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Easy apricot bread is moist, fluffy, and loaded with fresh apricots in every bite! It’s a delicious Summery breakfast/snack, now egg-free and dairy-free (+ optionally GF!)
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I love cycling through fruit quick bread recipes seasonally. This summer, I love this easy banana peach bread, strawberry bread, and apricot bread with fresh apricots. It’s soft, sweet, studded with juicy fresh apricots (aka vitamins A, C, and potassium!), and really easy to throw together with no special equipment.
This version uses simple, inexpensive, pantry-friendly ingredient swaps for a naturally vegan apricot bread recipe without sacrificing flavor or texture. Even better, there are several tasty ways to customize the recipe. It stores well, too!
You might also enjoy making this vegan apricot crisp or apricot cookies.
Ingredient Notes
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
Tasty Recipe Variations
- Apricot jam: Swirl dollops into the batter as you add it to the loaf tin.
- Dried fruit: Add up to ½ cup cranberries, raisins, blueberries, chopped dates, etc.
- Nuts: Make a tasty apricot nut bread with ½-¾ cup raw/toasted chopped almonds, pecans, pistachios, or walnuts.
- Almond extract: ¼-½ tsp adds nuttiness and complements apricots.
- Spices: Add depth to this simple recipe for apricot bread with a dash of cinnamon, ginger (or finely chopped candied ginger for more zingy flavor), or cardamom.
- Vegan chocolate: Add dairy-free white, semi-sweet, or bittersweet chocolate chips.
- Citrus: Add about a tablespoon of orange, lime, or lemon zest for subtle brightness.
- Toppings: Add extra decadence with coarse cinnamon sugar (before baking), a vegan white chocolate drizzle, or a simple almond, vanilla, or 3-ingredient lemon glaze.
How to Make Apricot Bread
Step 1: First, preheat the oven to 350F/175C and grease or line a 9×5-inch (25×11 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper. Next, finely dice the apricots and transfer them to a medium bowl with 2 tbsp sugar. Toss well and set aside.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients (flour, both sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) in a large bowl.
Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients (applesauce, plant-based milk, oil, and vanilla) in a separate bowl/cup. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until only just incorporated, then carefully fold in the apricots.
Step 4: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-55 minutes, until a skewer/knife inserted in the center comes out clean (moist crumbs are fine). Finally, remove the apricot quick bread from the oven and let it cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Check on it at 30 minutes. If the top is browning too fast, cover it loosely with foil.
Enjoy a slice alone or with lashings of vegan butter, a dollop of plant-based yogurt or vegan whipped cream, or a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream. Don’t forget a cup of tea or coffee.
FAQs
Yes, but it’s best to soak them with hot water. Then drain well, chop, and fold into the batter.
I think that should work. Divide the batter into a muffin tray and reduce the baking time to 20-25 minutes. Use a toothpick to check for doneness.
For mini apricot loaves, reduce the baking to 25-30 minutes.
Oil helps produce a tender crumb. However, you may be able to replace a portion with more applesauce, mashed banana, vegan Greek yogurt, or cashew butter/sun butter. The texture will vary.
Pro Recipe Tips
- Measure the flour correctly: Using too much leads to dense, dry bakes. Fluff it in its bag, add it to the measuring cup with a spoon, and level it with the back of a knife.
- Don’t over-mix: Overworking the gluten can lead to dense, unpleasant bakes. A few small lumps in the batter are fine.
- Sweeten to taste: Add a little less/more to preference.
- Leave to cool in the pan: Firm up slightly so it doesn’t fall apart when slicing.
How To Store Apricot Bread
Room temp: Store it in an airtight container/wrapped with plastic wrap for 2-3 days.
In the fridge: In an airtight container lined with paper towels for 5-7 days.
Freeze it: Whole or sliced (with parchment paper between, to prevent sticking), wrapped in plastic wrap, in a Ziplock/Stasher, for up to 3 months.
Thaw/reheat: In the fridge overnight, at room temperature for several hours, or quickly thaw an individual slice in a microwave/toaster oven.
Easy Apricot Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups of chopped fresh apricots
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup of granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup of brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 (3.9-ounce) pack of unsweetened plain applesauce
- 1 cup of plant-based milk
- ⅓ cup of neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and grease or line a loaf pan with parchment paper to make it easier to lift out of the pan. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add the diced apricots with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Toss well and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a cup, mix the applesauce, plant-based milk, oil, and vanilla extract.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix until barely incorporated. Do not overmix. Fold in the apricots and mix well.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. At minute 30, open the oven and check if the top is browning too fast. If it is, cover it with aluminum foil. Insert a knife into the center of the bread, if the knife comes out clean, it is ready. If it comes out with batter, continue baking in 10-minute increments.
- When ready, allow the bread to cook for 20 minutes before removing it from the pan. Allow it to fully cool before slicing.
Notes
- Measure the flour correctly: Using too much leads to dense, dry bakes. Fluff it in its bag, add it to the measuring cup with a spoon, and level it with the back of a knife.
- Don’t over-mix: Overworking the gluten can lead to dense, unpleasant bakes. A few small lumps in the batter are fine.
- Sweeten to taste: Add a little less/more to preference.
- Leave to cool in the pan: Firm up slightly so it doesn’t fall apart when slicing.
