Easiest Chunky Apple Cinnamon Bread Recipe – Made Healthier With Applesauce!

 by Texas Homesteader ~ 

This moist chunky apple bread is cinnamony, delicious & super easy to make. Plus I make it healthier by substituting oil with homemade applesauce! You can bake it either as muffins or as a loaf. 

Chunky Apple Cinnamon Bread or muffin recipe made with applesauce. #TexasHomesteader

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Chunky Apple/Cinnamon Bread Recipe

This recipe is one of our favorite sweets – chunky apple cinnamon bread made either into muffins or baked in a sweet bread loaf.

This chunky apple bread is moist & delicious. You can make it into muffins instead if you want. #TexasHomesteader

I make the recipe even healthier by substituting at least half (but most of the time ALL) of the oil with applesauce. I realize all things in moderation, but I push toward healthier options when possible.

So I often use my homemade applesauce, either regular or sometimes the cinnamon applesauce I’d canned. Less oil, more healthy apple and even more cinnamony flavor. 

Ingredients For Chunky Apple Cinnamon Bread

The ingredients for this recipe are pretty simple. Y’all know I’m a sucker for simple recipes in the kitchen! #HaveIMentionedIDontLikeToCook??!

      • Cream sugar & eggs (I use the whisk attachment and my *KitchenAid Mixer.)

      • Add oil, applesauce & vanilla. 

In separate bowl mix dry ingredients:

      • flour,

      • salt,

      • baking soda,

      • cinnamon. (I may have purposely been heavy-handed with the cinnamon measurement. We love cinnamon!)

Then fold flour mixture into wet ingredients just until combined. (batter will be thick)

 

Now my attention turned to those apples! 

How Many Apples Makes 3 Cups?

Your actual apple quantity might vary a bit depending upon how big your apples are. You’re looking for approximately 3 cups.

I’ve found that 3 cups is about 3 smaller apples or 2 large apples.

My handy *Apple Peeler/Corer worked great to peel, slice and core each apple in seconds.

Apple Peeler/slicer/corer processes apples in seconds. #TexasHomesteder

Faster/Easier in the kitchen is my wheelhouse, y’all. (have I mentioned how much I LOVE that thing??!!)

After peeling & slicing the apples I quickly chopped the slices into chunks. I prefer actual chunks here, but feel free to chop them even smaller if you like. 

Add chopped apples to batter. These Chunky Apple Cinnamon Muffins are quick & easy, using only standard ingredients. And they're made even healthier with applesauce #TexasHomesteader

When all was ready I used a large spatula to fold the apples into the thick batter. I love how many chunky apples I’m seeing!

Chunky Apple Cinnamon Bread Baked In A Loaf Pan

Most of the time I like to make this recipe in a loaf pan instead of muffins. That way I can bake and freeze a whole loaf to have something sweet available, even for unexpected company.

You can typically change a muffin recipe to a bread-pan recipe by changing the baking time to about an hour.

The procedure for making the batter is all the same of course. But instead of scooping the batter into muffin cups, I transferred it all into a loaf pan.

I didn’t bother greasing the pan or anything, but of course you could do that if you wish.

Yep, I’m a ‘Shoot From The Hip‘ kinda gal! And easier/faster/less effort in the kitchen always gets my vote. LOL

My loaf pan was larger 10″ x 5.25″ size so all the batter in this large recipe fit. I’m not sure it would have fit into a typical 9″ x 5″ pan unless it was a deep one.

Baking A Loaf Of Apple Bread – Regular Or Solar Oven

In a regular 350ºF oven you’d bake it for 50-60 minutes. You can use a toothpick inserted into the center to test to see if it’s done.

When the toothpick comes out clean, your chunky apple cinnamon bread is ready. Internal temperature will read 200° F with quick-read thermometer. 

But with the temps & humidity spiking like it is I’m sure not gonna turn on my oven for an hour! So I baked the loaf in my *Solar Oven instead. 

This chunky apple bread is delicious and can be baked into muffins or bread. I like to use my solar oven during the summer months. #TexasHomesteader

I almost always bake my chunky apple cinnamon loaf in my solar oven. Especially during those hot & humid summer months! 

For my solar oven it was close to 1.5 hours baking time. Solar baking depends on how much sun/clouds you end up with and whether or not you adjust the oven to track the sun.

But in a solar oven I don’t worry much about bake-time perfection. It’s very difficult for a solar oven to actually burn the bread.

Apple Bread Honey Drizzle Topping Option

RancherMan’s got a sweet tooth. So occasionally when I’m baking a sweet bread like this apple bread or Cantaloupe Bread, or even Pumpkin Bread, I’ll add a quick honey glaze. It’s so easy. 

These Chunky Apple Cinnamon Muffins are quick & easy, using only standard ingredients. And they're made even healthier with applesauce. You can even bake it in a loaf pan instead #TexasHomesteader

      • 1 Tablespoon melted butter,

      • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar,

      • 1/4 Cup honey,

Stir to combine & drizzle on the top of the loaf while it’s still hot from the oven. Sometimes I’ll add chopped pecans too if I have them. 

Easy Honey Drizzle Topping For Sweet Breads #TexasHomesteader

Can You Make Apple Cinnamon Bread Into Muffins?

Of course you can make apple cinnamon bread into muffins. This is a large recipe that makes about 24 muffins. So I use two muffin pans to hold it all.

Into each muffin spot I added my *Reusable Silicone Muffin Cups. I’m all about ditching disposables. 

Reusable silicone baking cups are a zero-waste muffin option. These Chunky Apple Cinnamon Muffins are quick & easy, using only standard ingredients. And they're made even healthier with applesauce #TexasHomesteader

Using a large cookie scoop I transferred the batter into the muffin cups, filling them about 2/3 full. I tapped the muffin pan on the counter a few times to smooth the batter some.

Optional Crunchy Sugar Topping

Sometimes I sprinkle a little coarse sugar on top to give them that subtle muffiny crunch. It gives the muffin tops a cinnamon-toast texture that RancherMan loves.

I guess I used a total of about 1/4 cup of sugar to sprinkle the top of the muffins. 

Add coarse sugar to top of muffin batter. These Chunky Apple Cinnamon Muffins are quick & easy, using only standard ingredients. And they're made even healthier with applesauce #TexasHomesteader

Now into the oven my muffins went. You’ll want to bake them until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the muffins comes out clean or internal temperatures are 200ºF.

When all was done I brought the muffins out of the oven and allowed them to cool. I was pleased that the muffins peeled from the silicone muffin cups pretty easily. 

Those reusable muffin cups were easy to wash too. I’m going to love not buying disposable muffin papers anymore!

Chunky apple muffins made healthier with applesauce in place of some of the oil. #TexasHomesteader

RancherMan gave the muffins a try. He loved them! Truly, my heart is happy when he raves like this. 🙂

Muffins or bread – it’s all good!

Did you make this Apple Bread? Please rate the recipe in your comment below!

Sweet bread made with chunky apples, cinnamon and applesauce to replace the oil. #TexasHomesteader
5 from 1 vote
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Chunky Apple Cinnamon Muffins (or bread)

Plenty of apple chunks and flavorful cinnamon makes for some delightfully moist muffins. Make healthier by replacing 1/2 of the oil with healthy applesauce. #TexasHomesteader

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword apples, applesauce, cinnamon, muffins
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 24 muffins
Author www.TexasHomesteader.com

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup oil (can substitute 1/2 with applesauce)
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
  • 3 cups peeled, cored, diced apples (around 3 small apples or 2 large)
  • ¼ cup brown sugar topping (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

  2. In a large bowl cream together the 1.5 cups sugar and 2 eggs. Add 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup applesauce and a Tablespoon of vanilla extract. Mix until thoroughly blended.

  3. In separate bowl add 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1.5 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix to blend completely.
  4. Fold gently into wet ingredients just until combined. The batter will be very thick.
  5. Add 3 cups peeled, cored, diced apples and fold gently to incorporate.

  6. (NOTE) If making a loaf instead of individual muffins, see note at the bottom.

    For Muffins: Butter & flour muffin tins or use cupcake liners. Using a cookie scoop, fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle tops with brown sugar if desired, about 1/2 tsp. sugar per muffin.

  7. Bake for 20-25 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of muffins will come out clean when muffins are done.

Recipe Notes

NOTE: For a loaf bread - add batter to a larger 10" x 5.5" loaf pan and bake 350 degrees for about an hour. A toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean when bread is done and internal temperature will read 200° F with a quick-read thermometer.

OPTION - For the Apple Bread baked in a loaf pan, it's a delicious option to add a honey glaze (1 Tablespoon melted butter, stir in 1 Tablespoon brown sugar until dissolved, add 1/4 cup honey) to the top of the bread while it's still hot. Glaze will thicken a little at room temperature.

~TxH~

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2 thoughts on “Easiest Chunky Apple Cinnamon Bread Recipe – Made Healthier With Applesauce!

  1. Thelma Briggs

    5 stars
    This apple bread is amazing! I always make it into a loaf instead of muffins. A loaf pan is easier to wash than a muffin tin or disposable cupcake liners. Works for me. I also almost always include the honey drizzle on top, it really kicks it up a notch.

    Reply
  2. candace ford

    I always love to hear about the things you do where you are. We have 2 remaining old apple trees and all the trees the bird man planted when we moved to my folk’s place when we retired. I don’t bake much (we don’t need to eat too many “goodies” at our ages), I’d share the apples, but everyone out here has plenty and they aren’t “nice” enough to donate to a food share – they are certainly “good” enough – no spray or any other poisons, but the trees are old and some of the fruit is less than beautiful. the grass in our field is high and today the elk herd came in to graze. numerous darling calves, 2 4×4 bulls and a couple of spikes, all still in “the velvet” – life is good in the boon docks.

    Reply

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