Healthy Apple Bread (Vegan, Gluten-Free & Refined Sugar-Free)

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Apple season always makes me want to bake something simple, soft and heavily scented with cinnamon. And this healthy apple bread is exactly that.

It is somewhere between a breakfast banana bread and an apple cake: moist, naturally sweet, full of fresh apple and made without eggs, dairy, gluten or refined sugar.

This is also one of those recipes that proves that vegan and gluten-free baking does not have to feel like a compromise. The crumb is soft, the apples keep the loaf wonderfully moist, and the cinnamon gives it that unmistakable autumn warmth.

You can eat it just as it is, but I love it even more with a layer of cashew cream on top. I added a little vegan white chocolate to mine, which makes it feel much more like dessert while keeping the bread itself simple and not overly sweet.

If you are looking for a vegan apple bread, a gluten-free apple bread recipe, or simply something comforting to bake with apples this season, this is a very good place to start.

The Beauty of a Simple Apple Bread

The beauty (and deliciousness!) of this apple bread is that the apples make it naturally sweet without refined sugar, soft even without gluten, and just moist enough to fall somewhere between a breakfast loaf and a dessert.

And there is something else I love about this recipe: it is wonderfully inclusive, without sacrificing any of the pleasure of baking and eating something delicious.

I haven’t used refined sugar (the apples are already sweet!), I haven’t used gluten (and we really don’t need it, the right combination of flours does everything we need), and, most importantly, there are no animal ingredients whatsoever. This apple bread is entirely plant-based.

The result? An indulgent, beautifully soft apple loaf, perfect for slow autumn breakfasts, yet made with wholesome, nutritious ingredients.

It is also incredibly easy to make and, perhaps best of all, a wonderful base for experimenting. If apples aren’t what you feel like using, you can easily take inspiration from this recipe and try pears instead.

And if you’re in the mood for sweet loaves and, like me, find it impossible to stop baking them once the season begins, you might also want to try my more traditional banana bread or my fig bread. Because apparently, once autumn baking begins, there is no turning back.

Ingredients for This Healthy Apple Bread

You won’t need many ingredients to make this apple loaf, and chances are you already have most of them in your pantry. In this section, I’ll also walk you through possible substitutions, so you can easily adapt the recipe to what you have at home.

The Gluten-Free Flour Blend

I always try to experiment with different flour combinations to find the right balance for each recipe. Sometimes, my choices also depend on which bags of flour I already have open in my pantry. After all, I hate wasting ingredients!

For this gluten-free apple bread, you have two options. You can either recreate my own flour blend, which I have tested and know works beautifully for this recipe, or use a ready-made gluten-free flour blend that already contains the different components needed to achieve a good texture.

If you prefer the second option, a good all-purpose gluten-free flour blend like this one can save you some time and make the preparation even easier.

If you’d rather follow my homemade gluten-free flour blend, here is exactly what I used:

Ingredient	Quantity
Rice flour	180 g
Almond flour	85 g
Potato starch	70 g
Oat flour (certified gluten-free)	25 g
Chickpea flour	10 g
Psyllium husk	5 g
Baking powder	12 g
Baking soda	½ tsp
Salt	½ tsp
Ground cinnamon	1½ tsp

Wet ingredients

As for the wet ingredients, you’ll need to add all of them even if you decide to use a ready-made gluten-free flour blend.

Both the plant-based yogurt and milk can be substituted with alternatives made from coconut, oats, almonds, or any other plant-based source you prefer. Just make sure to choose unsweetened varieties so you can control the sweetness of your apple bread.

To add a little extra sweetness, I used maple syrup, but you can easily replace it with another liquid sweetener, such as rice syrup. The important thing is to maintain the balance between the wet and dry ingredients to achieve that beautifully soft, moist texture.

Ingredient	Quantity
Plant-based yogurt	185 g
Plant-based milk (soy)	110 g
Neutral oil	70 g
Maple syrup	100 g
Vanilla extract	2 tsp
Lemon juice	1 tbsp

Fresh Apples

For this apple bread, I used apples grown in Trentino, a beautiful region in northern Italy known for its apple orchards. Trentino apples come in several varieties, including Golden Delicious, Gala and Renetta, so the name refers to their origin rather than one specific type of apple.

You can really use whichever apples you prefer, but there are a few things worth keeping in mind.

Sweeter apples, such as Golden Delicious, Gala or Fuji, are particularly good if you want to enhance the natural sweetness of the bread without adding more sweetener. Tart varieties, such as Granny Smith, will give your loaf a fresher, slightly sharper flavour that contrasts beautifully with the cinnamon.

Texture matters, too. Firmer apples tend to hold their shape during baking, leaving lovely little pieces of fruit throughout the loaf, while softer varieties break down more easily and blend into the crumb.

My advice? Choose apples that are ripe, naturally sweet and full of flavour. They are one of the main ingredients in this recipe, so their taste really makes a difference.

Ingredient	Quantity
Fresh apples, diced (for the batter)	190 g
Fresh apples, thinly sliced (for decoration)	110 g
Total	300 g

Cashew Cream and White Chocolate as Topping ( Optional )

The cashew cream I made for this apple bread is completely optional, but if you’d like to recreate it, you’ll only need a few simple ingredients: water, cashews, maple syrup, and plant-based white chocolate made without refined sugar.

And if you can’t find suitable white chocolate, don’t worry! You can simply leave it out. The cream will have a smoother, lighter consistency and won’t be quite as thick, but it will still be delicious.

It’s a lovely way to turn a simple breakfast loaf into something a little more indulgent, especially if you’re planning to serve it as a dessert.

Ingredient	Quantity
Raw cashews	80 g
Plant-based white chocolate (refined sugar-free)	45 g
Water	30 ml
Maple syrup	To taste

How to Keep This Apple Bread Refined Sugar-Free

One of the things I love most about this healthy apple bread is that you can make it wonderfully sweet without using refined sugar. Apples already contain natural sugars, and when combined with cinnamon and a little maple syrup, they create a beautifully balanced sweetness. However, if you want to keep the entire recipe refined sugar-free, there are a few things worth paying attention to.

Choose Naturally Sweet Apples

The sweeter your apples, the less additional sweetness you may feel you need. Varieties such as Gala, Fuji and Golden Delicious are particularly good choices. Ripe apples also tend to have a more developed flavour, which makes a real difference in a recipe where fruit plays such an important role.

Pay Attention to Your Plant-Based Ingredients

Not all plant-based products are automatically free from refined sugar. Some yogurts and plant-based milks contain added sugar, even when they are marketed as healthy or natural.

For this recipe, I recommend choosing plain, unsweetened plant-based yogurt and milk. This allows you to control exactly how much sweetness goes into your apple bread.

Choose Your Sweetener Carefully

I used maple syrup because I love its delicate caramel notes, especially alongside apples and cinnamon. You can also experiment with other liquid sweeteners, such as rice syrup.

Keep in mind that refined sugar-free doesn’t mean sugar-free. Maple syrup and rice syrup still contain sugars, even though they are alternatives to conventional refined white sugar.

Don’t Forget the White Chocolate

If you decide to make the optional cashew cream topping, this is probably the most important detail to check. Many vegan white chocolates still contain refined sugar, so look for one specifically made without it. And remember, vegan does not necessarily mean refined sugar-free.

How to Make Healthy Apple Bread (Step by Step)

Making this healthy apple bread is surprisingly simple, even if you’re not particularly experienced with gluten-free or vegan baking. There are just a few steps to follow, and most of the work involves mixing the ingredients together and preparing the apples.

Below, I’ll guide you through the process, with a few tips to help you achieve a beautifully soft and moist loaf.

If you’re already familiar with baking and prefer to skip the explanations, you can jump straight to the recipe card at the bottom of this article, where you’ll find all the ingredients, measurements and instructions in one place.

Step 1. Prepare the Apples

Start by washing and preparing your apples. You’ll need approximately 300 g of apples in total. Cut 190 g into small cubes to incorporate into the batter. Try to keep the pieces relatively uniform so they distribute evenly throughout the loaf. Thinly slice the remaining 110 g and set them aside. We’ll use these to decorate the top of the apple bread before baking.

Step 2. Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, combine the rice flour, almond flour, potato starch, oat flour and chickpea flour. Add the psyllium husk, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon. Whisk everything together until the ingredients are evenly distributed.

If you’re using a ready-made gluten-free flour blend, you can use it instead of my homemade flour combination. Just remember to check whether your blend already contains binders, such as psyllium or xanthan gum.

Step 3. Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a separate bowl, combine the plant-based yogurt, plant-based milk, neutral oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Whisk until smooth and well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and gently stir until you have a uniform batter, with no visible pockets of dry flour.

Step 4. Add the Apples and Prepare the Loaf

Gently fold the diced apples into the batter, making sure they are evenly distributed. Transfer the mixture into a loaf tin lined with baking parchment and smooth the surface with a spatula. Arrange the remaining apple slices over the top, overlapping them slightly to create a decorative pattern.

There is no need to let the batter rest. Once your apple bread is assembled, it’s ready to go straight into the oven.

Helpful Tip

If you don’t want to struggle with your loaf sticking to the pan, you have two options.

The first is to use baking parchment. The second, and even simpler solution, is to invest in a silicone loaf pan. It’s incredibly practical and can also save you money in the long run, since you won’t need to keep buying baking parchment. My favourite is this one.

And if you’d rather keep using the loaf pans you already own, there’s another clever alternative: a reusable silicone bread loaf pan liner. You get the convenience of a non-stick lining without having to replace your existing bakeware. You are welcome.

Step 5. Bake the Apple Bread

Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F), conventional setting. Bake for approximately 50 minutes, or until the top is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out without wet batter.

Remember that the apples naturally add moisture to the loaf, so a few moist crumbs on the skewer are perfectly normal. Let the bread cool in its tin for approximately 15 minutes, then transfer it to a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before slicing. This final step is especially important for gluten-free baking, as the crumb continues to firm up as it cools.

As you can see in the photo, I also sprinkled some flaked almonds over the top. This is completely optional!

Step 6. Prepare the Cashew and White Chocolate Cream (Optional)

While your apple bread is cooling, you can prepare the optional cashew and white chocolate topping. Start by soaking 80 g of raw cashews in hot water until softened, then drain them well.

Transfer the cashews to a high-speed blender and add 30 ml of water and a little maple syrup, adjusting the sweetness to your taste. Blend until you obtain a smooth, creamy consistency.

Meanwhile, gently melt 45 g of plant-based, refined sugar-free white chocolate using a double boiler or microwave, stirring frequently to avoid overheating. Add the melted chocolate to the cashew cream and blend again until everything is perfectly combined.

If the mixture is too thick, add a little more water, one teaspoon at a time. Remember that the chocolate will help the cream become firmer as it cools. Once your apple bread has cooled completely, spread the cream generously over the top using a spatula.

You can also skip the white chocolate altogether if you prefer a lighter, softer cashew cream. Both versions are delicious!

And if you’re in the mood for something a little more chocolatey, you can also prepare a Vegan Chocolate Sauce – Smooth, Rich and Easy to Make and spread it generously over your apple bread. I didn’t take any pictures of this version, but I did try it, and trust me, it’s absolutely delicious!