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    Home / Recipes / Vegan Breakfast

    Apple Cinnamon Bread

    Published: Sep 27, 2022 by Kathy Carmichael · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Bite into a slice of heaven with this apple cinnamon bread. Not only is this apple cinnamon bread recipe oil-free and refined sugar-free, but healthy and vegan.

    apple cinnamon bread cut into slices on a cutting board

    When I went shopping this week, I found the most beautiful honey crisp apples for my apple cinnamon bread recipe. Although I don't care for sweets much, there is something special about apple cinnamon bread. Even though it's technically bread, it screams dessert at the same time. 

    Jump to:
    • Other Sweet Cooking Apples
    • Bread Ingredients 
    • Bread Ingredient Substitutions
    • How to Make Apple Cinnamon Bread
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Tips
    • Other Great Vegan Recipes to Enjoy!
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    My family loves anything with apples and cinnamon. So, as a result, I created a whole-foods, refined sugar-free apple cinnamon bread for the sweets lover who lives at my house. 

    Whenever I make apple bread or any apple dessert, I like to use honey crisp apples. But, even though I prefer honey crisp apples, I recommend any sweet apples. Not only are honey crisp apples incredibly crisp, but they also boast a delicate sweet-tart balance and a light berry flavor.

    A slice of apple bread on a plate

    Other Sweet Cooking Apples

    Regardless of what apples you choose for baking apple bread, remember to pick organic apples because they are always on the dirty dozen's fruit list to buy organic. 

    • Honey Crisp
    • Braeburn 
    • Cortland
    • Empire
    • Fuji
    • Gala

    Bread Ingredients 

    Of course, this apple cinnamon bread is oil-free as well as refined sugar-free. 

    Apple cinnamon bread recipe ingredients in a bowl with peeled, chopped apples in a bowl with cinnamon on the counter.
    • Whole Wheat Flour: Whole wheat contains the entire grain, including the fibrous husk, bran, and endosperm. Conversely, regular wheat is stripped of the husk and bran, which are loaded with nutrients. antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber
    • Baking Powder: baking powder is a complete leavening agent, meaning it contains both the base (sodium bicarbonate) and acid needed for the product to rise. Cornstarch is also typically found in baking powder. It's added as a buffer to prevent the acid and base from activating during storage.
    • Baking Soda: Baking soda is a raising agent that contains one or more acid ingredients, such as cocoa powder or buttermilk. Baking powder is better for recipes that contain little or no acid ingredients.
    • Salt: Salt has a binding or strengthening effect on gluten and thereby adds strength to any flour. The additional firmness imparted to the gluten by the salt enables it to hold the water and gas better and allows the dough to expand without tearing
    • Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice: The lemon juice works to super-activate the baking soda or baking powder and creates a little extra loftiness in your baking.
    • Unsweetened Apple Sauce: Unsweetened applesauce is a great substitute for oil in baked goods, like muffins, cakes, bread because it keeps food moist without all the added saturated fats. Plus, unsweetened applesauce contains naturally occurring sugars that are already sweet, reducing the need for sugar in the recipe
    • Honey Crisp Apples: I lived in Michigan for 50 years, so I'm a honey crisp apple fan. One of the sweetest apples around, this Midwestern favorite is good for anything—including baking. It boasts a distinctive juicy crispness and is firm enough that it won't cook down much. It complements just about any other apple variety to make a stellar pie.
    • Oat Milk: I prefer oat milk when baking because of its creamy texture.
    • Vanilla Extract: The role of vanilla in sweet baked goods is like the role of salt on the savory side: it enhances all the other flavors in the recipe. Without it, bread, cookies, and cakes tend to taste flat and bland. Forget to add the vanilla once, and you'll probably never do it again!
    • Maple Syrup: I love using maple syrup as a natural sweetener over using sugar.

    Bread Ingredient Substitutions

    • Use gluten-free flour for a gluten-free option, or use all-purpose flour if not following a whole-foods plant-based plan.
    • When fresh lemon juice isn't available, use bottled lemon juice.
    • For extra lemon flavor, add the zest of one fresh lemon.
    • Choose any sweet apples. Or, use a combination of sweet apples with tart apples like Granny Smith apples.
    • Cinnamon apple sauce is also a great substitute for unsweetened apple sauce.
    • Use an egg replacer such as Bob Red Mill's Egg Replacer instead of the unsweetened apple sauce, or make a flax seed egg.
    • Any unsweetened, unflavored plant milk works well with this recipe.
    • Choose agave nectar or date syrup instead of maple syrup.

    How to Make Apple Cinnamon Bread

    Adding cut, peeled apples to the bread batter in a bowl on the counter

    First, combine all the dry ingredients in one bowl and stir together to ensure the baking powder and baking soda are mixed with the flour. 

    Then, add the wet ingredients, except for the apples. Once the apples are peeled and chopped, toss them in a little lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown. 

    Next, fold in the chopped apples, reserving ½ cup to add to the bread's top before cooking. To add a beautiful cinnamon flavor to the bread, I also sprinkle with extra cinnamon before baking.

    Bread batter mixed in a bowl on the counter

    Line a bread pan with parchment paper once the apple bread batter is combined, or use a silicone bread pan. Both the parchment paper and silicone baking pan allow for oil-free baking. 

    Apple cinnamon batter in a bread pan lined with parchment paper topped with cinnamon apples.

    For an added apple cinnamon topping, add the reserved chopped apples and place them randomly on top of the batter, pushing the pieces gently into the batter. 

    Then, sprinkle the top with cinnamon before placing it in the oven. 

    Baked apple cinnamon bread in a pan lined with parchment paper on the counter.

    To make sure the apple cinnamon bread recipe is cooked all the way through, insert a knife into the middle of the baked bread. If the knife comes out clean, allow the bread to cool before removing the parchment paper or bread. 

    Slice the bread and serve with your favorite salad or soup, or have a large piece for breakfast with a cup of coffee or your favorite tea.

    Vegan Apple cinnamon bread slices stacked on top of each other on a plate.

    Recipe FAQs

    How do you replace eggs in recipes?

    Unsweetened applesauce replaces 1 egg with ¼ cup applesauce. Plain or vanilla soy yogurt replaces 1 egg with ¼ cup yogurt, or try Silken tofu or a ripe banana.

    Will flax seed egg work in bread recipes?

    I have found that flax eggs work incredibly well in pancakes, quick bread, brownies, muffins, and cookies.

    Are all types of apples good for baking?

    Most sweet apples are good for baking. There are a few apples that don't make the cut. While great for snacking, Gala, Fuji, and Red Delicious is the most common apples that won't hold up in the oven and will give you a watery-mushy bread, pie, tart, or cake.

    Tips

    • If cutting and peeling the apples in advance, I recommend tossing the apple pieces in lemon juices so they don't turn brown.
    • Because gluten-free batters contain more liquid than traditional versions, they typically take longer to bake. If you remove them from the oven too soon, you may develop a gummy, mushy texture.
    • Vanilla-flavored almond, soy, oat, or any other nut milk can be used as a last-minute substitute for vanilla extract. Keep in mind that since plant-based milk is milder than vanilla extract, the vanilla flavor may not be as strong in your recipes.
    • To make a flax egg, mix one tablespoon of ground flaxseed meal with three tablespoons of water. Mix together, and let sit in your fridge for 15 minutes to set up and thicken. It's that easy.
    • Allow the bread to set up and cool briefly before cutting it into pieces.
    • My family loves apple cinnamon bread as a side for vegan Nicoise salad or vegan minestrone soup. But, we also like it for breakfast and also dessert.

    Try this apple cinnamon bread recipe for breakfast, or as a side for your favorite salad or soup. Or, serve as a dessert this fall!

    Other Great Vegan Recipes to Enjoy!

    • lemon blueberry bread
      Lemon Blueberry Bread
    • vegan pumpkin spice bread recipe
      Vegan Pumpkin Spice Bread
    • vegan chocolate pudding recipe
      Vegan Chocolate Pudding
    • apple donut cake
      Vegan Apple Cider Donut Cake

    If you love this apple cinnamon bread, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!

    📖 Recipe

    Sliced apple cinnamon bread

    Apple Cinnamon Bread

    Kathy Carmichael
    Bite into a slice of heaven with this apple cinnamon bread. Not only is it oil-free and refined sugar-free, but this apple cinnamon bread is also healthy and vegan.
    4.84 from 12 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr
    Total Time 1 hr 15 mins
    Course Breakfast
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 servings
    Calories 146 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Apple Cinnamon Bread

    • 2 cups whole wheat flour or flour of choice
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce or 1 flax egg
    • 1 cup oat unsweetened oat milk or any unsweetened plant-milk of choice
    • ½ cup maple syrup or ¾ cups coconut sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 teaspoons cinnamon + 2 teaspoons for the top of the bread
    • 3 cups peeled and chopped apples divided (reserve ½ cup for the top of the bread)
    • 1 Tablespoons lemon juice

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
    • Peel and chop 3 cups of apple (approx. 3 medium-sized apples) tossed in lemon juice; set aside (Reserve ½ cup chopped apples on the side)
    • Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon in a large bowl. 
    • Stir dry ingredients together to make sure the baking powder and baking soda are mixed in. 
    • If using coconut sugar, stir into the dry ingredients. 
    • Now add the apple sauce, vanilla extract, and oat milk. Also, add maple syrup if using instead of coconut sugar. 
    • Stir by hand; do not use an electric mixer. 
    • Do not over-stir; make sure all the ingredients and wet ingredients create a thick and slightly lumpy batter. 
    • Next, gently fold the apples into the batter.
    • Using a silicone bread pan or a pan lined with parchment paper, pour bread batter into the pan, scraping down the bowl's sides to get all the batter. 
    • Then, place ½ cup apples into the top of the bread and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon, randomly placing them. Again, this is just for added flavor and for aesthetics.
    • Cook for 50-55 minutes. If using a silicone pan, check the bread at 45 minutes since it cooks quickly. 
    • To check to make sure the bread is cooked through, place a knife through the middle. It should come out clean. If there is batter on the blade, cook for an additional 5 minutes.

    Notes

    • If cutting and peeling the apples in advance, I recommend tossing the apple pieces in lemon juices, so they don't turn brown.
    • Because gluten-free batters contain more liquid than traditional versions, they typically take longer to bake. If you remove them from the oven too soon, you may develop a gummy, mushy texture.
    • Vanilla-flavored almond, soy, oat, or other nut milk can be used as a last-minute substitute for vanilla extract. However, keep in mind that plant-based milk is milder than vanilla extract, so the vanilla flavor may not be as strong in your recipes.
    • To make a flax egg, mix one tablespoon of ground flaxseed meal with three tablespoons of water. Mix, and let sit in your fridge for 15 minutes to set up and thicken. It's that easy.
    • Allow the bread to set up and cool briefly before cutting it into pieces.
    • My family loves apple cinnamon bread as a side for vegan Nicoise salad or vegan minestrone soup. But, we also like it for breakfast and also dessert.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 12gCalories: 146kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 3gFat: 0.5gSaturated Fat: 0.04gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.02gSodium: 128mgPotassium: 107mgFiber: 2gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 62IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 91mgIron: 1mg
    Tried our recipe?Let us know how it was!
    Kathy Carmichael

    Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂

    www.kathysvegankitchen.com/about-me/

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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    1. Lynn

      December 19, 2022 at 11:16 pm

      I am having family in for Christmas and wanedt something my husband and I can eat. This bread is perfect for using extra apples we have from an orchard visit a couple of months ago.

      I used two small bread pans and baked them in our air fryer oven…about 45 minutes. The taste has just the right amount of sweetness and will be an added treat on the bread tray.

      Your recipes are practical and delicious! This is not the first one I have tried. They really are exceptional!

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        December 20, 2022 at 10:53 am

        Hi Lynn, thank you so much. I appreciate the feedback. Have a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year.

        Reply
    2. Lisa Matsuil

      September 29, 2022 at 1:11 pm

      Wow, Kathy, I just pulled this out of the oven. We don't eat many sweets on our WFPB lifestyle so anything that is a little bread like and sweet tastes great to us. I was surprised how yummy it tastes. I used some homemade applesauce (and added a full Tbsp of flax to the applesauce), the coconut sugar option, and whole wheat pastry flour. I put the batter in an extra large glass pie pan and reduced the baking time. It's a beauty cut in wedges. Love all the chunky apples. Maybe a few dates and nuts if calories aren't an issue for you? Thanks for the recipe.
      I'll be repeating this one.

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        September 29, 2022 at 5:14 pm

        Hi Lisa, yay! I'm so glad you liked it. We don't eat a lot of sweets either, but we enjoy apple cinnamon bread for breakfast and often dessert. Try the blueberry lemon bread; I think you'll like it. Thank you for the feedback. It was nice to hear from you.

        Reply
    3. Carla Flaim

      September 29, 2022 at 6:01 am

      Thanks! Turned out great! Really really tasty. I have put it in my 'keeper' file! thanks again

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        September 29, 2022 at 6:17 am

        Hi Carla, I'm glad you liked the apple bread. Check out the blueberry lemon bread recipe. you may like that too. Thank you for the feedback. It was great to hear from you.

        Reply
    4. Carla Flaim

      September 28, 2022 at 3:21 pm

      Lemon juice? is that strictly for the apples or are we supposed to add the tablespoon of juice with the wet ingredients?

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        September 28, 2022 at 6:52 pm

        Hi Carla, it's for the apples, but technically it goes in there with the rest of the ingredients.

        Reply
    5. Shellie

      September 30, 2021 at 6:47 am

      Delicious recipe. I used whole wheat pastry flour and soy milk. My mistake was I weighed out 3 cups of apples in grams which was too much so it took about an hour to cook. Next time I'm using a measuring cup and not the scale. It's so good. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        September 30, 2021 at 6:53 am

        Hi Shellie, I'm so glad you liked the recipe. It sounds like extra apples and a little extra time might not be a bad idea. I appreciate your feedback.

        Reply
    6. Dave Richard

      September 13, 2021 at 5:48 pm

      Hi Kathy, just made this today and it was great but wanted to ask if you have found that the middle of the loaf was slighty "gooey" or underdone. I cooked it in a silicone loaf pan and left it in for over 60 minutes but wanted to ask. My wife just told me that we may need to check our oven to make sure that it is heating correctly but wanted to ask. Thanks, we really enjoy your recipes!

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        September 13, 2021 at 6:35 pm

        Hi Dave, no it should not be gooey in the middle. Sometimes when I use silicone pans, my food cooks more quickly, but not the other way around. I'm sorry that happened.

        Reply
    7. Kristine Ann Daly

      September 13, 2021 at 4:24 pm

      you think I could make with a gf flour?

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        September 13, 2021 at 6:37 pm

        Hi Kristine, I have not tried making it with gluten-free flour, so I don't know. Sometimes, the baking powder has to be altered to make it dense. If you try, please let me know 🙂

        Reply
    8. Ellen Fife

      February 17, 2021 at 7:07 am

      Hi Kathy, can you use a whole grain flour instead of white? Thank yoy

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        February 17, 2021 at 7:58 am

        Hi Ellen, yes you can use a different flour. Just make sure you check to make sure the bread is cooked through, because sometimes other flours later the amount of time it bakes. I hope you enjoy the bread recipe.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kathy! I love creating delicious whole foods plant-based recipes. I believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet!

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