Opens in a new tab

Apple Cinnamon Streusel Bread

by Nicole Sidoti

First published: September 29, 2026 | Updated: September 29, 2026
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

A soft, buttery apple bread layered with warm cinnamon-spiced apples, topped with a thick brown sugar streusel, and finished with a sweet cinnamon glaze. The buttermilk keeps the loaf incredibly tender and moist, while chunks of fresh apple make every slice taste like fall.

Apple Cinnamon Streusel Bread Recipe below!

Apple Cinnamon Streusel Bread

Author: Jessie Daye
No ratings yet
Share
Print
A soft, buttery apple bread layered with warm cinnamon-spiced apples, topped with a thick brown sugar streusel, and finished with a sweet cinnamon glaze. The buttermilk keeps the loaf incredibly tender and moist, while chunks of fresh apple make every slice taste like fall.
Servings 10 slices
Course Cake, Desserts

Ingredients

Cinnamon Apples
  • 1½ cups 180 g peeled and chopped apples, cut into ¼ or ½-inch pieces
  • ⅓ cup 67 g packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Apple Bread
  • 1¾ cups 219 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup 113 g unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup 100 g granulated sugar
  • ½ cup 100 g packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • ⅓ cup 80 g Apple butter or unsweetened applesauce *Apple Butter linked here
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla paste or extract
  • ½ cup 120 ml buttermilk, room temperature *you can substitute whole milk
Brown Sugar Streusel
  • ½ cup 100 g packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup 63 g all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ cup 113 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
Cinnamon Glaze
  • 1 cup 120 g powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the sides to easily lift out the finished loaf.
  2. Make the cinnamon apples. In a medium bowl, toss the chopped apples with the brown sugar and cinnamon until evenly coated. Set aside.
  3. Make the streusel. Combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Add the cold cubed butter and work it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until large, buttery crumbs form. Refrigerate while you prepare the batter. A cold streusel will hold its shape better.
  4. Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  5. Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  6. Add the wet ingredients. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the buttermilk, apple butter or applesauce, and vanilla until combined. The batter will look curdled after the addition of the buttermilk - this is normal.
  7. Fold in half of the apples and spread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Spoon the remaining cinnamon apples and any juices evenly over the batter. Add the remaining batter on top and gently spread it to the edges of the pan.
  8. Crumble the chilled streusel generously over the entire top of the loaf, keeping some larger pieces for extra crunch. Bake on the center rack for 60 to 75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean with a few moist crumbs. If the streusel begins browning too quickly, loosely tent the loaf with a piece of foil.
  9. Let the bread cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then carefully lift it out and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. Make the cinnamon glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons milk until smooth. Add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the glaze is thick but pourable.
  11. Finish the loaf. Once completely cooled, drizzle the cinnamon glaze generously over the streusel. Let the glaze set for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Styling Notes

Keep the streusel chunky when adding it to the loaf so you get those beautiful oversized golden crumbs after baking. Drizzle the glaze back and forth over the top, allowing a few ribbons to naturally run down the sides.

Get Creative

For an extra fall twist, add chopped toasted pecans or walnuts to the streusel.
For a maple cinnamon glaze, replace 1 tablespoon of the milk with pure maple syrup.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Leave the first comment

Recipe Rating




This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.

Hi, I'm Jessie. 

I’m a Los Angeles mama, home renovator, and lifelong creative, sharing the things that make everyday life a little more beautiful. I believe food is one of the best ways to bring people together, which is why I love cooking: it turns an ordinary Tuesday into something worth remembering. From recipes I make on repeat to DIY projects, home design, and a little bit of real life in between — welcome to my corner of the internet. I’m so glad you’re here.

More about Jessie

Let’s be friends!

Be the first to receive exclusive content, hear about upcoming collaborations, and special events!

* indicates required

Intuit Mailchimp

Most loved recipes

Apple Cinnamon Streusel Bread

Whipped Cheesecake skulls with Raspberry Puree

Whipped Maple Puff Pastry Leaves

Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Homemade No-Churn Caramel Apple Ice Cream