I bake this healthy apple bread every fall. It's made with almond flour, oat flour and minimally and naturally sweetened. Even without using all-purpose flour, this bread still bakes ups soft with a tender and fluffy crumb. Takes just one bowl and 15 minutes to mix up the ingredients and get ready for the oven.
If you love healthier apple recipes, then you should try apple cinnamon baked oatmeal, apple oat muffins and healthy apple crisp next.
Why You'll Love This Healthy Apple Bread
- Soft, fluffy crumb without white flour:Â Using a combination of oat flour and almond flour helps to create a soft, fluffy crumb you'd expect in a quick bread. Looking for a grain-free fall baked good? Try my fluffy almond flour pumpkin muffins.
- Naturally and minimally sweetened: I use coconut sugar to lightly sweetened the bread. Each slice has about half as much sugar as traditional quick breads made with white sugar and brown sugar.
- No oil: The applesauce replaces any need for oil, so you won't even find unrefined oils in this recipe.
- Great with morning or afternoon coffee. When there is a loaf of this on our counter, I'm eating at least 2 slices a day (one with my morning coffee and one with my afternoon coffee).
- Fits many dietary needs. This bread can be made gluten-free by using certified gluten-free oat flour and is already dairy-free.
I love making better-for-your baked goods and finding ways to make classic baked goods without using refined all-purpose white flour. I like using both oat flour and almond flour (like in my healthy gluten-free pumpkin bread).
The oat flour provides whole grains and the almond flour lowers the carbs. It also happens to keep this bread gluten-free for my gluten-free friends.
Using both is essential in creating a tender, fluffy crumb (not a dense and gummy one). I do add in a little bit of tapioca starch to help bind the ingredients and give structure. While this is a refined ingredient, it's pretty minimal and is needed for that perfect crumb, so I let is slide in this recipe 🙂
And as a bonus, there are 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber in one slice. Not bad for a slice of bread! Love protein in your baked goods? Check out my protein banana muffins or healthy chocolate protein banana bread.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Healthy Apple Bread
- Ingredient Notes
- Optional Add-ins & Variations
- How to Make Healthy Apple Cinnamon Bread
- Sara's Tips for Making Healthy Apple Bread
- What Makes This Apple Bread Healthy?
- How to Store
- Recipe FAQs
- More Recipes with Apples to Try
- Healthy Apple Bread (with almond flour and oat flour)
Ingredient Notes
- Almond flour - Use almond flour and not almond meal. Almond flour is more finely ground and works best in this healthy apple cinnamon bread.
- Oat flour - If making for someone with celiac's or a gluten sensitivity, be sure to use certified gluten-free oat flour (even though oats are technically gluten free, they can become contaminated during processing). Also, I prefer to make my own oat flour - it's easier and cheaper! You can try oat flour in my banana oat muffins with oat flour, too!
- Apples - I recommend you use sweet, crisp apples, like honeycrisp, gala, or pink lady. If you have extras, try my air fryer apples, which also use sweet, crisp apples.
- Applesauce - Applesauce should be unsweetened. I use plain, but cinnamon can also be used.
A complete list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card below. The above are some specific notes to help with selecting ingredients.
Optional Add-ins & Variations
- Chopped walnuts or pecans. You can never go wrong with adding in some nuts for healthy fats and a nice crunch. I also love added chopped nuts in my healthy gluten-free pumpkin scones and pumpkin oatmeal breakfast cookies.
- Add cinnamon apples to the top of the loaf before baking. For an extra special treat and gooey cinnamon top, mix 1 cup chopped apples with 1 tablespoon coconut sugar and ½ tsp. cinnamon and then sprinkle on the top of the loaf before baking.
How to Make Healthy Apple Cinnamon Bread
Step 1: Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Then, make a well in the center.
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients to the well, and whisk the wet ingredients together.
Step 3: Gently mix the wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients. Do not over mix.
Step 4: Fold in the peeled and chopped apples.
Step 5: Pour batter into a prepared loaf pan. Spread batter evenly and sprinkle with additional chopped apples.
Step 6: Bake at 350-degrees F for 35-45 minutes. Allow to cool before slicing.
Tip: Allow bread to cool for 5 minutes in the loaf pan and then transfer to a cutting board or cooling rack to finish cooling. The bread will continue to set as it cools, so be sure to allow it to fully cool before slicing. I wait about an hour before I dive in!
Sara's Tips for Making Healthy Apple Bread
- Weigh your dry ingredients. If you don't have a kitchen scale, scoop and level the flour. Do not pack the flour into the measuring cups.
- Use room temperature eggs. Room temp eggs mix better with the oat and almond flour helping the bread to rise properly.
- Gently combine ingredients and over mix the batter. Gently mix until all ingredients are incorporate. Over mixing can result is dense, flat bread.
- Use an 8.5" x 4.5" loaf pan. Pan size matters and using an 8.5"x4.5" loaf pan makes difference compared to a 9"x5". If you use a 9x5 loaf pan, you're bread will be slightly thinner and you'll have to reduce baking time.
- Let the batter rest for 15 minutes before baking. Letting the batter rest allows the oat flour to absorb some of the moisture, resulting in a lighter, fluffier texture.
- Fully cool before slicing. Yes, it will be tempting to slice right away, but this bread will continue to set as it cools. It will be easier to slice and will hold it's shape after it's fully cooled.
What Makes This Apple Bread Healthy?
First, let's start off by stating this isn't a health food. And the term "healthy" is very subjective. But, it is an all-encompassing term to say something is "better-for-you." So, here we are with this "healthy" apple bread and what makes this a healthier (I like the term "clean-eating") apple bread.
- No refined white flour. The base is made with oat flour, for whole grains, and almond flour for healthy fats and also lowers the carbs.
- Naturally sweetened. I use coconut sugar to lightly sweeten the bread. While it's still added sugar, coconut sugar is unrefined and a more natural way to sweeten baked goods. My gluten-free pumpkin scones are sweetened with coconut sugar, too.
- Lower in added sugar. Each slice has 10g of sugar, but just 8 grams of added sugar (there are som natural sugars from the apples). Many apple loafs have upwards of 20g of added sugar per slice.
How to Store
Storing: After the bread has completely cooled, store in an airtight container at room temp. This healthy apple cinnamon bread will stay fresh on the counter for up to 2 days. Or, store in the fridge to extend the shelf life up to 5 days.
Freezing: This bread also freezes great. I recommend slicing and then freezing so you can easily grab a slice at a time. Store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Stasher bags are my favorite for storing slices of quick breads in the freezer. Thaw bread at room temperature or warm slightly in the microwave.
Recipe FAQs
The best types of apples are ones that are crisp and sweet, such as honeycrisp apples or pink lady. If you'd like something more tart, green apples are also a great choice since they are nice and crisp. You can also try a combo of sweet and tart.
Absolutely! Slice into individual slices and then place in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
While I have not personally tested this with an egg substitute, you can definitely try using flax eggs as an egg replacement. Aside from the eggs, all other ingredients in this bread are vegan.
The almond flour and oat flour behave differently with the other ingredients in this recipe, therefore I do not recommend using just one or the other. If allergies are a concern and you need something without almond flour, try my apple cinnamon oatmeal muffins.
No, you don't have to. If you prefer to skip this step, the bread will still turn out. In fact, half the time I skip the step as it's really not needed.
More Recipes with Apples to Try
Did you make this recipe? Leave a star rating and comment below. It helps other readers and means so much to me. And don't forget to tag @CleanPlateMama on Instagram or Facebook so I can see your creations!
Love my recipes? Add Clean Plate Mama as one of your preferred Google sources so you'll see more of my recipes!
Eat Clean.Be Well!
-Sara
Healthy Apple Bread (with almond flour and oat flour)
Save This Recipe For Later!
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 8.5"x4.5" loaf pan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup almond flour (143g)
- ¾ cup oat flour (85g)
- ¼ cup tapioca starch (30g) (also called tapioca flour)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 eggs, room temp
- ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce, room temp
- â…” cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup peeled and chopped apples (Gala, Honeycrisp, or Fuji are best)
Optional Cinnamon Sugar Apple Topping
- 1 small/medium apple, peeled and chopped (Gala, Honeycrisp, or Fuji are best)
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees F and lightly grease an 8.5"x4.5" loaf pan, or line with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, oat flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.1 ½ cup almond flour (143g), ¾ cup oat flour (85g), ¼ cup tapioca starch (30g), 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the eggs, applesauce, coconut sugar, and vanilla. Whisk the wet ingredients together in the center, then gently mix them into the dry ingredients until fully combined. Do not over mix. Then, fold in the chopped apples.2 eggs, room temp, ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce, room temp, ⅔ cup coconut sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 cup peeled and chopped apples
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and evenly spread in pan. Let the batter rest in the pan for 10 minutes. This step is important to help the oat flour absorb the liquids, preventing soggy bread.
- If adding the cinnamon apples to the top of the loaf, mix together the apples, coconut sugar, and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of the batter while the batter is resting.1 small/medium apple, peeled and chopped, 1 tablespoon coconut sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check the bread around 30 minutes and if it's starting to brown too much, place a piece of aluminum foil, folded in half, over the bread.
- Cool the bread in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack or plate to finish cooling before slicing. I usually wait about 45 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- For best results, use an 8.5"x4.5" loaf pan. If you use a 9x5 pan, slightly reduce baking time and just know your bread won't be as tall.Â
- It's best to use a kitchen scale to measure the dry ingredients. If you don't have a kitchen scale, scoop and level the flour into the measuring cups. Do not pack it in.Â
- Feel free to save a few of the chopped apples for sprinkling over the batter before baking.Â
- Oven times vary... start checking the bread around 35-38 minutes. When a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, it's done. My oven takes 38 minutes.Â
- If adding the cinnamon apples on the top, you may need to increase the baking time by about 5 minutes.Â
- Allow the bread to fully cool before slicing. The bread will continue to set as it cools.Â
- Bread will stay fresh at room temp for up to 2 days. Store in fridge to extend shelf life.Â
Nutrition
Save This Recipe For Later!
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.
Deborah Paukner says
Can you use flax eggs for this recipe?
Sara says
Hi Deborah- I have not personally tried flax eggs, however, I know most recipes similar to this one do turn out with flax eggs, so I would think flax eggs would work just fine in this one too. If you do try, let me know how it goes 🙂 Thanks!
Sara says
We are loving this recipe right now! Easy to make, love the clean ingredients, and as a bonus, it leaves my kitchen smelling amazing!