Well, the weather is definitely looking more and more like Winter around here, but I still have a few more “Fall Like” recipes up my sleeve to share with you. I’ve always enjoyed this time of year because I really can focus on making my home cozy. A lot of that has to do with food I prepare though. I think it’s the smells coming from the kitchen that my family loves most when they walk into the house that’s so comforting. My boys are getting older now and I just love how excited they are when they start guessing what’s on the stove or in the oven as they are taking their coats off and hanging their book bags up after school. I really think food brings us together. I still have some left over apples from our annual family apple picking day, so a lot of my cooking and baking this past month has been inspired by our freshly picked apples. This simple Apple Walnut Loaf is a wonderful way to start the day, and it goes great with a hot cup of coffee or tea!
Quick breads and muffins are just great aren’t they?! They are fast, easy and everyone just loves them. They can even be taken on the go, so that makes it perfect for a busy family. This Apple Walnut Loaf is a thick, rustic bread that makes the best breakfasts or snack. Fresh apples are swirled with cinnamon, nutmeg and chopped walnuts in a buttermilk batter then topped with a cinnamon and sugar walnut mixture for an added crunch. The delicious aromas will fill your home and call your family to the kitchen!
We love to serve this bread warm with a little butter, but it’s just as good served at room temperature. I really like to have a slice of this with my coffee because it’s simple, and has just the right amount of light sweetness from the apples and brown sugar that is perfect first thing in the morning.
This recipe makes 1 large or 2 medium sized loaves of bread. I always like to make 2, because we usually eat one right away and then store the other loaf in the freezer for a different day. Share a little of Fall’s harvest with your family and try this yummy Apple Walnut Loaf soon!
Ingredients
- For the Bread:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed (you may add 1/2 cup more sugar to this bread if you like it a little sweeter)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped,peeled apples
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- For the Topping:
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 Tbsp. melted butter
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- For the Cinnamon Butter (optional)
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- In your Kitchen Aid Mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat together.
- Add the sifted dry ingredients.
- Start to mix and slowly add the buttermilk and continue mixing until everything is just incorporated.
- Stir in the chopped apples and the walnuts.
- Add the batter to 1 large or 2 medium lightly greased loaf pans.
- Combine the topping ingredients and evenly sprinkle it on top of the loaves.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the loaves comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes.
- Carefully remove from the bread from the loaf pans and continue cooling on a cooling rack.
- Serve warm or room temperature.
- If you like a little more sweetness to this simple bread, whip together the ingredients for the Cinnamon Butter and spread that onto your bread slices!
- Enjoy!
- *To freeze- cool completely and store in a freezer friendly plastic bag or container.
You May Also Enjoy:
*Linking up at Living Well Spending Less, Miz Helen’s Country Cottage, Best Blog Recipes, Annie’s Noms
I have 8″ x 4″ & 9″ x 5″ loaf pans. Do you consider the 9 x 5″ pan the large size you refer to in the recipe? Just wondered if I would use the 9 x 5″ size for 1 loaf, and 2 8″ x 4″ pans for the 2 medium loaves? Thank you!
Hi Janet! I use a 9″ x 5″ pan for the large loaf and a I’m pretty sure my medium pans are 8″ x 4″. You can really use anything- just adjust the time accordingly. I hope this helps:)
This sounds amazing, I have been looking for healthy breakfast ideas and I will definitely give this a go. Thank you!
Thank you Adele! I hope you like it:)
Could you make muffins with this recipe? Making a loaf now but was thinking of making muffins also.
Hi Teresa! I have never made this recipe into muffins, but I am sure you could… just cut the cooking time. Maybe about 18 minutes? You’ll have to do kind of a trial and error. I would love to hear how they turn out if you try it! 🙂
Oooo, I really like the sound of this. It looks so delicious. Nuts are my snack of choice at the moment so I’m in love with that topping already.
Laura recently posted…Tunis Cupcakes
Thanks so much Laura! I hope you have a chance to give it a try, I think you’ll really like it! 🙂
Apples and crunchy walnuts sound wonderful in this! I’d love to bite into a slice right now!
Julia @ Swirls and Spice recently posted…Chocolate Dipped Banana Pop Bar
Thanks so much Julia! It’s such a cold and snowy day here today, I think I am going to grab the loaf I have in the freezer to enjoy with my coffee later! 🙂