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.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup dark muscovado sugar
- 3/4 cup apple butter
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 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)
Instructions
- Preheat & Grease: Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Grease a 9” x 4” loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Prepare Swirl Mixture: In a small bowl, mix muscovado sugar, apple butter, cinnamon, and 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.
- Beat Sugars & Dairy-Free Butter: In a large bowl, beat sugar, muscovado sugar, and dairy-free butter until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.
- Add Eggs: Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add in Milk, Vanilla & Zest: Mix in the unsweetened almond milk, vanilla extract, and orange zest.
- Fold in Dry Ingredients: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Do not overmix, or the loaf will be dense.
- Core & Dice Apples: Peel, core and dice apples into small cubes (about 1 cup).
- Fold Apples & Walnuts into Batter: Fold the diced apples and walnuts into the batter.
- 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.
- Bake Until Ready: Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean.
- 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
