A soft, moist apple fritter bread made with cinnamon-spiced apples, vanilla batter, and a sweet glaze—no yeast or frying required.

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Apple Fritter Bread Recipe

Apple fritter bread is a soft, moist quick bread packed with cinnamon-spiced apples and topped with a sweet glaze that tastes just like a bakery-style apple fritter—without frying or yeast. This easy apple fritter bread recipe comes together in one loaf pan and delivers cozy fall flavor in every slice, making it perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert any time of year.

Why You’ll Love This Apple Fritter Bread

• No yeast or frying required
• Packed with cinnamon apples
• Soft, bakery-style crumb
• Perfect for breakfast or dessert

Apple fritter bread is a baked quick bread made with fresh apples, cinnamon sugar, and vanilla batter, layered to mimic the flavor of a classic apple fritter without frying. It’s finished with a sweet glaze and baked in a loaf pan for an easy, bakery-style treat.

What Is Apple Fritter Bread?

Apple fritter bread takes everything you love about a traditional apple fritter and transforms it into a simple baked loaf. Instead of using yeast or hot oil, the batter is layered with cinnamon-coated apples and baked until tender and fluffy. The result is a sliceable bread with warm apple flavor, soft texture, and a sweet glaze that tastes just like a donut shop favorite.

Why This Apple Fritter Bread Recipe Is Better

This apple fritter bread recipe stands out because it delivers true bakery-style flavor without the hassle of frying or yeast. Unlike many versions that turn out dense or soggy, this recipe uses layered cinnamon apples to keep the bread moist while maintaining a soft, tender crumb. The loaf bakes up tall and fluffy, the apples stay evenly distributed, and the sweet glaze adds the perfect finishing touch every time.

Ingredients for Apple Fritter Bread

This apple fritter bread recipe is a baked quick bread made with cinnamon-spiced apples, vanilla batter, and a sweet glaze—no yeast or frying required.

What you'll need to make this old fashioned apple fritter bread:

Apple Filling Ingredients:
Gala apples, peeled and diced
Light brown sugar
All-purpose flour
Apple pie spice blend

Bread Batter Ingredients:
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
Unsalted butter
Granulated sugar
Buttermilk
Egg
Vanilla extract

Glaze Ingredients:
Powdered sugar
Heavy cream

Apple Fritter Bread Variations and Add-Ins

Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend

Cinnamon sugar topping: Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top before baking

Caramel apple bread: Drizzle with caramel instead of glaze

Nutty apple fritter bread: Add chopped pecans or walnuts

Make it dairy-free: Use plant-based butter and milk alternatives.

How to Make Apple Fritter Bread

This loaf takes about 15 minutes to prep and bakes in under an hour.

This step-by-step apple fritter bread recipe shows exactly how to layer the batter and apples for a soft, bakery-style loaf.

We tested this apple fritter bread recipe repeatedly to get the perfect apple-to-batter ratio and soft, bakery-style texture. It’s moist without being dense and packed with apple pieces that stay where they should instead of sinking.

We've updated this post with new tips and step-by-step photos.

Here’s everything that actually made a difference:

• Choosing the right apples
• Using a metal loaf pan
• Layering instead of mixing
• Baking until just set

Tips for Moist Apple Fritter Bread

Metal vs. Glass Pans

We found that baking this bread in a metal loaf pan gives the best and most reliable results. The loaf rises evenly, bakes through nicely, and ends up with a tender crumb and lightly golden edges.

When we tested it in a glass pan, the bread looked fine on top but baked up a bit drier overall. That’s because glass holds onto heat longer and continues cooking the loaf even after it’s out of the oven. If you’re using a glass pan, pull the bread out a few minutes earlier and let it cool completely in the pan.

Best Apples for Apple Fritter Bread

Firm, crisp apples like Honeycrisp or Gala worked best and held their shape as the bread baked. Softer apples tended to release too much moisture, which made the batter around the swirl a bit gummy.

Cutting the apples into small ½-inch pieces and tossing them lightly in flour before layering helped keep them from sinking — and honestly, that step made a noticeable difference.

The Cinnamon Swirl

We tested both mixing the apples straight into the batter and layering them, and layering was definitely the winner. It creates those beautiful ribbons of cinnamon and apple throughout the loaf instead of blending everything together. A single, gentle swirl with a knife through the center is all you need.

Bake Time & Texture

Around 50 minutes turned out to be the perfect bake-time for this loaf. If it bakes even a little too long, the edges can dry out quickly.

You’ll know it’s ready when a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Let the bread cool completely before slicing. It continues to set as it cools, and waiting makes all the difference for clean, neat slices.

How To Make the Apple Fritter Bread

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan with baker’s spray. Set aside

2. In a small bowl, stir together the chopped apples, light brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and apple pie spice blend to create the apple cinnamon filling. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set flour mixture aside.

4. In a large mixing bowl, beat together on medium speed with an electric mixer, the unsalted butter, and sugar for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.

5. Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat for an additional 30 seconds or just until fully incorporated.

6. Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat on low until just combined.

7. Add the buttermilk to the batter and beat again, on low speed, just until fully incorporated. You may need to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a mixing spoon between additions.

8. Add the remaining half of the dry ingredients to the batter and beat just until combined. Do not overmix your batter. 

9. Spread half of your batter into the bottom of your prepared loaf pan in an even layer with a mixing spoon. Your batter will be thick.

10. Spoon about two-thirds of your apple filling onto the first layer of batter in your pan. Spread it out evenly.

11. Top with the remaining batter and spread it out so that all the apples are covered, and you have an even layer.

12. Spoon the remaining chopped apple mixture over the top of the batter and, using a butter knife or offset spatula, swirl the batter very carefully. You do not want to mix it all completely together. Make sure that all the apple pieces are mostly covered to avoid burning them while baking.

13. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. You can tent your bread with a piece of aluminum foil after the first 30 minutes of bake time to prevent over-browning. Bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. 

14. Allow your bread to cool in the pan on the counter for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely at room temperature.

Making the Glaze

1. While your bread is cooling, you can make your glaze by stirring together the sifted powdered sugar and heavy cream until smooth and a pourable consistency. You may need to add a little extra powdered sugar if it is too loose (start with 2 tablespoons) or heavy cream if too thick (start with 1 teaspoon) until you have your desired consistency.

2. You can spoon or pour your glaze over the completely cooled loaf of apple fritter bread. You will want to allow your glaze to set for 15 minutes to firm up before slicing and serving your bread.

Apple Fritter Bread FAQs

Is apple fritter bread the same as apple bread?
Apple fritter bread is sweeter and includes a cinnamon apple swirl and glaze, while traditional apple bread is usually less sweet and more cake-like.

Can I freeze apple fritter bread?
Yes, apple fritter bread freezes well for up to 3 months when wrapped tightly.

Does apple fritter bread need to be refrigerated?
No, it can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for longer freshness.

Why did my apple fritter bread sink in the middle?
This usually happens if the bread is underbaked or has too much moisture from the apples.

Can I use canned apples for apple fritter bread?
Fresh apples work best, but canned apples should be drained very well before using.

HOW TO STORE APPLE FRITTER BREAD

Proper storage helps keep apple fritter bread moist and flavorful for days.

• Freeze slices for up to 3 months
• Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days
• Refrigerate for up to 5 days

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Apple Fritter Bread Recipe

A soft, moist apple fritter bread made with cinnamon-spiced apples, vanilla batter, and a sweet glaze—no yeast or frying required.

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5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8 slices

Calories 440 kcal

Ingredients

  

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For the Apple Cinnamon Filling

• 1 cup small-diced apples (approximately 1 large Gala (peeled, cored & diced))
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons apple pie spice blend

For the Batter

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg (room temperature)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¾ cup buttermilk

For the Glaze

• 1½ cups powdered sugar (sifted)
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8½ x 4½-inch metal loaf pan with Baker’s Spray and set it aside.
• In a small bowl, stir together the chopped apples, light brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and apple pie spice blend to create the apple cinnamon filling. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set flour mixture aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together on medium speed with an electric mixer, the unsalted butter and sugar for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.
• Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat for an additional 30 seconds or just until fully incorporated.
• Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat on low until just combined.
• Add the buttermilk to the batter and beat again, on low speed, just until fully incorporated. You may need to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a mixing spoon between additions.
• Add the remaining half of the dry ingredients to the batter and beat just until combined. Do not overmix your batter.
• Spread half of your batter into the bottom of your prepared loaf pan in an even layer with a mixing spoon. Your batter will be thick.
• Spoon about two-thirds of your apple filling onto the first layer of batter in your pan. Spread it out evenly.
• Top with the remaining batter and spread it out so that all the apples are covered and you have an even layer.
• Spoon the remaining chopped apple mixture over the top of the batter and, using a butter knife or offset spatula, swirl the batter very carefully. You do not want to mix it all completely together. Make sure that all the apple pieces are mostly covered to avoid burning them while baking.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes uncovered. Tent your bread with a piece of aluminum foil for the additional bake time to help prevent it from getting too brown. Bake the bread for an additional 20 minutes covered or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Total bake time 50-55 minutes depending on oven temperature.
• Allow your bread to cool in the pan on the counter for 10-20 minutes, then transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely at room temperature for about 1 hour.
• While your bread is cooling, you can make your glaze by stirring together the sifted powdered sugar and heavy cream until smooth and a pourable consistency. You may need to add a little extra powdered sugar if it is too loose (start with 2 tablespoons) or heavy cream if too thick (start with 1 teaspoon) until you have your desired consistency.
• You can spoon, or pour, your glaze over the completely cooled loaf of apple fritter bread. You will want to allow your glaze to set for 15 minutes to firm up before slicing and serving your bread.

Notes

• If your apples release water after you’ve chopped them, be sure to drain it off before adding them to the batter.
• Always start and end with the flour mixture when mixing with an additional wet ingredient for your batters.
• Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your bread as the suggested baking time approaches.
• If using a glass baking dish, the cooling time will be longer because glass holds the heat longer. It will need to cool about 30-40 minutes before getting it out of the dish. It will then need to cool at room temperature for about 2 hours so it can be sliced better.
• Place bread on a wire rack before pouring the glaze on top of the bread so that any excess glaze will run through the rack rather than leaving a puddle around your bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 252mg | Potassium: 169mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 506IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 2mg

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EXPERT TIPS FOR THE BEST APPLE FRITTER BREAD

• Use Granny Smith apples for the best sweet-tart balance
• Dice apples small so they soften perfectly while baking
• Let the bread cool before glazing to prevent melting
• Line your pan with parchment for easy removal

More Warm Quick Bread Recipes You'll Love

• Snickerdoodle Bread
• Air Fryer Banana Bread
• Rhubarb Bread
• Peanut Butter Bread
• Chocolate Banana Bread
• Cream Cheese Banana Bread

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