Imagine the incredible taste of a warm, fresh-from-the-bakery apple fritter—the tender dough, the sweet glaze, and those gooey pockets of cinnamon-spiced apple. Now, imagine capturing all of that goodness in a simple, no-fuss quick bread that you can easily make at home. That’s the magic of this Amish Apple Fritter Bread! This recipe features a wonderfully moist and tender bread with a distinct, delicious ribbon of cinnamon-apple filling running through the middle. Topped with a simple sweet glaze, it’s the ultimate comfort food for a cozy fall day.
Why You’ll Love This Apple Fritter Bread
This recipe is a true delight and a guaranteed family favorite. Here’s why:
- Tastes Like a Donut, Bakes Like a Bread: You get all the classic flavors of an apple fritter without the hassle or mess of deep-frying.
- Incredibly Moist & Tender: The simple batter creates a beautifully soft and moist crumb that stays delicious for days.
- That Amazing Cinnamon Swirl: The star of the show is the layer of brown sugar, cinnamon, and fresh apple chunks baked right into the center of the loaf.
- Super Easy to Make: This is a classic quick bread recipe. There’s no yeast, no kneading, and no complicated steps required.
Your Ingredient Checklist
This recipe is broken down into three simple components: the filling, the bread, and the glaze.
For the Cinnamon Apple Filling:
- Apples: 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced into small pieces (Granny Smith is perfect).
- Brown Sugar: ⅓ cup, packed.
- Cinnamon: 1 tablespoon.
For the Bread Batter:
- Flour: 2 cups all-purpose flour.
- Sugars: ¼ cup granulated sugar and ½ cup packed brown sugar.
- Baking Powder: 2 teaspoons.
- Salt: ½ teaspoon.
- Milk: ¾ cup.
- Eggs: 2 large eggs.
- Butter: ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted.
- Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon.
For the Simple Glaze:
- Powdered Sugar: 1 cup.
- Milk or Cream: 2-3 tablespoons.
- Vanilla Extract: ½ teaspoon.
Step-by-Step Guide
The secret to this bread is the simple layering technique.
Part 1: Prepare the Batter and Filling
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
- Make the Apple Filling: In a small bowl, combine the diced apples, ⅓ cup of brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon. Toss well to coat the apples and set aside.
- Make the Bread Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, ½ cup of brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
Part 2: The Layering Technique
- First Layer of Batter: Spread half of the bread batter evenly into the bottom of your prepared loaf pan.
- Add the Filling: Spoon the entire apple filling mixture over the batter, spreading it into an even layer.
- Second Layer of Batter: Carefully spread the remaining half of the bread batter over the top of the apple layer.
Part 3: Bake, Cool, and Glaze
- Bake: Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for 55-65 minutes. The bread is done when a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in Pan: Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for about 15-20 minutes.
- Finish Cooling: Carefully run a knife around the edges and invert the bread onto a wire rack to cool completely. This is important—the bread must be cool before you glaze it.
- Make and Add Glaze: Once the bread is cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk, and vanilla extract. Add more milk, one teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the bread. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Tips for the Best Fritter Bread
- Choose the Right Apples: A firm, tart apple like a Granny Smith is ideal because it will hold its shape during baking and provide a nice flavor contrast to the sweet bread. Honeycrisp or Braeburn also work well.
- Don’t Overmix: To ensure a tender bread, mix the batter only until you no longer see streaks of dry flour. Overmixing can make the loaf tough.
- Patience is a Virtue: Let the bread cool completely before glazing. If the bread is even slightly warm, the glaze will melt and run right off instead of setting on top.
- Storage: Store the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Easy Amish Apple Fritter Bread
This Easy Amish Apple Fritter Bread delivers all the cinnamon-apple donut shop flavors you love in a simple quick bread. Tender and moist, with a ribbon of spiced apple filling and a sweet glaze, it’s perfect for cozy fall mornings or afternoon coffee.
Equipment
- 9×5-inch loaf pan
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Spatula
- Wire Cooling Rack
Ingredients
- 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, diced (Granny Smith or similar)
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp milk or cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
- In a small bowl, combine diced apples, 1/3 cup brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Toss to coat and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk milk, eggs, melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Spread half the batter in the loaf pan, add apple mixture in an even layer, then top with remaining batter.
- Bake for 55-65 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool bread in pan for 15-20 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- Whisk powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until smooth, adding more milk as needed for drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cooled bread.
Notes
Cool bread completely before glazing to prevent glaze from melting. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for longer freshness.