For the Super Bowl last month, my parents invited five other couples to come watch the big game at their house, and miraculously, everyone showed up. Normally one or two families travel that weekend, usually to warmer places (and I’m always tempted to stow away in their suitcases), but they stayed in town this year.
Although it’s always a potluck affair, I begged my parents to make sure I was the only one bringing desserts. I planned on baking enough to feed an army the week before, and I desperately wanted other people to share everything with.
I drove home armed with cheesecake, muddy buddies, pretzels, cookies, more cookies, and some breakfast goodies for my dad. While I arranged the treats on platters, I mentally predicted which would be the fan favorites.
After halftime hit and all of the savory stuff began to disappear, our friends slowly trickled back into the kitchen for dessert. When the final whistle blew, I had correctly guessed one MVP (nobody can resist fudgy frosted brownies!), but the other took me completely by surprise…
This Cinnamon Apple Beer Bread! It’s sweet, warmly spiced, and full of fresh fruit chunks. I should’ve baked a double batch at the rate it vanished off of the countertop!
Although I’m not a big beer drinker, my dad brewed his own while I was growing up (and even won a few awards in the county fair!), so I occasionally bake something fun for him with it. Since he raved about these cupcakes, I thought that the Super Bowl and St. Patrick’s Day were the perfect occasions to test out another treat!
Just like with those cupcakes, I used a Munich Dunkel, which is a darker, sweeter beer with a really smooth taste. I never notice any bitter flavors in those brews, but if you use a different variety, there should be enough warm cinnamon in the recipe to compensate.
The cinnamon comes from two different sources: ground cinnamon and cinnamon chips. I first used them in this cheesecake (which my dad requested as his birthday dessert two years ago!), and we’ve been huge fans of their warm, spicy flavor ever since. I don’t recommend omitting or substituting anything for them—they’re what makes the bread so irresistible!
Similar to banana bread, if you wrap up this loaf after it cools, the flavors develop even more overnight, and the top of the bread turns extra soft and sweet. (It’s always my favorite part!) If you can save a few slices until the next day, you’ll see what I mean about it being so addictive…
Or just bake two loaves to be safe instead!
| Cinnamon Apple Beer Bread | Print |
- 2 c (240g) whole wheat flour (measured correctly)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ c (106g) light brown sugar
- ½ c (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- ½ c (120mL) Munich Dunkel beer
- 1 c (135g) diced red apple (about one medium)
- ¼ c (60g) cinnamon chips
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly coat a 9x5” loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the brown sugar, smearing out any clumps along the side of the bowl. Add in the Greek yogurt, mixing until no large lumps remain. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and beer, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. Fold in the apple and cinnamon chips.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan, and bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Do not omit or substitute the cinnamon chips. They add the majority of the cinnamon flavor and make this bread really irresistible!
{low fat, low calorie}
More beer bread recipes from other food bloggers…
♥ Honey Maple Beer Bread by Averie Cooks
♥ Easy No-Yeast Beer Bread by Very Culinary
♥ Pumpkin Beer Bread by Gimme Some Oven
I’ve never had beer bread of any kind. I think I should change that soon though. It sounds delightful, especially with the cinnamon apples throughout. Pinning!
Thank you so much Jen! I usually stayed away from beer bread (too many other desserts to eat!), but this one totally changed my mind. 😉
Oh boy! I could eat the whole loaf myself! LOVE everything about it! And yay for the cinnamon chips!
Thank you so much Anna! Cinnamon chips are highly underrated. 😉
Funny coincidence- I just made beer bread this weekend! Mine did NOT turn out well, however… I think the beer I used was a little too bitter, because the bitterness came out in the bread! I’m super intrigued by your sweet, cinnamony variety!
Great minds think alike Andrea! Further proof that you need to move up here ASAP. 😉 I think it’s important that you like the taste of the beer before baking with it because those flavors will just get stronger in the oven as the alcohol burns off. Did you use your hubby’s home-brewed beer??
Sure did! It was a little too bitter to start off… an IPA. I guess I thought the flavor would dull down, but it was the opposite! Now I know!
I still think that’s SO awesome your hubby brews his own! It turns out my dad’s old college roommate brews with his dad at least every 2 weeks. We started talking about trying to develop a GF beer… Maybe we could get your hubby in on it too! 😉
I definitely would have to make two loaves, no way one would survive overnight
That’s quite a compliment Heather — thank you! 🙂
This bread looks amazing! I wish I had a loaf already in the oven waiting for me!
Thanks Shelby! 🙂
This looks so good. Love the addition of beer for that yeasty flavor! Pinned!
Thank you for your sweet comment and pin Cannela! 🙂
I think I could definitely eat a slice of this beer bread right.. it looks delightful Amy!
Thanks Thalia! 🙂
Where can I find the cinnamon chips? This sounds sooooo yummy, but I can’t find the chips!
Thanks Jacquie! I’ve seen them at my local grocery stores (Safeway, Raley’s, Lucky’s, Albertsons), as well as at Target and Walmart. I’m not sure what grocery stores you have where you live, but if they stock them, the cinnamon chips will be on the baking aisle next to the regular chocolate chips. If you can’t find them, then butterscotch chips would be a fun substitution instead! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of the recipe!
FOUND THEM! And it is so, so good!!!! Thank you!
I’m so glad you found them and loved the bread Jacquie!! 🙂