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.
Can applesauce be used instead of eggs to make this vegan?
Love this recipe! Thank you, Brenda! I did not peel the apples and used a food processor to shred, and also used apple butter (that I just made) in lieu of the oil. Fantastic!
Great recipe AS IS! Bread has great flavor! I did not alter the ingredients, but halved their quantities as I wanted to experiment with some mini loaf pans I was gifted. This will surely become a staple in our household. The grated apples provide great moisture and texture.
I do think next time I will experiment with replacing some of the white sugar with brown to get a more carmel-y flavor.
We really enjoyed these loaves. I did cut down on the sugar to 1 cup and it was still a little sweet but great non the less. I also added a tsp ginger, dash of cloves and allspice.
It has a good moist texture, good structure, lovely and dense. Just perfect with a good strong cup of coffee or tea. Thank your gran for this lovely recipe. We will make it again and again for sure
For shredding apples, can you use a food processor instead of a box grater?
Hi can I use a bunt pan or a square 9×9 pan instead of the 2 smaller pas?
Hi Rena – I have not tried either of those pans, so cannot advise. Please let me know if you give them a try!
I made this for the first time yesterday. It turned out GREAT! I followed the recipe exactly. I found that I only needed 2 1/2 large Granny Smith apples to get 4 cups of shredded apples. I didn’t pack the shreds in the cup, though. I made the bread with toasted walnuts. I used Craisins. The bread took about 50 minutes in my oven. All I can say is “Mmm, mmm. mmm!”
The recipe is a huge success at home and also with friends. Love to bake a few loaves and take over to neighbors and friends ❤
Can you substitute apple sauce for the eggs?
Love your recipe and have been making it for a few special occasions…since it is just 2 of us I halve the recipe and it comes ut perfect overtime for either one big loaf or three small mini loafs. I had no green or other sweet/sour apples a few times so I improvised by adding 1 T apple cider vinegar and 1 T of plain full fat yogurt. Comes out really good that way too. Thank you Farmgirl!
So happy to hear this, Keishya – thank YOU!
Delicious will definitely make again. Followed the recipe as written. Don’t think I’ll be freezing the second loaf as planned since the first loaf is almost gone. Great on a snowy day with a cup of tea.
Wonderful! Thanks for letting me know, Clare.
I have this in the oven as I type! It did make 3 8×4 loaves. Can’t wait to eat it!!
Happy New Year.
Barb
Hello,
Would you be able to provide what quantity (in cups) that 4 large apples should yield?
Look forward to using up my bruised apples.
Thanks
Kelly
Hello Kelly – We made this recipe today and measured out the shredded apples. You’ll need 4 cups of shredded apples – I’ve updated the recipe card. Enjoy!
Thank you for this recipe all the way from Nigeria, Africa.
Family approved* Excellent recipe love, love!
This is the first time I have ever reviewed a recipe online. I can’t tell you how many times I have made this during the pandemic. I love that the recipe makes two loaves; one for me and one to share with a neighbor or a friend. It’s wonderful and everyone loves it. Thank you for sharing this.
Delicious! So moist and full of flavor! I pre-soaked the raisins and that added to the moistness.
Was looking for a substitute for Apple’s was getting an abundance lately I always make banana bread in the winter I am now going to make apple bread. You can only store so many apple pies . thank you for taking the time and giving out your recipe.
Hi,
I’ve been looking for an apple bread recipe! Yours sounds so good. But my family is not a fan of raisins or nuts. Can I leave them out?
This recipe is very good! better than the banana bread I make! I changed it a little bit. Instead of 2 tbsp vanilla, I added : 1/2 tbsp Lorann vanilla extract, 1/2 tbsp butter vanilla emulsion from Lorann oils, and 1/2 tbsp buttery sweet dough emulsion from Lorann oils and the flavour is out of the world. Ive had alot of compliments and will make this recipe all year round. Thank you so much for sharing this! its a gem!!!! :)))))))))))
Sooooo good, so easy! Thank you for this great recipe. I substituted some of the white sugar with truvia sweetener and did a combo of a-p flour and white whole wheat flour. A perfect afternoon snack cake. Or warmed with some ice cream would be good too! Great recipe!