When the leaves start to turn and cool weather rolls in, few things hit the spot like a warm slice of quick bread packed with apples and drizzled in caramel. That’s exactly what Salted Caramel Apple Fritter Bread delivers — all the cozy flavors of a classic apple fritter in an easy-to-bake loaf.
This recipe reimagines your favorite apple fritter as a moist, cinnamon-spiced quick bread with bursts of diced apples and ribbons of rich salted caramel woven throughout the batter. Topped off with a glossy salted caramel glaze, it’s hard to resist this treat for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
Why You’ll Love This Bread
This quick bread is perfect for fall morning gatherings or cozy weekend baking. It combines familiar flavors — apple, cinnamon, brown sugar, and caramel — into a soft loaf that tastes indulgent without frying anything. Pair it with a warm cup of coffee or even serve it as a dessert centerpiece — it holds its own next to any classic apple pie or cobbler.
And if you’re looking for another cozy breakfast option, this Oatmeal Apple Breakfast Bake is a fantastic match for your fall baking lineup.
Best Apples for This Recipe
While the original version uses Piñata apples, you can absolutely play around with what you’ve got in your fruit bowl. Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Fuji, Braeburn, Envy, and Gala are all solid picks. You want apples that hold their shape while baking and bring a little sweet crunch to the party.
Feel free to mix two apple types for a little flavor depth. One sweet, one a bit tart — it’s like a flavor duet happening inside your loaf pan.
If you love apple-based treats, try serving this alongside a slice of Delicious Apple Crumble or even go full-on dessert mode with Apple Pie à la Mode.
Ingredients (At a Glance)
Here’s what you’ll need to make the magic happen:
- Brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Whole milk
- Apples, diced
- Salted caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- Powdered sugar (for the glaze)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Preheat the Oven
Set your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour your loaf pan or line it with parchment for easy release.
2. Make Cinnamon Sugar
In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar and cinnamon. This will be your middle magic layer.
3. Mix the Batter
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, then add vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with milk until smooth.
4. Layer It Up
Pour half the batter into the pan. Add half the diced apples, then sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar and a generous drizzle of salted caramel. Repeat all layers with the remaining ingredients.
5. Bake It
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Some caramel on the stick? Totally fine.
6. Cool It
Let the loaf cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
7. Make the Glaze
In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, warm salted caramel, and a splash of milk until smooth and pourable.
8. Drizzle and Slice
Pour that glorious glaze over the cooled bread, slice it up, and try not to eat half the loaf in one sitting.
Serving & Pairing Ideas
This bread is dreamy as-is, but you can dress it up or down depending on your mood. Top it with whipped cream, serve it warm with ice cream, or spread on some apple butter for an extra autumnal kick.
Looking for a great party snack to go with it? This Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Dip is a killer combo that’ll win over any crowd.
Tips for Success
- Use a mix of apple varieties to balance flavor and texture.
- If salted caramel sauce isn’t handy, just stir a pinch of sea salt into regular caramel.
- Let the loaf cool before glazing or the icing will melt right off.
- Planning to freeze it? Skip the glaze until after thawing.
Salted Caramel Apple Fritter Bread
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Salted Caramel Apple Fritter Bread delivers all the cozy flavors of a classic apple fritter in an easy-to-bake loaf. Moist, cinnamon-spiced bread is packed with diced apples and drizzled with salted caramel, perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 2 apples, peeled and diced (Piñata, Honeycrisp, or similar)
- 1/2 cup salted caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- For the Glaze:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp salted caramel sauce
- 1–2 tsp milk (as needed)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with milk. Mix until just combined.
- Pour half the batter into the prepared pan.
- Top with half the diced apples, half the cinnamon sugar mixture, and a drizzle of salted caramel.
- Repeat with remaining batter, apples, cinnamon sugar, and more caramel.
- Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean (a little caramel on it is fine).
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To Make the Glaze: In a bowl, whisk powdered sugar with warmed salted caramel and enough milk to make a pourable glaze.
- Drizzle glaze over the cooled bread and let it set before slicing.
Notes
Use a mix of apple varieties for added flavor. If using regular caramel, stir in a pinch of sea salt. Let loaf cool completely before glazing. Freeze unglazed loaf for up to 2 months; glaze after thawing.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 190mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
Final Thoughts
Salted Caramel Apple Fritter Bread is one of those bakes that feels fancy but is actually super easy. It’s full of flavor, packed with texture, and loaded with those nostalgic apple-cinnamon vibes.
Whether you’re making it for a fall brunch, gifting it to a friend, or just treating yourself to a slow morning, this loaf totally delivers. And if you’re already deep into apple season, round things out with a homemade Dutch Apple Pie for the ultimate fall baking weekend.