Brown Butter Apple Streusel Bread
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This Brown Butter Apple Streusel Bread is a moist, bakery-style quick bread filled with fresh apples, warm cinnamon, and rich nutty brown butter. Topped with a crunchy cinnamon streusel and sweet glaze, it’s the perfect fall baking recipe for breakfast, dessert, or an afternoon treat.
This brown butter apple bread recipe is autumn in a loaf pan. The browned butter adds nutty, caramel notes, the cinnamon and brown sugar mixed with the apples give it the perfect fall flavor, and the streusel and icing topping? *Chef’s kiss*
This bread is a dessert, no doubt about it. It is perfect for those cool fall days when it’s breezy outside and the leaves are turning colors. My family just loved it, and I think you will too.
I’ll walk you through all the steps below (and include some helpful tips to ensure this apple bread is the BEST one you make!).
Looking for other fall desserts? Check these out:
- caramel apple cheesecake bars
- apple pie cinnamon rolls
- sourdough cinnamon sugar pretzel bites
- sourdough apple cider donuts
Ingredients for the Browned Butter Apple Streusel Bread
For the Bread:
chopped apples – I love honeycrisp apples, but any will do. You can choose to peel them or leave the skin on. I opted for skin on.
all-purpose flour
baking powder
salt
ground cinnamon
browned butter – browning the butter adds SO MUCH flavor to this bread. If you are low on time, or just plain don’t want to brown the butter, you can skip this step and just melt it…but I highly recommend browning that butter, man!
granulated sugar
eggs – room temperature is ideal
full-fat Greek yogurt – room temperature is ideal here too. You can also use full-fat sour cream in place of Greek yogurt.
vanilla extract – or vanilla bean paste. I’ve used both and they are equally awesome.
For the Crumble Topping:
brown sugar
ground cinnamon
all-purpose flour
unsalted butter – make sure it’s very cold! like pop it in the freezer for 20 minutes beforehand if you can cold.
For the Glaze:
powdered sugar
heavy cream
Step-By-Step Instructions
Start by preheating your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lining a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
Brown the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until golden and nutty. Set it aside to cool slightly.
Chop the apples into small pieces and set them aside.
Make the crumble topping by mixing together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture looks crumbly.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
In a separate bowl, whisk the browned butter, sugar, eggs, Greek yogurt, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
Gently fold in the chopped apples.
Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle evenly with half of the crumble topping. Add the remaining batter, then finish with the rest of the crumble on top.
Bake for 55–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool completely in the pan before glazing.
For the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar and heavy cream until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled loaf and slice to serve.
Top Tip to Make This the *BEST* Apple Streusel Bread
- Don’t rush the brown butter. Cook it slowly over medium heat until golden with a nutty aroma—this adds incredible depth of flavor.
- Use tart apples. Varieties like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp balance the sweetness of the bread and streusel topping.
- Keep the butter cold for the crumble. Cold butter ensures the topping bakes up crisp and crumbly instead of melting into the bread.
- Room temperature ingredients matter. Eggs and yogurt blend more smoothly into the batter when they aren’t cold, giving you a softer, more tender crumb.
- Don’t overmix. Once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, gently fold in the apples. Overmixing can make the bread dense.
- Check early for doneness. Every oven runs a little differently, so start checking at the 50-minute mark. The bread is done when a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool before glazing. Let the bread cool completely so the glaze drizzles nicely on top instead of melting in.
Storage
Room Temperature: Store the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To keep the crumble crisp, avoid wrapping it too tightly in plastic.
Refrigerator: For longer storage, place the loaf in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Warm slices in the microwave or toaster oven before serving for the best texture.
Freezer: Wrap the cooled loaf (unglazed) tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and add the glaze just before serving.
Brown Butter Apple Streusel Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Bread
- 1 ½ cups chopped apples
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 tablespoons browned butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Crumble Topping
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter very cold
For the Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, brown the butter over medium heat until golden brown with a nutty aroma. Watch the butter carefully, as it can easily go from browned to burnt! Set aside to cool.
- If you wish to peel the apples, do so before chopping. Chop apples into small pieces and set aside.
- In a bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Cut in the very cold butter until mixture is crumbly. I use a cheese grater to easily grate the butter. Set aside.
- Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan, then sprinkle with half the crumble topping. Add the remaining batter on top, followed by the rest of the crumble. Bake for 55–60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Once bread has cooled, whisk together powdered sugar and heavy cream. Drizzle over the loaf before slicing and serving.
If you’re looking for a delicious autumn-flavored quick bread, you’ve got to try this apple streusel bread this season! If you do make it, let me know what you think!