Apple Cider Bread

This one-bowl apple cider bread recipe is filled with fresh, shredded apples and flavored with real apple cider and cozy spices. It's finished with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar, just like an apple cider donut!

A soft loaf of apple bread is the perfect pairing with cooler temperatures and changing leaves. You might also love my easy apple bread pudding, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin bundt cake recipes.

The post and recipe for apple cider bread were first published in September 2021. It was updated and republished in October 2025.

Jump to:

• Reasons to Love This Fall Apple Cider Bread
• Ingredients Needed for This Recipe
• Reduce the Apple Cider for Better Flavor
• How to Make Apple Cider Donut Bread
• Frequently Asked Questions
• How to Store Apple Cider Bread
• More Easy Apple Recipes
• Recipe

Fall is my favorite season. I love everything about it, from changing leaves and cooler temperatures to sweet fall desserts.

This time of year also means apples and apple cider. Growing up in northeast Pennsylvania, we took lots of trips to apple orchards. My favorite part of the day was always getting the apple cider donuts before we left the farm.

This simple apple cider bread recipe recreates the taste of those sweet fried donuts covered in cinnamon sugar. It's an easy, quick bread perfect for fall!

• Apple Cider: I'll show you my easy trick to concentrate the cider's flavor. See below.
• Butter: Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature.
• Sugar: I use a mix of granulated sugar and brown sugar for more moisture.
• Egg: Binds the ingredients and adds moisture.
• Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract adds flavor. Substitute extract with an equal amount of vanilla paste if needed.
• Apples: You'll need a crisp-tart baking apple, like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Gala. Shred it using a food processor (or a box grater). One large apple should give you the amount of shredded apple needed for this recipe.
• All-purpose Flour: See this tutorial on how to measure flour to avoid overmeasuring, which makes the bread dry.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: The combination provides the lift needed in the recipe. Check the expiration dates on your leavening to make sure they're as fresh as can be!
• Spices: Apple pie spice adds the perfect fall flavor to this apple cider bread. You can substitute pumpkin pie spice, which has similar ingredients. Or use individual spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves.
• Cinnamon Sugar: Homemade cinnamon sugar is easy to make; otherwise, a store-bought mix works, too.

Reduce the Apple Cider for Better Flavor

Apple cider isn't just for sipping! I love using apple cider in baking. I make everything from apple cider cake to apple cider muffins, and of course, this easy apple cider donut bread. However, adding fresh cider straight into the batter doesn't leave much flavor. 

My solution? Reduce the cider on the stovetop first. Slowly simmering the liquid until it's reduced by half makes a concentrated "syrup" with a much stronger apple flavor. Here's how to do it:

1. Pour your apple cider into a medium-sized pan and place it over high heat.
2. Boil, then lower the heat and simmer. Go by eye here. The exact time it takes to reduce the cider depends on your pan size, temperature, and humidity. So I usually watch until the cider reduces by about half and starts to thicken. Keep a heat-safe measuring cup beside the stove to measure your progress.
3. Make sure to cool the reduced cider completely before adding it to the bread batter. Warm cider melts ingredients like butter.

How to Make Apple Cider Donut Bread

Reducing the apple cider takes a bit of time, but once it's cooled, you're ready to bake. This apple cider bread recipe comes together in minutes:

1. Combine the wet ingredients. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add vanilla, egg, and shredded apple, and mix again.
2. Add the remaining ingredients. Next, mix in the dry ingredients and cooled apple cider.
3. Fill the prepared pan. Pour batter into a greased 9x5 loaf pan that has been sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.
4. Bake. Bake the bread until a skewer inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Cool it in the pan for 15 minutes, then flip it out to cool completely.
5. Coat with sugar. Brush the bread on all sides with melted butter and sprinkle it with additional cinnamon sugar mixture.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Store Apple Cider Bread

• Counter. Keep the apple bread tightly covered at room temperature for 2-3 days. I love turning leftover slices into French toast for a cozy fall breakfast!
• Refrigerate. This bread keeps for 5-6 days in a covered container in the refrigerator.
• Freeze. Bake two loaves and freeze one for later! Wrap the cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Place in a freezer bag and freeze for 2-3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before bringing the bread to room temperature.