Vegan Apple Bread

This vegan apple bread is studded with fresh apples and has a delicious cinnamon pecan topping and creamy glaze. It’s the perfect loaf for fall!

I don’t know about you, but I cannot look at these pictures without my mouth watering. This apple bread is SO good. It’s giving me all the fall vibes and I want to make a loaf weekly until I get sick of it. It’s so perfect for fall and has a good amount of sweetness, but isn’t over the top sweet. You know it’s good when I’m sad I let Isaac have the last piece from my test batch. Better make more!

If you’re intimidated by making homemade bread, don’t be! This is a quick bread, similar to banana bread or zucchini bread. It doesn’t need yeast, time to rise or any kneading, just mix and bake!

Vegan Apple Bread Ingredients

There are three components to this bread: the bread, the crumb topping and the glaze. Both the crumb and glaze are optional, but highly recommended!

Bread Ingredients

• flaxseed egg – made by combining 1 Tablespoon ground flax with 3 Tablespoons water. If you don’t need this recipe to be vegan, you can swap the flax egg with a regular egg.
• whole wheat pastry flour and all-purpose flour – this combo of flour results in a quick-bread texture that isn’t too heavy or dense. If needed, you can sub whole wheat pastry flour for regular whole wheat flour or you can use just one type of flour.
• cinnamon, nutmeg – seasonings and spices.
• sea salt – brings the flavors together.
• baking powder and baking soda – leavening agents.
• unsweetened applesauce – amps up the apple flavor and keeps the bread nice and moist! You can use store bought or but I like to make homemade applesauce.
• coconut sugar – the less-processed upgrade for brown sugar. You’ll also use some for the topping.
• coconut oil – keeps the bread nice and moist.
• non-dairy milk – use your favorite non-dairy milk! I used oat milk or you can even make your own almond milk.
• vanilla extract – the perfect flavor enhancer.
• peeled and chopped apples – provides a nice chunk of apple in every bite and honestly makes this apple bread so dang delicious!!

Crumb Topping Ingredients

• chopped pecans – you can sub the pecans for another nut like walnuts or almonds. I haven’t tested this, but I bet you could sub the nuts for oats to make the topping nut-free.
• coconut sugar – the less-processed upgrade for brown sugar.
• cinnamon – the perfect spice to sprinkle on top!

Glaze Drizzle Ingredients

• powdered sugar – powdered sugar melts beautifully into liquid to make the most delicious glaze. It’s important to use powdered sugar and not granulated!
• non-dairy milk – make your own or use your favorite!

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour vs Whole Wheat Flour

You’ll often see whole wheat pastry flour used here on EBF when I’m making lightened-up baked goods! The reason I like using whole wheat pastry flour is that it is a whole grain flour, which means more fiber + nutrients than regular all-purpose flour. And it’s more finely ground than regular whole wheat flour so it produces lighter, softer baked items like cookies, pie crusts and quick bread. It also has less gluten than regular whole wheat flour.

If you don’t have whole wheat pastry flour, a blend of all-purpose and regular whole wheat flour works as a substitute.

How to Make Apple Bread

Start by making your flaxseed egg by whisking together the ground flaxseed and water. Set aside for about 5 minutes to let it gel.

Mix your dry ingredients – the flours, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl. In another bowl, mix your wet ingredients – the applesauce, coconut sugar, coconut oil, milk, flax egg and vanilla extract.

Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Gently stir in the apple chunks.

In a small bowl, mix the chopped pecans, coconut sugar and cinnamon. Pour the batter mixture into a prepared loaf pan with parchment paper or oil and top with the crumb topping mixture.

Bake in a preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the loaf cool on a wire rack before attempting to remove it from the pan.

While cooling, prepare the drizzle by mixing the powdered sugar and dairy-free milk. When the bread is cool, drizzle with icing and enjoy!

How to Make a Gluten-Free Version

I originally tested this recipe as gluten-free and vegan. It tasted delicious, but the gluten-free version didn’t rise as much. Not a failure – just giving you fair warning! To make this bread gluten-free, use 1 1/2 cups of gluten-free 1:1 baking blend in place of the whole wheat pastry flour and all-purpose flour. I tested it with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour and it was so tasty!

I haven’t tried this recipe with oat flour or almond flour so I’m not sure how it will turn out with those options. However, I do not recommend using coconut flour for this recipe!

Storing Apple Bread

After letting your bread cool completely, store it in an airtight container on the counter for up to three days. It will last for up to a week in the refrigerator and up to three months in the freezer. Storing the bread in an airtight container is crucial to making sure that the bread stays nice and moist!

More Quick Breads to Try

• Coconut Flour Banana Bread
• Vegan Zucchini Bread
• Low Sugar Pumpkin Bread
• Healthy Banana Bread
• Healthy Zucchini Bread

More Apple Recipes to Try

• Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
• Apple Crisp with Oatmeal Pecan Topping
• Apple Pancakes
• Apple Crumble Bars
• Baked Apple Cider Donuts