Moist Apple Butter Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

What is Apple Butter?

If you haven’t tried apple butter before, it’s a thick and dark brown spread made by slow cooking apples with warming spices and sugar until the natural sugars caramelize, and the mixture is then blended until smooth to achieve a rich and creamy texture.

It’s a delicious fall spread that’s perfect for making use of the apple bounty during the fall season, but apart from spreading it on toast or drizzling it over yogurt or baked goods, we’re using it in a different way today and making a gluten-free apple butter loaf!

(Tip: Learn how to make your own apple butter!)

Gluten-Free Apple Butter Bread

This gluten-free apple butter bread is an easy quick bread made with rich apple butter and warm fall spices.

The apple butter gives the loaf concentrated apple flavor while helping create a moist crumb without dairy. It requires no yeast or complicated techniques, making it an easy choice for breakfast, snacks, or dessert during apple season.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe:

• Simple Ingredients: The main ingredients required for this easy apple butter bread recipe are easily found at the local grocery store (nothing fancy required!).
• Easy to Make: Preparing this apple butter loaf is simply a matter of combining the dry ingredients and wet ingredients together for the batter, then mixing the batter with the apple butter swirl before baking.
• Moist and Full of Apple Flavor: Using a rich and thick apple butter really adds moisture as well as the flavor of apples (in addition to the diced apples).
• Totally Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free: The best part is that this recipe is 100% gluten-free and dairy-free, which means that even those with Celiac disease or gluten or lactose intolerances can also enjoy this apple butter quick bread without issues.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required for making this gluten-free apple bread recipe.

(For exact measurements, please scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.)

Recipe Notes + Substitutions:

• Muscovado Sugar: I used dark muscovado sugar because it gives a deeper caramel note than regular brown sugar.
• Apple Butter: I like using my homemade apple butter recipe, but you can easily use store-bought apple butter too.
• Spices: I used ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg because these spices are a good complement for apple.
• Gluten-Free Flour: I used gluten-free 1:1 baking flour to keep this recipe gluten-free. I recommend using a gluten-free flour blend that is made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch, or potato starch) for a fluffier final texture. I do NOT recommend using a gluten-free flour blend that is made up of heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour) as that will result in a denser final texture. However, if you are not Celiac or gluten-intolerant, go ahead and use regular all-purpose flour instead.
• Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is the replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours and helps to better bind the ingredients together. If your gluten-free flour blend already includes, you can leave it out.
• Baking Powder: Baking powder is the only leavening agent in this gluten-free apple butter quick bread recipe, and helps the batter to rise, so make sure you include it in. If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure to use certified gluten-free baking powder.
• Dairy-Free Butter: I used dairy-free butter to keep this recipe dairy-free. However, if you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use regular unsalted butter instead.
• Eggs: Eggs help to bind the ingredients together, so make sure to add them in.
• Almond Milk: I like using an unsweetened version of my homemade almond milk. However, you may also use other types of dairy-free milk (such as cashew milk, rice milk, oat milk etc).
• Orange Zest: Freshly grated orange zest adds a vibrant citrus flavor to this apple bread, so I definitely recommend adding it in.
• Apples: I used green Granny Smith apples because I enjoy the tartness. However, you can also use other types of apples (such as Honeycrisp apples, Pink Lady apples, Fuji apples, etc.).
• Walnuts: I like adding a handful of unsalted chopped walnuts for some contrast in texture. Alternatively, you may also use unsalted chopped pecans to this apple butter loaf if you prefer.

How to Make Apple Butter Bread

Prepare Swirl Mixture: In a small bowl, mix muscovado sugar, apple butter, ground cinnamon and ground cloves for the swirl, then set aside.

Whisk Dry Ingredients (Except Sugar): In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Dish by Dish Testing Tips:

• Let Batter Rest: Allowing the batter to rest briefly for 5 to 10 minutes lets the gluten-free flours hydrate and absorb the liquids better, resulting in a moister texture.
• Use Thick Apple Butter: Note that since apple butters may differ in consistency, it’s best to choose a darker, thicker and more concentrated apple butter to get an intense apple flavor.
• Line with Parchment: I recommend lining your loaf pan with parchment paper to make it easier to remove the bread once baked. However, you may also spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray if you prefer.
• Tent with Foil if Necessary: As the apple butter tends to create a darker loaf, the top may look dark brown before the inside is done. If you notice that the top is browning too quickly, you can tent the loaf pan loosely with aluminum foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking time.
• Let Cool Before Slicing: As gluten-free baked goods will still continue cooking with the residual heat even after removing them from the oven, it’s important that you let the loaf cool completely before slicing.
• Storing/Freezing: To store, cover the apple butter quick bread in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap the loaf in various layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Let the frozen loaf thaw completely in the refrigerator before slicing.

Other Gluten-Free Apple Recipes to Make:

• Moist Almond Flour Apple Cake (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Easy Apple Crumble (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• Homemade Apple Pie Filling (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• Baked Apples (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

Gluten-Free Fall Recipes You’ll Love:

P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!

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Apple Butter Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

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• Author: Felicia Lim
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 12 slices 1x
• Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free

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Description

If you love the cozy flavors of fall baking, this gluten-free apple butter bread is one you’ll want to make all season long. Made with rich apple butter, warm cinnamon, and simple gluten-free ingredients, this easy quick bread has a wonderfully moist, tender crumb and plenty of spiced apple flavor in every slice. Dairy-free too.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

For the Swirl:

• 1/3 cup dark muscovado sugar
• 3/4 cup apple butter
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

For the Batter:

• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your gluten-free flour blend already includes it)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup dark muscovado sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted dairy-free butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
• 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 1/4 cup unsalted walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)

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Instructions

1. Preheat & Grease: Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Grease a 9” x 4” loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
2. Prepare Swirl Mixture: In a small bowl, mix muscovado sugar, apple butter, cinnamon, and cloves for the swirl, then set aside.
3. Whisk Dry Ingredients (Except Sugar): In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
4. Beat Sugars & Dairy-Free Butter: In a large bowl, beat sugar, muscovado sugar, and dairy-free butter until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.
5. Add Eggs: Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Add in Milk, Vanilla & Zest: Mix in the unsweetened almond milk, vanilla extract, and orange zest.
7. Fold in Dry Ingredients: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Do not overmix, or the loaf will be dense.
8. Core & Dice Apples: Peel, core and dice apples into small cubes (about 1 cup).
9. Fold Apples & Walnuts into Batter: Fold the diced apples and walnuts into the batter.
10. Assemble: Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Spoon over half the apple butter swirl mixture and gently swirl with a knife. Pour in the remaining batter, top with the rest of the swirl mixture, and swirl again.
11. Bake Until Ready: Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean.
12. Cool Before Slicing: Let cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Muscovado Sugar: I used dark muscovado sugar because it gives a deeper caramel note than regular brown sugar.

Apple Butter: I like using homemade apple butter, but you can easily use store-bought apple butter too.

Spices: I used ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg because these spices are a good complement for apple.

Gluten-Free Flour: I used gluten-free 1:1 baking flour to keep this recipe gluten-free. I recommend using a gluten-free flour blend that is made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch, or potato starch) for a fluffier final texture. I do NOT recommend using a gluten-free flour blend that is made up of heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour) as that will result in a denser final texture. However, if you are not Celiac or gluten-intolerant, go ahead and use regular all-purpose flour instead.

Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is the replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours and helps to better bind the ingredients together. If your gluten-free flour blend already includes, you can leave it out.

Baking Powder: Baking powder is the only leavening agent in this gluten-free apple butter quick bread recipe, and helps the batter to rise, so make sure you include it in. If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure to use certified gluten-free baking powder.

Dairy-Free Butter: I used dairy-free butter to keep this recipe dairy-free. However, if you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use regular butter instead.

Eggs: Eggs help to bind the ingredients together, so make sure to add them in.

Almond Milk: I like using an unsweetened version of my homemade almond milk. However, you may also use other types of dairy-free milk (such as cashew milk, rice milk, oat milk etc).

Orange Zest: Freshly grated orange zest adds a vibrant citrus flavor to this apple bread, so I definitely recommend adding it in.

Apples: I used green Granny Smith apples because I enjoy the tartness. However, you can also use other types of apples (such as Honeycrisp apples, Pink Lady apples, Fuji apples, etc.).

Walnuts: I like adding a handful of unsalted chopped walnuts for some contrast in texture. Alternatively, you may also use unsalted chopped pecans if you prefer.

• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Category: Bread, Breakfast
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American