This Apple Cider bread is a delicious fall quick bread made from fresh juicy apples and apple cider. Make it in your bread machine or by hand in just minutes and enjoy the smell of freshly baked apples while it cooks!
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Apple Cider Bread is a great bread to make at the height of Fall, when fresh picked apples are in abundance, the weather starts to turn cool, and the leaves begin to change color.
This apple bread is made with fresh chopped apples and tangy apple cider. It's moistened with milk, honey, and olive oil to give it a slightly healthier nutrition profile when compared to those made with processed white sugar and butter.
The outcome is a super moist and delicious loaf that is lovely on a cool morning or evening with a hot cup of coffee or tea.
I include instructions here for the bread machine and for how to make it by hand in your oven or air fryer. I use my Cuisinart CBK-200 when not making it by hand. While my instructions are geared toward this machine, you can make it in any brand bread maker- just make sure to follow your manual for the correct order to add your ingredients!
More Recipes That Use Fresh Apples:
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Baked Pears with Apple Crisp Topping
- Apple Nachos with Caramel and Chocolate
- Caramel Apple Muffins
More Delicious Bread Recipes To Try:
- Bread Machine Zucchini Bread
- Strawberry Lemon Quick Bread
- Sun Dried Tomato Basil Bread
- Pumpkin Bread with Cranberry and Walnuts
- Cinnamon Raisin Bread
- Cheese Bread
Ingredients
You need:
- Fresh apples
- Apple cider: fresh pressed, natural apple cider gives the best flavor.
- Honey: organic or local honey will ensure that you are using "real" honey and not the sugar-filled stuff.
- Milk: whole milk, buttermilk, or a non-dairy milk alternative.
- Olive oil: cuts down on fat and calories, but can be replaced with butter if you're not concerned about those.
- Spices- cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice: this combination makes a great apple pie spice, but you can also use store bought apple pie spice.
Plus traditional baking ingredients- all purpose flour, salt, baking powder, eggs, and vanilla extract.
What apples are best to use when making apple bread?
The best apples are those with a balance of sweet and tart flavors and that won't break down during mixing or baking. These include Fujil, Gala, Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples.
Variations
- Dairy free- use a non dairy milk, such as unsweetened almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, or lactose free milk.
- Vegan- use a non dairy milk and replace the eggs with flax eggs.
- Fruits- make it with pears or peaches instead, or a combination of these end of summer and autumn fruits.
Bread Machine Instructions
This apple cider bread does not require yeast when making it in a bread machine. It is a quick rising bread and not a yeast bread, so baking powder and flour are used to give it it's rise.
- Spray the bread pan with cooking oil (don't forget this!).
- Add all ingredients in the order they are listed if you have a Cuisinart machine. For other brands, add the ingredients in the order that the manufacturer recommends.
- Select the quick bread function and press start.
- When the machine beeps, the kneading cycle is over. You can remove the kneading paddle now (or after the bread is finished).
- Once the baking cycle is complete, transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
By Hand Instructions
- In one bowl, mix the dry ingredients- flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt.
- In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients- olive oil, milk, apple cider, vanilla extract, eggs, honey.
- Fold the diced apples into the wet ingredients.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Bake in a greased bread pan for 45-60 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Ovens vary greatly, so start checking it with a toothpick at the 45 minute mark.
- Let cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pan, slice, and serve.
Apple cider bread is fantastic served warm with butter, cream cheese, jam or cinnamon glaze.
It's perfect with a hot cup of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate and is sweet enough for dessert but hearty and tasty enough for breakfast or snack time.
How To Store
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week. It will last in the freezer for around 6 months.
Refrigerating apple bread is not required, but it will keep longer this way.
Yes! Like most breads, apple bread keeps well in the freezer when stored properly in an airtight freezer safe bag. Defrost at room temperature or in the microwave.
Recipe
Apple Cider Bread
Equipment
- mixing bowls
Ingredients
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup apple cider
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¾ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon all spice
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups apples peeled and diced
Instructions
Bread Machine Instructions
- Spray the bread machine pan with oil. Add all ingredients in the order listed for a Cuisinart machine. For other brands, add the ingredients in the order recommended in your manual.
- Secure the bread pan to the bread machine. Plug it in and set to the "quick bread/cake" cycle. Choose the 1.5 pound loaf option and crust color preference. Press start. *If your machine does not have a quick bread cycle, check your manual for the comparable setting.
- While the batter is mixing, scrape flour on the sides into the batter using a spatula. *When done mixing, you should also remove the paddle. Doing so will make the bread easier to remove when it's done. Cuisinart machines will beep when the mixing stage is done as a reminder to do this. If you forget, the paddle can be removed once the bread has cooled.
- When batter is done mixing, remove the paddle, close lid and let complete the bake cycle.
- When the baking cycle is complete, unplug the bread maker and wait 10 minutes. Then transfer bread to a wire rack to cool for at least 1 hour. Carefully remove the kneading paddle if you haven't done so and cut into approximately 12 slices.
By Hand Instructions
- In one bowl, mix the dry ingredients- flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt.
- In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients- olive oil, milk, apple cider, vanilla extract, eggs, and honey.
- Fold the diced apples into the wet into the wet ingredients. Mix the wet and dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Bake in a greased bread pan for 45-60 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit, until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. If using an air fryer, bake for 30-45 minutes.
- Remove from the pan and cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
I hope you’ve enjoyed this recipe and will let me know what you thought in the comments below.
If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure to give it a star rating and let me know what you thought in the comments! And follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for more delicious recipes!
MORE RECIPES TO TRY
Jill
Is 2 tablespoons of baking powder correct.?
Kristina
It should be 2 teaspoons. Thank you!
chefdennis
This was the perfect treat for the weekend! My family loved the cake!
Mirlene
I have never tried apple bread. This is new to me - more of a reason to give it a try. Thanks for introducing me to something new.
Becky
I tried this in my bread machine. It wasn’t bread-it was a brick. It didn’t even taste good. I make bread often, this one didn’t work out for me. It went in the trash. Maybe it would work out by hand in the oven?
😔
Kristina
That is very strange. A tough bread is usually due to over mixing or baking at too high a temperature-both of which should not occur in a bread machine. I wonder if an ingredient was missed? Or possibly the machine malfunctioned? With the amount of liquid (oil, honey, milk and apple cider) and the amount of fat/sugar, it certainly shouldn't turn to brick! Can you walk me through how you made it? I'd like to troubleshoot with you.
Sherry
Hi
1.5 or 2 pound loaf?
Thx for sharing
Kristina
Hi Sherry. This is a 1.5 lb loaf. I hope you enjoy it!
Varsha
Hi, is there any substitute for apple cider?
Kristina
Yes, you can use apple juice.
Pam
So yummy! The little pieces are like a little treasure surprise! The bread is light and fluffy. Just enough sweetness. And dare I say a healthy snack! So good!