I love apples. Not so-called “delicious” apples, that I find anything but what their name describes them to be, but the myriad of actually delicious apples that are available in New York during the Fall months. Although Cortlands, Empires, and Macouns are among my locally-available favorites for snacking and cooking, I most love the mystery varieties that grow on my old farm property, from trees planted long ago by people, or donated more recently from deer, bears, and other animals who enjoy the apples as much as I do.

Although my family enjoys homemade apple crisp, apple pie, chunky applesauce, hot apple ice cream topping, baked apples, and more, they also enjoy some less-sweet apple treats. This recipe for cinnamon apple bread is deceptively healthy and relatively inexpensive to make. Unlike a richer apple cake, this bread is not too sweet, making it a perfect snack, toast, paired with soup or stew, or even sandwich bread (I made a version of a BLT today using my garden’s late-season tomatoes, some eggplant bacon, and some sad-looking lettuce still bravely hanging on in my garden, with this apple bread as the bread for the sandwich. SO GOOD). My son loves to eat it with venison (or, more accurately, he likes to eat his venison with this bread). I hope that you enjoy this cinnamon apple bread as much as my family does!

Ingredients:
 2 cups whole-wheat flour (gluten-free flour can be substituted)
 2 teaspoons baking powder
 ½ teaspoon baking soda
 ¼ teaspoon salt
 ½ cup applesauce (I use spiced applesauce)
 1 cup milk
 ½ cup of maple syrup OR 1/3 cup brown sugar
 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 3-4 cups peeled, cored, and chopped apples
 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
 4 teaspoons cinnamon (divided; 3 teaspoons for the batter and one teaspoon for the
topping)

Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Lightly spray the inside walls of a bread pan with oil spray (OR use parchment paper to
line a bread pan). Set aside.

3. Peel, core, then chop apples so that you have between 3-4 cups of chopped apples.
4. Lightly toss apples in lemon juice (to prevent browning).
5. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, 3
teaspoons of cinnamon, and brown sugar if you are using that), and stir.
6. To the mixed dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients (milk, applesauce, vanilla extract,
and maple sugar if using instead of brown sugar), and stir to combine.
7. Fold chopped apples into the bread batter mix, until all apple pieces and bread batter are
combined.
8. Gently pour bread batter into the prepared bread pan. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of cinnamon on
the top of the batter.
9. Place pan into preheated oven, and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for around 45-50
minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the middle of the bread comes out clean.
10. Remove pan from oven, place on a heat-proof surface, and let cool.
11. Cut into slices and enjoy!

Nutrition Information:  (using fat-free milk, whole wheat flour, and maple syrup; serving size: 1
slice. Servings per recipe: 8): 120 Calories, 0.5 g total fat, 29 g carbohydrates, 12 g sugar, 4 g
fiber, 6 g protein

*Recipe adapted from Kathy’s Vegan Kitchen

Photo at top: Cinnamon apple bread. Photo by MB Mitcham.