If you’ve ever felt like your banana bread was missing something, it’s apples. Seriously. The simple addition of some finely chopped fresh apples makes this perfect, no-fail recipe the perfect fall season recipe. Eat this moist apple banana bread for breakfast, as a snack, or as part of an amazing dessert option!
Why I Love This Delicious Apple Banana Bread Recipe
- This is such a no-fail recipe. Works every single time.
- Moist, yummy and everyone in the family will love it.
- Perfect for breakfast or a delicious snack.
- Great way to use up ripe bananas and fall apples.
- Make great gifts for neighbors and teachers.
I make a lot of banana bread recipes in my kitchen, and none of them ever lasts long. But I have never in my life seen a loaf of banana bread go so fast as this Apple Banana Bread! My whole family is such banana bread lovers!
This healthy apple banana bread is a simple recipe with basic ingredients, but the addition of tart and sweet apple bits to the sweet banana gives it a fall twist and makes this homemade banana bread the tastiest and moistest I have ever eaten.
Eat it plain, with lots of butter, or use it to make a delicious French toast or decadent dessert. That is if you can get it to last long enough. Maybe you should make two.
Apple Banana Bread Recipe Ingredients
This easy, quick bread recipe uses fresh, wholesome ingredients for amazing and great tasting results.
Butter - Salted or unsalted. For a healthier bread, see substitution options below.
Brown sugar - Light or dark.
Eggs - I like to use room temperature eggs when baking.
Vanilla extract
All-purpose flour - Use your favorite gluten-free flour for a GF recipe.
Baking powder - Use fresh.
Salt - Any variety.
Apple pie spice - Substitute with 1/2 tsp cinnamon + 1/2 tsp nutmeg if you can’t find it in the store.
Apples - Use 1 tart + 1 sweet.
Bananas - Ripe, mashed.
How to Make Apple Banana Bread
Follow these simple instructions for perfect banana bread every time.
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9x5-inch loaf tin with cooking spray and set the prepared pan aside.
Step 2
In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is creamy.
Step 3
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and apple pie spice. Mix these dry ingredients well.
Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until fully incorporated.
Fold in the apples and mashed bananas.
Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Step 4
Bake in the preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let sit for 10 minutes before cutting into slices.
How to Prep Apple Banana Bread Ahead of Time
- The best way to prepare this recipe ahead is to make the bread and store until ready to serve. Reheat if you want to serve it warm.
OR - You can make the batter, refrigerate, and bake later (let the chilled batter sit at room temp for 20 minutes first before baking).
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Use light brown sugar or dark in this banana apple bread recipe.
- Use oat flour or your favorite GF flour like the one from Bob's Red Mill.
- Allow your egg to sit out while you get the rest of the ingredients together. Room temp eggs blend into the batter better.
- Cool cooked banana bread on a wire rack before slicing.
- Add a little bit of extra cinnamon.
- Use refined coconut oil or vegan butter for a dairy free version.
Best Apples to Use for Baking
Any type of fresh apple will work for this banana bread. However, some apples definitely hold up to baking better than others. Choose crisp apples and stay away from the kind with a soft, mealy texture to them. I like to use one tart and one sweet apple for this recipe.
Sweet/Softer Apple Varieties:
- Fuji Apples
- Cortland
- Red Delicious
- Pink Lady
- Honeycrisp
Tart (or Slightly Sour) Apple Brands
- Granny Smith Apples
- McIntosh
- Ida Red
- Braeburn
NOTES:
- Gala, Macintosh, and Red Delicious will work for this recipe. But note that softer apples like these don’t stand up to heat as well and the result could be a mushier muffin.
- Tart apples like Granny Smith tend to have a more distinguished flavor in baked goods.
What Is In Apple Pie Spice?
Apple pie spice is a delicious combination of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and powdered ginger. It sometimes also contains cardamom or star anise. It’s a great addition to oatmeal, cookies, pies, French toast, or even as a slight addition to your morning tea or coffee.
How to Keep Apples from Turning Brown
Place peeled apples in water with lemon juice while you work to keep them from oxidizing and turning brown. As you peel, core and slice the apples, toss them into the citrus water to keep them from browning. Make sure all white parts of the apple pieces are submerged in the water.
How To Store Bananas
Bananas should be stored around 55°F. The warmer the environment they are stored in, the faster they ripen. The faster they ripen, the more likely they are to get overripe or attract fruit flies if not eaten.
Store bananas in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight and away from other vegetables and fruits.. You can even store ripened bananas in the fridge, and that will slow the process. The peel may turn black from the cold, but the banana will still be good.
Do not store bananas in a plastic bag. This causes them to ripen rapidly. If you do use a produce bag when you purchase them, be sure to remove them from the bag and wash the peels.
Brown Sugar Substitutes in Baking
- Coconut Sugar
- Raw or turbinado sugar
- Date sugar or date paste
- Maple syrup, honey, or agave nectar
- Molasses and granulated sugar mixed together makes brown sugar
How to Serve Apple & Banana Bread
- Serve apple banana bread with a big schmear of soft butter or nut butter for an easy breakfast or as a snack.
- Turn it into the most amazing French toast you’ll ever eat!
- Have this as a dessert! Try it with some ice cream and chocolate sauce or with fresh berries and lots of whipped cream.
How to Store Apple and Banana Bread
Allow the banana bread to cool fully before storing to avoid any condensation forming.
Store fresh banana bread in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or 1 week in the refrigerator.
You can also freeze leftover banana bread for up to 1 year! I slice the loaf and place a piece of parchment paper between each slice then wrap them in plastic wrap and place in a freezer safe bag. Allow the frozen banana bread slices to thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator, or reheat the slices in the toaster.
More Apple Recipes
Banana Applesauce Pancakes
Easy Apple Topping
3-Ingredient Apple Muffins
Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Bars
Apple Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp apple pie spice substitution: 1/2 tsp cinnamon + 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 2 large apples peeled, cored and finely chopped
- 2 bananas ripe, mashed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is creamy. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and apple pie spice.
- Gradually add to the wet ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. Fold in the apples and bananas and pour into the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let sit for 10 minutes before cutting into slices.
Notes
- Use light brown sugar or dark in this banana apple bread recipe.
- Use oat flour or your favorite GF flour like the one from Bob's Red Mill.
- Allow your egg to sit out while you get the rest of the ingredients together. Room temp eggs blend into the batter better.
- Cool cooked banana bread on a wire rack before slicing.
- Add a little bit of extra cinnamon.
- Use refined coconut oil or vegan butter for a dairy free version.
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