How to Make Pan de Manzana (Homemade Apple Bread)
This easy pan de manzana is a recipe I learned from a good friend’s mother who has made it for well over 30 years. Bursting with tart green apples and cinnamon, this is the perfect treat for crisp mornings or an afternoon snack that kids and adults alike will love!
WHAT IS PAN DE MANZANA?
Pan de manzana, or apple bread, is a moist bread made with fresh green apples, cinnamon, and nuts. With a soft texture and natural sweetness from the apples, it’s a popular choice for breakfast or snacks, especially during the fall season.
WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Easy to make: There are no special tools or equipment required to make this homemade apple bread. I mix everything in a bowl, by hand.
- Seasonal flavors: Once baking season is upon us, apples and cinnamon are some of my favorite ingredients!
- Versatile treat: Enjoy pan de manzana for breakfast, dessert, or an afternoon pick-me-up. I especially love it with hot tea.
RECOMMENDED BY LOLA FOR THIS RECIPE
Wildflower Loaf Pan
I create the prettiest breads in this Nordic Ware floral loaf pan. It’s made out of cast aluminum, which provides for even heating and exceptional durability. VIEW PRODUCT
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Salt
- Ground cinnamon
- Baking soda
- Ground clove, optional
- Baking powder
- Oil: vegetable or canola oil work well; anything with neutral flavor
- Vanilla extract
- Large eggs
- Green apples
- Golden raisins, optional
- Chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
1. Mix ingredients
- Start by heating your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Next, grease your baking pan. You can use baking spray with flour or simply coat your pan with butter and flour.
- In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients: flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, clove (optional), baking soda, and baking powder.
- Using a large spoon or spatula, mix in oil, vanilla, and eggs.
- Once dry and wet ingredients are well blended, add chopped apples, raisins (optional), and chopped nuts (optional). Mix again until all of the ingredients are well-incorporated.
2. Bake
- Add mixture to greased baking dish, leaving 1-inch of space from the top because the bread will rise. I typically have to use two loaf pans for this apple bread recipe. Smooth out the mixture to ensure that it bakes evenly.
- Bake for one hour, or until you are able to insert a toothpick into the middle of the bread and it comes out clean. At this point, the top of your bread should be somewhat crispy, but the inside will remain moist.
- Allow to cool, and then slowly invert the bread onto a separate dish. Use a knife to loosen the edges before flipping it, if necessary.
3. Serve and enjoy
- Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar, chopped pecans, and sliced apples, if desired.
TIPS, TRICKS, AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- You can also make this homemade apple bread in a muffin pan and or in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. I made them in a silicone mini muffin pan in the image below.
- While the original recipe calls for ground clove, raisins, and nuts, I’ve made those ingredients optional because ground clove is not something I always have in my spice drawer, and I know that some people have an aversion to raisins and nuts.
- Feel free to adjust the sugar in this recipe to your liking. The original recipe calls for 3 cups of sugar, and I cut that amount in half.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What’s the best type of apple to use for apple bread?
Sweet-tart apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Fuji hold up well and add delicious flavor. I prefer to use the green Granny Smith apples because they’re not as sweet as other apples.
Can I freeze apple bread?
Yes! Wrap each slice in plastic wrap, place in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw or microwave for a quick treat. Alternatively, you can wrap the entire loaf in plastic wrap before storing inside of a freezer-safe bag.
How do I store leftover apple bread?
Keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week.
Can I make it gluten-free?
Absolutely! Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour, and it should bake up beautifully.
What’s the best way to serve apple bread?
Serve it warm with a pat of butter, a drizzle of honey, or even a little whipped cream for a dessert-like treat. I also like it at room-temperature with a cup of hot tea or espresso.
LOOKING FOR MORE SWEET INSPIRATION?
Be sure to check out more of my dessert recipes for more inspiration. Here are a few of my favorites for baking season:
- Homemade Persimmon Bread
- Pumpkin Flan
- Flan Casero
- Flan de Café
- 30-Minute Guava Jam – it’s delicious on bread with a little pat of butter!
PAN DE MANZANA (HOMEMADE APPLE BREAD RECIPE)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground clove optional
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ¼ cup oil vegetable or canola oil will work
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups green apple finely chopped (from about 2 large apples)
- 1 cup golden raisins optional
- 1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts) optional
Instructions
- Mix ingredients. Start by heating your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, grease your baking dish. You can use baking spray with flour or simply coat your pan with butter and flour. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients: flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, clove (optional), baking soda, and baking powder. Using a large spoon or spatula, mix in oil, vanilla, and eggs. Once dry and wet ingredients are well blended, add chopped apples, raisins (optional), and chopped nuts. Mix again until all of the ingredients are well-incorporated.
- Bake. Add mixture to a greased baking dish, leaving 1-inch of space from the top because the bread will rise. I typically have to use two loaf pans for this bread. Smooth out the mixture to ensure that it bakes evenly. Bake for one hour, or until you are able to insert a toothpick into the middle of the bread and it comes out clean. At this point, the top of your bread should be somewhat crispy, but the inside will remain moist. Allow to cool, and then slowly invert the bread onto a separate dish. Use a knife to loosen the edges before flipping it, if necessary.
- Serve and enjoy. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar, chopped pecans, and sliced apples, if desired.
A Note from Lola
TIPS, TRICKS, AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- You can also make this homemade apple bread in a muffin pan and or in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
- While the original recipe calls for cloves, raisins, and nuts, I’ve made them optional because ground cloves is not something I always have in my spice drawer, and I know that some people have an aversion to raisins and nuts!
- Feel free to adjust the sugar in this recipe to your liking. The original recipe calls for 3 cups of sugar, and I cut that amount in half.
Nutrition
This recipe originally published on November 13, 2015 and updated with more clear instructions and images on October 28, 2024.
Lola’s Cocina is a small business that earns various revenue streams. This includes sponsored posts and affiliate commissions from linked products, which I use and love. This commission is an agreement between Lola’s Cocina and retailers, with no extra cost to readers. This income helps sustains the site.
Lola Wiarco Dweck
Lola is a Mexican-American recipe developer, writer, and cooking instructor who loves sharing her culture with the world. Growing up in California and spending summers in Mexico, Lola celebrates her family’s Mexican recipes and vibrant culture through Lola’s Cocina.
Incredibly moist. Perfect for Fall. Yum!
Yes! It’s the perfect recipe for fall and is very easy to make!
This looks so good and I love that it is dairy free! That means I can make it for my husband and won’t have to eat the whole thing by myself. 🙂
Thank you! It’s seriously the easiest cake I have ever made from scratch. My friend’s mom said just to throw everything into a bowl and mix it, but I tried to at least separate the dry ingredients from the wet ones before mixing them all together. It does yields a lot though, so I gave a piece to my neighbors and froze some!