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.
sharon dillon says
how do you to convert the recipe to british measures
Jessica says
Google?
Jenn says
Delicious way to use up a couple of apples and some buttermilk. It kept nicely in the fridge for several days and went perfectly with my morning coffee. Good cold, too. I think I cut the apples a little too small, next time I’ll cut the just a little larger. I used honey crisp, next time I’ll use Granny Smiths. I bet that will be even better. Thanks for the great recipe!
Alison says
Jenn, I love having a slice in the morning for breakfast as well! Glad you enjoyed this!
Cass says
Made this and added cinnamon to the batter. I baked for nearly 60 mins and my toothpick came out clean so I took it out. When cutting, the loaf was very moist and actually a bit gooey still in the very centre. I think the topping solidified (delicious and crispy) but to a point where it cleaned off the toothpick as I was talking it out. Not sure if anyone else has had that problem or if I did something wrong. Otherwise, the flavour of the bread is divine, just needed to be baked a little longer. Should probably invest in a thermometer 🙂
Alison says
I’m glad you enjoyed the flavor and I hope the next time around with a little bit longer in the oven is even better for you!
Jennifer says
May I ask how much cinnamon you added to the batter? Thanks!
Marlene Leptic says
I doubled this recipe and I am ever so glad I did! My family loved it! We have a large multi generational family and sometimes you can’t please everyone. However, this was a hit for all of us ranging in age from 7 to 73 years of age. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe! I followed the recipe as written except for when I put it in the pans. I filled the pans half full, put a layer of streusel, then the remaining half of the batter, and our the rest of the strudel on top. I only did this because I’m used to another recipe I have that has you do it. I guess I was having a senior moment! Lol! So delicious!
Nellie says
You can’t ever have too much streusel! So glad your family enjoyed the recipe!
Rob says
Any tips on preventing the apples from sinking? I tossed them in a little sugar, flour and cinnamon and they still ended up at the bottom of the loaf.
Jessica says
The batter is pretty thick- so it holds the apples better. Was your batter thicker? You could always divide the apples in half and stir half in and sprinkle the rest on top?
Maria says
I followed this recipe exactly and thought it was delicious. This is a keeper!
Alison says
Happy to hear that Maria! Thanks for sharing!
Elsy Encalada-Flores says
I am just going to wait until my cake its done. It is still in the oven. Thank you for such a great and easy receipe. Blessings.
Elle says
Delicious! I used gala apples that were sitting on the counter a few days too long. I added a tsp of cinnamon to the batter. I doubled the recipe and it made three loaves. My family loved the streusel and icing. Made the recipe taste bakery like. Will make again!!! !!!!
Kim says
I made this several weeks ago and it was incredibly delicious! I’m going to make it again, but was curious if it would turn out the same if I substituted oil for the eggs? Thanks for this amazing recipe!
Jessica says
I’ve not tried it using oil instead of eggs. Let me know how it turns out!
Angie Andersen says
This recipe is quick and easy and produces a dense but moist loaf. We didn’t use the glaze but this bread is wonderful with just butter.
Alison says
Glad you enjoyed this Angie!
Simran says
I’m an absolute novice when it comes to baking but followed your recipe exactly and this turned out beautifully! It is so so yummy each bite is like a bit of a warm hug. It tasted even better the next day and tastes great cold out of the fridge as well. The whole family loved it!
Sara says
Very, very good!! I made them into 6 large muffins. Will definitely make again. Thank you. Great recipe!
Nellie says
Great idea to make muffins with this recipe!
U says
How long you’ve heated when making into muffins?
Jessica says
I’d bake muffins about 16-18 minutes.
Omaira/Liz says
yes! I made the recipe but I forgot to take a picture. It was Amazing! Thank you
Jessica says
So glad you enjoyed it Liz!
Sarah says
These turned out great! They are cooling on the counter but I can already tell they turned out well. I need to freeze them though, can I freeze with the glaze on or should I wait to glaze until I thaw them out? I’m worried about the glaze coming off on the foil too.
Nellie says
I would wait to glaze them until you thaw them out. Enjoy!
Marta says
Can I used almond flour instead of regular flour?
Nellie says
I’ve never used almond flour much, but have heard that using a cup for cup flour substitute tends to work better in most recipes. Let us know if you try the almond flour!
Diana says
Great recipe. I used oil instead of butter and still came out great. I also added oats to the topping and it was pretty good too. The cake is moist and delicious. I wanted to find an Apple recipe that didn’t have cinnamon In the batter, but has a hint of cinnamon in the topping. It’s a perfect balance. I didn’t want the cinnamon to hide the flavor of the apples, that’s why this recipe is perfect.
Jessica says
So glad you enjoyed it Diana!
Tekora says
Thank you so much for sharing this! Best way to use apples up before they go bad. Followed the recipe exactly and it turned out delicious. I was nervous it was going to be goey like other recipes. Job well done on this. Thank you!
Amina says
So good! Will make again and again for sure. Thanks for sharing recipe.
Alison says
Thank you Amina!
Abby says
Absolutely delicious. It was moist and perfectly crunchy. I had a little bit deeper bread pan so mine had to cook a little longer.
Kaylie says
So glad you liked it! Thank you, Abby!
Julie says
Could you use this for pears?
Nellie says
Pears usually have quite a bit more moisture than apples, so I would be concerned that the bread might get too soggy with pears. Let us know if you try it!