Cooking and Serving: 65 minutes | 10 slices
Ingredients
Why I like to add crumble topping to my gf apple bread | What is apple butter, and where do I get it? | Tips for making the best gluten free apple bread
Description
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 50 minutes | Total Time: 65 minutes | Servings: 10 slices
Ingredients
Why I like to add crumble topping to my gf apple bread
What is apple butter, and where do I get it?
Tips for making the best gluten free apple bread
How to store gluten free apple bread
Gluten free apple bread substitutions and variations
Gluten free flour – I use Better Batter for this recipe with excellent
Apple butter – my secret ingredient for rich, concentrated flavor and
Apple pie spice – adds even more delicious flavor, plus makes the kitchen
Sugar – adds sweetness, but also contributes to the bread’s structure and
Butter – lighter than oil, so your bread won’t be dense, won’t taste or feel
Buttermilk – adds tenderness for a softer bread with a more tender crumb
chopped nuts like raw pecans or walnuts
dried cranberries
miniature chocolate chips
toasted coconut flakes
sunflower seeds
½ cup (70 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum, omit if your blend already contains it
3 tablespoons (40 g) packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
2 ½ tablespoons (35 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 cups (280 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend
1 teaspoon xanthan gum, omit if your blend already contains it
¼ cup (36 g) cornstarch, replace with more Cup4Cup if that is your all
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons apple pie spice, (See Recipe Notes)
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs, at room temperature, beaten
⅔ cup (5 ⅓ fluid ounces) buttermilk, at room temperature (See Recipe Notes)
5 ounces apple butter
Instructions
MAKE THE BREAD BATTER
In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cornstarch, salt, baking.
powder, baking soda, apple pie spice, and granulated sugar, and whisk to.
Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the butter, eggs,.
buttermilk, and apple butter, and mix to combine well. The batter will be.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, pressing it into all corners of the.
pan. With wet fingers and/or a wet spatula, smooth the top of the batter into.
Using a small, sharp knife, score the top of the loaf along the length in the.
center, about 1/4-inch deep.
Remove the (optional) crumble topping from the refrigerator, and break it up.
into relatively small pieces with the tines of the fork. Sprinkle the top of.
the raw loaf evenly with the crumble topping and press gently to help the.
pieces adhere to the batter.
Place the loaf pan in the center of the preheated oven. Bake until the top is.
domed and lightly golden brown in color, and a toothpick inserted in the.
center comes out with no more than a few moist crumbs attached, about 50.
For the most even baking, rotate the pan one half turn halfway through.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning.
out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve once cool.
MAKE THE BREAD BATTER
In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cornstarch, salt, baking.
powder, baking soda, apple pie spice, and granulated sugar, and whisk to.
Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the butter, eggs,.
buttermilk, and apple butter, and mix to combine well. The batter will be.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, pressing it into all corners of the.
pan. With wet fingers and/or a wet spatula, smooth the top of the batter into.
Using a small, sharp knife, score the top of the loaf along the length in the.
center, about 1/4-inch deep.
Remove the (optional) crumble topping from the refrigerator, and break it up.
into relatively small pieces with the tines of the fork. Sprinkle the top of.
the raw loaf evenly with the crumble topping and press gently to help the.
pieces adhere to the batter.
Place the loaf pan in the center of the preheated oven. Bake until the top is.
domed and lightly golden brown in color, and a toothpick inserted in the.
center comes out with no more than a few moist crumbs attached, about 50.
For the most even baking, rotate the pan one half turn halfway through.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning.
out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve once cool.
Notes
cinnamon, and maybe a touch of nutmeg, if you don’t have the blend and don’t
GLUTEN FREE APPLE BREAD INGREDIENTS
These are the main ingredients that bring this wonderful gf apple loaf bread to
* Gluten free flour – I use Better Batter for this recipe with excellent
* Apple butter – my secret ingredient for rich, concentrated flavor and
* Apple pie spice – adds even more delicious flavor, plus makes the kitchen
* Sugar – adds sweetness, but also contributes to the bread’s structure and
* Butter – lighter than oil, so your bread won’t be dense, won’t taste or feel
* Buttermilk – adds tenderness for a softer bread with a more tender crumb
Overhead image of raw apple butter bread batter with crumble topping in loaf pan
with hands on corners
image of raw apple butter bread batter with crumble topping in loaf pan with
WHY I LIKE TO ADD CRUMBLE TOPPING TO MY GF APPLE BREAD
I am a big, big fan of crumble topping. It has that nubloves, and even its “bad” qualities (falling off of baked goods) are actually
good (those little pieces are free game for anyone).
I like crumble topping so much that I frequently have a container of it just
hanging out in my refrigerator. It sits there, waiting to be added to muffins,
quick breads, or even cookies.
MAKE AS LITTLE OR AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE
All the recipe calls for is gluten free flour, sugar, warm spices, melted
butter, and a touch of salt for balance. I’ve included a recipe for crumble
topping below that calls for brown sugar, since it adds richness. But you could
just as easily use granulated sugar in its place.
The secret to a good crumble topping is like the secret to all good baking: good
ratios. Of course, you need high-quality ingredients, but if you want something
that contains butter to hold its shape in the oven and bake up crispy but not
dry, you need the right ratio.
The crumble topping recipe below makes just enough crumble to cover this gluten
free apple bread in a single layer of crumble, broken into modest-sized pieces.
It makes a very small amount of crumble. But you can double the recipe, and then
keep some on hand in a sealed container in the refrigerator and add it to sweet
baked goods on a whim.
HOW TO MAKE A SIMPLE CRUMBLE
All of the ingredients except the butter are added to a medium-sized bowl, and
mixed together. Then, the melted butter is added, and mixed in. The mixture will
Pop it in the refrigerator while you make the quick bread batter, and it should
be cold in the freezer to speed things up.
Using the tines of a fork, break up the crumble into clumps that are on the
small side. That way, most of them will stick to the bread even after you slice
Whole baked loaf of apple butter bread overhead image
baked loaf of apple butter bread overhead image
WHAT IS APPLE BUTTER, AND WHERE DO I GET IT?
Apple butter is like applesauce that’s been cooked down with a sweetener and
warm spices. The spices and sugar reduce along with peeled, cored, and shredded
apples into a sweet, spicy and fragrant spread.
Apple butter is very similar to pumpkin butter, but made with apples instead of
pumpkin puree. You can buy it in stores, especially around the holidays.
Instead of buying it, I make a big batch (recipe linked below) and store it in a
sealed container in the refrigerator. Although I don’t bake with apple butter as
often as I bake with pumpkin butter, I’m more likely to spread it on a slice of
toast than I am pumpkin butter.
WHY BAKE WITH APPLE BUTTER?
There are multiple benefits to baking with apple butter instead of applesauce. I
love applesauce, and it’s a great way to add moisture and even some structure to
baked goods. But it has nearly no taste once it’s baked.
Here, baking with apple butter gives this bread tons of apple flavor without
making the bread fragile, like adding chunks of apple would do. You can add a
few finely chopped apples to the top, along with the crumble topping.
Don’t try mixing apple chunks into the batter, though, as they’ll make for a
too-wet loaf that rises and then sinks. And only use the amount of apple butter
specified in the recipe, as delicious as it is!
Overhead image of one slice of apple butter bread on a small white plate with
image of one slice of apple butter bread on a small white plate with apple
TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST GLUTEN FREE APPLE BREAD
CHOOSING THE RIGHT PAN FOR YOUR APPLE LOAF
I generally use a 9×5 loaf pan for my bread — it’s just the right size for even
baking and perfect slicing. If your loaf pan is slightly smaller, it will just
rise more above the rim; larger isn’t a good idea, though.
DON’T FORGET TO GREASE AND LINE YOUR LOAF PAN
Whichever pan you use, don’t forget to grease it! This step will make a world of
difference when it’s time to transfer your bread to a plate or cutting board —
your loaf will slide right out, especially if you’ve lined it with a parchment
LET YOUR APPLE LOAF BREAD COOL BEFORE SLICING OR STORING
To keep your bread from crumbling while you’re slicing it, be sure to let it
cool completely first. This will allow it to firm up so you’re dealing with less
Likewise, don’t store warm bread. As your baked good cools, it releases
moisture. Wrap it up too soon, and you’ll have soggy bread due to the trapped
HOW TO STORE GLUTEN FREE APPLE BREAD
If you’re careful to wrap up your gf apple bread tightly, you can store it on
your counter, fridge, or freezer to enjoy later.
If we plan to eat leftovers during the week, I either keep it on the counter in
an airtight container for up to 3 days. When I make extra bread or think we
won’t get through it all, it goes into the freezer.
To freeze the bread, slice the cooled loaf and wrap slices individually in
freezer-safe packaging, and they will last about three months on ice. When
you’re ready to eat a slice, just leave it on the counter overnight to defrost.
You can also reheat slices
GLUTEN FREE APPLE BREAD SUBSTITUTIONS AND VARIATIONS
GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE APPLE BREAD
If you can’t have dairy, I recommend using vegan butter in place of dairy butter
in both the quick bread batter and the crumble. My favorite brands are Melt and
For the crumble, you can also use Spectrum brand nonhydrogenated vegetable
shortening in place of butter. If you use Spectrum in place of the butter in the
cake batter, your batter will be too dry.
If you’re feeling adventuresome and want to try it, watch the how-to video and
pay close attention to the consistency of the raw batter. You can try adding a
bit of water to the batter at a time, mixing well after each addition, until the
consistency looks right.
GLUTEN FREE, EGG FREE APPLE BREAD
There are two eggs in this recipe. You can try replacing each of them with one
“chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water,
mixed and allowed to gel).
GLUTEN FREE, VEGAN APPLE BREAD
Make the above substitutes for dairy and eggs to turn this into a vegan apple
GLUTEN FREE, REFINED SUGAR FREE APPLE BREAD
While I’ve not tried it myself, I imagine you could exchange the white sugar
from my recipe with Lankato brand monkfruit granulated sugar alternative. In
place of brown sugar, try Lankato brown sugar alternative.
Keep in mind that alternative sugars tend to be drying, so you may need to add a
bit more liquid to achieve the proper raw batter consistency.
CORNSTARCH SUBSTITUTE
If you can’t have corn, try using arrowroot. Even potato starch should work
APPLE PIE SPICE SUBSTITUTE
If you don’t have all the ingredients to make an apple pie spice, don’t worry.
It’s easy to convert this to a gluten free apple cinnamon bread recipe instead.
Just use ground cinnamon with a touch of nutmeg instead.
I love this bread just the way it is, but if you’re for a yummy way to mix
things up, consider these one of these additions:
* chopped nuts like raw pecans or walnuts
* miniature chocolate chips
* toasted coconut flakes
Stack of 5 slices of apple butter bread on a small white plate with apple butter
of 5 slices of apple butter bread on a small white plate with apple butter on
Enjoyed making this recipe? Try my delicious gluten free apple crisp
with your healthy snack.
Can I make this gluten free apple bread with almond flour?
No, you can’t make this gluten free apple bread recipe with almond flour. The
consistency and composition of almond flour isn’t the same as an all-purpose
gluten free flour blend, so you won’t get the same results.
What are the best apples to use for baking?
I like baking with Granny Smith apples because of their firm flesh and
sweet-tart taste. But any firm, flavorful apple will work well.
Is this recipe similar to gluten free cinnamon swirl bread?
Yes, it’s very similar to gluten free cinnamon swirl bread
especially since cinnamon makes up the majority of my apple pie spice. But this
gluten free sweet bread has other spices, and rich apple flavor from the apple
Do I have to add the crumb topping to my bread?
Of course not, but I find that it adds such a lovely taste and texture to the
finished bread. But if you don’t want it, just skip that part of the recipe and
How do I know when my bread is done baking?
The loaf is ready when it’s nicely domed, lightly golden brown all over, and
springs back when pressed gently in the center. If you’re still not sure, it’s
ready when the toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached. And
then be sure to let it cool completely before slicing it.
Why did my bread sink as it cooled?
Assuming you followed my recipe, including using one of my recommended gluten
measured usually aren’t baked all the way through to the center. This can happen because
your oven is too hot, baking the outside so quickly that it begins to burn
before it’s baked in the middle. As it cools, the bread compresses around the
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GLUTEN FREE APPLE BREAD RECIPE
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 50 minutes mins
Chilling time for raw crumble topping: 15 minutes mins
stack of 5 slices of light brown apple bread with crumble topping
of 5 slices of light brown apple bread with crumble topping
This gluten free apple bread is moist, tender, and packed with apple flavor and
all the right spices. The crumble topping makes it even better!
FOR THE CRUMBLE TOPPING (OPTIONAL)
* ½ cup (70 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend
(please click through for details; I used Better Batter)
* ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum, omit if your blend already contains it
* 3 tablespoons (40 g) packed light brown sugar
* ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
* ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
* 2 ½ tablespoons (35 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
FOR THE QUICK BREAD BATTER
* 2 cups (280 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend
(please click through for details; I used Better Batter)
* 1 teaspoon xanthan gum, omit if your blend already contains it
* ¼ cup (36 g) cornstarch, replace with more Cup4Cup if that is your all
purpose gluten free flour blend
* ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* ½ teaspoon baking soda
* ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
* 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs, at room temperature, beaten
* 5 ounces apple butter
(follow link for recipe) or store bought, at room temperature
* Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and line a standard 9-inch x 5-inch loaf
pan and set it aside.
MAKE THE (OPTIONAL) CRUMBLE TOPPING
* In a medium-size bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, brown sugar, cinnamon,
salt, and mix to combine, breaking up any lumps in the brown sugar.
* Add the melted butter, and mix to combine well. The mixture will be thick.
* Place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill for about 15 minutes or until
firm (or the freezer for less time), while you make the quick bread batter.
MAKE THE BREAD BATTER
* In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cornstarch, salt, baking
powder, baking soda, apple pie spice, and granulated sugar, and whisk to
* Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the butter, eggs,
buttermilk, and apple butter, and mix to combine well. The batter will be
* Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, pressing it into all corners of the
pan. With wet fingers and/or a wet spatula, smooth the top of the batter into
* Using a small, sharp knife, score the top of the loaf along the length in the
center, about 1/4-inch deep.
* Remove the (optional) crumble topping from the refrigerator, and break it up
into relatively small pieces with the tines of the fork. Sprinkle the top of
the raw loaf evenly with the crumble topping and press gently to help the
pieces adhere to the batter.
* Place the loaf pan in the center of the preheated oven. Bake until the top is
domed and lightly golden brown in color, and a toothpick inserted in the
center comes out with no more than a few moist crumbs attached, about 50
* For the most even baking, rotate the pan one half turn halfway through
* Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning
out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve once cool.
To make your own apple pie spice, combine 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon + 1/2
teaspoon ground cardamom + 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg + 1/4 teaspoon
ground ginger + 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice.
If you’ve run out of buttermilk, you can use half (1/3 cup) milk and half (1/3
cup) plain yogurt. They can both be dairy-free, if you can’t have dairy.
Originally published on the blog in 2020. Photos, video and recipe original;
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an
Apple Butter Bread in a stack and one slice with apple butter on a small white
Butter Bread in a stack and one slice with apple butter on a small white plate