Apple Fritter Bread

Cinnamon apples ripple through tender quick bread, with a layer of apples and crispy cinnamon sugar and glaze on top, Apple Fritter Bread has delicious apple fritter donut vibes without the labor or calories of frying.

Apple fritters are one of my all-time favorite fall treats. I love the crackly glaze, those irresistible crispy edges, and chunks of apple packed into tender dough. And while I’m usually quick to make my favorite bakery treats at home (looking at you yellow birthday cake), apple fritters are not one of them because I hate the hassle of frying. Instead, I make a loaf of apple fritter bread.

This is the apple recipe that everyone in my family looks forward to every year and friends beg me to make. It’s a fall baking bucket list item for sure! Between the layer of cinnamon apples rippled through tender quick bread and the crispy cinnamon sugar and glaze drizzled over the jagged layer of apples blanketing the top, this bread has serious apple fritter vibes and all the flavors you’d expect from the classic donut. Best of all: no frying necessary.

Why you’ll love it

It has the most ultra-tender crumb. One of the first things everyone notices about this bread is that it’s so unbelievably tender and moist.

The cinnamon-sugared, glazed apple topping is incredible. Between the tender apples, crisp-sugared edges, just the right amount of cinnamon, and streams of glaze, the top layer of the bread is pure perfection.

Key ingredients in apple fritter bread

• Apples: Sweet-tart apples like Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Pink Lady are great apples for baking. They have great flavor and a firm, crisp texture and keep their shape during baking.
• Cinnamon: This warm spice is folded into the batter, mixed into the sautéed apples, and used for the cinnamon-sugar topping.
• Sugar: It’s a trifecta of sugar, but each one has a purpose. You’ll use brown sugar for the sauteed apples, granulated sugar for the bread batter and cinnamon-sugar topping, and powdered sugar for the glaze.
• Fat: A mix of melted unsalted butter and neutral cooking oil (think, canola or vegetable oil) ensures that the bread is flavorful and has a super moist-tender texture.

Helpful swaps

• Plain Greek yogurt (preferably full fat) can be used in place of sour cream.
• Granulated sugar can be used as a substitute for brown sugar when cooking the apples.

Storage tips

The bread will keep well for up to three days in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 1 week if refrigerated, or up to three months if frozen. Thaw in the fridge before serving.

Apple Fritter Bread

Makes 1 (9-inch) loaf; serves 8 to 10

Ingredients:

For the bread:

• Cooking spray
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
• 3 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet-tart apples (such as Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Pink Lady), peeled, cored, and diced (about 4 cups)
• 1/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the apples

For the glaze:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk, apple cider, or unfiltered apple juice, plus more as needed

Directions:

Make the bread:

1. Heat the oven to 350 F. Coat a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom and two long sides of the pan with a parchment paper sling, making sure it hangs over the sides by a few inches. Whisk 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of the ground cinnamon together in a small bowl; reserve for topping.
2. Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl.
3. Add 1 1/2 pounds peeled and diced apples, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of the ground cinnamon, and 1 pinch kosher salt to the now-empty skillet (do not wipe out). Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples start to soften and the sugar is dissolved and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
4. Whisk 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, the remaining 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda together in a medium bowl. Whisk in the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup neutral oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt into the melted butter until combined.
5. Whisk in 3 room temperature large eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in 1/3 cup room temperature sour cream until combined and no streaks of sour cream remain. Fold in the flour mixture until just combined.
6. Transfer half of the batter into the loaf pan (about 1 1/2 cups) and spread into an even layer, going all the way to the edges. Top with half of the apple mixture (about 2 cups) and press it lightly into the batter. Dollop the remaining batter over the apples and spread to the edges, covering the apples completely. Scatter the remaining apple mixture evenly over the top. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the top.
7. Bake until the bread is puffed, deeply browned, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 65 to 70 minutes. Place on a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the bread to loosen. Grasping the excess parchment, lift the loaf out of the pan and place on the rack. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.

Make the glaze:

Whisk 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon milk together in a small bowl until smooth. If the glaze is too thick to drizzle, whisk in more milk or apple cider a few drops at a time as needed. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cake and let sit until set, about 15 minutes.

More autumn apple recipes:
Sweet Applesauce Mini Muffins
Caramel Apple Eclair Cake

Kelli Foster is a culinary producer for TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to editorial@thekitchn.com.

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