This Vegan Apple Bread recipe is the ultimate fall treat, filled with pockets of cinnamon apples and warming spices. With its tender, moist texture and deliciously sweet flavor, this loaf is pure autumn comfort in every bite. 🍎🍂
This classic vegan cinnamon apple bread brings all the flavors of autumn straight to your kitchen. With soft, cake-like slices filled with cinnamon-swirled apples and just the right touch of nutmeg, this loaf is a delicious blend of sweet and spice. The tender, fall-apart texture makes it irresistible—each bite offers bursts of juicy apples reminiscent of apple crisp.
This vegan apple bread is simple to make and perfect for breakfast, dessert, or an anytime snack. It also freezes well, so I love to keep a loaf on hand for unexpected guests, served with a hot cup of coffee, or tea.
Looking for more quick bread recipes? Try my Easy Vegan Banana Bread, Vegan Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread, Easy Vegan Zucchini Bread, Vegan Lemon Loaf, or Vegan Cranberry Pistachio Loaf.
Ingredients:
- Granny Smith Apple: A classic choice for its tart flavor and firm texture, but feel free to experiment with other varieties like Honeycrisp, Fuji, Braeburn, Pink Lady, or Gala, depending on your flavor and texture preferences.
- Brown & White Sugar: Brown sugar adds a rich, caramel-like sweetness to the apples, while white sugar sweetens the bread, maintaining a light, tender crumb.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt are essential for that warming, classic apple-cinnamon flavor.
- Ground Flax or Chia Seeds: These serve as an egg replacement, helping to bind the batter together.
- Vegan Butter: Provides a rich, buttery texture and flavor, enhancing the overall taste of the bread. My go-to brand is Earth Balance.
- Applesauce: Adds moisture and naturally enhances the apple flavor in the bread.
- Plant-Based Milk: Any kind will work in this recipe such as oat, soy, almond, or coconut.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These leavening agents help the bread rise, resulting in a light and fluffy texture.
- All-Purpose Flour: The base of the batter that provides the necessary structure.
How to Make Vegan Apple Bread:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
Prepare the apples: In a medium bowl, mix the chopped apples with brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
Make the flax/chia egg: Combine the ground flax or chia seeds with warm water and set aside to thicken. (Chia thickens almost instantly, while flax takes about 10 minutes.)
Prepare the batter: In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together the vegan butter and white sugar until fluffy.
Mix in the flax/chia egg, applesauce, plant-based milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Stir until combined (the mixture may look curdled, but that’s okay). Gently fold in the flour until just combined—don’t overmix.
Assemble: Pour half the batter into the loaf pan. Add all of the apple cinnamon mixture (along with any sauce) over the batter.
Then pour over the remaining batter. Use a knife to gently swirl the batter to mix in some of the apples.
Bake for 55–75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Apples can add moisture, so baking times may vary. Allow the loaf to cool completely in the pan.
Slice and enjoy: Once cooled, carefully remove from the pan and enjoy. The bread has a fall-apart texture which is part of what makes it so delicious, but this means that it can be tricky to cut tidy slices. To cut the best slices, ensure the bread is cooled completely before slicing, and you can even pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes to make slicing easier.
Notes
Storage/Freezing Instructions: Store the vegan apple bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. Freeze in a freezer bag or container for up to 3 months.
Other Apple Choices: While Granny Smith apples are a classic choice for this recipe due to their tart flavor and firm texture, other varieties can work just as well. Honeycrisp, Fuji, Braeburn, Pink Lady, or Gala apples will all work too, depending on your flavor and texture preferences.
This vegan apple bread recipe is...
- Swirled with cinnamon, brown sugar, and bites of apple
- Moist, tender, and fall-apart delicious
- Perfect for a sweet breakfast treat or dessert
More vegan apple recipes to try:
- Easy Vegan Apple Crumble
- The Best Vegan Apple Pie
- Easy Homemade Apple Cider
- Apple Pie Dog Treats
- Crunchy Apple Chips
- Mini Apple Pies - Baked in an apple
- Vegan Baked Apple Cinnamon Fritters
- Date Caramel Apples
- Smoked Apple Veggie Burgers
If you try this recipe let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Vegan Apple Bread
Servings: (makes 1 loaf)
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Ingredients
For the Cinnamon Sugar Apples:
- 6.5 oz / 185g Granny smith apple, (about 2 small apples) peeled, cored, and cubed
- ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the Batter:
- 2 tablespoons ground flax or ground chia
- 5 tablespoons warm water
- ½ cup vegan butter, softened
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ⅓ cup applesauce
- ½ cup plant-based milk, (such as oat or soy)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- Prepare the apples: In a medium bowl, mix the cubed apples with brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Make the flax/chia egg: Combine the ground flax or chia seeds with warm water and set aside to thicken. (Chia thickens almost instantly, while flax takes about 10 minutes.)
- Prepare the batter: In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together the vegan butter and white sugar until fluffy.
- Mix in the flax/chia egg, applesauce, plant-based milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Stir until combined (the mixture may look curdled, but that’s okay). Gently fold in the flour until just combined—don’t overmix.
- Assemble: Pour half the batter into the loaf pan. Add all of the apple cinnamon mixture (along with any sauce) over the batter.
- Then pour over the remaining batter. Use a knife to gently swirl the batter to mix in some of the apples.
- Bake for 55–75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Apples can add moisture, so baking times may vary. Allow the loaf to cool completely in the pan.
- Slice and enjoy: Once cooled, carefully remove from the pan and enjoy. The bread has a fall-apart texture which is part of what makes it so delicious, but this means that it can be tricky to cut tidy slices. To cut the best slices, ensure the bread is cooled completely before slicing, and you can even pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes to make slicing easier.
Kate says
Turned out great! Let it cool overnight and had it for breakfast. Will definitely make again.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Kate! That's wonderful, so happy you loved the apple bread! Thank you for your review 🙂
Jess McFee says
tried this twice measuring very. carefully. both times the batter was too thick to pour. managed to spread it and the result was good, but any suggestions as to what to add more of so the batter pours?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Jess, thank you so much for bringing this to my attention. After reviewing my notes, I discovered a typo in the recipe—it should be 1/2 cup of plant-based milk, not 1/3 cup as originally listed. I've updated the recipe to reflect this correction, which should help with the moisture content. That said, the batter is still meant to be quite thick, so don’t worry if it’s not too runny. I appreciate your patience and understanding, and I hope this adjustment makes for a better baking experience!
Jess McFee says
Still a bit thick, but much better. Thanks.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Jess, yes the batter should be a thick. Enjoy!
Cristina says
I followed all the steps but when I tried to take it out from the pan, it fell apart, the filling was completely separated from the cake, we ended up eating it from a bowl with spoons
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Cristina, I'm sorry to hear your apple bread didn't turn out as expected. This issue could be due to a few factors:
Make sure you’re using firm apples like Granny Smith and measuring them by weight using a scale—adding too many apples can add excess moisture and cause the bread to fall apart.
Ensure the loaf is fully baked before removing it from the oven by testing with a toothpick, then allow it to cool completely in the pan (it should be fully cool, not even slightly warm) before removing it.
Double-check that you're using the listed ingredients in the correct amounts, as substitutions can affect the texture.
Finally, gently swirl the batter to incorporate the filling well, which can help keep the bread’s structure intact.
I hope these tips help make your next loaf a success!
Mallorie says
I am anxiety baking on US election day. This is delicious. I did NOT wait to try it before it cooled. It came out of the pan a tad crumbly but I'm guessing once it's cooled it'll come together just fine. 🙂 Thanks for the delish vegan recipe.
Note: It did look very broken. I warmed the mix while whipping and it came back together. In case you're curious, I heat the bowl of my mixer with a hot washcloth.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Mallorie, so happy you enjoyed it! Yes the mixture will look curdled before adding the flour but that is totally normal. 🙂
cristina tomas says
this has been the worst ever; very flaw recipe
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi cristina, I'd love to help you, can you tell me what you tried and what the results were so that I can better advise on what went wrong?
Sarah Vostal says
Any suggestions on what I would use to sub the white Sugar and butter?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
For this recipe, substituting both the vegan butter and sugar would definitely change the texture and flavor, so I can't guarantee the results without testing. That said, you could try swapping the butter with coconut oil or applesauce. For the sugar, coconut sugar is a good option, but it may affect the sweetness and moisture. I recommend experimenting with small batches to see how it turns out, as the changes are quite substantial for this recipe. You can also check out my article on how to make recipe changes here.
Kim says
Incredibly delicious!!! Love what the cinnamon apple chunks add to the bread. This is the only apple bread recipe for me from now on! Thank you!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Oh yay!! So thrilled you loved it so much Kim!!! Thank you for the lovely review 🙂
Madeline Killingbeck says
I think I could do this in a six extra large muffin pan and it would cook faster.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yes I am sure that would work great, enjoy!!