Healthy Oatmeal Apple Bread made with all wholesome ingredients! Made flourless with rolled oats, dairy-free and refined sugar-free. Lower in sweetener and fat for a healthier treat!

Loaf of apple bread cut into individual slices with apples next to it.

Once the weather begins cooling off and fall approaches, I find myself in a deep craving for apple treats.

While Iโ€™m all about my Healthy Apple Crisp or Paleo Apple Pie Bars, I also enjoy apple treats that are less sweet or decadent.

Enter: This apple bread recipe!

Contrary to many bread recipes, this healthier apple bread contains less added sweetener for a slice of apple heaven that wonโ€™t leave you in a sugar coma. 

Rather than using regular flour, we blend up oats in the blender to create a whole grain oat flour. This is used as the base of the recipe for a healthy oatmeal bread that we delicately stud with fresh apples.

Oats are a great source of complex carbohydrates and cause less of an increase in blood sugar than white flour.

Loaf of apple bread cut into slices.

All in all, this simple apple bread recipe is flourless, refined sugar-free, dairy-free and lower in fat and sugar than most quick bread recipes. Plus, there is no need for a stand mixer or any fancy equipment. 

Don’t let the fact that this easy apple bread recipe is nutritious fool you! We ate the whole loaf in less than 24 hours because we found it so enjoyable. 

If you prefer baking muffins over bread, make my Healthy Apple Oatmeal Muffins recipe, which is nearly identical to this one, but in muffin form instead of bread form. 

Also, if you’re looking for a sweeter, more decadent apple bread recipe, make my Gluten-Free Apple Bread, which calls for gluten-free all-purpose flour, butter, and regular sugar.

Two white plates with slices of apple bread with fresh apples and a napkin to the side.

Letโ€™s dive deeper into the healthy ingredients for this amazing gluten-free apple cinnamon bread.

Ingredients for Healthy Apple Oatmeal Bread:

Rolled Oats: In place of all-purpose flour, we blend up some rolled oats to create oat flour for this healthy apple bread recipe.

You can use old-fashioned oats, quick oats or instant oats. I use gluten-free sprouted oats for a gluten-free apple bread. 

Make the recipe grain-free by replacing the oats with 2 cups of almond flour or cassava flour. You can also use 1 2/3 cups of gluten-free all-purpose flour.

Unsweetened Applesauce: Applesauce plays a big role in this bread! First and foremost, it replaces some of the sweetener and oil, as it adds natural sweetness and moisture to this easy bread recipe.

It also brings bigger apple flavor so that this bread is infused with cozy fall flavors. a great placement for homemade applesauce, this applesauce oatmeal bread is one of my favorite ways of enjoying apple season. 

You can replace the applesauce with two large ripe bananas if you donโ€™t have applesauce on hand but you do have bananas.

Simply mash up the bananas in a large bowl and continue with the recipe as normal. I love making this adjustment because the bananas also bring added sweetness and moisture to the bread.

Fresh Apples: We peel and chop one large apple and mix it into the bread batter to create little bursts of apple flavor and texture.

You can use any kind of apples you like here! I use Granny Smith or Fuji apples, but pink lady apples, gala apples and golden delicious are also great.

Tart apples like granny smith apples will result in more apple flavor.

Eggs: Large eggs help generate that fluffy texture and brings rise to the bread. I havenโ€™t tested the recipe with an egg-replacer such as flax eggs or a powdered egg replacer yet.

In my experience, egg-free oatmeal baked goods tend to turn out very dense and have an almost raw or undercooked consistency in the center.

If youโ€™re okay with this, you can try using ground flax seed to make two flax eggs, or chia seeds to make chia eggs, etc. 

Avocado Oil: Adding richness and moisture, avocado brings some much needed fat content to the bread to optimize the flavor and texture.

I intentionally use a small amount so that the bread is lower in fat, but you can add another 1-2 tablespoons for added richness and moisture to make moist apple bread.

You can replace the avocado oil with melted coconut oil, butter, or even olive oil if youโ€™d like. Even canola oil works.

Pure Maple Syrup: To boost the sweetness of the bread without making it taste too sugary, I use pure maple syrup. Similar to the oil content, you can increase the amount of pure maple syrup if you prefer a sweeter treat.

You can also add 1 to 4 tablespoons of brown sugar, coconut sugar, or regular white sugar in addition to the pure maple syrup if you love a sweeter treat.

Pure Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla brings warm flavor to this gluten-free apple bread recipe. If you donโ€™t have any on hand, you can skip it.

Baking Powder: Used as the leavening agent, baking powder helps the bread rise and gives it some airiness. 

Ground Cinnamon and Sea Salt: Cinnamon is paramount in creating that apple cinnamon flavor we all love so much in apple baked goods. Sea salt enhances the flavors and makes the bread taste sweeter without the need for excess sugar. 

If you have pumpkin spice on hand, you can replace the cinnamon with pumpkin spice for an apple spice bread effect. 

Optional Additions:

Mix cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl to create a cinnamon sugar mixture to sprinkle on top of the batter for a perfect way to celebrate a cinnamon-sugar obsession. F

Now that weโ€™ve covered the basic ingredients, letโ€™s bake a loaf of apple bread!

How to Make Healthy Oatmeal Apple Bread:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 9โ€ x 5โ€ loaf pan with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper on hand, you can lightly oil with loaf pan with cooking spray.

Peel and core the apple and chop it into small chunks. If you’d prefer, you can use a box grater to make shredded apples rather than apple chunks.

Transfer the oats to a high powered blender and blend for 30 seconds or until a flour forms. Add the baking powder, sea salt, and ground cinnamon to the blender and blend for a few seconds until all of the dry ingredients are combined (Note: you can also stir the remaining dry ingredients into the flour). Set aside until ready to use.

Rolled oats in a blender, ready to be blended into a flour.

Transfer the applesauce, eggs, avocado oil, pure maple syrup, vanilla extract and cider vinegar to a large mixing bowl and mix well until the wet ingredients are combined.

Red bowl with applesauce, eggs, pure maple syrup and vanilla extract.

Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir well until a thick batter forms. Stir in the chopped apples until they are well-distributed throughout the batter.

Oatmeal bread batter with chopped apples on top, ready to be mixed in.

Pour the apple bread batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. If youโ€™d like to sprinkle more oats on top of the batter for looks, feel free to do so.

Loaf pan lined with parchment paper with apple oatmeal bread batter inside, ready to bake.

Cover the loaf pan with aluminum foil and bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until the bread tests clean and the top is slightly golden brown.

Quick breads are fully baked once they reach an internal temperature of 190 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. You can insert a digital thermometer into the center of the bread to verify the internal temperature for doneness for the best results.

Allow the bread to cool to room temperature before slicing into individual slices and serving.

I love eating the bread warm with some butter on top and a drizzle of honey.

Loaf pan of oatmeal apple bread, fresh out of the oven.

This delicious apple oatmeal bread recipe is even more flavorful the next day.

Store leftover bread in an airtight container or zip lock bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the bread in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.

You can store the loaf pan covered in plastic wrap on the counter for up to 2 days if you live in an area that isn’t very humid. 

Slices of apple bread on white plates with fresh apples in the background.

And thatโ€™s it! A healthy apple bread recipe that is tasty enough to call a treat but wholesome enough to enjoy daily.

We keep healthy oatmeal bread recipes like this on constant rotation so that we can warm up a slice any time the sweet tooth calls.

This sweet treat features a great texture with delicious cinnamony apple chunks and requires minimal effort.

If you enjoy a healthy quick bread recipe like this, also try some of these reader favorites!

More Healthy Quick Bread Recipes:

Bake a loaf of this apple cinnamon oatmeal bread for a great breakfast, snack, or even dessert!

Loaf of apple bread cut into individual slices with apples next to it.

Healthy Oatmeal Apple Bread

4.25 from 33 votes
Moist and fluffy flourless Oatmeal Apple Bread made with whole-grain oats instead of flour! This delicious apple oatmeal bread recipe is dairy-free and refined sugar-free but you can add some sugar for a sweeter treat if you'd like!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10 Slices (1 loaf)

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 9โ€ x 5โ€ loaf pan with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper on hand, you can lightly oil with loaf pan with cooking spray.
  • Peel and core the apple and chop it into small chunks. If you’d prefer, you can use a box grater to make shredded apples rather than apple chunks.
  • Transfer the oats to a high powered blender and blend for 30 seconds or until a flour forms. Add the baking powder, sea salt, and ground cinnamon to the blender and blend for a few seconds until all of the dry ingredients are combined (Note: you can also stir the remaining dry ingredients into the flour). Set aside until ready to use.
  • Transfer the applesauce, eggs, avocado oil, pure maple syrup, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl and mix well until the wet ingredients are combined.
  • Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir well until a thick batter forms. Stir in the chopped apples until they are well-distributed throughout the batter.
  • Pour the apple bread batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. If youโ€™d like to sprinkle more oats on top of the batter for looks, feel free to do so.
  • Cover the loaf pan with aluminum foil and bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until the bread tests clean and the top is slightly golden brown. Quick breads are fully baked once they reach an internal temperature of 190 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. You can insert a digital thermometer into the center of the bread to verify the internal temperature for doneness for the best results.
  • Allow the bread to cool to room temperature before slicing into individual slices and serving.

Notes

*You can also use 2 cups of almond flour or 1 โ…” cup gluten-free all-purpose flour.
**You can replace the applesauce with 2 large ripe mashed bananas if youโ€™d like for a sweeter bread
***The recipe as written does not turn out very sweet. This is out of personal preference and to serve those who love a baked good without a whole lot of sugar. If you prefer your baked goods sweeter, I recommend adding 1 to 5 tablespoons of brown sugar, according to your personal preference.
I love eating the bread warm with some butter on top and a drizzle of honey, and this delicious apple oatmeal bread recipe is even more flavorful the next day.
Store leftover bread in an airtight container or zip lock bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the bread in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. You can store the loaf pan covered in plastic wrap on the counter for up to 2 days if you live in an area that isn’t very humid.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Slice (of 10) ยท Calories: 173kcal ยท Carbohydrates: 22g ยท Protein: 4g ยท Fat: 8g ยท Saturated Fat: 1g ยท Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g ยท Monounsaturated Fat: 4g ยท Cholesterol: 27mg ยท Sodium: 288mg ยท Fiber: 1g ยท Sugar: 7g
Author: Julia Mueller
Course: Breads, Quick Breads
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple oatmeal bread, gluten free recipes, healthy apple bread, healthy breakfast, healthy quick breads, healthy snack, oatmeal apple bread
Did You Make This Recipe?I want to see it! Tag @the.roasted.root on social media!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.

Julia Mueller
Meet the Author

Julia Mueller

Julia Mueller is a recipe developer, cookbook author, and founder of The Roasted Root. She has authored three bestselling cookbooks, – Paleo Power Powers, Delicious Probiotic Drinks, and The Quintessential Kale Cookbook. Her recipes have been featured in several national publications such as BuzzFeed, Self, Tasty, Country Living, Brit.co, etc.

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4.25 from 33 votes (33 ratings without comment)

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Questions and Reviews

  1. this is a fantastic recipe! I made them into mini muffins, and they are the perfect addition to any snack or meal, without all the added sugar!

  2. Followed receipt exactly, except used Honeycrisp Apples.
    VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH TASTE!
    Bland & totally unappealing.

    1. Hi Janis! When you say bland do you mean the bread wasn’t sweet enough for you? I was very careful in the post to mention that this bread does not turn out very sweet unless you add more sugar (I recommend 1 to 3 tablespoons of brown sugar). I also linked to a more traditional (sweeter/fattier) apple bread recipe on my site, but I’ll share it here too in case this is more what you were looking for: https://www.theroastedroot.net/gluten-free-apple-cinnamon-bread/ In general, my goal is to provide lower sugar options to my readers who are like me and enjoy a sweet treat but prefer less sugar. I always recommend reading a blog post before making a recipe to see if there are any helpful tips or changes that can be made to customize it to your palate.

  3. I added Caramel Chips and WOW! I’ve found a new Fall Favorite. Thank you for the recipe, it’s delicious. I was looking for more ways to use the caramel chips from Trader Joes and this is a perfect pairing for someone like me who’s a 80/20 kinda gal (healthy/indulgent). I’m sticking around this blog all season, without a doubt- so glad I found this site:)

    1. Aww I’m so happy to hear you’re finding recipes you enjoy here, Jess!! I love the idea of adding caramel chips to the bread – that sounds delightful! Many thanks for the sweet words, and happy baking!! xo

  4. This was great! I used homemade applesauce from my orchard’s apples and fresh plums inside/on top. It was lovely ๐Ÿฅฐ

  5. Hello, any idea why my bread did not seem to rise as in the picture? I used 1-1/2c oat flour and 1/2c chopped walnuts. Looking forward to trying it in the am! Thx!

    1. Hi Carol! Did you check to be sure your baking powder is not expired? It sounds like a silly question but it would be where I would go first to troubleshoot what happened. Let me know and I can try to troubleshoot from there!

    2. @Carol, there may be few reasons for not rising like if you check multiple times, as when we open the oven to check anything, temperatues falls fown imediately. This is just the 1 reason. I may be wrong but there are little thing which we need to focus on, while baking.

      1. I didn’t think to mention opening the oven as a potential cause – thanks for bringing this to light!

  6. Tastes a bit salty. I made them into mini loaves. Iโ€™m leaving a 4 star bc I think it might tastes better alongside my coffee in the morning.by itself thoughโ€ฆ.I didnโ€™t care for it.

  7. Healthy Oatmeal Bread: you don’t mention amount of apple cider vinegar, but you do mention the inclusion of it in #4 of your instructions. How much, please. Thank you very much.

    1. Hi Sandy! Thanks so much for catching that! I fixed the recipe to omit the cider vinegar. In the past, I used baking soda and cider vinegar but have since changed the recipe to use baking powder instead. With baking powder, there isn’t a need for vinegar so it can be left out. Hope you enjoy the bread! xo