Dutch Apple Bread

This Dutch Apple Bread is soft and tender inside, with juicy apples and crunchy walnuts in every bite. The magic is in the Pennsylvania Dutch–style streusel topping with a buttery, cinnamon-sugar crumble that turns simple quick bread into something special.

This Dutch Apple Bread has quickly become one of my favorite weekend bakes. It’s packed with tender apple chunks, crunchy walnuts, and topped with a cinnamon-sugar streusel that melts into a golden crunchy layer. It’s a quick bread, so it’s practical if your weekends can’t be dedicated entirely to the art of baking (weekend chores and errands are the norm here!). So, that means no yeast, no rising, and not much fuss. Just mix, bake, and eat!

What Makes It “Dutch”?

Admittedly, I did not know. I’ve enjoyed Dutch apple pie, but never gave a second thought to the origin. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t actually come from the Netherlands. It’s rooted in the traditions of the , a group of German-speaking immigrants who settled in the U.S. They brought their baking culture with them, and recipes with the signature streusel topping. The crumbly mix of flour, sugar, butter, and cinnamon is a mainstay on crumb cakes, pies, and crumbles. That’s the magic component to this bread. Instead of a plain loaf, you get a crunchy, cinnamon capped loaf that takes the bread from simple to special.

Dutch Streusel Ingredients

The streusel topping is made with a simple combination of pantry staples: granulated sugar and light brown sugar for sweetness, ground cinnamon, all-purpose flour to bind it together, and cold unsalted butter to create that signature crumbly texture. When baked, these ingredients melt and crisp into a golden, buttery topping that perfectly balances the soft apple bread underneath.

Mix the Streusel Topping

In a medium bowl, whisk together both sugars, cinnamon, and flour. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture looks crumbly with small chunks of butter. You can do this with a pastry blender, a fork, or rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers. I personally use a combination of pastry blender and fingers for the perfect crumble.

Pro tip: Keep the streusel in the refrigerator until it’s time to bake. Cold butter will create a crunchy, bakery-style crumb topping.

Batter Ingredients

The batter comes together with a few everyday baking staples: all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to round out the flavor. Butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla are also mainstays in a baker’s kitchen. Peel and dice 2 medium apples for the 1 2/3 cups you’ll need. Aim for 1/2″ dice or smaller. This doesn’t have to be perfect because rustic is what we’re going for.

Toss the Apples in the Dry Mixture

Mix the dry ingredients together, then toss the diced apples directly into the flour mixture. This lightly coats the fruit in flour, which helps prevent the apple pieces from sinking to the bottom of the loaf as it bakes.

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Tip: Granny Smith apples are a good choice for this bread as they are tart, dry and hold their shape during baking. Honeycrisp and Braeburn also work very well and are more sweet than tart. Avoid soft apples like Macintosh; save those for applesauce or apple butter-making.

Mix the Batter

Cream the butter and sugar until they’re light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs, milk, and vanilla to build a smooth, rich batter. Add the flour and dry apple mixture, stirring just until the batter comes together. Finally, fold in the toasted walnuts with a spatula, making sure not to overmix so the bread stays tender and soft.

Sprinkle with Streusel and Bake

Spoon the chilled streusel evenly over the top of the batter, making sure every corner gets a generous spoonful. Transfer the loaf into the preheated oven and let it bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. As it bakes, the streusel forms a crunchy, caramelized topping that perfectly contrasts the soft, tender bread beneath.

Add the Glaze

Whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, milk, and vanilla until smooth and pourable. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the warm, streusel-topped loaf. Allow it to set for about 10 minutes before slicing. The bread is lightly sweet, so the glaze bumps up the sweetness. This takes the Dutch Apple Bread from delicious to irresistible!

Serve slices warm or at room temperature, it’s delicious both ways. This bread requires no toppings, but I did toast a slice in the oven, topped it with butter and a drizzle of honey – delish! (And so extra!)

This Dutch Apple Bread is the kind of recipe you’ll make once and then keep in your recipe arsenal forever. It’s easy, comforting, and has that Pennsylvania Dutch streusel heritage baked right in. Enjoy!

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