My mom’s homemade apple bread recipe is a favorite around here, loaded with fresh shredded apples that make it incredibly moist and tender. I especially like to bake this in the fall, using just-picked apples from my parents’ trees or ones from a local orchard. The bread is perfectly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla, and has tons of fresh apple flavor in every single bite!
Mom’s Apple Bread IS LIke A Big Apple-Cinnamon Hug!
My mom has been making this apple bread for as long as our family can remember — our daughters affectionately call it “Grandma Barb’s Apple Bread”. When my parents stay with us for a fall weekend, Mom usually brings us a fresh-baked loaf of this bread and a couple jars of chunky homemade applesauce, which is such a treat. Growing up on the farm with apple trees and my mom’s baking, there’s simply nothing better this time of year!
“This apple bread has the BEST apple flavor.” This is the #1 thing I hear from family, friends, and reader comments. And the secret to its fresh apple goodness in every bite? A mess of shredded apples (unlike diced apples, which can sink to the bottom of your bread)! The shreds are packed with the apple’s natural sweet juices and are small and thin, which allows them to be distributed very evenly throughout the bread. This guarantees that each bite of bread is exceptionally moist + infused with maximum apple flavor. Simply use a box grater to shred the apple, a method I use in my apple bundt cake too, which has become a reader favorite.
Mom is a big fan of cinnamon, and that definitely comes through in each slice, as well as just a touch of nutmeg. The house smells so cozy while this bread is baking; it’s like a big apple-cinnamon hug.
It’s also quick and easy to make. I can have two pans of apple bread in the oven in just 20 minutes!
“Beautiful color and the whole house smelled liked apple pie baking. It’s absolutely DELISH, this recipe totally surpasses others! It’s moist and has such good flavor!”
Susan
make sure to choose a flavorful apple
This can make or break your bread. If you use a variety with weak apple flavor, your bread simply can’t muster up its best fresh apple flavor. I especially like ones that have at least some tartness, as this adds a little contrast to the bread’s sweetness. Also choose an apple that is firm and doesn’t turn to absolute mush when it’s baked; this lends a beautiful, fine texture to the loaf. My favorite baking apples are Haralson (very crisp and firm, famously tart, yet not as widely available) and Honeycrisp (juicier yet still very firm, with a more balanced sweet-tart flavor, very widely available). Granny Smith apples also work well.
Let the shredded apple and sugar mixture sit and mingle for 15 minutes before proceeding. It might be tempting to rush through this step, but this is key to letting the apples’ natural juices collect and the sugar to break down, ensuring fabulous moistness in the finished bread.
I highly recommend using light-colored 8″ x 4″ loaf pans.
I’ve never been a fan of dark-colored baking pans, as they absorb more heat and give the bread’s exterior a darkened color and flavor. Bonus: 8″ x 4″ pans are my favorite because the finished loaf shape is slightly more compact and rises taller (rather than wider).
Can I Leave Out the Nuts and Raisins?
There are very few recipes where I can get away with “sneaking in” raisins and nuts, as our daughters are not the biggest fans. And this apple bread is one of those exceptions. With all the glorious apple-y flavor and texture, they’ve never asked me to omit these two ingredients.
However, if you or anyone in your family is opposed to either nuts or raisins, just leave them out. Your bread will still be great!
Grandma Barb’s Shredded Apple Bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded fresh apple, from approximately 4 large peeled apples (Use apples that are flavorful and firm, and hold their shape when baking, such as Haralson, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, etc.)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped roasted pecans or walnuts, optional (I love the roasted, salted pecans from Trader Joe's!)
- 1 cup raisins, optional (or substitute chopped dates)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two light-colored 4" x 8" loaf pans and set aside. (You could also use 5" x 9" loaf pans, the bread just won't be as tall – start checking the doneness of your bread at 40 minutes.)
- Using the large holes on a box grater, shred peeled apples down to the cores; discard the cores, until you have 4 cups of shredded apple.
- In a large bowl, fold together shredded apples and sugar, and let sit for 15 minutes until sugar dissolves. There will be a lot of liquid.
- Add oil, eggs, vanilla, pecans, and raisins to the apple mixture and stir to incorporate.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Fold dry ingredients into the apple mixture, just until combined. Divide batter evenly amongst prepared loaf pans.
- Bake 55 minutes, or until golden and center tests done, with a toothpick coming out clean. Remove pans from oven to a cooling rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Then turn breads out of pan onto rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Autumn 2010 on the Farm, when I Originally Shared this Recipe
Autumn on the farm is such a special time. To see the fruits of farm labor harvested is one of my favorite things. And I love to share the experience with our daughters, to show them how I grew up. The following photos were taken in 2010, when I had originally shared this apple bread recipe.
Could I bake this bread ahead of time and freeze? I have a special event breakfast at church and would like to prepare some baked goods ahead of time.
Absolutely. This bread freezes really well.
Moist, dense and flavorful.
I’ve made this loaf every week for the past couple of months. The family love it, my wife’s work colleagues think it’s amazing and I happen to adore it too.
A great supply of apples from a local community orchard, and it fits in with my normal bread baking. Find a negative in any of that. Simple, delicious and can be scoffed down at any time.
I’ve just retired and live in a small village on the North West coast of Scotland. The scenery here is fantastic and my dogs are great company while my wife is away at work. I’ve always baked all the bread for the family, even when our three children were still at home. Baking has always been something I have enjoyed.
Retirement, ripe fruit in the garden (my wifes department), bags full of windfall apples and plums from the community orchard, what more could a man want?
Then I find the farm girl……thankyou so much, the rest of my days are now fulfilled. By the time I get through all your wonderful recipes, it will be time to go back and start again……bliss
This bread is soooooo good. I froze slices of the second loaf and it’s just as good. My breakfast.
Wonderful! Thank you for coming back to let me know!
I would love to make this bread, I am at 5,000 feet elevation, do I need to tweak the recipe because of the high elevation? Would appreciate any help! So looking forward to making this bread, the ingredients and the pictures look yummy, delicious!!!
Maria
Hi i do not have two 8.5″ x 4.5″ loaf pans. What can i substitute it with? an 8″ round cake pan? or a 9″ round cake pan? or an 8″ square cake pan? I’m new to baking and no idea how to convert. I need to also adjust the temperature and baking time to how much? Thanks a lot! plan to bake this for my little girl this weekend.
I have not played around with different sized pans with this recipe, so I can’t say for sure. Sorry!
I am makin this bread now, my apples are huge , 3 of them seem to be more than enough, also I want to use 1 c sugar. ??
sorry, but what is 1 T. cinnamon?
Its the abbreviation for 1 tablespoon.
Thank you for asking Faith, I was just about to ask the same question. I’ve never seen seen it abbreviated like this before. Only “tbsp”.
I think I will make this tomorrow. Did you enjoy it?
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Just made some for a holiday party I’m attending this weekend. I wanted to do a quick bread but something different than pumpkin or banana. My kitchen smells AWESOME and I want to eat it now, but have to wait! Ahhh! :)
You are so welcome. Enjoy!
This bread looks amazing! I hope it’s just as good without the raisins because my hubby is not a fan. Love your blog!
Thank you, Ashley. This is SO good. And, yes, it’s even good without the raisins. Hope you (and your hubby) like it!
Made for ice fishing trip today. Delic. pics are the same as author. Tha.nkyou from Canada.
This bread looks amazing! I hope it’s just as good without the raisins because my hubby is not a fan. Love your blog!
Got my coffee, made the apple bread and on to a rainy but wonderful saturday here in Nashville Tennessee!
Loved your apple bread recipe! thanks so much!!
That’s wonderful to hear – I love this recipe!! Thanks for letting me know, Kathie. :)
I was looking for a recipe to use up a bag of apples I bought a few weekends ago and this recipe was PERFECT. I made 3 loaves of it and it whipped up so quick and my coworkers are currently singing my praises. Thanks and love your site (and look forward to enjoying a few more of your recipes)!
Hi Lara! I’m so glad you found me, and that you tried this recipe – it’s one of my family’s favorites!
Loved the farm tour! I’d work on the farm for a lollipop too! ;-)
Thanks for visiting, Jaden!
Glad you were able to make it to the farm again this fall!
I drive past farmland all the time in my area and love to see the farmers at work with their machinery in the fields. I have a great deal of respect for the life they lead and for the bounty they make possible at our tables. Your Grandma’s Apple Bread has some of my favourite ingredients and spices. It will definitely go into my folder of *must try* recipes. Thank you for posting and for sharing the wonderful pictures.
Hi Paula – it’s always so nice to have you visit!
That looks and sounds delicious. Going apple picking then making this! Thanks for sharing
Hello Alicia – thanks for stopping by!
Beautiful post! And delicious bread. What a fun day for your girls!
Thank you Stephanie! It was a fun day, plus there’s a whole lot of questions/learning for the girls…the best kind of field trip.