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Brown Butter Apple Bread

This moist and tender apple bread with brown butter is an amazing treat to make anytime of year but is even better during apple season! Make this for a fun treat or to give to neighbors as a gift. It is decadent, moist and oh so flavorful.
Course bread, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword apple bread, apple dessert, apple recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Servings 1 5 by 9 loaf pan

Ingredients

Bread Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown butter
  • 2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Sauteed Apples

  • 2 cups peeled and chopped apples I like to use Jonagold or Granny Smith apples
  • 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Brown Butter Sauce

  • 1/4 cup brown butter
  • 2-3 tablespoons reserved sauteed apples
  • 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Brown Butter

  • First lets make the brown butter. In a medium saucepan add 1 cup butter (you will use 3/4 cup for the bread and 1/4 cup for the toppign)to the pan. Bring the butter to a boil and continue to stir. The butter will begin to foam, turn the heat down and continue to stir until the butter begins to brown. The butter will have a nice nutty smell to it. Turn off the heat and let it cool while you assemble the rest of this bread.

Saute Apples

  • In a medium skillet add your diced apples, maple syrup and cinnamon and saute until they are tender but still with a bit of a bite. Set aside while you make your bread batter.

Apple Bread

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 5 by 9 loaf pan by spraying with nonstick spray or butter. You can also add parchment paper to make it easier to remove from the pan. I like to cut a strip just thinner than the pan and have it long enough to stick up on both ends. This way you can easily use the two ends to pull it out of the pan.
  • First, the wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, or stand mixer add 3/4 cup of your brown butter and your sugars. Cream them by using a whisk or by using your stand mixer. Add your eggs and continue to mix together.
  • Next add your milk, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and combine with the butter mixture.
  • Next add the dry ingredients. Add the flour and the baking powder and mix together until combined. Do not overmix or you will develop the gluten and it will make a more tough bread. Mix until just combined.
  • Reserve 2 tablespoons of your apples and then fold the rest of the apples into the batter.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and place on the center rack in your oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the center is fully cooked. You can use a toothpick to check for doneness.
  • Once it is baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool for about 20 minutes. If you added parchment paper, you can try to remove it at this point to cool. If not I would wait another 30 minutes before removing it.

Apple Brown Butter Icing

  • In a small bowl mix the brown butter, vanilla, powdered sugar and milk. Mix together with a spoon or whisk. If your butter has set up, heat it for a minute to soften it.
  • Drizzle the icing over the top
  • TIP: Once the bread is cooled its time to add the brown butter icing to the top. Let it drizzle down the sides or whatever you choose. I have also added the icing to the top of the bread while it is in the pan and slightly warm, which allows the icing to soak into the bread a bit making it even better.
  • Store leftover bread in the fridge. I have left it on the counter with no issues as well.
  • You can also freeze the bread in the freezer and defrost when really to serve it. Add the frosting after it has been defrosted. Do not freeze with the frosting on it.