I made y’all some bread.
Some big, fat, in your face, whole wheat apple bread. It’s the kind of bread that will kick your morning coffee in the face… with love and respect.
I like to do things with love and respect… even if it’s yelling at the Los Angeles traffic gods… or channeling my snarky side while on the phone with the IRS. If I say it’s done with love and respect… totally ok, right?
I love when sweet treats are also filled with things like whole wheat, and walnuts and flax seeds. It’s full of health, despite the butter and sugar. This bread is tastes like home… if your home were in, say… rural Oregon.
I like the combination of grated and coarsely chopped apples in this recipe. You get all the flavor and moisture of the apples combined with big ol’ chunks too. Delightful. Walnuts are great in this recipe and flax seeds add all kinds of health. If you don’t happen to have flax seeds on hand. No worries. You can leave them out.
Make this bread. It has cinnamon and apples in it. Really… that’s all you need to know, right?
Quick note: I only needed two apples for this loaf. The third apple I ate with my face.
Ingredients. Essential.
Apples. Walnuts. Flax Seeds.
Sugar topping gets crusty and extra yummy when baked. For serious.
This is the part that includes your face. Insert bread into face.
Oh! One more thing… if you like crazy healthy breakfast treats, you might also enjoy these Gnarley Muffins. I posted this waaaay back in the day when I had only been at this whole blogging thing for a month. The pictures? Pretty bad.
Apple Walnut Flax Seed Bread
makes one 9×5-inch loaf
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
generous pinch freshly ground nutmeg
2/3 cup buttermilk (if you don’t have buttermilk, try these substitutions)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup grated apples
1/2 cup coarsely chopped apples
1 tablespoon flax seeds
3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, divided
cinnamon and sugar for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.
In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla extract.
Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Add the grated apples, chopped apples flax seeds and half of the chopped walnuts. Fold to incorporate thoroughly.
Spoon batter into prepared pan and top with granulated sugar, cinnamon and the rest of the walnuts.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes then invert onto a cooling rack to cool before wrapping.
Serve slightly toasted with butter. Yumtastic.
Lila
It’s delicious! How many carbohydrates does each slice have?
reba
just baked this, but replaced the walnuts with cranberries. dreeeeeamy. perfect for fall!
Elyse
Just made this yesterday and the hubby has helped me get through half a loaf already! Made a few changes; doubled the cinnamon, added a bit of fresh ginger, swapped the whole wheat and regular flour ratio as other have mentioned, used olive oil instead of butter, used egg whites and thinned nonfat greek yogurt, (because that’s what I had) and halved the sugar, (a tiny bump in flax will help the mix from being too wet after changing the fat and sugar ratios like that). The bread is a pebbly, perfectly textured rich piece of spicy breakfast. Thank you, Ms. Joy!
Darcie
I made this bread last night and it is delicious! I used ground flax because you miss out on some of the nutritional benefits when flax seeds are left whole. My toddler loves it too and I like knowing that is is healthy. Thank you for a great recipe. I will make this again.
Mary Sims
Is there a break down of calorie and nutrition value of this bread somewhere? I love it so much!
Isabella
This sound too good to be missed, I am making it at the weekend.However, american cup is different to english cup please advise in gramms, it will make it easer. My first time here and I am loving it. Go girl !!!! Isy
Deborah
Joy,
So nice to have found your blog. I love to bake, and saw your blog listed on the Shape magazine eblast. Not only will I be voting for you as the best blog, I’ll also be making your apple cinnamon coffee cake posted yesterday (that looks absolutely fab!). Thanks for providing such wonderful recipes. I’m looking forward to also making this apple walnut flax bread. Thanks again, and I’m happy to be a new follower.
Best,
Deborah
Linda
This was absolutely delicious. A great healthy treat my kids loved. Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes.
Lucy
delicious and semi healthy. Moist apply walnutty goodness
Cha cha
I just made this today and plan to have for breakfast this coming week (if I can resist going back for more slices tonight). It is delicious. I really like that it’s not too sweet and has the added flax seeds and wheat flour and not too much butter (relative to your other recipes :) so I get to say I’m eating healthy when I’m really just eating deliciousness.
Rebecca
You are an amazing cook!!! I LOVED this bread…fantastic & made the house smell SO good, tasted even better!
cassia
I live in rural Oregon. I saw this and knew it was ment for my taste buds. On my way to the kitchen to bake it this very moment.
Sheree
I made this bread for my Sunday cooking fest, and it was so easy to make, delicious, and even a bit healthy! Found it hard to wait for the bread to cool before taste-testing, so I caved and sliced off the ends to sample with a cup of Earl Grey. Mmm mmm.
I didn’t have flaxseeds (or as Martha suggested, flaxseed meal, since the seeds do go straight through you without reaping any benefits) so I substituted with chia seeds… And it worked perfectly!
beth
A+ recipe
I am a wretched baker (baking is too scientific for me). My breads usually end up tasting like Bisquick. But this apple walnut flaxseed bread was different – it was really delicious! Full of flavor, very satisfying, and even fun to make. Thank you, Joy!
Kelsey @ Clean Teen Kelsey
Wow, wow, wow.
That’s all.
Well actually, that isn’t all. I hope I can make a vegan version of this!!
KT
Thank you so very much for being hilarious while giving me a “coffee face kicking” breakfast bread recipe. My morning just got 100x better.
Hannah
This bread was delicious! I subbed the buttermilk with applesauce which worked out fantastic given that this bread is apple bread. I also added a dash of cardamom and added more ground flax seeds. Mmmmm. Thank you Joy!
Philip Geneman
This apple walnut flax seed bread :) looks great too! I love this site so many great recipes. off to the next recipe! see ya
Martha
I’ve just found your site and am so enjoying it!! I haven’t yet tried this recipe (looks yummy!) but wanted to suggest that, instead of flax seed, use flax meal (can grind your own from seed). The seeds will just go right through your system, whereas the meal will let your body reap its benefits. You may have to adjust the liquid content….or not…because flax meal has a good oil and will help keep the bread moist.
Thanks for a cool blog!
Alice
Hi Joy,
This recipe looks amazing! I have one question:
I live in a small town and the only whole wheat flours at the store are ww pastry flour and stone ground ww flour. Which one should I use? Or should I us a mix of both? Or…?
Thanks!!!
Marcie
Made this yesterday. DAMN it’s super tasty. Loved it. Thanks
Joy
Whoa. Whoaaa. This bread is seriously delicious!! Thanks for the recipe, Joy. I made a version on my blog with no flax seed because I’m a rebel, check it out!
VaMom
Made this today and it was awesome! Made a couple changes to make it as healthy as possible….used 1 c. whole wheat flour and 3/4 c. all purpose flour (instead of the other way around), used sugar free “brown sugar” (Ideal Brown), used Egg Beaters (1/2 c.) in place of eggs, used unsweetened Almond Breeze w/lemon juice in place of buttermilk, and a heaping tbsp of ground flax ….made a gorgeous loaf, didn’t sink in the middle, made the house smell amazing, and tasted great! Can’t wait for breakfast!! Thanks for this recipe!
Tricia
SO so good!! After a short mishap with the downtime on the site I made this beautiful loaf and impressed everyone I know by making them like flax seeds! Thanks for the consistently outstanding recipes!
Denise
I made this bread tonight and it so yummy! Thanks for the great recipe and pictures too!
The great 16 year old "baker"
OMG! THIS BREAD WAS TO DIE FOR!!
MY WHOLE FAMILY DEVOURED IT, 5 MINUTES AFTER IT WAS OUT OF THE OVEN.
i dont think you get to call this cake healthy though,
because stuffing your face with the entire thing may be not dietetic!
betty
this looks great i am making it this weekend :O)
Beth
Oh yum, I made this today! http://tinyurl.com/y6nuzls
It’s so moist and yummy…I might have to make another loaf soon. Except I’m out of walnuts, darn. And pecans.
You know what I changed? I ground up the apple peel and tossed it into the batter! I hate wasting it, and think of all those nutrients in the skin!
Tracey
I have made this recipe 3 times since it was posted and LOVE it! I have made it with flax seed and flax meal and both ways are great. I even made it for an Easter brunch and it was a great addition. I like that my whole family enjoys this and it is a satisfying breakfast on a busy school morning. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Julia
Wow, that apple pie looks amazing
Linda T. from NJ
I made this bread for dessert on Easter and it did not disappoint! It was delcious and a nice change from too sweet too sugary desserts. It was perfect with a cup of coffee. Better too the next day! I didn’t have flax seeds but had flax seed meal and switched it out with perfect results. Loved the walnut topping with sugar and cinnamon … it was just enough. Thanks for sharing!
joythebaker
sounds superb!
Gloria Kim
Hi joy!
I was a little confused because under your picture of the apples you said you used two for the bread, but in the ingredients you put “1/2 cup apples” so I wasn’t sure how much to add! Also, my loaf came out a bit crumbly, do you have any advice on how to make it less crumbly? :)
Thanks for sharing~!
Lyndsey
SO Yummy!
Ever since I found your website I have been cooking up a storm!!
Thanks so much!
Neha
Hi Joy,
Thanks for the recipe!
One question, though. Isn’t it supposed to be well nigh useless to use whole flax seed?
Thanks!
Neha
Andrea
I’ve been dying to make this recipe since you posted it, so I went and picked up everything today to do just that! Sadly for me, I didn’t have quite enough cinnamon and was completely out of nutmeg (guess I should work on that shopping list skill). So I substituted a dash of allspice for the nutmeg. It tastes amazing all the same! My roommate is seriously looking forward to having it toasted for breakfast.
Nancy
Hi Joy,
I made this bread over the weekend. Yum! Next time I tink I will add shredded carrots as well.
Thanks for the great recipes and fun blog.
Nancy
Megan
1. This looks like a snack I could feel good about.
2. You are one darn good bread slicer! All the same size and everything.
3. You’re just the best, Joy. Thanks for being that!
Food Hunter
Looks yummy and sounds healthy…I’ll try it!
Jennifer
This was so good!!! A nice change of pace from the usual banana bread in our household.
Question: because of the apples, is it still OK to keep the bread just wrapped up tightly on the counter, or do I need to refrigerate it?
Michelle L
I made this tonight, and it’s a new favorite from your site!
Andi
This looks great. I’m going to make a few loaves and freeze them. I always eat my breakfast in the car :( and this is a perfect and healthy on the go breakfast. Thanks!
Annika
This is so good!
Thank you so much! I am in love with it and consider not to share with anybody else!
Melissa
Your blog and this recipe cheered me up so much while lying low with flu that, in spite of the aching body, I just had to make this bread. The smell of cinnamon, nutmeg, apples & pecan nuts (all I had in the house) cheered me up no end. And it’s so easy to make. Thank you for sharing it!
Jasmine
I made this bread yesterday and served it to some friends today. It went down really, really well and no one would have guessed that it had whole wheat flour in it. I used green apples cos that’s what I had and also white whole wheat flour.Thanks for posting this great recipe!
Deanna
I will have to try this! And being from Oregon, well I am sure it will fit right in with our morning routine :)
Michelle L
I making this tomorrow!!! Can’t wait.
Nasira
I made this bread today…it is soooooo good! You’ve succesfully made flax seeds taste like something that should be eaten.
Also I want to thank you for making my math class so much more interesting. My professor has an uncanny resemblance to you and thats the only thing that makes sitting in class a little more interesting.
Sarah
This is in my oven as we speak. I am so excited. The batter was EXTREMELY delicious (somehow I was able to tear myself away and bake it instead of eating it all), so surely the finished product will be amazing. Thank you!!
Ashley
Seriously yum!
Susan
I made this bread last night, WOW!!!!! A home run. I did not have flax seeds, but used flax meal instead.
Waited so patiently for it to cool a bit so I have a piece before I went to bed.
Samantha
AWWW Thanks for the bread!! I licked the screen and it tasted delicious haha!
Laura
Wow! Can’t wait to make this!
Laken
My face is excited already.
Brianne
Only you would inspire me to come home and bake on a Friday..when all I usually want to do is veg out. :) But I only have one apple and the store is SO far away (ok, like 3 blocks)..so I’m gonna add cranberries too…we’ll see how it turns out.
Stacey
I think I’m gaining weight because of your blog!
I am dreaming of all things baked-CONSTANTLY!!!
This looks so good. I love to see some heathly ingredients in my baked goods. Doesn’t make me feel so bad about chowing down. :)
katie
Oh Joy! I coudln’t even wait! This delicious treat is baking in my oven as I speak! I can’t wait for breakfast tomorrow so I can smother it with butter and have it with my coffee :) Helllooooo Saturday! :)
LauraEmm
I am going to have to make this soon! I live in a big city now, but I grew up in rural Oregon. Something to remind me of home! Thanks :)
kickpleat
This looks amazing! And healthy….so I’ll be making up a batch this weekend.
Crystal's Cozy Kitchen
That bread looks so delicious… I really love fruit and nut breads.
Karen
YUM! I was going to bake something as a little thank-you gift for someone this weekend…now I know what to make! I LOVE apples and walnuts together, great recipe!
Linda T. from NJ
Oh this looks soooo good!! The crust looks amazing, delicious and downright sinful. I am making this one this weekend for sure. The weather will be a little cooler here and this will smell wonderful cooking as it warms up the house. I can taste it now with a cup of coffee as I sit having that peaceful moment.
jacquie
that looks wonderful. i haven’t used flax seeds much – what do they taste like? i was also thinking about adding some wheat germ in for a little bit of extra nutrition boost and some nutty/earthiness. how do you think that would work? wonder if i should take some of the flour out then ….
Amy
I’ve read that it’s a bit hard for our bodies to digest all of the great nutrition in whole flax seeds, so it’s better to grind them first in a food processor or blender. Either way, I’m making this bread this weekend!!
Stacey
thanks for the tip. i’ll do that for sure.
Sarah
I love eating with my face! :-)
Elisabeth
Looks awesome and sounds super healthy! Stuff bread into face? will do.
Rachael
I must investigate this and my running friends will hate me for it…Being a baker myself I love to mix and match, would it be possible to take out half the buttermilk and replace with mashed banana??
Stacey
do it!!
sarah Friedrich
That looks really yummy! Too bad I can’t have it right now, I just got my wisdom teeth out. :(
Stephanie
Oh yummy! I love apples and I love walnuts. Why do you always make things I adore? I like you. :)
Phoo-d
Including grated apple and apple chunks is a brilliant idea! I love the walnut topping too. Flax seeds are such a nice addition to breakfast goods, I sneak them in all the time.
Katrina
Joy! This looks lovely! I don’t like walnuts, could I make it with pecans??
jaclyn@todayslady
This bread looks like pure comfort food! I wish I had it with my coffee right now!! Love the idea of using grated and chopped apples!!! Yuuummmmm I want this!!
Oooh and I just remembered that there’s a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar on top! Even better!!
Wendy (The Local Cook)
Ooooh, yummy! I love cinnamon bread, and with apples and flax I can say it’s healthy!
Sara
With respect, this looks fantastic Joy!! I am so adding this to my “to do” list. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe!
Jodi
I love your blog – it makes me so hungry. I actually love it so much that I have nominated you for an award. http://wp.me/pNHSk-2z – for more information on it. Keep up the good work – you inspire me to bake!
Lindsey
This is the perfect loaf to make with our extra apples this weekend! And I can convince my grandmother that it’s totally unhealthy while sneaking the nutrients through the back door into the batter.
Erica Lea
I like your towel/napkin. So cheerful. :D Adding whole wheat to quick breads is awesome. I love the large chunks of walnuts & the sound of the crunchy topping. I think I need to make this.
Jamie (AHealthyJD)
Joy,
This bread looks fantastic and I plan on making it tonight when I get home. Thanks for all of your wonderful recipes, pictures and entertaining posts you are a blogging goddess.
Much love,
Jamie
Jan (Family Bites)
Um…yum! I love the combination of apple and walnut….
Sara
Joy, I love your blog for two reasons.
1) Your photos are beautiful.
2) The way you write makes me chuckle. I can see your personality in every word. You are a cool chick. =D
I also cannot wait to make this bread. Anything with apples and sugar makes me happy.
Stacey
I completely agree! She is cool!
Sophie @ yumventures
I might have died and gone to heaven. I <3 apple walnut anything! Plus this bread looks like it would fall in love with any cup of tea or coffee I have :)
Rebecca
I LOVE LOVE LUUURVE all of your bread recipes. I’ll add this to my list of favorites: Vegan Pumpkin Spice Bread, Sweet Potato Zucchini Bread, Banana Bread etc… I want more.
Kaitlin
I love this post.
“This is the part that includes your face.”
How awesome is that? You rock :P
This sounds delicious. My grandpa has, like, three bags of flax seeds in his pantry. I should make this next time I visit him. Thanks for the recipe!
Kristan Roland
Looks yummy!! In my opinion, the phrases “with love and respect” as well as “no offense, but…” free you from any repercussions from what follows. That’s the way it is.
thedelishdish
i wish i was having this for breakfast right now!
Allison
This looks so comforting and delicious! With a hot cup of coffee, this might just brighten up the rainy Saturday morning we have been promised!
shannon
I read this post on google reader on my phone, while on the bus on my way to do grocery shopping (that’s an awkwardly long sentence). i was so excited to make this, that i ended up buying the ingredients i needed right there. it’s now cooling in my kitchen :)
haven’t tasted it yet, but it looks fantastic.
A Bowl Of Mush
Such a beautiful and nutritious bread!
I would love to make this, it sounds really delicious! :)
Maria Trader
Thank you for giving us the specifics in the directions. “Insert bread into face.” I always knew I was missing something in the other recipes.
Lauren @ Crave. Indulge. Satisfy.
This bread looks amazing! Can’t wait to try the recipe.
Estela @ Weekly Bite
This bread looks right up my alley!! Delicious!
Beth @ 990 Square
I wonder if this bread would be enough to hide the flax seeds from my husband. He claims they make him “cough” when he eats them on cereal or in oatmeal. He has a strong aversion to healthy. I might just have to try this!
Susan
This looks so good! I think i wont’ mention the flax seed when I serve it to my kids. God forbid they eat anything healthy!!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
Yum!!! Looks hearty and amazing.
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is
Looks wonderful! I love flax in my bread – gives such a wonderful flavor.
Michelle @ H.E.R.
looks tasty, we’ll probably give it a try!
Silvia
Looks yummy indeed, but I have to say I’m getting curious to see your new kitchen, please please please…
XXX
Ethan @ tastesbetterwithfriends.wordpress.com
That looks great and I know this is sacrilege but what if I don’t drink coffee? Will the bread kick my tea or chocolate milk in the face?
On a serious note, what kind of apples did you use for the making of the bread and the eating with the face?
Leah
Chocolate milk for breakfast! Why have I never thought of that? :)
Petit Filoux
Hmmm looks delicious!!
Sasa
Totally love the health aspect since it’s not long to swimsuit season. After all butter and sugar get neutralised in the presence of nuts and wholegrains, my mum told me so it must be true.
Shannon @ bakeandbloom.com
kitchen shy (code for, I haven’t washed the dishes since I moved in?)
joythebaker
pretty much. :)
Shannon @ bakeandbloom.com
btw Joy, the new countertops look nice, yet to see proper kitchen photos though.
joythebaker
i’m kitchen shy.
The MuffinTin Post
Oh, I think you accidentally left the flax seed off the ingredient list (unless I’m just not seeing it, which is entirely possible).
joythebaker
ha! nope. that was all me. lemme tell you. i looked at that recipe for ten minutes straight this morning. i couldn’t… for the life of me… figure out what was missing! thank you!
The MuffinTin Post
I’ve been looking for a good flax seed recipe. Now I know what to start with!
Chris Smith
I have always heard that you need to grind flax seeds to get any benefit from them. I would give them a quick run in a coffee grinder or food processor.
Karolyn
This is true. i’m a registered nurse, so not to be vulgar, but you literally send the seeds out the other end when you eat them whole. Grind them or you won’t get any benefit but some roughage! This is one of my “flax” pet peeves.
Shannon @ bakeandbloom.com
PHwaaaarrr. that-looks-yummy :)
I want to sniff it, I want to eat it.