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Cinnamon Sugar Swirled Apple Butter Bread. Better than you could get at any coffee shop, this yummy bread is a real fall treat! Soft apple butter quick bread recipe made with apple butter, sweetened with honey, swirled with cream cheese, and topped with Honeycrisp apples plus sweet cinnamon sugar. Best enjoyed warm, right out of the oven, with a generous smear of salted honey butter. The perfect way to celebrate the autumn apple season!
It’s finally apple season! Look, I love summer produce, but there’s something so special about autumn apples. They’re crisp, sweet, and refreshing. Nothing really can beat a tree-picked apple. They’re one of my favorite fall treats!
Since it is September, I always try my best to really embrace apple season. So many people start breaking out the pumpkin recipes, but it’s just not time – yet.
The inspiration for this recipe is really pretty simple. There are a lot of fall treats out there with apples, especially in bakeries and coffee shops. One of my favorites is an apple cider doughnut, which I highly recommend picking up while picking fresh apples!
I took the flavors I love so much from the apple cider doughnuts and applied them to this apple bread recipe. I also took some ideas from my pumpkin butter bread that I make every season. Then I combined a few recipes and developed this sweet, soft, and apple-filled bread. I love it!
My first taste testers were my cousin Matt and his wife, Caroline. I sent this bread out with my parents when they went to SoCal last week to give to them. Caroline is in the hospital with a pregnancy complication. But all is expected to go well and they will be meeting their little baby girl (Freya) on Wednesday! Matt and Caroline both raved about this bread to my parents (although anything in comparison to hospital food is good). They couldn’t believe how moist and delicious it was.
Here are the quick details
Of course, I wanted this bread to be a little more special than all the others out there. So I used spiced apple butter, and not just apples, to really make this yummy! Apple butter is more reduced down than apple sauce, it contains less moisture, and is usually spiced.
You can use my homemade apple butter, or pick some up at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and most grocery stores. Of course, I am partial to mine. Just make sure your apple butter is spiced for best flavor.
This is all made in one bowl. You’ll mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and that’s it. I used honey as the sweetener. But mostly because I LOVE the warming flavor it adds to baked goods this time of year. The coconut oil keeps the bread doughy. And a touch of cinnamon sugar really adds the spice.
The next step is to spoon some of the batter into your loaf pan. Then swirl in the cream cheese, add chopped apples, and then the cinnamon sugar. If you don’t love cream cheese, you can omit it, but I think it works well with the fall flavors.
For the apples, Honeycrisps are my go-to. I love them!
As the bread bakes, oh my gosh, your kitchen will smell incredible. It’s going to put you in that cozy fall mood.
While the bread is baking, make the honey butter, and that’s it, done. Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack.
This is a very easy fall baking project, so it really should be on your must-make list! Enjoy a slice or two with honey butter. Such a wonderful treat to enjoy! Oslo and Asher both loved every bite of this bread, apples and all! Plus it’s a little healthier than what you’d pick up from the bakery, so we love that!
Looking for other sweet apple recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Glaze
Brown Butter Apple Blondies with Cinnamon Maple Glaze
Spiced Pecan Apple Cider Doughnut Cake
Mulled Spiced Apple Cider Doughnuts
Double the Streusel Apple Butter Bars
Homemade Slow Cooker Maple Apple Butter
Lastly, if you make this Cinnamon Sugar Swirled Apple Butter Bread, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Cinnamon Sugar Swirled Apple Butter Bread
Servings: 1 loaf
Calories Per Serving: 4127 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup apple butter
- 1/4 cup yogurt or sour cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 Honeycrisp apples, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
Honey Butter
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter a (9×5 inch) bread pan.2. In a bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. 3. In a large bowl, stir together the coconut oil, apple butter, honey, yogurt/sour cream, egg, vanilla, and milk, until combined. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix until just combined. 4. Spoon half the batter into the prepared bread pan. Dollop teaspoon size amounts of the cream cheese over the batter. Gently swirl the cream cheese using a sharp paring knife. Arrange the apples in an even layer over the cream cheese. Sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar, then evenly spoon the remaining batter over the apples. It's OK if the batter doesn't fully cover the apples. Sprinkle over the remaining cinnamon sugar.5. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until the center is just set. I usually cover my bread halfway through baking to prevent burning. 6. Meanwhile, make the honey butter. In a bowl, combine the butter, honey, and a pinch of salt.7. Remove the bread and let cool, or enjoy warm with extra honey butter.
This post was originally published on September 9, 2022
Hi! We love the recipe – it’s so good. Should I store it in the fridge?
Hey there,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it! You can keep on the counter or fridge in an airtight container:) xT
Just scrumptious! Made this today, including the apple butter. Was so lush! Good tip about covering the top half way through. Worked a treat. I’m amazed at our restraint in not eating the entire loaf while it was still warm.
Hi Sarah,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was tasty, thanks so much for trying it out! Happy Sunday! xx
i made this today and it tasted great! i added the milk into the bread mixture. best bread ever!
Hey Naya,
Fantastic! Thanks for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was a hit! Happy Sunday! xT
Made this with my daughter and nieces today (ages 3-6)…was a hit!! Super easy and a fun fall activity for littles. Bread tasted great!! We added a little cinnamon to the honey butter too 🙂
Hi Katherine,
Amazing!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, especially with the little ones:) Thanks for making it! xx
Thank you for the recipe. Sounds fantastic. What can I substitute for the pastry flour.
Hi Joanne,
The recipe calls for all purpose flour OR whole wheat pastry flour, so just use the all purpose flour:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Hi, Tieghan! This sounds like just the apple fall recipe I’ve been craving. Unfortunately, I’d need to omit the creamed cheese in order for my husband to eat it. If *you* were omitting the creamed cheese, would you still keep the apples in a layer or mix them throughout?
Hi Dee,
You could do either, mix them throughout or do them in a layer:) I hope you love the recipe, let me know how it turns out! xx
It sound like the recipe would be good
Let me know if you give it a try! xx
Fabulous! Thank you, Tieghan! The whole family loved it. I’ll have to double the recipe next time.
Hi Jessie,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it! xT
I’m also wondering about the milk! Can’t wait to try this, apple butter is cooking now!
Hi there,
The milk is added in step 3. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
Allergy to coconut.. can I sub with same amount olive oil? Can’t wait to make this! Looks so yummy!
Hi Alexis,
Sure, I don’t see why not! Any other neutral oil would work for you! I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
Any hard cider substitutes as it does not exist in my country?
Hi Zeina,
This recipe does not call for hard cider:) Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xTieghan
What can I use instead of coconut oil?
Hi Beth,
Any other neutral oil or butter will work well for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
You use milk in the video and whisk but, there is no milk in the recipe…..
Am i missing something somewhere??
Heellpp ?
Hi Debbi,
The recipe calls for 1/3 cup of milk and it is used in step 3:) Sorry if you missed that! I hope you love the recipe! Have a great weekend! xx
If I don’t have Apple butter on hand what do you recommend could work as a substitute? Apple sauce?? Thank you!
Hi Tracy,
Yes, I think a thick apple sauce should work well for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Hello! I am loving your recipes! And so are my friends and family! I was hoping you could give a substitute for melted coconut oil. I’m sure it is healthier, but it is not a staple in my cupboard yet. Thanks!
Hi Jennifer,
You could use melted butter or another neutral oil. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
Tieghan! This recipe looks amazing. The second I saw it in my inbox, I knew I wanted to use it as a fall baking project with my younger brother. I have been reading your blog/site for years now and just wanted to take a second and say thank you for everything you share! Your creativity just shines and is so amazing. Specifically your baking recipes, I know there are so many critical comments about the sugar content, what you are apparently allowed to call healthy-ish, and so forth. I personally love the way you share your recipes and your voice behind them. So, thank you! Can’t wait to make this!
Could I skip the cream cheese component? My kids are not huge fans but the recipe sounds divinely fall and delicious.
She said it can be skipped
Hi T. I just put the bread in the oven now. What did you cover it with so it didn’t burn? Thank you for all the great recipes.
You shouldn’t need to cover it, but foil will work just fine:)
Hey Ashley,
Yes, totally fine to skip the cream cheese:) Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Hi Marina,
Awe, thank you so much! I am so glad you have been enjoying following along and making so many recipes:) I appreciate you being here! Let me know if you give this bread a try, it’s a great fall recipe!! xTieghan