Apple cinnamon pull apart bread is a like a loaf of cinnamon rolls with tiny bits of apple surprises sprinkled throughout.
This soft and fluffy bread is meant to be shared and eaten as soon as it’s baked!
You know what relaxes me? Bread!
Bread eating and bread making.
There is something so calming about it.
If yeast bread stress you out, read this guide to baking with yeast first. Once you’re ready, come back and tackle this cinnamon pull apart bread!
Apple Cinnamon Bread
My favorite kind of baked goods are the ones that are suitable for any time of day.
Dessert for breakfast? YES, please!
This apple cinnamon pull apart bread is a like a loaf of cinnamon rolls with tiny bits of apple surprises sprinkled throughout.
It’s a soft and fluffy bread that’s meant to be shared and eaten as soon as it’s baked.
Think Sunday brunch with friends or day after Thanksgiving morning.
Instead of the usual cream cheese glaze associated with cinnamon rolls, I opted for something unexpected: honey glaze.
Honey glaze tastes exactly like it sounds. It works perfectly with the tart Granny Smith apples.
Forgiving Yeast Dough
The dough is very soft and easy to work it. It’s similar to the kind of dough you’d use to make a regular cinnamon roll.
It can be made with either active dry yeast or instant yeast.
I suggest using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment.
However, with a little elbow grease, you can certainly mix the dough together by hand.
The resting time (about an hour) gives the gluten in dough to relax.
When the gluten is given ample time to relax, the dough will be much easier to roll out. It will not shrink back.
The suggest one hour resting time is for a stand mixer.
It may take about an hour and half (90 minutes) for dough mixed together by hand.
Apple Cinnamon Filling
The filling is a mixture of diced Granny Smith apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon
Granny Smith work best in this recipe.
They hold their shape well during baking and their slightly tart flavor pops through the sweet cinnamon mixture.
Other apple varieties may turn into mush. Or, they may make the filling taste even sweeter.
I chopped up the apples in a fine dice.
You can slice them any which way you’d like. Thinly sliced apple work great!
Assembling Pull Apart Loaf Bread
- 1. Roll dough to a rectangle about 20 x 12-inches. Spread softened butter all over dough.
- 2. Distribute apple cinnamon mixture over buttered dough.
- 3. Cut the dough in half lengthwise (the long way) and then cut into 5 sections vertically.
- 4. Make two stacks using the 10 strips of dough. The, cut each stack into three parts.
- 5. Place the stacks on their side in bread pan. Stagger stacks or simply file them in rows. Pour any cinnamon sugar mixture that may have escaped into the bread pan.
Messy Process
Yes, assembling the pull apart bread loaf can get messy.
Don’t worry. You can pour all the escaped apple cinnamon sugar mixture into the bread pan later.
Place the stacks on their sides in a bread pan.
Stagger them to create movement and drama, or simply file them in rows. Cover the bread pan with plastic wrap and allow the bread to rise.
Once the bread reaches the top of the pan, it’s time to pop them in the oven.
Honey Glaze
This wonderfully aromatic, warm and inviting apple cinnamon pull apart bread is delicious straight from the oven.
You may certainly start snacking on the bread as is.
However, I highly suggest adding a generous drizzle of honey glaze.
The honey glaze is a simple mixture of butter, honey, powdered sugar, and milk.
You may add a touch of vanilla extract or almond extract to add even more flavor.
Serving and Storage
This pull apart bread should be served the day it is baked.
I suggest serving it within hours of baking for the best experience.
Store leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two days.
If you would like to make the bread ahead of time- unmold bread and cool to room temperature. Do not add glaze yet! Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for up to two days.
Gently reheat in 350 degree F oven for 10-15 minutes until warm. Remove from the oven and top with honey glaze. Serve immediately!
Apple Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread
Ingredients
Dough:
- 7 grams ( 2 ¼ teaspoon) active dry yeast*
- 170 grams (¾ cup) whole milk, warmed to 110 degrees F
- 30 grams (2 ½ Tbsp) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 57 grams (¼ cup) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 390 grams ( 3 cups) all-purpose flour
Apple Cinnamon Filling:
- 57 grams (¼ cup) unsalted butter, softened to mayonnaise consistency
- 1 large Granny Smith apple, cored, peeled and diced
- 133 grams (½ cup + 2 Tbsp) dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Honey Glaze:
- 28 grams ( 2 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 60 grams (3 Tbsp) honey
- 227 grams (1 cup) confectioners' sugar
- 2 teaspoon whole milk, or as needed
Instructions
Dough:
- Place yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add 1/2 tablespoon of sugar. Stir to combine. Let stand for 5-7 minutes until yeast has activated and mixture is foamy.
- Add remaining sugar, egg, melted butter, and salt to yeast mixture. Whisk together. Attach dough hook to stand mixer. Add half of flour and mix on low speed. Scrape bowl as needed to ensure thorough mixing. Add in remaining flour and continue to mix on low speed until dough comes together. Increase speed to medium and knead until dough forms into a ball. If dough is too wet, add 1-2 tablespoons of flour.
- Place dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and cover with kitchen towel. Allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 50-60 minutes.
Assembly:
- Lightly grease bread pan. Place dough a floured working surface. Roll dough to a rectangle 20 x 12-inches. Spread 1/4 cup softened butter over dough.
- Filling: Toss together apples, brown sugar and cinnamon. Evenly distribute apple mixture over buttered dough.
- Cut rectangle in half lengthwise (the long way). Cut each half into 5 strips vertically. Make two stacks using the 10 strips of dough. Cut each stack into three parts.
- Place the stacks on their sides in the prepared bread pan. Stagger stacks, or simply file them in rows. Pour any apple cinnamon sugar mixture that may have escaped into the bread pan.
- Cover bread pan with plastic wrap. Allow bread to rise until it reaches the top of the bread pan, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 50-55 minutes until top of the bread is golden brown and internal temperature registers at least 200°F on a digital kitchen thermometer. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes. Gently unmold from pan and allow to cool slightly on wire rack.
- To make honey glaze: Beat together butter and honey until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth. Add milk 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired thickness is achieved. Immediately drizzle over apple cinnamon pull apart bread.
Notes
- Equal amount of instant yeast may be used in place of active dry yeast
- best enjoyed the day it is baked
- store leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two days
- Unmold bread and cool to room temperature. Do not add glaze! Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for up to two days.
- Gently reheat in 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes until warm. Top with honey glaze. Serve immediately.
This bread is gorgeous Maryanne! And I LOVE the honey glaze. You’re exactly right, there is something relaxing about enjoying a nice home baked piece of bread with a nice hot cup of tea! Nothing better!
Thank you, Mary Ann! Hope you have a relaxing weekend! :)
this looks like such an amazing loaf! and don’t worry, the giants will probably “let” the dodgers get it this year (it is an odd year, after all) (;
Thanks! lol, sigh. I lived up in NorCal during an odd year. It was so hard being a Dodgers fan living in the Bay! haha
AHHHH! This is so beautiful and I need to make it now! I am so swamped this week but this bread may be my birthday cake! On another note, I am happy I dropped baseball so many years ago because I am sure I would be as frustrated as you right now :)
Thanks so much Kacey! haha that’s how I feel about basketball. I stopped watching a couple years ago because it was toying with my emotions too much.
I LOVED baseball! (Go Braves!) Until the Braves traded Martin Prado and broke my heart. I think I get to invested in the players, I hate when someone I love gets traded :) This bread is a sure fire cure for a broken heart though!! :)
Sigh. I hear ya! I’m always afraid when rosters change. But YES, bread to the rescue! :)
Oh my goodness, this is perfection! The texture looks absolutely marvelous and I just want to take a big bite and then keep eating…and eating! :)
Thanks Kimberly! :)
This is GOOD, Maryanne! I am drooling in front of my computer now. The bread looks really soft and fluffy. I’m going apple picking this weekend, so next week, I can use some apples to make this bread! Nommmm….
I’m not a baseball fan, but I’m an Angeleno! GO DODGERS!
Thanks! Have fun apple picking this weekend! Looking forward to seeing it on Snapchat ;)
You have done it again! I’m going to live vicariously through your baking. TOO BEAUTIFUL!
Thanks Becky!! Love seeing your snaps from Colorado! :)
YUM! This looks so delicious and I bet it would be perfect with a cup of coffee!
Yessss! Thanks Maris! :)
Man oh man, I would go to town on that bread!!!
Haha, Alex finished it all! :)
I love how thick the slices are! I’ve always done thinner pull aparts, but this thickness got me craving some carbs!
Thanks Sarah! The thicker slices end up softer and fluffier! :)
SO with you there -desserts for breakfast all the way! This bread looks totally gorgeous – love the way you can tear off a slice (or 3..or 5…) and it is all so warm,, sticky and cinnamony, and yours looks especially tall and beautiful! Pull apart bread is something I definitely need to try :)
Wow! I found this cake on Foodgawker, I love it!!!! It is definitely on my “to do” list.
I just made this bread and it is so good. It was easy to make and came out looking beautiful. And the glaze was really great. Thank you for a wonderful recipe. I will definitely make this again.
Hi Karrie! That’s wonderful to hear! I’m glad you liked it :)
Just finished making this and followed the recipe exactly (except I used red apples instead of green). The glaze for me was translucent instead of white like pictured, but it’s absolutely delicious! Super moist and doughey. Definitely a perfect brunch bread to go with coffee. I’d make it again exactly the same way. Thanks for the recipe!
I’ve tried this recipe twice and can’t seem to get the end result. I’m wondering if I’m over kneading the dough in the beginning? So I was just wondering if you can clarify whether that initial mix is just quick to bring all the ingredients together or a longer knead to activate the gluten?
Thanks!
The mixing of the dough in Step 2 is to bring all the ingredients together as well as activate the gluten. At the end of mixing, the dough should be smooth and it should no longer stick to the sides of the mixing bowl.
If you happen to over knead the dough- don’t worry. It will take a little longer to double in size during the rising stage, but it will be just fine.
This looks amazing I’m going to make it tomorrow..is it ok if I use 2% milk
2% milk is fine. Whole milk is about 3-4% fat.
I have tried to make a similar recipe to this one a few times where I’m supposed to let the yeast get foamy in whole milk, but it never does. It just clumps up even if I whisk it in. I’ve made sure the milk is the correct temperature (110degrees). Do you have any other suggestions, or should I just go ahead with the recipe even if the yeast doesn’t get foamy? Could I skip blooming it and throw the yeast straight into the flour?
Also, I don’t have a stand mixer and was curious if I could knead by hand after adding the first half of the flour into the wet ingredients.
Thanks so much!