Brown Butter Apple Bread

Soft, moist and full of flavor, this Brown Butter Apple Bread is easy to make and loaded with fresh apples. In fact, this recipe has apples two ways: freshly grated and applesauce! The combination of brown butter, brown sugar and warm spices makes it taste so cozy and perfect for Fall. Nonetheless, it is delicious to make all year round, just like my trusty banana bread recipe. It may look unassuming, but wait until you taste it! I top it with this irresistible brown butter icing that takes it to the next level. If you love baking with apples, try my Cinnamon Apple Fritter Cake, Apple Cinnamon Bread or this Apple Cinnamon Crunch Cake!

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Rich, flavorful brown butter cake - warm brown butter adds rich, nutty, caramel-like flavors to this delectable apple bread that makes it stand out from the rest.
• Easy to make - this simple two-bowl quick bread recipe comes together with just a bowl and a whisk or spatula. You don't need a mixer and it is rather foolproof!
• Moist texture - fresh grated apples bring tons of moisture to this loaf, giving it a very soft texture without being gummy.
• Loads of fresh apples - there are 2 cups of fresh grated apples packed into this loaf cake. We're making the most of them! You don't even notice as the fine shreds bake right in and become part of the crumb.
• Brown butter glaze - this might seem unnecessary since it is just a thin layer of icing, but it elevates this bread to a whole new level! That touch of rich, nutty brown butter over this loaf will make your taste buds sing!

INGREDIENTS FOR BROWN BUTTER APPLE BREAD

• All purpose flour - unbleached all-purpose flour works great for this tender simple quick bread recipe.
• Unsalted butter - pure brown butter is what makes this bread stand out from the rest. It adds a richness through nutty, caramel undertones that gives this loaf such a cozy flavor.
• Granulated sugar - simple granulated sugar keeps this loaf soft and sweet.
• Brown sugar - I love pairing brown sugar with apples and cinnamon. I use light brown sugar so the molasses flavor isn't too strong and doesn't overpower the brown butter.
• Eggs - two large eggs will add the right amount of structure to make this soft and sturdy loaf.
• Apple sauce - we're not shying away from the apple flavor here. Pure unsweetened applesauce adds more moisture and natural sweetness with a bit of tartness for well-rounded flavor.
• Cinnamon - plenty of cinnamon adds a punch of spice flavor to complement the brown butter and apples.
• Pure vanilla extract - Pure vanilla extract - earthy vanilla brings warmth to match the spice and brown butter. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• Apples - you must use fresh apples for this recipe. It really works with any kind of apple, but I prefer tart apples such as Granny Smith or Red Prince, which is what I used here.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1). Combine dry ingredients. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Whisk to blend evenly and set aside.
• STEP 2). Prepare the apples. Grate apples on the coarse side of a box grater. If you measure it out, you should have 2 cups of grated apple. Cover it and set aside.
• STEP 3). Brown the butter. Place the butter in a small saucepan and cook it over medium heat until the milk solids brown. It will crackle and foam up as the moisture evaporates before it turns golden with brown flecks. Follow the detailed instructions in this post here to learn how to brown butter in a 1-quart stainless steel saucepan. Set it aside to cool slightly.
• STEP 4). Combine wet ingredients. Combine eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, applesauce and vanilla in a large bowl. Add slightly cooled brown butter and whisk it in until smooth.
• STEP 5). Add the dry ingredients all at once and fold them gently until mostly combined with a few streaks of flour remaining.
• STEP 6). Add the grated apple and fold it in until evenly distributed. Do not over-mix the batter.
• STEP 7). Bake. Transfer batter to the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Draw a line through the center of the batter down its length with a butter knife and bake for 45-50 minutes until evenly golden on top and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
• STEP 8). Cool. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes, then use the overhanging parchment to lift the loaf out of the pan and continue cooling on the rack while you make the glaze.
• STEP 9). Make the glaze. Place the butter in a small saucepan and cook it over medium heat until the milk solids brown. It will crackle and foam up as the moisture evaporates before it turns golden with brown flecks. Read this post hear on details for how to brown butter. Once it is browned, carefully stir one tablespoon of milk into the hot brown butter in the pan. It will sizzle a bit. Add powdered sugar with the remaining milk and salt and whisk it in until smooth and glossy. Drizzle the warm icing over the slightly warm loaf and spread it out quickly to let it drip over the sides. The icing will set quickly from the brown butter.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR BROWN BUTTER APPLE BREAD

• Use room temperature ingredients. Since this is a simple quick bread mixing method, it is important to have all ingredients at the same room temperature (not cold) in order to help them blend evenly together. Make sure the eggs are at room temperature.
• Sift the dry ingredients. This is optional, but it will minimize the amount of mixing needed to combine the ingredients evenly so that you do not over-mix the batter. It will give you the best results for a finer texture crumb as well since the sieve will break up all the flour particles and help disperse the baking powder.
• Do not over-mix the batter. It is important that the batter is smooth, but stop as soon as you get to that point. Over-mixing can lead to a gummy and dense loaf.
• Do not over-bake. Over-baking can lead to a dry cake in any case.

RECIPE FAQ

STORING AND FREEZING

If you love cake and fruit, check out these recipes!

More apple recipes

Looking for more delicious recipes with apple? Try these:

Craving cake

Craving more cake? Here are plenty more delicious recipes:

Video

Brown Butter Apple Bread

Christina Marsigliese, Food Scientist MSc.

Soft, moist and full of flavor, this Brown Butter Apple Bread is easy to make and loaded with fresh apples. The combination of brown butter, brown sugar and warm spices makes it taste so cozy and perfect for Fall.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 10 servings

Ingredients

  

Apple Bread Batter:

• 1 ¾ cups (250g) all purpose flour
• 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• ½ cup (110g) packed light brown sugar,
• ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (120ml) unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup (75g) unsalted butter
• 2 cups (280g) grated apple from about 2 medium apples

Brown Butter Icing:

• 1 tablespoon (14g) salted butter browned
• 2 tablespoon (30ml) whole milk
• ½ cup (60g) powdered confectioner's sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon salt

NOTE: This makes just a small amount for a thin glaze. If you want a thicker layer of icing, you can double the recipe.

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan or 9 x 5-inch loaf pan  with parchment paper leaving a 2-inch overhang at each end and secure them down with metal binder clips. Lightly grease any exposed sides.
• Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Whisk to blend evenly and set aside.
• Now prepare the apples. Grate apples on the coarse side of a box grater. If you measure it out, you should have 2 cups of grated apple. Cover it and set aside.
• Brown the butter. Place the butter in a small saucepan and cook it over medium heat until the milk solids brown. It will crackle and foam up as the moisture evaporates before it turns golden with brown flecks. Follow the detailed instructions in this post here to learn how to brown butter in a 1-quart stainless steel saucepan. Set it aside to cool slightly.
• Combine eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, applesauce and vanilla in a large bowl. Add slightly cooled brown butter and whisk it in until smooth. Add the dry ingredients all at once and fold them gently until mostly combined with a few streaks of flour remaining. Add the grated apple and fold it in until evenly distributed. Do not over-mix the batter.
• Transfer batter to the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Draw a line through the center of the batter down its length with a butter knife and bake for 45-50 minutes until evenly golden on top and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes, then use the overhanging parchment to lift the loaf out of the pan and continue cooling on the rack while you make the glaze.
• Make the glaze. Place the butter in a small saucepan and cook it over medium heat until the milk solids brown. It will crackle and foam up as the moisture evaporates before it turns golden with brown flecks. Read this post hear on details for how to brown butter. Once it is browned, carefully stir one tablespoon of milk into the hot brown butter in the pan. It will sizzle a bit. Add powdered sugar with the remaining milk and salt and whisk it in until smooth and glossy. Drizzle the warm icing over the slightly warm loaf and spread it out quickly to let it drip over the sides. The icing will set quickly from the brown butter.