This delectable gluten-free brown butter cinnamon apple bread is ideal for meal prep and makes a perfect breakfast, snack, or even dessert!
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This gorgeous brown butter cinnamon apple bread took a few tries to get just right, but dare I say she’s been perfected. This bread is naturally gluten-free thanks to a combination of oat and almond flour. The splash of brown butter enhances every flavor and brings warmth to the entire loaf. This cinnamon apple bread is the perfect way to welcome fall with open arms.
Wet Ingredients for Brown Butter Cinnamon Apple Bread
Salted Butter: Look, a lot of baked goods recipes call for unsalted butter, and I have to question this. Salt seriously enhances the sweetness of baked goods. I say screw the rules. I always bake with salted butter. For this particular recipe, we will be browning the butter, which will create a nutty, delicious flavor that envelops the entire loaf. We’ll get into all the details about brown butter a little later in this post.
Applesauce: Make sure it’s unsweetened! This will lend moisture and structure to our apple bread.
Eggs: To make sure everything binds together properly.
Coconut or Brown Sugar: Either works! Use coconut sugar if you’re wanting to stay free of refined sugar.
Vanilla Extract: For subtle vanilla vibes and enhancement of other flavors.
Dry Ingredients for Brown Butter Cinnamon Apple Bread
Oat Flour: Make sure it’s gluten-free if needed! As always, you can make your own by pulsing rolled oats in a blender or food processor until it reaches a flour-like consistency. I’m usually lazy and buy mine.
Almond Flour: Y’all know I love combining almond and oat flour. It’s just so…moist. My favorite (and by far most affordable) almond flour is from Costco.
Cinnamon: A heaping tablespoon! We are not shy about our love for cinnamon in this recipe.
Pumpkin Pie Spice: I prefer the Trader Joe’s variety. You can also substitute ¼ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp allspice, ¼ tsp nutmeg, and ¼ tsp ginger if you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand.
Sea Salt: To bring out the sweetness and depth of flavor!
Baking Powder and Baking Soda: To make sure our apple bread rises properly.
Mix-Ins
Diced Apple: You can use your favorite apple! I love Pink Lady apples for a tart vibe.
Rolled Oats: Just a quarter cup for texture and extra fiber. Feel free to omit if you don’t have it.
How to Brown Butter
Brown butter is simply a culinary wonder. It’s aromatic, nutty, warming, and positively alters whatever dish it’s added to. To make brown butter, simply add butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. As the butter melts, it will begin to bubble and foam. Whisk or stir constantly during this process to ensure it doesn’t burn. Continue to whisk until the butter turns golden brown and takes on a nutty scent, 3-5 minutes. There should be brown flecks on the bottoms of the pan. Remove from heat immediately and set aside to cool slightly.
Tips for Success
- Measuring the Flour: Make sure to spoon your oat flour into the measuring cup and then level it with a knife. If you pack the oat flour into the measuring cup, it will cause your apple bread to be dry, which no one wants! Almond flour, on the other hand, should be packed tightly into the measuring cup for best results.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: Make sure you’ve purchased both in the last six months for best results. They lose their effectiveness over time.
- Mixing Your Batter: Don’t over-mix! The almond flour will begin to get oily which significantly affects the outcome of the bread.
- Oven Time: Ovens are finicky and they are not all the same. Temperature can vary fairly significantly depending on what oven you have. Therefore, I recommend you begin checking your cinnamon apple bread around the 45-minute mark to make sure it doesn’t bake for too long.
Storing and Freezing
Storage: Once this brown butter cinnamon apple bread has completely cooled, it should be placed in an airtight container or Ziplock/Stasher bag and placed in refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you keep it on the countertop, it will last only 1-2 days. This is because our apple bread is super fresh without any preservatives!
Freezing: If you would like to freeze your bread, you can wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil to avoid freezer burn. It should last for about three months.
If you make this brown butter cinnamon apple bread, be sure to leave a rating and review! This helps the big ol’ Google discover my little blog and means the world to me.
More Baked Goodies:
- Gluten-Free Olive Oil Meyer Lemon Bread
- Gluten-Free Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins
- Super Fudgy Gluten-Free Olive Oil Brownies
- Vegan/Gluten-Free Tahini Pumpkin Muffins
- Amazing Cinnamon Pumpkin Cornbread
Gluten-Free Brown Butter Cinnamon Apple Bread
Equipment
- 9×5 loaf pan
- hand or stand mixer (optional)
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- ¼ cup salted butter (half a stick)
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup coconut or brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1½ cups oat flour gluten-free if needed
- ½ cup almond flour
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or ¼ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp allspice, ¼ tsp nutmeg, and ¼ tsp ginger)
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
Mix-Ins
- 1 heaping cup diced apple (about one apple)
- ¼ cup rolled oats gluten-free if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F and line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease with cooking spray to ensure nothing sticks.
- Next, brown your butter. Add butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. As the butter melts, it will begin to bubble and foam. Whisk or stir constantly during this process to ensure it doesn't burn. Continue to whisk until the butter turns golden brown and takes on a nutty scent, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat immediately and set aside to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, assemble all wet ingredients, adding brown butter last to give it time to cool slightly. Beat all wet ingredients until well-combined, about 1 minute. You can do this with a hand or stand mixer or with a whisk.
- Add dry ingredients and fold in until just combined.
- Add your mix-ins! Pour diced apples and rolled oats into bowl and stir until just combined.
- Pour mixture into loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a tester or toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. I would recommend beginning to check your loaf around the 45-minute mark.
- Let sit in pan for 20 minutes before transferring to cooling rack to completely cool. Leftovers should be refrigerated in an airtight container or bag for up to 5 days.
Notes
Photography by Hope Agresti
