Apple Cheddar Walnut Breakfast Bread

Apple Season 2020 has started!  And I’m kicking it off with a yummy way to enjoy apples at breakfast, as a snack, or even as a quick after school treat.

I think sometimes we take apples for granted.  We have such an abundance here in Canada, so many varieties to pick from.  It’s probably one of the most common fruit options at the market.  And yet these days, we are re-discovering even more heirloom varieties than ever.  Some of the more unique ones are just beautiful to look at, like the various pink and red fleshed varieties.  While these ones do bake up in such a visually impressive way, I am just happy to enjoy these ones as is, or sliced on a fruit and cheese platter.

So Many Apples

Baking apples can run the gamut from good ole MacIntosh, Cortlands, Red and Golden Delicious, Spy and Granny Smith, or versions thereof.  My personal faves for snacking are Honey Crisp and Gala, Red Prince, Jazz and SweeTango.  Crisp, bright, juicy, and just slightly tart.  These are just fun to bite into.  When it comes to baking, pies or crisps, I think a blend of several types of apples creates such a fabulous sensation.  Some melt into an applesauce texture as they bake, while others maintain their crispy nature.  This means that with each bite, a different texture can be enjoyed.  Each apple brings something unique to the baking table.  So I’ll use just about any combo of all of the above.

For this most simple quick bread, apples are joined with others flavours and ingredients that compliment them.  Cheddar cheese, walnuts and spices are all combined with apples to create a wonderful blend of flavours and textures in this easy to eat bread.  It’s a two bowl and wooden spoon kind of recipe, the best kind, right?!  And topping the batter with an additional blend of oats, nuts, cheddar cheese, brown sugar and butter creates the best streusel finish.  Once baked up, slice it for breakfast or coffee break, or even as a school snack.  Take a slice and warm it so that a slather of butter or peanut butter spreads and soaks into the nooks and crannies makes for a perfect breakfast.

And yes, use your favourite apple, preferably a firm apple that will hold its shape in the oven.  Or use more than one.  Use a sharp cheddar if you desire.  Up the spices, or even add a slight amount of heat- it would be amazing.  This bread is really what you want it to be.  I like that fact that it isn’t truly sweet, but that it isn’t a pure savoury bread either.  If you want to increase the sugar a bit, I think that would be just dandy.  But I like that I can have a slice of this tender, moist bread and enjoy the cheese component as well.  And having the cheese combine with the brown sugar in the streusel is just kind of cool!  So it works with a slice of cheese or apple butter as a topping, or even a quick spread of tahini or caramel sauce!

Final Thoughts

If you guys follow me on Instagram, you know that Jim and I are hanging out in a little furnished condo while waiting for renovations on our condo to be finished before we can move in.  It’s us, the cats, and stuff we could fit into a couple of suitcases and boxes.  The kitchen is more of a kitchenette. The oven is something out of a RV, and the fridge can’t handle being filled with more than a couple of jars and some cheese or else everything freezes up.  But in the end, we are doing just fine.  First world problems, right?! I’m doing what so many have done their entire lives, shopping for just a day or two at a time.  It reminds me of when we spent a summer in Germany with my Oma, and my sister and I were sent every morning to buy the bread for the day.  Good times!

Enjoy this simple but complex bread.  Simple to make, but not boring.  It has all the flavours of Autumn, and sets the tone for a tasty season ahead.

Love Jen

Here are other fantastic apple recipes to check out:

Salted Bourbon Caramel Apple Pie     Classic Apple Pie in a Cheddar Thyme Crust    Rich Apple Butter     Apple Butter Custard Pie     Chai Spiced Apple Cake    Bourbon Apple Cider Chai Donuts   Root Veg and Apple Purée    Apple Rhubarb Pie

5 from 1 vote

Print

Apple Cheddar and Walnut Breakfast Bread

A quickbread that is perfect for apple season. It is the best of autumn and can be a snack or coffee break. Spread some peanut butter or nutella on a slice and call it breakfast!

Course Baking

Cuisine North American

Keyword apples, cheddar cheese, quickbread

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1 1/4 cups grated medium to strong cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 1/4 cups milk, I use whole but 2% or even nut milk will work
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup melted butter cooled
• 1 cup chopped unpeeled apple, 1/4 inch or so cubes, use an apple that will hold its shape when baked, such as Gala

Streusel Topping

• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3 Tbsp cold butter
• 2 tsp turbinado sugar, raw or demerrara sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Lightly grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, and line with parchment paper so that it hangs over the sides.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugars, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and allspice together. Add 1 cup of the grated cheddar cheese, walnuts and thyme. Whisk together well so that the cheese and walnuts are well coated.

4. In another bowl lightly beat together the milk, egg, and melted butter. Add the cubed apple and stir to combine.

5. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry, and gently stir together with a wooden spoon until just blended. It's good if there are still some streaks of flour – avoid overmixing with quickbreads or muffins, or else the finished product will be tough.

6. Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Streusel Topping

1. Combine the remaining cheddar cheese, walnuts, brown sugar, rolled oats and cinnamon together. Work the butter into the mixutre, creating a sandy and yet lumpy mixture. You want a variety of sizes in the streusel. Sprinkle this evenly over the batter. Finish with sprinkling the turbinado sugar over the streusel.

2. Bake for about 40-50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until a skewer inserted in the centre of the bread comes out clean and the top is crisped and golden. If the bread isn't baked through yet, feel free to lightly cover the top with foil and continue baking till set. Allow to cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes before removing from the loaf pan using the sides of the parchment paper.

Recipe Notes

Along with a toothpick or skewer, you can also test the doneness of this bread using an instant read thermometer. You want to reach an internal temperature of 190F.