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Apple Cinnamon Streusel Pull-Apart Bread

This sweet bread combines fresh apples, melted butter and a sweet cinnamon-sugar filling tucked between slices of soft bread. With a crumbly, sugary streusel to top it off, it's a deliciously comforting fall baking recipe you'll want to make for your family and friends again and again.
Apple Cinnamon Streusel Pull-Apart Bread
Yield 2 (9x5-inch) loaves

Ingredients

Dough

  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 5 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 (0.25oz each) packages (14g) or 4 1/2 teaspoons Platinum Yeast
  • 8 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs (lightly beaten)

Filling

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1-2 large apples (peeled, cored and thinly sliced)

Streusel topping

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
  • 2 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (cut into 1/4-inch cubes)

Instructions

  • Make the dough: In a medium saucepan over medium heat (or in a microwave-safe dish), heat butter, milk and water just until butter is melted. Remove from heat; cool mixture to 120-130°F. Stir in vanilla.
  • In a large bowl, add 4 cups of flour, yeast, sugar and salt; whisk together until combined. Add butter/milk/water mixture and eggs. Stir with a spatula, wooden spoon or dough whisk until a dough forms. (See note for mixer directions)
  • Add remaining flour and continue to stir with a spatula, wooden spoon or dough whisk until a smooth, but rather sticky dough forms (it will be a little stickier and looser than normal; this is OK). Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough until smooth, elastic and slightly tacky. Shape dough into a loose ball, place in greased bowl; cover bowl with plastic wrap. Place dough in a warm place and let dough rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
  • Make the filling: In a small bowl, whisk sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg for the filling until well combined.
  • Punch down risen dough. Let dough rest 5 minutes, covered. (Overnight option: At this point, you can refrigerate covered dough it overnight. Let it sit out at room temperature for about 40-60 minutes the next day, then proceed with step 7.)
  • Divide dough into 2 equal-sized pieces. On a lightly floured surface, shape one piece of dough into a rough rectangle. Use a floured rolling pin to roll out dough to a 18x12-inch rectangle.
  • Brush dough with half of the butter, then sprinkle evenly with half of the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Starting at the short edge, use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut dough in 6 even strips (each strip will be 2x18 inches). Stack strips on top of each other (if some of the filling falls off, just spoon and smooth it back on top as best as you can). Cut stack into 6 equal (2x3-inch) pieces
  • Line two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with parchment paper, then spray with baking spray or brush with butter. Prop up one end of loaf pan and carefully stack a few squares into pan at a time, tucking a few slices of apple between dough squares as you go (you’ll want to divide the apple evenly between the two loaves). Lay pan back down on counter and cover with a clean kitchen towel while you prepare second loaf the same way with remaining butter, sugar-cinnamon mixture and sliced apples.
  • Cover both prepared loaves with a clean kitchen towel and let rise 30 to 45 minutes until doubled.
  • Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients for streusel topping except for butter. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Place bowl in fridge until loaves are doubled and ready to bake.
  • Uncover risen loaves. Sprinkle streusel evenly over tops of loaves. Bake loaves 40 minutes until tops of loaves are a deep golden brown (you want them to be well-baked on top so the center is baked through).
  • Transfer baked loaves to a cooling rack and let cool 30 minutes in loaf pans. Then, carefully lift loaves out of pans, using parchment paper as handles. Serve warm or room temperature (loaves taste best the day they are made, but they can be stored, covered with plastic wrap and foil, at room temperature up to 3 days).

Notes

Stand mixer directions:
  • Step 2: Add ingredients to mixer bowl; using a paddle attachment, mix until dough forms.
  • Step 3: Switch to dough hook attachment; gradually add remaining flour while mixing on low speed. Switch to medium speed and knead dough until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. Shape dough into a loose ball, place in greased bowl; cover bowl with plastic wrap. Place dough in a warm place and let dough rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
  • Continue with step 4.
 
Recipe by Stephanie Wise