This applesauce bread is an easy, one-bowl recipe. It is just 3 ingredients and doesn’t contain any yeast, eggs, butter or oil. The bread comes out tender and soft. It can be enjoyed plain or toasted and with your favorite spread.
I really enjoy apple season and the fall flavors in apple-flavored baked goods. This easy bread can be made year-round but is especially good this time of year. I’m actually sharing two versions of apple bread today. One is a plain, low-sugar applesauce bread. The other is a sweet apple bread. Both versions are super easy and delicious.
Ingredients
- Self-Rising Flour
- Applesauce
- Milk
Self-Rising Flour: This recipe uses self-rising flour which already has baking powder and salt added to the flour. If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can make your own using all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. I share the exact amounts in the recipe card at the end of the post. I have not tried this with gluten-free flour.
Applesauce: You can use storebought or homemade applesauce. You can use unsweetened applesauce if you want low-sugar bread. It will still have a hint of sweetness but will not be a sweet bread. You can use sweetened applesauce and your bread will be lightly sweetened.
Milk or Condensed Milk: If you want to keep your bread low sugar or not sweetened, use regular milk or a milk substitute like almond milk, soy milk, etc. You can use low fat, fat free or whole milk. If you want a sweet bread, use condensed milk.
How to Make Applesauce Bread
Line an 8×4″ loaf pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Whisk the flour, applesauce, and milk in a large bowl until the batter is smooth.
Pour the bread batter into the prepared pan. Bake the bread in the middle of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until it’s golden brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool the bread to room temperature before slicing it.
Storage Tips
Room Temperature: Wrap the bread in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container. It will keep for one to two days.
Refrigerator: It will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Freezer: Wrap the bread in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag or container. It will keep for up to a month or two.
Recipe Tips
If you want to make a plain apple bread (not sweetened), use regular milk or a milk substitute like almond milk or soy milk for this bread. The bread will turn out something more like a yeast-type bread in texture rather than a cake-like quick bread.
If you want a sweet apple quick bread, use condensed milk. The condensed milk not only adds sweetness, it also tightens the crumbs on the bread and makes it more similar to a cake quick bread texture.
You can add spices like ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or apple pie spice to the batter for extra flavor.
When you mix the ingredients, make sure there are no pockets of dry flour. It should be well combined and smooth with no lumps.
More Easy Apple Recipes
3 Ingredient Apple Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) self-rising flour see note regarding amount needed
- 1 cup (250 g) applesauce
- 1/2 cup (4 oz) milk or sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8 x 4 inch baking loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour, applesauce and milk. Whisk until all ingredients fully combined and no flour pockets remain in the mixture.
- Pour mixture into your prepared loaf pan. Place into the middle of your oven and bake for about 45-50 minutes or until bread is done. When bread is done, it should be golden brown on top, when you apply pressure to the surface it should bounce back and a toothpick inserted should come out clean.
- Let bread cool before slicing and eating. Bread can be enjoyed as is or toasted. You can also add your favorite spread. Bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the fridge or freezer for longer.
Notes
- Ounce measurements given are for volume not weight.
- This recipe was originally tested with White Lily self-rising flour which has a lower protein amount than some other brands of self-rising flour. The amount of protein affects the amount of liquids needed. If you are using a self-rising flour that has 2 grams of protein per 1/4 cup, then you can make the recipe as written.
- If you are using a self-rising flour brand that has 3 grams of protein per 1/4 cup, then remove 4 tbsp of flour from the amount stated in the recipe and replace with 4 tbsp of cornstarch.
- To properly measure flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level off with a knife. Do not directly dip the measuring cup into the flour because this results in too much flour. Use this method of measuring whether you are measuring self-rising flour or measuring all purpose flour to make your own self-rising flour.
- Homemade self-rising flour:
- If you are using all purpose flour with 2 grams of protein per 1/4 cup: Whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour + 3 tsp baking powder + 1/2 tsp salt.
- If you are using all purpose flour with 3 grams of protein per 1/4 cup: Whisk together 1 cup + 12 tbsp all purpose flour + 4 tbsp cornstarch + 3 tsp baking powder + 1/2 tsp salt.
- If you're looking to make a plain apple bread (not sweetened), use regular milk. If you want a sweet apple bread (like a quick cake bread) use condensed milk. See post for details of the difference between bread made with regular milk versus condensed milk.
- If using regular milk you can use whole milk, low fat or fat free. You can also substitute with common milk substitutes like soy milk or almond milk.
- You can use sweetened or unsweetened applesauce. Homemade applesauce will also work.
- Estimated nutrition is calculated using unsweetened applesauce and low fat milk.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
To be honest, I put together your 3 ingr. Honey bread and mixed with a whisk. Too clumpy. Threw the dough out before baking. Now, I have the applesauce recipe and I mixed it in the food processor to avoid the lumps. It is baking now and will let you know.
We hope you enjoy it!
I made the bread following the instructions as stated. I hate to say it but found it very dry and heavy. I will try the donuts next
It sounds like you added too much flour. If you are using cup measurements, make sure you do not scoop the flour directly into your measuring cup. You should spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level off the top with a knife. Directly scooping the flour with measuring cup will lead to too much flour being added which would cause your bread to be dry and heavy
I love the raw vegan recipes because some of my children and grandchildren are vegans and some eat raw. Loving the fact that I can make gift boxes for them holidays ??
We hope they love it!
I made this bread, and let me tell you it was fantastic!!!!! so good that I ate it by myself and had to make another yummy yummy yummy. 20 stars!!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much!
These fast recipes sound perfect! Would love to have all recipes!
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Definitely 5 stars just because it’s such an easy recipe! I decided to do 1 cup white ww flour and 1 cup all purpose with unsweetened applesauce. I also sprinkled a bunch of apple pie spice into the mix and it came out amazing. I was just amazed at how easy and quick this was. I cut a small slice when it was still warm to try it and it was great. The crust had just the right amount of crunch and the inside was nice and soft.
I will be using this recipe again and again and experimenting with adding things like flax seeds, raisins, or even a small percentage of multigrain flour. Might even sub the applesauce for puree pumpkin or a combo of both! 🙂
Thanks for posting.
This makes our day! Thanks for sharing all of your tips.
Don’t have any parchment paper. Can I grease the loaf pan?
We recommend parchment paper because the bottom of the cake is sticky from the condensed milk. Greasing the pan will work but it might be hard to remove the cake
I wonder how this would taste with apple butter instead of apple sauce. Looks super yummy I’ll have to try! Thanks for the awesome bread recipes!
Not sure how apple butter will work – if it’s a lot thicker than applesauce you might run into trouble, but let us know how it works!
Can you put fresh apples in this recipe instead of applesauce?
You need to use applesauce – homemade is fine, but you can’t just add fresh apples because the recipe won’t work.
Easy. Delicious. A winner. I will DEFINITELY make this again!!! I used unsweetened cashew milk. Honestly, soooo good. Does not taste like, “apple,” bread. Thank-you.
We’re glad you loved it!
I made it yesterday. A bit moist. May be adding less applesauce, add rasins to have more sweet taste. Overall, it was great.
We’re so glad you liked it!
Instead of a loaf, I divided it up into 12 muffins and baked for 25 minutes I think. Don’t remember exactly. For milk I used plant based high protein vanilla shake. They seemed a little denser than the picture of the loaf, but they were still yummy. Hubby & I thought they resembled sourdough.
Thank you for a super simple recipe!
We’re glad you liked them as muffins! Thanks for letting us know.
The recipe is pretty forgiving. I made the unsweetened recipe and have added kalmata olives, pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries. My husband really likes this bread and I am on my third batch! Good stuff and SO easy.
Those additions sound great! Thanks for letting us know.
Delicious! I used my cast iron loaf pan, baking time was 32 minutes.
We’re happy you liked it!
Very good! Came out great I added slice apple on top and a pinch of cinnamon
So glad you liked it!
Yummy, versatile, healthy!
Could you use apple butter instead of apple sauce in your recipies?
We haven’t tried apple butter – the texture can be different from applesauce, so not sure how it will work.
It might change the texture, so you may have to play around with the flour. It should work – I made Kirbie’s apple sauce cookies with part apple sauce and part apple butter. Turned out fine.
Hi, sounds fascinating would I be able to use gluten free self raising flour for this? Thank you.
I have not tested it with gluten free flour
Love this
I’m so glad you like it!
I was so happy to see this recipe thank you so much for making it? I?????
I hope you enjoy!
I was so happy to see this recipe thank you so much for making it? I love apples cakes and bread so I think it will be be delicious thanks again for sharing your wonderful recipe
You’re welcome! We’re happy you enjoyed it.
We love apple bread. When we take a drive up north Georgia we stop at a special place to buy the apple bread. It’s so good when it’s fresh. I look forward to making this bread for my family soon. I love baking breads in the fall.
We hope you enjoy it!
Can you use a gluten free vs flour making the apple cake?
We haven’t tried using gluten-free flour. If you use a cup for cup GF flour it may work – let us know if you try it.
The Apple bread was light & very good even though it lacked the apple taste. I’ll make it again but add spices. I used Almond milk.
I’m glad it worked out for you