The best Gluten-Free Apple Bread you’ll ever taste, this quick bread come out soft, fluffy, and perfectly spiced. Studded with sweet cinnamon apples, it’s quick to make and perfect for breakfasts, snacks, or dessert!
Your New Fall Favorite
This gluten-free apple bread recipe is one of my favorites for fall! I took my go-to gluten-free zucchini bread recipe and gave it a seasonal twist by using fresh apples. It’s super practical and simple, perfect for those cozy fall flavors and warming spices. Plus, it freezes beautifully, so you can easily make extra and share with friends or save for later. Enjoy every slice😊
Before You Bake & Helpful Tips
Make sure your eggs are at room temp.
Peel and chop the apples. Let them sit at room temperature with sugar and spices for 10–15 minutes so they release moisture, which can improve the texture and flavor of the bread. If the apples release too much liquid, it can cause the bread to become overly moist and fall apart. To prevent this, you can drain off excess liquid.
For best outcome and texture – use a food scale to measure the flour.
If you’re using coconut oil, go ahead and melt into a liquid then let it slightly cool.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Below is an overview of the ingredients and instructions for this apple bread recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details and nutrition facts!
- Apples – Make sure they’re peeled and chopped. We recommend using sweet baking apples that hold up well under high heat such as Piñata, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Gala apples.
- Gluten-Free Flour or Flour Combo – Finding the right gluten-free 1:1 flour for baking can be tricky, as results vary by brand.
Pro-Tip: When it’s hard to find or doesn’t turn out as expected, I like to use a mix of oat flour and almond flour to achieve a similar texture. For this bread recipe, we’ve had success with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour, King Arthur 1:1 gluten-free flour, and Walmart’s gluten-free 1:1 flour. You can also try our homemade gluten-free flour blend!
- Sugar – We use coconut sugar or raw sugar to coat and sweeten the apples and granulated sugar in the batter.
- Oil – We prefer to use a neutral oil like avocado oil or refined coconut oil instead of butter to add richness to the bread while creating a fluffy texture. It also helps keep the recipe dairy-free!
- Eggs – Make sure they’re at room temperature! We haven’t tested this recipe with egg substitutes and can’t guarantee your results if you do.
- Unsweetened Applesauce – This helps keep the bread moist without the need for lots of fat and enhances the apple flavor.
- Spices – Ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt add warmth to the bread and a delicious spiced taste.
Optional Add-Ins
One of the great things about the apple bread recipe is how versatile it can be! Feel free to experiment with different add-ins and toppings to make it your own. Some of our favorite options include:
- Whiskey or amaretto (mixed with the apples)
- Chopped toasted nuts like almonds, pecans, or walnuts
- Chocolate chips
- Gluten-Free Granola
- Maple cream cheese frosting
How to Make Gluten-Free Apple Bread
- Combine the apples, sugar, cinnamon, and whiskey (if using) in a small bowl, coating the apples completely. This is key to creating the rich, sweet flavor that makes this bread out of this world!
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk the oil and granulated sugar until smooth. Then, add the eggs, and beat to combine. Mix in the remaining wet ingredients.
- In another bowl, stir the dry ingredients until well combined. You can sift the mixture if it’s a little clumpy!
- Working slowly, add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. Be careful not to overmix! Then, fold in the apples, reserving about two tablespoons for later.
- Spoon the batter into a greased loaf pan. (We used an 8×4 pan, but a 9×3 pan will also work.) Sprinkle the reserved apples on top along with toasted nuts if desired.
- Bake for about 35 minutes. Then, cover the pan with aluminum foil, and continue baking. This prevents the bread from becoming too brown or burning! You’ll know it’s done when the bread has risen, is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let your bread cool in the pan slightly. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. It’s hard to wait, but this prevents it from crumbling when sliced!
Serving Tip: Of course, you can enjoy this recipe on its own warm or at room temperature, but we love to top it with apple butter, jam, peanut butter, or almond butter!
Health Benefits of Apples
You know the old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” But do you know why apples are so good for you? A nutritional powerhouse, apples are full of nutrients and health benefits.
For example, the fruit is rich in vitamin C, copper, potassium, vitamin K, and fiber. As a result, apples can help:
- Lower cholesterol
- Reduce blood pressure
- Lower inflammation
- Regulate digestion
More of Our Favorite
Gluten-Free Quick Bread Recipes
Common Questions
You can store leftovers wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Yes! You can freeze this recipe for up to 3 months. To do so, allow it to cool completely. Then, warp it in plastic wrap, and transfer it to a sealable bag or airtight container before placing it in the freezer. If freezing slices, place a sheet of parchment paper between each piece to prevent them from clumping. Thaw in the fridge overnight to serve.
We haven’t tested it, but it should work! Or you can make our gluten-free apple oat muffins.
Follow the instructions to make the gluten-free apple cinnamon bread batter. Then, portion it into a muffin tin, filling each cavity ⅔ of the way full. Adjust the baking time as needed, removing the muffins from the oven as soon as they’re puffy and golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Gluten-Free Apple Bread Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 10–11 slices 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This gluten-free apple bread recipe is sweet, spiced, and studded with apples in every bite! Ready in just over an hour, it’s the perfect fall breakfast or snack!
Ingredients
Apples
- 1+ cup peeled and chopped apples (150 -160 grams or 1-2 small apples)
- 3 Tablespoons coconut sugar or raw sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Optional splash of whiskey or amaretto
Bread
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup neutral oil (refined avocado or refined coconut oil, melted)
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup Gluten-free 1:1 flour or 1 ⅓ cups (165 to 170 grams ) gluten-free oat flour combined with ½ cup (55 grams) fine blanched almond flour *see notes
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1–2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Optional – ¼ cup chopped toasted nuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together the diced apples, sugar, cinnamon, and optional whiskey until the apples are evenly coated.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and beat until combined. Mix in the applesauce and vanilla extract until combined.
- In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together; flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt until well combined.
- Gradually add the wet/sugar mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Note: If using a gluten-free 1:1 flour instead of the oat/almond blend, the batter will be thicker—that’s normal.
- Fold in in the cinnamon apples (reserving 2 Tablespoons) until evenly combined.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Add the reserved 2 Tablespoons cinnamon apples and optional toasted nuts on top of the batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes then cover the loaf pan with aluminum foil and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool briefly in the pan before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Store bread wrapped in plastic wrap at room temp for up to 3 days.
Notes
Flour Tips – Finding the right gluten-free (GF) 1:1 flour for baking can be tricky, as results vary by brand. When it’s hard to find or doesn’t turn out as expected, I like to use a mix of oat flour and almond flour to achieve a similar texture. You can also try our homemade GF flour blend. For this bread recipe, we’ve had success with these GF 1:1 flours: Bob’s Red Mill 1:1, King Arthur 1:1, and Walmart’s GF 1:1 flour.
Storage Tips – Store bread wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in a ziploc bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 258
- Sugar: 15.4 g
- Sodium: 267.1 mg
- Fat: 14.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 26.2 g
- Fiber: 1.6 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 37.2 mg
could flax eggs be substituted for the eggs in this recipe?
Hi Maureen! Great question. I haven’t tried baking the apple bread using flax eggs, but since there’s only two eggs in the recipe, it should work! For best texture, I would add ½ teaspoon extra baking powder and let the batter rest for 10–15 minutes before baking. Flax-based might take 5–10 minutes longer to bake.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for a gluten-free apple treat without eggs, I also have an apple muffin recipe that is egg-free! https://www.cottercrunch.com/flourless-apple-oatmeal-muffins/
Please keep me posted if you do try the apple bread this way. I’d love feedback!
This bread is incredible!!! I used King Arthur 1-1 flour. So easy to make. Taste like it came from a bakery. My family was very impressed.
Wonderful news Lori! We think so too! And I love king authors 1:1, it’s so versatile.