIPES
- APPLE CINNAMON SCONES
Homemade Dutch Apple Bread with fantastic flavor & texture! Family favorite apple bread recipe that everyone enjoys. Dutch Apple Bread made from scratch with butter, sugar & fresh apples. Amazing flavor in this apple quick bread recipe topped with a cinnamon streusel & drizzled with warm vanilla glaze.
Jen @ Yummy Healthy Easy says
I’ve never had apple bread but now I know I NEED to! This bread looks so soft and delicious, I can’t wait to try! Pinned!
Kara says
I am seriously drooling right now. This looks so yummy!
julie says
have you ever cooked these sweet breads in a bread machine
Jessica says
I haven’t- I actually don’t own a bread machine! This bread doesn’t have yeast in it though, so not sure it’d work…
Elissa says
Just made this without the nuts… still delicious! I’ve never made a sweet bread before but this was AMAZING. The whole family loved it!
Jessica says
It has such a wonderful flavor, doesn’t it?! So glad you and your family liked it!
Stacy says
I don’t have a loaf pan. Is there anything else I can use or another way to make this?
Jessica says
Sure, you can make it in a square glass pan- just keep an eye on it during the last few minutes of baking and adjust the time accordingly.
Ellen Jaramillo says
I don’t have any apples right now and we had a lot of snow so I’m not going out. Can I use chunky applesauce and, if so, what adjustments would I have to make? Thanks.
Jessica says
I’d add 1 cup of chunky applesauce and decrease the milk to 1/4 cup. Let me know how it goes!
Sherrie says
Do they have to be green apples? I have a bag of Macintosh that I need to use up.
Jessica says
I’m sure that would be fine!! Use up those apples!
Evelyn Litchford says
what if all you have is apple pie filling could you use that?
Jessica says
I haven’t tried it, but if I were you, I’d add 1 cup apple pie filling (chopping the apples up a bit) and decrease the milk to 1/4 cup. Let me know how it goes!
Lisa says
I live in the apple-rich Blue Ridge Mountains and I am always looking for more apple recipes. I came across your recipe by luck…yay! This is a delicious apple bread and we loved the icing on top. I have only made it once but I am looking forward to making this for my grandchildren. Thanks so much for posting this.
Jeanne Price says
I made this recipe last night. Did not have apples so I substituted diced peaches in their place. It is not a soft bread, but is great tasting. I put butter and apricot jelly on the slice when I cut it instead of the topping.
My husband topped his slice with vanilla ice cream…it was delicious.
I’m thinking that whole berry cranberry sauce would be great in the batter also. I’m from Massachusetts and love all things cranberry having grown up near the cranberry bogs.
Terry says
I made this recipe yesterday, as written, but without the nuts (nut allergy). Although it was delicious, I think it needs cinnamon in the batter. I used Granny Smith apples; I think that most other types would cook down too much during the baking process. I’ll make it again soon, adding 2 teaspoons of cinnamon to the batter. Thank you for sharing this!!
Jessica says
Great idea!!
Crystal says
How long does this last in an airtight container?
Jessica says
I prefer to eat quick breads within a day or two since they all tend to dry out and get crumbly. Just fyi!
jan says
just found your recipe, i am wondering if using oil instead of butter would change the outcome and if i can, what would the ratio be? tks
Jessica says
Using oil instead of butter would change the flavor for sure and it might make it a bit more crumbly. I’ve not tried it in this recipe- I’d just do a straight replacement. Let me know how it goes!
Twila Paradis says
Going to try this recipe without the nuts. I’m thinking of adding raisins instead. Any suggestions? Could i just use the whole raisins?
Jessica says
Adding whole raisins would be delicious! To make the colors blend more too, you could use golden raisins. 🙂
Joyce Juneau says
Can You feeeze the leftovers?
Jessica says
You can, but it might be more crumbly upon thawing out, just fyi!
Gina says
1 cup ? grams
Linda S says
I made this recipe today and I am so pleased with how it turned out. I followed the recipe as written and can’t wait to share with friends and family.
I did have to bake it for 75 minutes though.
Jessica says
So glad you liked it Linda!
Jem says
I made this in cupcake pans for great grand kids and the rest of the family, they all loved it. the little ones really loved the nuffins they call them.
Jessica says
Great idea! So glad everyone liked it!
Susan says
Does this bread freeze well?