You guys MUST try this carrot apple bread! This gorgeous loaf is packed full of healthy treats and tastes delicious too. I mean, look at this bread! Wait, forget looking. Make it! Then eat it, and try to share some with others.

A honey sweetened batter with Greek yogurt and grated carrots is layered with cinnamon honey apples and finished with a crunchy pecan crumb topping. It bakes in one loaf pan and freezes well.

The Best Carrot Apple Bread (With Pecan Crumb Topping)

There is something about this carrot apple bread that reminds me of fall and is perfect for ushering in the change of seasons. The scrumptious apples, honey and cinnamon are so comforting! Just smelling this bake makes me want to curl up with a good book, a cup of tea and, of course, some of this bread.

Oh, and it’s fall! Yay! Cue the burgundy sweaters, cute boots and pumpkin everything. Okay, well, at least in New Mexico it will still be a month or so until it gets cold enough to wear sweaters throughout the day, if it gets cold enough at all. Maybe in January! Although it is always sunny here, the mornings do turn crisp, and going camping is still super fun. One year, my friends and I went camping at a place called Fourth of July Canyon. This canyon is full of maple trees, not something you see a lot of in New Mexico, so it is a true gem. As a bonus, the leaves were all turning red! It felt like we were in Vermont, or at least what I imagine Vermont to feel like.

What are some of your favorite things to do during fall? I love to go camping, pick pumpkins, read lots of books and eat fall inspired foods. I am actually trying to grow sugar pumpkins right now and hopefully will be able to use them for lots of pumpkin pie in the coming months. Hmm, maybe I could add a little pumpkin to this. Yum! So many possibilities!

Anyways, back to this delicious carrot apple loaf. It has apples spread throughout, the perfect texture and a good amount of moisture, and can we just appreciate the amazing crumb topping? I love crumb toppings!

Why You’ll Love This Carrot Apple Bread

A hidden apple layer. Cinnamon honey apples are baked right through the middle of the loaf.
Sweetened with honey. The bread itself uses honey, not sugar, with only a little brown sugar in the optional topping.
Moist from yogurt and carrots. Greek yogurt and grated carrots keep every slice soft.
Freezer friendly. Baked bread freezes well, so you can save a loaf for later.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

All purpose flour: Gives a tender, even crumb. You can substitute whole wheat flour for a heartier, nuttier loaf. Spoon the flour into the cup and level it so the bread doesn’t turn dry.
Baking powder and baking soda: The baking soda reacts with the yogurt and honey for lift, and the baking powder adds a little extra rise in the oven.
Salt and ground cinnamon: Salt balances the honey, and cinnamon gives the loaf its cozy fall flavor.
Honey: The main sweetener in both the batter and the apples. Honey also helps the bread stay moist for days.
Greek yogurt: Adds moisture and a gentle tang, and its acidity helps the baking soda work.
Milk: Loosens the batter. 1% milk works fine.
Egg and vanilla extract: The egg binds the batter and the vanilla rounds out the honey and cinnamon.
Grated carrots: Grate them on the small holes of a box grater so they melt into the crumb. Pack them lightly when you measure.
Apples: Fuji apples are my favorite forever. They are sweet and crisp and hold their shape when simmered with honey and a cinnamon stick. Any firm, sweet apple works.
Cinnamon stick: Half a stick simmers with the apples. A sprinkle of ground cinnamon works too.
Crumb topping: Flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped pecans bound with melted butter or coconut oil. It is optional, but recommended.

How to Make Carrot Apple Bread

Prep the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
Make the crumb topping. Stir together the cinnamon, flour, brown sugar and pecans in a small bowl. Add the melted butter or coconut oil and mix with a fork until it looks like damp, crumbly sand. Set aside.
Cook the apples. Peel, core and chop the apples. Bring them to a boil with the honey and cinnamon in a small saucepan, then simmer for about 5 minutes, until just tender and glossy. Turn off the heat and let them cool.
Make the batter. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. In a cup with a spout, whisk the yogurt, milk, egg, vanilla, honey and carrot until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir just until no dry flour shows.
Layer. Pour half the batter into the pan. Spread the cooked apples over it, discarding the cinnamon stick. Pour the rest of the batter over the apples and cover with the crumb topping.
Bake. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean and the top is deep golden. If the top browns too fast, lay a piece of foil loosely over it.
Cool. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn it onto a wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing.

Kami’s tip: Try to let it cool before you eat it. I know it’s hard! A fully cooled loaf slices cleanly, and the apple layer stays put.

Ways to Customize Carrot Apple Bread

Go whole wheat: Swap whole wheat flour for the all purpose flour.
Dairy free topping: Use melted coconut oil instead of butter in the crumb.
Skip the topping: The bread is still moist and sweet without it.
Try pumpkin: A few spoonfuls of pumpkin puree in the batter would be a fun fall twist.

Carrot Apple Bread FAQs

What apples are best? Fuji apples are my favorite. Any sweet, firm apple that holds its shape when cooked will work.
Why cook the apples first? Simmering them with honey and cinnamon softens them so they bake into a tender, jammy layer instead of staying crunchy and releasing water into the bread.
How do I know when it is done? Start checking at 40 minutes. A toothpick in the center should come out clean. Bake up to 50 minutes, covering with foil if the top gets too dark.
Can I freeze carrot apple bread? Yes, baked bread freezes well. Wrap the cooled loaf or slices tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
How do I store it? Because of the yogurt and cooked fruit, keep it covered in the refrigerator and enjoy it within 3 to 4 days.
Can I make it without nuts? Yes. Leave the pecans out of the crumb topping, or skip the topping entirely.
Why did my apples sink to the bottom? Make sure the apples are cooled and spread them over a full half of the batter so they sit in the middle of the loaf.

carrot and apple bread - No Diets Allowed

Carrot Apple Loaf

Lisa

Carrot apple loaf made with honey, Greek yogurt and grated carrots, layered with cinnamon honey apples and topped with an optional pecan crumb. Moist, cozy and freezer friendly.

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Ingredients

For the bread

1 ½ cups All-purpose flour Could substitute whole wheat flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup honey
½ cup Greek yogurt
1/3 cup milk Could use 1%
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup grated carrots

For the apples

2 medium chopped apples I like Fuji apples, they’re my favorite forever
2 tablespoons honey
Half of a cinnamon stick or a sprinkle of ground cinnamon

For the crumb topping (optional but recommended)

½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted
½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF and grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
Prepare the crumb topping if using. Mix the cinnamon, all-purpose flour, brown sugar and pecans together in a small bowl. Add melted butter or coconut oil and mix until the mixture is crumbly. Set aside.
Prepare apples. Peel, core and chop the apples. Mix with honey and bring it to a boil in a small sauce pan with the cinnamon. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and set aside to cool.
Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. In a measuring cup or a cup with a spout, whisk together the yogurt, milk, egg, vanilla, honey, and carrot until well combined. Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture.
Pour half of the batter of the cake onto the bottom of the loaf pan. Spread the cooked apples on top, discarding the cinnamon stick if using. Pour the rest of the batter over the apples. Cover with the crumb topping if using. Bake for 40-50 minutes. Cover with a piece of foil if the top is browning too fast. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Let the bread cool for 15 minutes in the pan and then turn it into a wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing it.

Notes

Baked bread freezes well.

Made this carrot apple bread? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and tell me how it turned out in the comments below. If you love this bread, be sure to check out our other great breads here.