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My Apple Bread Is Full Of Apples, Not Refined Sugar
Ingredients & Substitutions
How To Make Apple Bread
My Recipe Tips
Apple Bread (No Refined Sugar) Recipe card
Recipe Reviews

My Apple Bread Is Full Of Apples, Not Refined Sugar

Maya slicing apple bread in her kitchen.

I tested this apple bread 5 times over the summer until it had the super moist crumb and apple cinnamon flavor I wanted. Now that it’s actually peak apple season, I’ve made it 2 more times just for the fall vibes. Here’s why this version is the one:

Tender apples, plus apple cinnamon flavor throughout – Yes, you’ll find chopped apples inside as well as on top. But also, I love that the actual apple bread tastes like fall apples too, thanks to the applesauce and cinnamon in the batter.
Super moist, but not fragile – I tested this recipe 5 times with different ratios of einkorn and almond flour, and different amounts of wet ingredients. (You might recognize the flour blend from my cottage cheese muffins and rugelach cookies!) This was the perfect balance of moist but still with a soft crumb texture, not too wet. And yes, it’s sturdy enough to pick up without falling apart!
Protein, fiber, and no refined sugar – I didn’t go overboard and make this apple bread recipe something it’s not. But each slice has 4 grams of protein, just a little fiber, and that fall brown sugar taste without any actual added sugar.
Easy fall baking – You just need 2 bowls, a whisk, and a spatula, and the prep is quick. My kids helped me with all this testing… and eating.

I like this apple cinnamon bread just as much for a healthy breakfast as an afternoon snack, especially now that it’s finally fall. Grab some apples and make a loaf with me!

Moist apple cinnamon bread cut into slices on a cutting board.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my easy apple bread recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

Apples – I used Honeycrisp, my favorite sweet-tart flavor for baking. I’ve got a few tips for your options here:
- Good apple types – Besides Honeycrisp, other firm baking apples (like Pink Lady or Granny Smith) work well. You can even combine sweet and tart apples for flavor variety.
- Avoid these – I don’t recommend Red Delicious or McIntosh apples, which tend to break down and lose their texture during baking. Overripe apples (of any variety!) are also not great for the same reason.
- Peeling – I don’t peel mine, but you can if you prefer a smoother texture.
- Extra apples – My apple bread recipe calls for 2 cups and I usually add them to a measuring cup as I chop. If you have extras left over, turn them into my cinnamon apple chips!
Einkorn & Almond Flours – My favorite baking combo lately for a balance of tenderness, structure, and nutritional value.
- Einkorn flour is from an ancient grain with a slightly nutty flavor, a lighter feel, and gluten that’s easier for some people (like me) to digest than modern wheat. You can use regular all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour in its place if that fits your needs.
- For the almond flour, I highly recommend Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour, because it’s super fine, so the crumb doesn’t turn gritty. Don’t replace it with another type of flour here, because that would require other changes to the recipe — white flour lacks the same fat content and coconut flour absorbs too much moisture.
Besti Sweeteners – I use Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend in the dry ingredients for sweetness without refined sugar, plus Besti Brown Monk Fruit Allulose Blend in the wet mixture for a brown sugar flavor. Both dissolve and bake like sugar (without any weird aftertaste!), but the real bonus is they make the apple bread more moist. While other alternatives may mix in fine, the result will be more dry.
Greek Yogurt, Applesauce & Avocado Oil – These work together to create a very moist, tender crumb, plus the applesauce has a bonus of adding a little apple flavor to every bite.
Eggs & Baking Powder – For binding and lift. Common egg substitutes may work, but the bread won’t be quite as sturdy.
Cinnamon, Sea Salt & Vanilla – To bring out that cozy apple flavor. You can also swap in apple pie spice instead of the cinnamon if you like, or just add a pinch of nutmeg.

Labeled recipe ingredients: apples, einkorn flour, almond flour, Besti monk fruit allulose blend, baking powder, cinnamon, sea salt, Greek yogurt, unsweetened applesauce, Besti Brown monk fruit allulose blend, avocado oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.

How To Make Apple Bread

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

Prepare the pan and dry ingredients. Line a loaf pan (I use this size) with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides. In a large bowl, whisk together the einkorn flour, almond flour, Besti, baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt.
Mix the wet ingredients. In a second bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, applesauce, Besti Brown, avocado oil, eggs, and vanilla.

Combine the batter. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then pour in the wet mixture. Stir just until combined. The batter will be very thick and sticky at this point.
Fold in the apples. Gently fold about 3/4 of the chopped apples into the batter.

Wet and dry ingredients combined into a thick apple bread batter.

Chopped apples folded into thick apple bread batter.

Fill the pan. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle the remaining apples over it. I press them in gently, so they don’t fall off later.
Bake and cool. Bake the apple bread in the oven until the top turns golden. Cover it loosely with foil and continue baking — that way the center can finish without the top of the bread getting too dark. I leave it in the pan a bit first, then move to a wire rack. See my tips below for notes on baking and cooling timing!

Apple bread batter topped with chopped apples in a loaf pan.

Sliced apple bread recipe after cooling.

My Recipe Tips

This batter is VERY thick and sticky, but DON’T thin it out. The apples release more liquid as they bake. If you add more liquid, the bread will stay gummy or might not even set at all. Seriously, I tried all the ways!
Measure the flours lightly. I spoon them into the measuring cups or scoop, then level the tops. Packed flour can make the loaf dry and heavy.
Keep the apple pieces small and even. I aim for 1/4-inch pieces. Larger chunks can create wet pockets, not soften in time, or make the bread fall apart when you slice it.
Double the cinnamon if you want a more prominent apple cinnamon bread. I kept it light to make the spice bring out the apple flavor rather than be the main flavor.
This is a lightly sweet quick bread, not dessert-level sweet. If you want it sweeter, increase the amount of Besti to 1/2 cup.
Feel free to toss in some add-ins. I left it at just apple pieces, but you can easily fold in 1/2 cup of walnuts, pecans, raisins, or even dried cranberries.
Check the true center for doneness. I do check that an inserted toothpick comes out clean, but for this apple bread, an instant-read thermometer is the more reliable measure to ensure you get that soft crumb and not a wet loaf. The center should reach 200 degrees F.
Let the loaf cool completely. The crumb continues to set as it cools, so this is important! Slicing while it’s warm can make even a fully baked loaf seem wet.