Spiced Apple Fritter Bread

This soft and tender apple fritter bread is a collision of two favorite fall treats: apple fritter donuts and baked apple cider donuts. Made with juicy apples and spiced apple cider, the simple stir together bread comes together in about 30 minutes, no mixer required. Top with vanilla glaze and cinnamon sugar for the taste of fresh apple fritter donuts!

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If you’re an apple fritter donut fan, you’ll love this moist apple fritter bread. I like to think of it as the perfect quick bread recipe for fall baking. Best of all, there’s no deep frying required. 🙂

The buttery apple cider batter is layered with brown sugar-cinnamon spiced apples for plenty of fall flavor in each bite. Melted butter and sour cream give this cake-like apple bread a tender crumb.

More favorite apple cider desserts: apple cider bundt cake and apple cider layer cake.

Key Ingredients

• Flour – Use all-purpose flour in the bread.
• Sugar – Granulated sugar sweetens the bread. You’ll also combine two tablespoons of granulated sugar with 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon to make the cinnamon-sugar.
• Baking powder and baking soda – Gives the bread a lift.
• Salt – For flavor.
• Butter – Melted unsalted butter gives this bread cake-like flavor. You’ll also use melted butter in the vanilla glaze.
• Oil – Neutral baking oil ensures a moist crumb.
• Apple cider – Homemade apple cider adds cozy spice flavor to every bite. See guidance in the recipe card below to make your own apple cider with fresh apple juice and mulling spices.
• Sour cream – Full fat sour cream adds so much moisture and richness to this bread. You can also use full fat Greek yogurt.
• Egg – Use one large egg, at room temperature.
• Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract flavors the bread and glaze.
• Dark brown sugar – Gives the apple layers rich butterscotch flavor.
• Spices – Cinnamon and allspice complement the chopped apples.
• Apples – For best flavor, use a mix of baking apples (I like Granny Smith apples and Fuji apples in apple desserts).
• Powdered sugar – For a perfectly smooth vanilla glaze.
• Milk – Use 1%, 2%, or whole milk to thin out the glaze.

How to Make Apple Fritter Bread

Make bread: Whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

Combine melted butter, oil, apple cider, sour cream, egg, and vanilla in a medium bowl, whisking until smooth.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and fold in just until combined.

Don’t overmix – fold the batter gently with a spatula just until no flour streaks remain.

Apple mixture: Mix together just before layering with the batter. Combine dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and allspice in a small bowl. Add chopped apple and toss well to combine.

Assemble bread: Spoon half the batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Top with half of the apple mixture.

Repeat assembly process with remaining batter and apples.

Press top layer of apples slightly into the batter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake bread for 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. 

Cool bread in pan for 10 minutes, then carefully lift the parchment and place bread on a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cool, drizzle with vanilla glaze and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar mixture.

More favorite apple desserts:

• Apple Cider Bundt Cake
• Caramel Apple Puff Pastry Tarts
• Apple Crumble Loaf Cake
• Easy Caramel Apple Bars
• Skillet Apple Crisp Recipe

Did you try this Apple Fritter Bread Recipe? Let me know by leaving a comment and rating below!

Spiced Apple Fritter Bread (No Mixer!)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Laura Kasavan
• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook Time: 55 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
• Yield: 1 loaf, 12 slices
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Made with juicy apples and spiced apple cider, this soft and tender apple fritter bread tastes like apple fritter donuts! Top with vanilla glaze and cinnamon sugar for the perfect fall treat!

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Ingredients

Bread

• 1 3/4 cups (245 g) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp (5 g) baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 Tbsp (84 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp (28 g) neutral baking oil
• 1/2 cup (130 g) apple cider
• 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 large egg (50 g), at room temperature
• 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract

Apple Mixture

• 1/3 cup (67 g) dark brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground allspice
• 1 1/4 cups (150 g) peeled and finely chopped apple

Cinnamon Sugar

• 2 Tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Glaze

• 1 Tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract
• 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp (30 g) milk

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan nonstick spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang around the edges.
2. Make bread: Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine melted butter, oil, apple cider, sour cream, egg, and vanilla in a medium bowl; add to flour mixture and fold in just until combined.
3. Apple mixture: Combine dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and allspice in a small bowl. Add chopped apple, tossing well to combine.
4. Cinnamon sugar: Stir together sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
5. Assemble: Spoon half the batter into prepared pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Top with half of the apple mixture. Repeat layers with remaining batter and apple mixture, pressing apples slightly into the batter. Tap pan sharply to reduce air bubbles and sprinkle the top with 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar. 
6. Bake bread for 50 to 55 minutes or until bread is golden, springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Bread is done baking when the internal temperature reaches 210°F. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before using the parchment overhang to carefully lift bread from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
7. Make glaze: Whisk together melted butter, salt, vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk in a small bowl. Drizzle glaze over bread and sprinkle the top with remaining cinnamon sugar. Let set before serving.
8. Store leftovers tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature or warm slightly before serving.

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Equipment

Loaf Pan

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Mixing Bowls

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Notes

Homemade apple cider: Combine 1 cup (240 grams) pure apple juice with 2 teaspoons (10 g) of mulling spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes, until reduced. Pour into a glass bowl or measuring cup and let cool to room temperature before using in the bread.

Apple cider substitute: If you don’t have apple cider, substitute 1/2 cup (120 grams) unsweetened applesauce. Do not use apple cider vinegar.

Bake time: May vary slightly based on the moisture content of the apples. Start testing for doneness after 50 minutes. If bread needs more time, tent the top loosely with foil to prevent overbrowning.