Cinnamon Applesauce Bread
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Prepare to “fall” in love with Cinnamon Applesauce Bread. Using mostly pantry staples, you can bake up this nutritious, mouth-watering sweet bread in no time.
The cinnamon and apple combo gets me every time. Whether it’s Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal, Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats, or Cinnamon Apple French Toast, I find it hard to resist this classic fall pairing in recipes.
Although this sweet bread is made with 100% whole wheat, it is still light, moist, and flavorful. I serve it to my kids as an after school snack or for breakfast in the fall and it goes fast!
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Ingredients for Cinnamon Applesauce Bread
You might even have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now.
Here’s what you need:
- Whole wheat flour – I highly recommend using white whole wheat flour, like King Arthur or Prairie Gold. It makes the bread turn out much lighter than the usual whole wheat flour (made with red wheat).
- Baking powder and baking soda – For leavening.
- Salt – I use fine Himalayan pink salt since it retains more minerals/nutrients than table salt.
- Ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg – Warm spices that give that “fall” flavor.
- Eggs – Helps the bread to rise and adds protein.
- Avocado oil – This neutral, healthy oil keeps the bread moist. You could substitute melted coconut oil or vegetable oil.
- Unsweetened applesauce – Adds apple flavor, a little natural sweetness, and moisture. Make sure to check the label to see that it doesn’t have added sugar.
- Pure vanilla extract – Avoid the imitation stuff.
- Sugar – You can use white sugar (it isn’t a huge amount), but if you want something slightly healthier, try Coconut Palm Sugar. It’s less refined, retains many of the nutrients found in coconut palm, and has inulin fiber in it.
Let’s Make Applesauce Bread: Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep for Baking
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 inch loaf pan (I like and use this metal pan) with cooking spray.
Whisk Together Dry Ingredients
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Mix the Wet Ingredients
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, applesauce, vanilla, and sugar.
Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients
Stir until combined. Do not over mix. Add mix to the greased loaf pan.
Bake the Applesauce Bread
Bake until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle, about 40-45 minutes in a metal loaf pan (add another 10 minutes or so for a glass pan).
Serve the bread slices warm with a little butter on top. You can always just add a little sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar over it as well, for more fall-flavored sweetness.
What to Serve with Applesauce Bread
While this recipe can stand alone and leave you feeling full, here are some recipes that would complement it well.
How to Freeze Applesauce Bread
To Freeze
Fully bake, fully cool, and remove the loaf from the pan. Then wrap the loaf in several layers of plastic wrap and then in a layer of foil. Label it with the recipe name and date and freeze.
To Prepare
When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen bread, let it thaw in on the counter, in the fridge, or using the defrost setting on your microwave. Cut a slice and warm it for about 15-20 seconds in the microwave.
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Cinnamon Applesauce Bread
Prepare to “fall” in love with Cinnamon Applesauce Bread. Not only is it sweet, warm, and comforting, but it’s nutritious too.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (I use pink Himalayan salt)
- 1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup avocado oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla (try making your own)
- 1 cup sugar* (a healthier, less sweet alternative is Coconut Palm Sugar)
- Optional for serving: butter, cinnamon, sugar
*We retested this recipe on 9/20/22 and increased the amount of sugar from 3/4 cup to 1 cup.
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Instructions
Make It Now:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 inch loaf pan (I like and use this metal pan) with cooking spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, applesauce, vanilla, and sugar.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry mix and stir until combined. Do not over mix.
- Bake until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle, about 40-45 minutes in a metal loaf pan (50-60 minutes for glass pan).
- Let cool slightly before slicing. Serving suggestion: smear a warm slice with butter. For a sweeter treat, sprinkle with more sugar and cinnamon.
Freeze For Later: Bake and let bread cool completely. Wrap tightly in a few layers of plastic wrap and foil. Squeeze out all the air, seal, and freeze.
Prepare From Frozen: Let bread thaw on the counter or in the fridge. Or you can use the defrost setting on your microwave.
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Best recipe I have found in a long, long time. At last an easy alternative to banana bread and the usual suspects. It magical the way it disappears after I bake it….
Wonderful to hear Barry. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
I love this recipe even though I made some changes for our house. I used all purpose flour instead of whole wheat flour and I did 1/2 cup of melted butter instead of oil. I also did muffins at 375 F for 20 minutes.
★★★★★
Hi Jenn. Those sound like changes I make at my house sometimes depending on what I have on hand. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review and let others know what worked for you!
If I only have sweetened applesauce, can I just leave the sugar out?
I would just leave out 1 or 2 tablespoons of sugar. You’ll definitely want the rest.
What can I use in place of white whole wheat flour?
Use half whole wheat flour and half all purpose flour.
Made this recipe today. It is delicious, moist and flavorful. I did make 3 mini breads versus 1 large, baked for 33 minutes, they were perfect. This is a keeper, thanks for sharing!!
★★★★★
Great idea to make smaller versions. They will work well in the freezer if you wrap them tightly. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
This was so delicious! I made it for an afternoon snack and served it warm, spread with cream cheese. My kids loved it. It was delicious and filling. Would also be great as a breakfast bread.
★★★★★
My kids love this with cream cheese, too. Glad you all enjoyed it!
This says place in a 9 x 11 pan?
Oops, I just corrected that. It should say a 9 inch loaf pan. Thanks for catching that error.