This Apple Banana Bread is exactly what you need to bring in the colder days of fall. Juicy apples and warm cinnamon and ginger fill your kitchen with the coziest smell while it bakes, and it comes together with just one bowl and a loaf pan.
It's a riff on my popular Banana Pear Bread with Dark Chocolate Chips, and if you love apples as much as I do, you'll also want to try my Apple Harvest Bread.
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When the weather starts to cool down, I always crave something warm and cozy. This Apple Banana Bread is the perfect fall treat! The apples and warm spices make it so comforting, and it's super easy to make. Just mix all of the ingredients together, pour into a loaf pan, and bake! In no time at all , you'll have a delicious quick bread that everyone will love.
This Apple Banana Bread is the perfect addition to any meal. Serve it for breakfast with a cup of coffee, or enjoy it as a snack or dessert. It's also great to take along on picnics or road trips. No matter how you enjoy it, this bread is sure to be a hit!
I just love this quick recipe and thought you would like to try out this week. And if you're lucky enough to have some cooler temperatures, this is exactly what you should be baking!
Hey, guys...guess what? I made apple banana bread, so you know what that means?!?
It has to be fall...it just must be fall? Ok, who am I kidding! I live in FL and it won't look like fall here, well, ever. But, that doesn't mean that I can't start sharing more apple recipes!
Did I mention already that this bread is super cozy? In case I didn't, grab your blanket and a hot cup of coffee. Sit back and read a book with a cozy slice of this comforting bread.
And what a perfect reason to bring on the apple baking season and to share a super easy to make quick bread. This bread is a riff on my popular fall Banana Pear Bread with Dark Chocolate Chips.
I love quick breads so much! I probably bake one a week! It's seriously my favorite way to use up those stray super ripe and sweet bananas.
Quick Look at This Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: about 1 hour
- Total Time: about 1 hour 10 minutes
- Servings: 12 slices (1 loaf)
- Dietary Info: dairy-free, gluten-free option available
- Method: one-bowl quick bread, baked in a loaf pan
- Technique: mashed bananas and shredded apple pieces do double duty for moisture, so there's no need for extra butter or dairy.
- Flavor & Texture: warmly spiced with cinnamon and ginger, moist and tender inside with a crunchy, sugared top crust.
Ingredient Notes
A few notes on what each ingredient does, and where you can swap things out:
- Flour - gives the bread structure; mix in some whole wheat for a heartier texture, or use a 1:1 gluten-free blend to make it GF.
- Baking soda and baking powder - work together for the right rise and fluffiness.
- Cinnamon and ground ginger - the warm, cozy fall flavor.
- Bananas - the riper, the sweeter and moister the bread.
- Apples - adds tartness and texture; a firm baking apple like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp holds up best.
- Sugar - cane, coconut, or white sugar all work; coconut sugar will darken the crumb slightly.
- Egg - binds everything together and helps the bread rise.
- Coconut oil - adds moisture; any mild-flavored oil works in its place.
- Milk - unsweetened almond milk keeps it dairy-free, but any milk you have works.
- Raw turbinado sugar - optional, sprinkled on top for a crunchy, sweet crust.
How do you make this healthy banana apple bread?
The first step is to gather your ingredients. Mash up the bananas.
Second, in a small bowl, mix the egg with the sugar and oil and stir into the bananas.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sea salt (regular salt is fine too), baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and ground ginger.
Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture. Stir in the milk (I used unsweetened almond milk, use whatever milk you like).
Fold in the apple pieces.
Scrape batter into a 9 x 5-inch metal loaf pan coated with baking spray. Sprinkle on the turbinado sugar (if using).
Bake for ½ on hour at 350 then lower the heat to 325 and bake for about another 20-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Every oven is different. I like to lower heat halfway through baking time so that it doesn't bake up too quickly and brown too fast.
Recipe Tips
- Choose the right apples. A firm variety like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp holds its shape best during baking.
- Use very ripe bananas. The riper and spottier, the sweeter and moister the loaf.
- Don't overmix the batter. Stir just until combined, overmixing makes for a tougher bread.
- Let it cool before slicing. About 10 minutes in the pan makes it much easier to slice cleanly.
Serving Suggestions
This bread is perfect with a cup of coffee for breakfast, or as an afternoon snack. If you're building out a fall baking lineup, it pairs nicely with my Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips or a loaf of Irish Soda Bread for a bread basket with a little variety.
Storing and Freezing
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. To freeze, cool completely, slice the loaf, and wrap each slice individually in plastic wrap or foil before placing in a freezer-safe bag, that way you can thaw just what you need. It keeps well in the freezer for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature or warm gently in a toaster or oven.
More Quick Bread Recipes to Try
- Caramelized Banana Bread with Brown Sugar Glaze
- Sourdough Banana Bread
- Vegan Strawberry Banana Bread
- Cinnamon Apple Banana Bread (Totally Dairy-Free)
- Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips
If you try this recipe, leave a rating and let me know how it came out. I love hearing from you!
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Some of my other quick bread recipes you'll really love:
- Caramelized Banana Bread with Brown Sugar Glaze
- Sourdough Banana Bread
- Vegan Strawberry Banana Bread
- Cinnamon Apple Banana Bread-Totally Dairy-Free
- Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips
Originally published on October 24, 2020 and updated for content and photos on September 6, 2021.
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Apple Banana Bread Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed bananas about 3-4 very ripe
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup cane sugar or coconut sugar or white sugar
- ¼ cup coconut oil or whatever mild oil you like
- 2 cups of flour you could use ½ whole wheat or sub in gluten-free 1-1 flour to make GF
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ milk I used unsweetened almond (use whatever nut or regular milk you like)
- 2 medium sized apples peeled, cored and chopped
- Raw sugar (turbinado) to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Line a 9 x 5 loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with baking spray (or butter and flour the parchment paper) and set aside.
- In a small bowl, mash the bananas. Mix the egg with the sugar and oil, and stir into the bananas.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, sea salt (regular salt is fine too), baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon and ground ginger.
- Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture. Stir in the milk (I used unsweetened almond milk).
- Fold in the apple pieces.
- Scrape batter into a 9 x 5-inch metal loaf pan coated with baking spray. Sprinkle on the turbinado sugar (if using).
- Bake for ½ on hour at 350 then lower the heat to 325 and bake for about another 20-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Every oven is different. I like to lower heat halfway through baking time so that it doesn't bake up too quickly and brown too fast.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Notes
- Full-size loaf: about 55-60 minutes total, start checking at 55 minutes.
- 3 mini loaf pans: about 25-35 minutes.
- Muffins: about 15-25 minutes depending on tin size.
- Nutrition: is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
The apple and banana combination worked so well here. I loved the soft chunks of apple throughout, and the cinnamon and ginger made the whole loaf smell amazing while it baked. That crunchy sugar top was a favorite.
Apple banana bread is truly delicious! My kids really loved it. Making again this week!
Love this seasonal update to banana bread. So tasty!
I loved how the tender loaf balanced sweet bananas with juicy apple pieces.
I really LOVE this bread. The soft apples kept this warmly spiced loaf delicious and cozy.
This Apple Banana Bread came out beautifully tender with sweet banana flavor and juicy apple pieces throughout. It was such a comforting treat with coffee!
This tasted like fall in a loaf form. Yum!
I was impressed by how moist this apple banana bread turned out. So good.
The apple-and-banana combination in this bread is wonderful! It turned out beautifully moist, with the fruit adding natural sweetness and so much flavor.
I made this apple banana bread yesterday and the combination of apples and bananas kept the loaf so soft and moist. The fresh apple bits added a great texture, and my whole family finished off half the loaf before it even cooled down.
This is one of the best apple banana bread I am going to make it again.
It was tender, fragrant, and packed with cozy fruit flavor!
This is great! It's the perfect blend of two of my favorite quick breads. I'll be making this all season long.
I love the flavor and texture the apples add to the bread. It's the ultimate fall treat.
This is one of the best banana bread recipes I've ever made. The flavor is perfect, and those chunks of apple are a nice addition.
My aunt who has passed away made a banana apple & pineapple bread. Do you think I could add the pineapple or would it change the thickness,etc of the batter? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Tracey-Sure it will have moisture from the apples, so I would add cup of drained canned crushed pineapples. It should turn out nice!Let me know!
Very moist the family, including the dogs, loved this bread
Hello Jannine-Very happy you enjoyed our apple banana bread, and how nice the dogs enjoyed it, too! Thank you for taking the time to write me. Lora