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.
I just got done making this apple nut bread. It is in the oven. Can’t wait to see how it turns out. Hopefully not dry. But I’m not leaving the kitchen until it’s done, so it won’t be dry.
This is a great apple bread. I’ve given it as gifts and I’m often asked for the recipe. I added orange zest and candied ginger to the recipe.
I LOVE to hear this, Deborah – thank you!
Follow-up to my comment: I did not peel my apples before grating and I used 1/2 cup less sugar as I only had gala apples & they were really sweet.
This recipe is a keeper! I made 4 mini loaves and ate almost a whole one by myself. I left out the nuts and used a mixture of raisins, craisins and dried cherries. I also topped them with nutmeg sugar before baking.
Going to try them as muffins next.
So glad you like!!!
4 cups
I followed the directions exactly as written and I didn’t over bake it. The flavor is delicious, but it’s not as moist as I’d hoped it would be.
I made this and every one loved it and want more lol
Very good bread. The first time I have made a apple bread. The next time I will cut the sugar to 1 1/2 cups. It is a bit too sweet for me. It baked up beautifully. I did leave out raisins. But I don’t think it needed them. Great way to use up apples.
CFC
Can I use 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
Today I made this recipe again, but I made muffins instead of loafs. I followed the recipe as written, but used cortland apples because our orchard is full! The recipe made 24 muffins and baked for 30 minutes – very good! Thank you for sharing!
Note: I halved the sugar and only used 1 cup – Ernie
Delicious! Does the nutritional information include the addition of walnuts and cruising/dates?
Turned out great. Maybe I’ll share my next batch . Good stuff!
Wonderful to hear!! :)
I haven’t tried the recipe yet but that sounds like a very interesting miss me. I’m 87 years old but I believe I can make that soon as I can get to town and get some apples I’m going to give it a try thank you very much for sharing
I made it for the first time today It baked really nice, but only took 45 min. In my oven!
Beautiful color and the whole house smelled liked apple pie baking.
It’s absolutely DELISH I’ve made an apple bread or two in the past couple years, but this recipe totally surpasses the others!So glad I saw it on line, and tried it out! It’s moist and has such good flavor! It will be a favorite I add to my bread recipes! I added raisins, and they gave it a little more PIZZ-AZZ THANK YOU…
So happy you liked this, Susan! Thanks for coming back to let me know. :)
I made this recipe as is, one plain and one with pecans and raisins. Both were excellent. The second loaf wasn’t even done before my husband was asking me to make another batch.
LOVE to hear this!! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Could this be made in a Bundt pan?
I liked this recipe a lot. There’s just the two of us so I halved the recipe and made one loaf, reducing the sugar to 3/4 C. I checked it at 50 minutes and it was done, will check at 40 or 45 minutes next time.
A convenient way to use up extra apples, texture is nice
Made this for my birthday. Delish. I used 2 Granny Smith and 2 sweet apples, halved the sugar, used 1 stick butter, walnuts, only changes I made.
Daughter and son-in-law came. son in law said best he has ever had and he has tried many.
Made two loaves . Hubby couldn’t keep his hands off so none left for freezer. I will remedy this pronto
This bread is delightful. Because I love orange flavor, I did add the zest of 3 oranges and scraped on vanilla bean in addition to the vanilla extract. This is a keeper. Was even better the next day. It made a lovely golden loaf. I took one to a neighbor for Christmas.