I have been waiting to share this recipe with you guys for what seems like forever! 
After Stephen requested something along the lines of an apple fritter donut a while back, I decided to switch things up a bit and combine that classic flavoring with another classic medium, pull-apart bread. And, let me tell you. This is such a win!
I have always been a huge pull-apart bread person (who doesn’t want something warm and delicious to pick apart with your hands?), but this recipe really takes it over the top. The bread itself is coated in a cinnamon sugar spread and then each slice is topped with an apple and brown sugar mixture then baked to perfection.
Oh, and if that wasn’t decadent enough, I topped the whole thing with melted white chocolate and salted caramel.
For a bread recipe, this really is pretty simple. But, as I like to see things written out in detail, I figured I would give you a step-by-step as well as posting the recipe below!
1. To start, simply combine the flour (leaving out 3/4 a cup), yeast, and sugar in the bottom of your stand mixer (or large bowl)
2. In a small pot, gently warm the milk and butter until the butter has just melted. Then, remove from the heat and let sit for about 2-3 minutes. Add in the water and vanilla and stir to combine.
3. Pour the milk mixture into the flour and, using the dough hook, mix together until well combined.
4. Add the salt, cinnamon and eggs one at a time, making sure to beat well after each one.
5. Add the remaining 3/4 cup of flour and beat until the dough comes together.
6. Remove from the mixer and place in a large, well oiled bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and leave in a dry/warm place to rise for about an hour (I like to use my oven for this).
7. Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and roll it out to the size of a large rectangle on a well floured surface. Preheat the oven to 350.
8. Spread the surface of the dough first with the cinnamon, sugar butter and then with the apple mixture.
9. Cut the dough into 5 strips from top to bottom. Then, cut again into thirds going from left-to-right.
10. Stack the slices together and place in a well buttered 9×5 loaf pan.
11. Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.
Once finished, feel free to top with salted caramel or drizzle with melted white chocolate*!
* To make the melted white chocolate drizzle, I like to add about 4 oz of white chocolate and 2 heaping tbs. of coconut oil to a small bowl then add about 1/2 cup of water to a small sauce pan and place the heat-proof bowl on top and gently heat until the chocolate has melted (be sure to constantly stir to avoid burning the chocolate.).
** This bread is best served warm, and I’ve found the best way to reheat a leftover slice is by heating it in a pan instead of the microwave (although that tastes pretty darn delicious, too).
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ⅓ cup milk (whole or 2%)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- Cinnamon Butter Mixture:
- 4 tbs. butter
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- Apple Mixture
- 2 small granny smith apples, diced
- 1 tbs butter
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- Combine the flour (leaving out ¾ a cup), yeast, and sugar in the bottom of your stand mixer (or large bowl)
- In a small pot, gently warm the milk and butter until the butter has just melted. Then, remove from the heat and let sit for about 2-3 minutes. Add in the water and vanilla and stir to combine.
- Pour the milk mixture into the flour and, using the dough hook, mix together until well combined.
- Add the salt, cinnamon and eggs one at a time, making sure to beat well after each one.
- Add the remaining ¾ cup of flour and beat until the dough comes together.
- Remove from the mixer and place in a large, well oiled bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and leave in a dry/warm place to rise for about an hour (I like to use my oven for this).
- Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and roll it out to the size of a large rectangle on a well floured surface. Preheat the oven to 350.
- In a medium-sized pan make the apple mixture by adding the butter (1 tbs), brown sugar and diced apples over a medium heat and cook until the apples are soft and tender.
- Then, spread the surface of the dough first with the cinnamon and butter (mix together in a small bowl, if desired) and then with the apple mixture.
- Cut the dough into 5 strips from top to bottom. Then, cut again into thirds going from left-to-right.
- Stack the slices together and place in a well buttered 9x5 loaf pan.
- Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.
Wow, this looks amazing. Great idea combining an apple fritter and pull apart bread. Genius.
Thanks, Karen 🙂 Hope you’re staying warm in this cold weather!!!
Oh sweet mother of all things yeasty! I need this in my mouth now!
I am smitten with the look of your site and your photography.
Thanks, Holly! I just emailed you back 🙂
Oh man that pull-apart bread just looks amazing! And I love all those flavors you have there, looks so yummy!! Pinned 🙂
Thanks so much, Christina! It’s perfect for these bitterly cold winter days!
Ooooh, these look SUPER delish! I love that these don’t use pre-packaged dough of any kind. From scratch goodness. Beautiful. And I’m hungry 🙂
Seriously, that has been my problem with SO many pull-apart bread recipes! Love me some flaky soft dough 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Amy!
I am loving this bread! Apple fritters are my favorite! Pinned!
Thanks, Mariah! I literally gave away half of this loaf to keep from eating it all myself! Let me know if you try it! I would love to hear what you think 🙂
I just pinned this recipe. I’m going to make this for my daughter. She’ll love this! She’s pregnant and having apple fritter cravings right now. Thanks for posting this delicious looking recipe.
Congrats to your daughter! How exciting! I feel so honored that this recipe is going to such a worthy cause 🙂 Let me know how she likes it!
Hi! I dont understand line 9…I have already used the butter and sugar listed in the recipe ingredients in the flour mixture so when line 9 calls for butter and sugar, where are the quantities listed in the ingredients?
Thanks,
Heather
It is worded poorly, isn’t it! Sorry for the confusion. There are two amounts of butter and sugar. One for placing on top of the dough, and another for using in the apple mixture. See the ingredients list for the exact amounts. Enjoy!!
Hi – I don’t see where the amount of butter is listed for the apple mixture in the ingriendents list. There is only a 1/4 cup of butter listed for the dough. How much butter for the apple mixture? How much butter to spread on the bread before the apple mixture is put on top? Also, I’m assuming that you’re using melted butter to spread on top? Thanks!
Hey Gina, I just updated it to show that the apple mixture needs 1 tbs. of butter! Thanks for catching my error! Let me know how it turns out for you!
Line 8 and 9 still do not make sense with the ingredient list?? Line 8 says melt the 1 tbl spoon of butter & sugar but then line 9 calls for more butter and sugar?? If I melt the butter and sugar per instructions on line 8 then how much butter and sugar for line 9??
Ok, I updated the ingredients list to show exactly what you need for the “cinnamon sugar butter” for line 9 in the recipe. HOpefully this helps!!! Thanks for the question!