Apple Walnut Spelt Bread

This recipe was first discovered thanks to the purchase of my Sunbeam breadmaker.  The recipe was in the recipe section of the manual - and then modified of course.  I love it because it is nice to dump into a machine and get this marvelous loaf along with the best-smelling house ever! I have no doubt it would also work the old-fashioned way if you don't have a breadmaker.  It does make a heavier bread but it is the best toasted with butter.  Great tea-time snack or breakfast!

Apple Walnut Spelt Bread


3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp unsweetened apple juice
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp butter - melted
1 egg
1/4 cup applebutter
4 cups spelt flour
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp instant yeast
1/2 cup chopped walnuts


Add the applesauce, juice, salt, butter, egg and applebutter into the bread pan.  In a separate bowl, measure and add the flour, xanthan gum, cinnamon, baking bsoda and stir to combine thoroughly.  Pour this onto the liquids in the bread pan.  Sprinkle the yeast on top of the flour mixture.
Twist the bread pan into the breadmaker, close the lid and select the sweet bread setting (on my machine it is about 2 1/2 hours).  Select your crust color and press start.  When the dough is formed into a ball during the kneading cycle, raise the lid and sprinkle the nuts in (about 5 minutes into the cycle).  This does make a delicious 2lb loaf of bread.

Cook's Notes:
The recipe book does say this should not be made using the timer (ie placing it all in the pan and having it set to go on at a later time).  I have no idea why this would not work for a timer but I have not tried it yet.  I think I may have to though. Waking up to this bread would be a delight!
I would definitely consider adding raisins in and perhaps omit the nuts then.  Another option I have wanted to try is to add small pieces of apple in as well. Yum!