Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bread

I haven’t made a sweet bread in months, and this morning I just felt like enjoying some apple cinnamon bread for breakfast. And of course I knew that my boys would love the idea.

Apple cinnamon bread? Isn’t that a fall and winter kind of thing?

Oh no, we love the apple cinnamon combination any time of year, and this bread makes a nice breakfast and brunch item. You can make it the night before and slice it to enjoy with coffee and fruit in the morning. If you want to make it in the morning, start early because it takes about an hour to bake, although mixing takes only a few minutes. The aroma of the cinnamon is so nice and comforting, no matter what time of year it is.

Equipment

stand mixer with paddle attachment
9×5 loaf pan, lightly coated with cooking spray

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 ounce quick oats (about 1/3 cup), plus more for sprinkling on top
2 eggs
1/2 apple, cut into small chunks (We use Empire or Granny Smith.)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup raisins
cinnamon sugar mixture

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

2. In bowl of the stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Mix in the applesauce, cinnamon, and quick oats.

4. Stir in the eggs one at a time, beating well each time. Stir in the apple chunks.

5. Fold in the baking soda and flour just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Add the raisins, folding gently.

6. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle some cinnamon sugar and more quick oats on top.

7. Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from loaf pan and cool on a wire rack before serving.