cinnamon sugar apple bread

Small Batch Cinnamon Sugar Apple Bread

This cinnamon sugar apple bread is a moist, sweet (but not too sweet), treat that’s chock-full of apple chunks, and topped with cinnamon sugar. It’s been miniaturized, so it’s the perfect amount for one person to enjoy.  No worries about overdoing it!

Perfect for Labor Day weekend (the traditional start of fall—and apple season) and for Rosh Hashanah, when we eat apples and honey for a sweet new year.

The cinnamon sugar combo in this bread is also called “snickerdoodle.” You may wonder why. The answer is: nobody knows. But somehow that’s become the name in the US for cookies and other baked goods flavored with cinnamon sugar.
The cinnamon sugar combo in this bread is also called “snickerdoodle.” You may wonder why. The answer is: nobody knows. But somehow that’s become the name in the US for cookies and other baked goods flavored with cinnamon sugar.

I vividly remember the first time I heard of snickerdoodle cookies. We were at an outdoor concert at Tanglewood. A woman near us had a big batch of them, packaged up in a large Tiffany box!

I brought a full-size version to my brother’s house for the holidays once. They gobbled it up! Pretty good, considering it was competing with mom’s New York cheesecake.

I have reduced the sugar and the vanilla, because the original recipe was far too sweet for me. The result is a delicious, and easy to make, quick bread (think banana bread, but with apples rather than bananas), that’s full of apple flavor and topped with a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar.

If you can get them, use a Canville Blanc D’Hiver apple (which is a French tart apple). If not, Granny Smith, Mutsu, or GingerGold will work well. You want an apple that’s firm, crisp, and not too sweet.

I once accidentally made this with cayenne (!) instead of cinnamon. I mention it because it was much better than I would have expected.  I’m not sure I’d do it again deliberately, but it did give me an idea (see the substitutions section).




Substitutions and Variations for Cinnamon Sugar Apple Bread

  • Add 1/2 tsp ground ginger and the seeds from two cardamom pods for some extra warm spiciness (skip the extra topping)
  • Give it a bit of a kick with some brandy or Calvados
  • If you’re brave, or like spicy sweets, go for the cayenne
  • Top the bread with bourbon sauce (2 T bourbon, 1/4 C sugar, 2 T butter, heated in a small pan) instead of the cinnamon/sugar.

Tools for Small Batch Cinnamon Sugar Apple Bread

Wilton mini loaf pan

Wilton Mini Loaf Pan

I’m having a grand time with these mini loaf pans. They allow me to make “half-size recipes” without a lot of leftovers. And I don’t have to worry about having bread or cake going stale before I can finish it.  Just take a recipe for a single loaf of bread, divide the dough in half, and you have two mini-breads.  Perfect!

More Fruit Dessert Recipes

cinnamon sugar bananasCinnamon Sugar Bananas with Brandy

A five-minute dessert that’s a real treat. Think streamlined Bananas Foster.  Great alone, or topped with ice cream.

 

easy one serving apple crisp recipeEasy One Serving Apple Crisp Recipe

You only need a single bowl to make this simple apple crisp.  It’s warm, spicy, sweet, and made with oatmeal. That makes it healthy. Right?

 

chocolate banana breadMini Chocolate Banana Bread

Plain banana bread is good. This is even better. It’s packed with rich, chocolatey goodness that takes ordinary banana bread to the next level.  Or, go all out and add chips too.

 

caramelized pineapple chunksCaramelized Pineapple Chunks for One Person

Cooking pineapple deepens the flavor and brings out the sweetness. Add chopped nuts for crunch. Dessert in minutes.