This moist apple cinnamon bread is next level. With fresh apples, tons of spices, crunchy oat streusel topping, and a sweet icing drizzle, it’s definitely a winning recipe!

This post is sponsored by Kroger but all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Butternut Bakery possible!

the inside of moist apple cinnamon bread

What are the best apples to use in apple cinnamon bread?

Pumpkin and pecans really get all the attention when it comes to fall baking…but what about apples? I get so excited when I walk into my local Fry’s and see the wide variety of colorful apples!

From Gala and Granny Smith to Fuji and SweeTango, there’s just about every type of apple you’ll need.

But with so many different apples to choose from, how do you know which one is right for your recipe? It all depends on the flavors of the recipe, the sweetness, and the way in which the apples are baked.

For this apple cinnamon bread, I chose classic Honeycrisp. The bread itself serves as a blank slate to showcase the bold flavor of Honeycrisp. It also pairs really well with all the warm spices because it has a slight tartness.

I also wanted to ensure that the apples stayed in tact and added a hardy texture to the bread. I needed a firm apple that wouldn’t turn too soft once baked, and Honeycrisp holds up really well when exposed to high heat.

It’s a very crisp apple, so you still get tender bits of apple in each slice that are very clear and distinct…just what I was looking for!

And Fry’s is stocked full of them which was great for all my recipe testing…I ran through so many Honeycrisp apples to get this recipe just right!

apple cinnamon bread batter with streusel topping

How to make apple cinnamon bread

Now that we have the right apples picked out, it’s time to make this delicious apple bread!

The very first step is to mix together all of the dry ingredients. This includes all purpose flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. We’re using a whole tablespoon of cinnamon in here to really get that flavor.

Next, peel and chop up the apples. It’s important to do this as late in the process as possible so they don’t oxidize and turn brown.

Once those are prepped, mix together the sugar, oil, and applesauce in a large bowl. The oil makes the bread SUPER moist, along with the applesauce. Make sure to use unsweetened applesauce, otherwise the loaf could turn out a little too sweet.

When the 3 main elements are prepped, it’s time to put them all together. Pour half of the dry ingredients into the oil and sugar mixture and stir until smooth.

To avoid the batter from getting too thick and clumpy, mix in the 1/3 cup of milk. Then mix in the other half of the dry ingredients. Alternating the two ensures a smooth batter and prevents over mixing.

Pour the batter into a 9×5 aluminum baking pan and sprinkle with the oat streusel. It’s very important to use an aluminum baking pan here and in any bread recipe – like my pumpkin bread. It heats up and cools down fast, so the center fully bakes through and the edges don’t continue to bake even after it’s removed from the oven.

Apple bread on a wire rack and drizzled in icing

Apple bread on a wire rack with icing dripping down the sides

Baking apple cinnamon bread

The bake is the trickiest part about this recipe because it’s VERY easy to over do it. Near the end of the baking time, it’s important to watch this apple bread like a hawk to ensure a perfectly moist texture.

This is why I can’t bake without an oven thermometer. I recently moved into a new house so I’m adjusting to a completely different oven. I quickly learned that 325F really means 350F so I had to adjust my temperature accordingly.

Once you nail down the temperature, bake the apple cinnamon bread for 1 hour. The bread probably won’t be fully baked at this point, but it gives you a window of time to monitor the bread.

After the hour, test the center with a toothpick. If it’s still too raw, bake for another 3 minutes and test again. Keep working in 3 minute intervals until it’s fully baked.

When it’s done, the top should be an even golden brown and the center will puff up nice and high. Let the bread cool in the pan while you start on the icing.

Apple bread maple icing

Ah, my favorite part. Drizzling on the heaps of icing to finish off this delicious apple cinnamon bread.

It’s a very simple recipe consisting of powdered sugar, real maple syrup, and a bit of milk. Use the real deal maple syrup here for the perfect consistency so make sure the ingredients are just “maple syrup”.

Mix all of the ingredients together and tweak the milk-sugar ratio to get it just right. If it’s too thin, add a tablespoon or two of powdered sugar. Too thick and do the same for the milk, but adding only one to two teaspoons at a time.

When the bread is still warm but not too hot, either lift it out of the pan or leave it in. Drizzle the entire top with the icing, not leaving a drop behind.

Now slice and serve! This is one of those cakes that just continues to get more moist as it sits. Store in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for 5 days. But trust me, it definitely won’t last that long!

For more delicious apple recipes, check out my:

Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram and comment below if you make this Apple Cinnamon Bread. To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!