Apple Butter Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

If you love the cozy flavors of fall baking, this gluten-free apple butter bread is one you’ll want to make all season long. Made with rich apple butter, warm cinnamon, and simple gluten-free ingredients, this easy quick bread has a wonderfully moist, tender crumb and plenty of spiced apple flavor in every slice. Dairy-free too.

📝 Ingredients

• 1/3 cup dark muscovado sugar
• 3/4 cup apple butter
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your gluten-free flour blend already includes it)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup dark muscovado sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted dairy-free butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
• 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 1/4 cup unsalted walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Preheat & Grease: Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Grease a 9” x 4” loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
2. 2Prepare Swirl Mixture: In a small bowl, mix muscovado sugar, apple butter, cinnamon, and cloves for the swirl, then set aside.
3. 3Whisk Dry Ingredients (Except Sugar): In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
4. 4Beat Sugars & Dairy-Free Butter: In a large bowl, beat sugar, muscovado sugar, and dairy-free butter until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.
5. 5Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. 6Add in Milk, Vanilla & Zest: Mix in the unsweetened almond milk, vanilla extract, and orange zest.
7. 7Fold in Dry Ingredients: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Do not overmix, or the loaf will be dense.
8. 8Core & Dice Apples: Peel, core and dice apples into small cubes (about 1 cup).
9. 9Fold Apples & Walnuts into Batter: Fold the diced apples and walnuts into the batter.
10. 10Assemble: Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Spoon over half the apple butter swirl mixture and gently swirl with a knife. Pour in the remaining batter, top with the rest of the swirl mixture, and swirl again.
11. 11Bake Until Ready: Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean.
12. 12Cool Before Slicing: Let cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes before slicing.