This Apple Chocolate Quick Bread Recipe was inspired by Autumn’s fresh orchard apple slices, dipped in melted chocolate, a favorite treat at any age.
An APPLE A Day!
There’s something deeply comforting about the smell of apples baking in the oven. It feels familiar, grounding, like slowing down without having to try too hard.
This apple and oat quick bread is one of those recipes that came together with real life in mind. Busy mornings, packed lunches, afternoon coffee breaks, and those moments when you want to serve something homemade that feels thoughtful but not fussy. It’s simple, nourishing, and just indulgent enough to feel like a treat.
Apples bring natural sweetness and moisture, oats add heartiness, and a touch of cacao and melted chocolate weave everything together into a loaf that feels cozy and satisfying. Whether baked into mini loaves for sharing or muffins for grab-and-go ease, this bread fits beautifully into the rhythm of everyday life.
It’s not trying to be a dessert, and it’s not pretending to be boring. It lives comfortably in that sweet spot, where wholesome meets delicious, and where one good recipe can do a lot of good work in your kitchen.
How We Love Quick Breads
Baking at home is a joy when you feel confident in the kitchen, and that’s what I’m here to help you do.
Bread making does not always invoke ‘confidence’ with novice bakers. However, quick breads are the easiest breads to make, no rising time, baked in under 30-minutes, are quicker to assemble than boiling water and taste oh so good!
The happy trick for a quick bread vs a yeast bread is that baking powder and baking soda causes the bread to rise while baking, rather than waiting for a dough to rise.
Any number of quick breads can be made into both sweet, savory, healthy or a bit naughty!
What Is The Difference Between A Quick Bread And A Muffin?
Trust me when I tell you; the only difference between a quick bread and a muffin is the SHAPE!
A single loaf of quick bread can be baked in a loaf pan, or a round cake pan, while muffins are baked in muffin tins.
However, we can now buy these cute little mini loaf pans that bake individual loaves of quick bread, and are almost as numerous as a muffin recipe produces.
Welcome To Muffin Madness
In my family, I have always been known as the muffin queen, simply because over the years I have created so many different muffin recipes, and still creating!
As a single mom of 4, during those insanely disjointed, hectic years of age 6 to 16, with school, hobbies, work and hormones, I needed a friend!
Muffins became my antidote to madness. My friend. How? I needed a quick, healthy and affordable breakfast, a to-go snack and I needed the kids to be able to help make them.
Now, many years later, I’ve created My Muffin Madness cookbook so that my kids and their kids and you can have a ‘friend’ in your kitchen too!
Take any one of my 52 recipes from My Muffin Madness cookbook, bake them in mini loaf pans, and you’ve got a delicious quick bread for each day of the week!
Autumn Apples
While we import apples from ‘whereever’ year round, growing up in Maryland, we know apple orchards are ripe for picking only in the autumn.
The two varieties of apples I love most, not sold the remainder of the year, pop up at farmer’s markets and a few grocery stores September through November:
- Winesap apples, dating back to American colonial times, crisp, tart and while the skin is not pretty, the fruit is spectacular.
- Stayman apples, distinctively sweet-tart flavor with a hard-bite, crisp texture.
These apples are, in my opinion, superior to all other apples and unfortunately are only to be found the three months of autumn.
So Let’s Talk Apples and I will tell you more about apples and lots of recipes to enjoy them with, not just the ‘ole apple pie’!
Chocolate and Fruit
We all know what a decadent dichotomy it is to dip our healthy snack, ie apples strawberries and other fruit, into chocolate! But darn is it delicious! After all, dark chocolate is good for us, right?
Well, when my kids were growing up, I certainly thought a plate of freshly chopped apples with a little cup of melted chocolate (for dipping), sometimes peanut butter, was a fabulous treat for the kids.
I also discover a fabulous substitute for chocolate, using carob powder, just as I would cacao powder, only without the caffeine.
I created this quick bread, for either loaf or muffin, for relaxed ‘at home’ enjoyment or on the go convenience.
Why Quick Breads Are A Great Way To Eat Your Oats
A quick bread is a batter mixed with baking powder and/or baking soda to act as the rising agent. This type of batter can be mixed and baked quickly, which makes them the perfect place to incorporate our healthy grains, like oats.
Think – Overnight oats with applesauce or chunks of apples, turned into a to-go slice of bread!
Yeast breads require rising time, usually an hour or more, before they can be baked, also a great place to include oats, once you grind the oats into a flour.
I make quick breads weekly because I am able to bake a gazillion ingredients into a hand held, healthy and satisfying bite of deliciousness.
My Favorite Quick Bread Appliance – Food Processor
Making batches of muffins or quick bread loaves can be done in minutes with a food processor.
If I could choose only one modern piece of equipment in my kitchen it would definitely be the food processor.
I grind grain into flour, nuts into flour, chop dates into sugar, fruits and veggies into quick dishes. How about that hummus, baba ghanoush and other fabulous pestos and sauces.
My Muffin Madness is a quick and healthy cookbook to showcase at least 52 different muffins, one each week, and I couldn’t do it without my food processor.
How To Make Apple Chocolate Quick Bread Loaves
Peel and rough chop a few apples, toss them in the food processor with the wet ingredients.
Toss in the dry ingredients, puree and you’ve got a delicious batter ready to be baked in under 20-minutes.
I like to add a little oat flour to my muffin batter because it gives a rustic texture, instead of a cake texture, and it imparts a healthy wholesomeness to it.
Oat flour, you ask? All I do is put a bag of quick cooking oats into the food processor and in under one minute I am able to grind a container of oat flakes into a powdery light oat flour.
Chocolate
Obviously, while I do drizzle a little melted chocolate across the tops of my apple chocolate bread loaves after they are baked; I only use raw cacao powder in the recipe to make the bread.
Raw cacao is pure chocolate produced from unroasted cocoa beans. Nothing has been added to it so it is up to you to adjust the sweetness when cooking with cacao.
The health benefits are numerous in raw cacao, and I like knowing that I can make my own variation of something chocolate with sweetness I can feel good about.
Evidently, I prefer healthy sweet treats. So, one of my favorite sweet treats, you will find in my fridge is Date Treats.
A pureed paste of raw cacao, dates and nuts, rolled into a log and sliced into bite size treats. Healthy!
Why This Bread Works For Every Occasion
This is one of those rare recipes that refuses to be put in a single category. It’s wholesome enough to pass for breakfast, satisfying enough to tuck into lunchboxes, and elegant enough to serve when guests come calling.
The combination of apples, oats, and oat flour gives this quick bread a nourishing backbone, making it feel substantial without being heavy. It’s the kind of bread that holds you over through a busy morning or adds comfort to an afternoon pause. The cacao and semi-sweet chocolate bring just enough indulgence to make it feel special, never cloying, never too sweet.
Baked as mini loaves, it becomes a perfect make-ahead option: easy to slice, easy to share, and beautiful on a serving plate. Pack it into school lunches, serve it with coffee for brunch, or slice it thin and pair it with cheeses for a ladies’ tea or luncheon. The flavors are gentle, balanced, and surprisingly versatile, sweet enough to stand alone, yet subtle enough to complement savory accompaniments.
It’s the kind of recipe that quietly earns its place in your regular rotation, not because it’s flashy, but because it works, every time, and for everyone.
A Closer Look At The Ingredients
What makes this quick bread so special is how effortlessly it bridges the gap between nourishing and indulgent. Each ingredient brings something important to the table, flavor, texture, moisture, or just enough sweetness to make it feel like a treat without tipping into dessert territory.
- Apples – The heart of this bread. Apples add natural sweetness, moisture, and a gentle fruitiness that makes every bite feel cozy and familiar. They also help keep the loaf tender, making it perfect for breakfast or snacking without feeling heavy.
- Sugar – Used thoughtfully, sugar enhances the apples’ natural sweetness and balances the cocoa and oats. It’s not about overpowering sweetness here, just enough to round everything out and make the bread feel comforting and crave-worthy.
- Cacao – Cacao brings depth rather than dessert vibes. It adds a subtle richness that pairs beautifully with apples and oats, giving the bread a slightly grown-up, almost rustic chocolate note.
- Sunflower Oil – A clean, neutral oil that keeps the crumb soft and moist without masking the other flavors. It also helps this quick bread stay tender for days, perfect for make-ahead breakfasts or lunch-box packing.
- Apple Cider – This is where warmth sneaks in. Apple cider reinforces the apple flavor while adding gentle spice notes and acidity, which helps balance the sweetness and activates the leavening agents.
- Eggs – Eggs provide structure and richness, giving the mini loaves just enough lift and stability while keeping them soft and sliceable, ideal for everything from a quick grab-and-go breakfast to a pretty tea-time presentation.
- Flour & Oat Flour – This combination is the secret to the bread’s satisfying texture. All-purpose flour gives structure, while oat flour adds a nutty, wholesome quality and a soft, almost creamy crumb that feels nourishing and hearty.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda – These work together to give the bread a gentle rise. The baking soda reacts with the apple cider and cacao, ensuring the loaves bake up light instead of dense.
- Salt – A small but mighty ingredient. Salt sharpens flavors, balances sweetness, and brings out the richness of the cacao and chocolate.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate – Little pockets of joy throughout the loaf. Semi-sweet chocolate adds just enough indulgence to make this bread feel special, whether it’s tucked into a lunchbox, enjoyed with morning coffee, or sliced thin alongside cheese at a ladies’ luncheon.
Equipment Needed
This is a wonderfully approachable recipe, no fancy gadgets required, just everyday kitchen tools that make the process smooth and enjoyable.
- Food Processor – Ideal for quickly breaking down the apples and oats, creating a uniform texture that blends seamlessly into the batter. It saves time and ensures consistent results.
- Vegetable Peeler – For peeling the apples cleanly and easily before processing. A small step that makes a big difference in texture.
- Cutting Board & Chopping Knife – Used for prepping the apples and chopping chocolate if needed. A sturdy board and sharp knife keep prep simple and safe.
- Mini Loaf Pans or Muffin pan – Mini loaf pans create beautiful, gift-worthy breads, while muffin tins are perfect for lunchboxes and portion control. Both work equally well, use what you have.
- Measuring Cup & Measuring Spoons – Accuracy matters in quick breads, especially when balancing wet and dry ingredients for the perfect rise.
- Saucepan – For gently melting the chocolate. Low heat is key here to keep the chocolate smooth and glossy.
- Whisk – Used to combine wet ingredients and evenly distribute the leavening agents without overmixing.
- Spoon – A sturdy spoon is all you need to fold everything together and gently stir in the chocolate.
- Oven – Preheated and ready, because a properly heated oven is essential for achieving that tender crumb and beautifully risen mini loaves.
Apple Chocolate Quick Bread
Equipment
- 8 Mini Loaf Pans or muffin tin
Ingredients
- 2 cups Apples sweet apples
- 1/2 cup Sugar brown sugar or white
- 1/4 cup Raw Cacao
- 1/3 cup Sunflower oil or your choice
- 1/4 cup Apple cider apple juice or water
- 3 Large Eggs
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup Oat flour crushed oats
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 oz Semi-sweet chocolate optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350Prepare loaf pans with non-stick spray.
- In a food processor, place the rough chopped apples, sugar, cacao, oil, apple juice (or water) and eggs. Pulse until smooth.
- Add both flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt and pulse to mix.
- Divide the batter among the prepare pans, filling 3/4 the way up.
- Bake for about 25 minutes or until the top is firm to the touch.
- If using a drizzle, melt the chocolate and with a fork, dipped into the melted chocolate, quickly drizzle a little melted chocolate across the top.
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.