Description
This Chai Spiced Apple Butter Muffin Bread is the essence of a cozy autumn morning. This wonderfully moist, tender loaf is a perfect cross between a muffin and a quick bread, layered with the incredible flavors of spiced apple, tangy cream cheese, and a rich brown sugar streusel. It’s an impressive, all-in-one treat perfect for brunch or an afternoon snack.
Ingredients
Chai Spice
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon all-spice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Muffin Bread Batter
1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, melted
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/3 cup apple butter
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whole wheat or all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 Honeycrisp apple, very thinly sliced or chopped
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature or melted
Chai Swirl
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
Instructions
Make the Chai Spice and Prepare the Batter:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix together all the chai spice ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, ¾ cup of brown sugar, Greek yogurt, apple butter, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the flour, 1 tablespoon of your chai spice blend, the baking powder, and salt until just combined.
Add the Apples and Cream Cheese:
In a small bowl, toss the chopped apple with the remaining 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and 2 teaspoons of the chai spice. Fold the spiced apples into the batter. Add dollops of the room temperature cream cheese into the batter and give it a couple of gentle stirs to create ribbons of cheesecake filling. Do not overmix.
Make the Chai Swirl and Assemble:
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. To make the chai swirl topping, mix together the dark brown sugar, flour, melted butter, and 1-2 teaspoons of the chai spice until clumps form. Sprinkle this streusel mixture evenly over the batter.
Bake to Perfection:
Bake for 60-70 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Moisture is Key:
The combination of apple butter and Greek yogurt is the secret to an incredibly moist and tender crumb that keeps the bread from being too sweet.
Muffin Variation:
To make muffins instead of a loaf, divide the batter into a greased and lined muffin tin. The baking time will be much shorter, around 20-25 minutes. Use a toothpick to check for doneness.
Homemade Chai Spice:
Taking a few extra minutes to mix your own chai spice blend gives you control over the flavor and freshness. The hint of black pepper adds a subtle, warm kick that makes the other spices pop.
- Prep Time: 25
- Cook Time: 65
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert, Quick Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of loaf)
- Calories: 373
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
Keywords: chai spice bread, apple butter bread, quick bread, fall baking, muffin bread, cream cheese swirl