Gluten-free Apple Bread

The kitchen smells amazing when a loaf of this gluten-free apple bread is baking! It’s a favorite gluten-free sweet bread. 

This gluten-free cinnamon bread is loaded with chunks of fresh, tart apples. Every fall I get at least 40 pounds of either of our favorite tart apple varieties: McIntosh or Pink Lady. Then I bake up my favorite gluten-free apple recipes, including my gluten-free apple cake and my gluten-free apple crisp. 

How to make this gluten-free apple bread:

Grab your stand mixer or hand mixer. Mix up the wet ingredients (buttermilk, egg, oil, and sugar) until mixed.

Add the dry ingredients (gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt) and mix on low just until mixed.

Dice an apple and mix with cinnamon. Grab a spatula and stir in the cinnamon apples into the batter. 

Into your greased loaf pan, you’ll layer: 1/2 of batter, 1/2 of cinnamon/sugar, 1/2 of batter, remaining cinnamon/sugar. Then you’ll grab a wooden skewer or long toothpick to swirl the cinnamon sugar throughout the loaf. Then you’ll bake for about 55 minutes.

Here’s a look at before and after baking this apple cinnamon bread (you can see the swirling back and forth I did):

You’ll know this is done when a toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into the baked loaf comes out with moist crumbs only, no wet batter. Given the wet apples inside, you might have to poke a couple spots to be sure. 

Notes on ingredients and substitutions for this gluten-free apple bread:

• Apples: I recommend using a good tart apple that’s suitable for baking. I personally always prefer McIntosh, Pink Lady, or Braeburn. 
• Flour: Use a good quality certified gluten-free flour blend. Some that I generally recommend are: gfJules, King Arthur Measure for Measure, Authentic Foods Multi-Blend Flour, Gluten-free Mama’s Almond Blend, and Cup4Cup.
• Xanthan gum:  If your flour blend doesn’t have xanthan or guar gum in it already, you’ll need to add it, as indicated in the recipe, otherwise your muffins will fall apart. I buy mine from Amazon with a single bag lasting me at least a year or more!
• Buttermilk: Buttermilk makes these tender. If you can’t have dairy, you can make your own dairy-free buttermilk substitute.
• Cinnamon: Cinnamon stars in this recipe, so use a good quality, fresh cinnamon. I noticed a huge difference when I stopped using generic store-brand cinnamon and started using this Kirkland Saigon cinnamon that I buy at Costco (or you can buy from Amazon here). 
• Oil: Use your favorite flavorless oil. I tend to use corn oil in my baking, but you can use a vegetable oil or a light tasting olive oil or other oil.

I actually tried this apple cinnamon bread with a glaze and found that I much preferred it with this cinnamon/sugar topping instead of a glaze. So try it this way first with the cinnamon sugar topping. If you want to add a glaze on top, simply mix together milk and powdered sugar to the consistency you want and drizzle over the gluten-free apple loaf.

This gluten-free apple bread would be a great addition to any gluten-free brunch you’re having. This gluten-free sweet bread would go great with this savory gluten-free breakfast casserole. It would also go great with this gluten-free quiche recipe from my friend Megan. For a drink for your gluten-free brunch, make this hot apple cider.

I ate slices of this gluten-free apple cinnamon bread plain. But you can totally slather a slice with butter or apple butter!

This apple cinnamon bread recipe was adapted from this buttermilk cinnamon bread recipe from Sweet Recipeas.

Gluten-free Apple Bread Recipe:

Yield: 1 loaf

Gluten-free Apple Cinnamon Bread

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This gluten-free cinnamon bread is loaded with chunks of fresh, tart apples. Apple cinnamon bread goes well with any gluten-free brunch!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup oil (I used corn oil)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups gluten-free flour blend
• 3/4 tsp. xanthan gum*
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt

cinnamon apples

• 1 cup diced, peeled apples
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Cinnamon Sugar Swirl

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. cinnamon

Instructions

1. Spray loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. In your mixing bowl, beat together buttermilk, egg oil, and sugar until mixed.
4. Whisk the gluten-free flour blend, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt in another bowl. Then add to the mixing bowl.
5. Mix on low until just mixed, but don't overmix.
6. In a small bowl, combine the diced apple chunks and cinnamon. Stir into batter with a spatula just until mixed in.
7. In a separate bowl mix together 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon for layering/swirling
8. Scoop half of the batter into the loaf pan. Sprinkle with about half of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
9. Scoop the rest of the batter on top. Then sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar over the top.
10. Take a skewer or long toothpick and drag thru all layers in a snake-like motion, back and forth a few times. This will swirl the cinnamon sugar throughout the batter while still leaving plenty on top!
11. Place in the preheated oven and bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted the baked loaf comes out with moist crumbs, not batter.
12. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing to serve.

Notes

*If using a gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum or guar gum already in it, be sure to omit the xanthan gum called for in the recipe.

You'll know this is done when a wooden skewer or long toothpick inserted into the baked loaf comes out with moist crumbs only, no wet batter. Given the wet apples inside, you might have to poke a couple spots to be sure. 

I ate slices of this gluten-free apple cinnamon bread plain. But you can totally slather a slice with butter, margarine or apple butter.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  OXO Good Grips Swivel Peeler
• 
  Kirkland Saigon Cinnamon 10.7 Oz Bottles( Pack of 2) - 21.4 Oz Total
• 
  6 inch Natural Bamboo Skewers, Wooden Kebab Skewers  (100pcs)

Pin this apple cinnamon bread to your gluten-free quick bread board on Pinterest:

I hope you and your family enjoy this gf apple bread as much as my family does!