Apple Cider Bread
This apple cider bread is like fall wrapped up in a soft and tender loaf cake. It’s spiced with cinnamon and has a punchy dose of apple cider. If you’re tired of all the pumpkin things, give this one a try before the season is over!
This Apple Cider Bread is Perfect for Fall
Spiced apple flavor and a crunchy cinnamon-sugar topping make this quick bread recipe a must-make for fall. It’s great for breakfast, brunch, snacks, and even dessert. It does all the things!
And you don’t actually have to peel and chop up a bunch of apples. Instead, we are using apple cider and reducing it down so the flavor is amped up. It’s such a great step – you get a concentrated apple flavor that has all the fall spice flavor. I think you’re going to love it.
Ingredients
- Apple cider – To get the best apple flavor, use apple cider. It’s like apple juice’s country cousin – it’s raw, unfiltered, and (usually – check the label) unsweetened. To get the biggest apple bang for the buck, we’re reducing the cider first to concentrate the flavor even more.
- All-purpose flour
- Ground cinnamon
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Unsalted butter – Be sure to leave the butter out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before making the bread. This will make it easier to cream with the sugar. I like to slice the butter first so it softens faster.
- Brown sugar – Brown sugar works really well in this bread – the flavor is more complex than granulated sugar. That said, if you only have white sugar, you can use the same amount, and the bread will turn out fine.
- Large eggs
- Pure vanilla extract
- Whole milk – I like to use whole milk because the extra fat makes the bread more tender and soft. You can use the same amount of 2% milk or even almond milk or oat milk if that’s what you have on hand.
How to Make It
Apple cider reduction: We’re getting fancy with the apple cider and reducing it so you get a concentrated flavor and thick consistency. It’s easy – just boil it until the total amount equals about 1/2 cup. It takes about 15 minutes, but the time is worth it. Your apple bread will have so much flavor.
Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Set this mixture aside while you do the next step.
Cream the butter: Place the sugar and butter in a large bowl. Beat them with an electric mixer for a couple of minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, vanilla, and the reduced apple cider.
Bring it all together: Turn the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture and milk, alternating between each. Doing it this way ensures they both get absorbed into the batter without over-mixing it.
Topping: Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
Bake: Pour the batter into a prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the sugar topping over the top. Bake the loaf for about 50 minutes. It’s done when a toothpick comes out clean.
Recipe Tips
- Use the spoon and level method when you measure the flour. This means you should lightly spoon the flour into your dry measuring cup and level it off.
- Once the bread is baked, leave it in the pan for 10 minutes and then carefully turn it onto a wire rack. Allow it to cool to room temperature before slicing it.
- If you want to make it ahead, you can freeze it! Once it’s cooled, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag. It will keep in the freezer for several months.
- I love this bread for a special fall breakfast or brunch – it pairs great with coffee! You can also serve it as a cake for dessert – add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce if you’re feeling extra.
I hope you try this apple cider bread soon! It’s got all the fall vibes going for it 🍂
Happy baking,
More Fall Bread Recipes
📣 Do you love this recipe? I would love to know! Leave a comment below the recipe, along with your recipe star rating.
PrintApple Cider Bread
This apple cider bread is like fall wrapped up in a soft and tender loaf cake. It’s spiced with cinnamon and has a punchy dose of apple cider.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 slices 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 cups reduced apple cider (instructions in step 2)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¼ cups brown sugar, divided
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and coat the inside of a 9×5” loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Pour the apple cider into a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Once it’s boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer the cider until it’s reduced to about 1/2 cup. This will take about 15 minutes. Once it’s reduced, transfer the cider to a heat-proof bowl or container to cool.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
- Cream the butter and 1 cup of brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large mixing bowl. Beat the mixture at medium speed for about two minutes or until it’s light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and apple cider.
- Adjust the mixer speed to low and alternate between adding the flour mixture and the milk. Do this in a few batches – alternating between the two will ensure the batter is not overmixed.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining ¼ cup of brown sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture over the top of the loaf.
- Bake the loaf for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Flour: Be sure to use the spoon and level method when you measure the flour. Lightly spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup and then level it off.
Freezing tip: Once the bread is cooled to room temperature, wrap it with plastic wrap and store it in a freezer bag. It will freeze well for several months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 378
- Sugar: 33g
- Sodium: 123.5mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8.2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 1.1g
- Protein: 5.9g
- Cholesterol: 80.1mg
The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.
I don’t typically take the time to read a blog post when I’m looking for a recipe. So when I read the recipe, I saw 2 cups of apple cider…..so of course I used 2 cups. I didn’t read the blog (because who actually does?) and it says to REDUCE THE CIDER UNTIL 1/2 cup
So…yeah. Now I’ve got dirty dishes, waste of ingredients, and no dessert to come from it.
In the recipe card ingredients, it says “2 cups reduced apple cider (see step 2 for instructions)”, so I’m not sure how you missed that – you didn’t need to go back to the blog post to get that info. If you don’t read the whole recipe, things probably aren’t going to go well.