Apple Zucchini Bread is my best zucchini bread recipe with added spiced apples and baked with a crumb topping for a quick bread that will be quickly eaten! For another delicious treat with spiced apples, be sure to try my Apple Pull-Apart Bread.
Apple Zucchini Bread
Apple Zucchini Bread is a quick bread (no yeast as a leavening agent) that is a perfect summer to fall treat. This recipe is a great way to use up that summer zucchini, plus add in the apples that are in season in the fall! And, the crumb topping sweetens the bread just enough to make it a dessert or even a breakfast treat.
Apple Zucchini Bread Recipe
There are three important parts to this recipe–the apple mixture, zucchini bread, and crumb topping.
Apple Mixture Ingredients (full recipe below)
- Granny Smith apples
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
Zucchini Bread Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Kosher salt
- Light brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Vegetable or canola oil
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Zucchini
Crumb Topping
- Butter
- All-purpose flour
- Confectioners’ sugar
Apple Mixture
The first thing you will want to do for this Apple Zucchini Bread recipe is peel, core, and dice your apples. For this recipe, dice the apples on the smaller side. In a bowl, combine the chopped apples with the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, making sure to coat each apple piece. Set this aside while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.
I used Granny Smith apples for the recipe because they remain firm when baking. They won’t turn to mush and they tend to retain their shape when baked. A few other options you could try would be Honeycrisp apples, Braeburn, or Pink Lady apples.
The Secret to Baking with Zucchini
Size matters. A large zucchini will be drier. A small zucchini with have more moisture. Certain recipes work best with different sizes. For instance, I tend to use a medium to small zucchini with this recipe because I want the moisture the zucchini brings, but I use a large zucchini for my Double Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes.
Use the fine side of your grater for smaller sized shredded zucchini. If you use the larger side, the coarser pieces will have a slightly more noticeable flavor and texture in a finished cake or bread recipe.
Some recipes ask that the zucchini is pressed well with a clean towel to soak up excess moisture or to prevent whatever your baking from getting too soggy. Pay close attention to the recipe that you are making with zucchini as the level of moisture they provide is important. For instance, in this recipe, the zucchini is a key source of moisture and should not be aggressively drained.
How to Make Apple Zucchini Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare your 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan by spraying it with a non-stick spray. You can also use the butter and flour method to grease your dish. No one wants their bread to be stuck to the pan!
- In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients except the zucchini. You will add that last, along with the apple mixture. The blend will be thick, but once you add the zucchini and apples, the mixture will thin out and be easier to pour into your loaf pan.
- After every ingredient is mixed together, pour it into the pan and make the crumble topping.
- To make the crumble topping, use a food processor, fork, or your hands (I prefer clean hands). Combine the cold butter, flour, and confectioners’ sugar in a bowl. Make sure the butter is broken down and no larger than a pea when you are done.
- Top the bread mixture with the crumb topping and cook for 65-75 minutes. The outside of the bread should be dark brown, and when you insert a toothpick, it should come out with a few crumbs on it, but not wet batter. If you notice that the outside is getting too brown before it has finished baking, add a foil tent over the top of the dish for the final 10-15 minutes.
- Let the bread slightly cool before cutting and serving.
Looking for More Bread Recipes?
Ingredients
Apple Mixture
- 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced
- 1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Zucchini Bread
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (220g) light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (164g) vegetable or canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups grated zucchini, gently pressed to remove excess moisture
Crumb Topping
- 1/2 cup (1 stick or 113g) butter
- 3/4 cup (94g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (42g) confectioners' sugar
Instructions
Apple Mixture
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In a medium bowl, combine the apples, melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Set aside.
Apple Zucchini Bread
-
Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray or the butter and flour method.
-
In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients except the zucchini. You will add that last, along with the apple mixture. The blend will be thick, but once you add the zucchini and apples, the mixture will thin out and be easier to pour into your loaf pan.
-
Add the zucchini and apple mixture.
-
After every ingredient is mixed together, pour it into the pan and make the crumble topping.
-
To make the crumble topping, use a food processor, fork, or your hands (I prefer clean hands). Combine the cold butter, flour, and confectioners' sugar in a bowl. Make sure the butter is broken down and no larger than a pea when you are done.
-
Top the bread mixture with the crumb topping and cook for 65-75 minutes. The outside of the bread should be dark brown, and when you insert a toothpick, it should come out with a few crumbs on it, but not wet batter. If you notice that the outside is getting too brown before it has finished baking, add a foil tent over the top of the dish for the final 10-15 minutes.
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Let the bread slightly cool before cutting and serving.