Skip to main content

Apple Cinnamon Streusel Pull-Apart Bread

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.
Yield 2 (9×5-inch) loaves
10

Reviews

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 18×12-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 2×18 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 (2×3-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 Girl Versus Dough.

Did you make this recipe?

We want to see it! Tag @redstaryeast and use hashtag #redstaryeast

Review & Comments

Larry | Reply

Can I use activate dry yeast ?

Red Star Yeast | Reply

Hi Larry – Yes, just keep an eye on your dough as rise times may vary.
Happy baking!

Leigh | Reply

5 stars
This was delicious! The bread was wonderfully soft and not overly sweet. I made it using one bread pan and a Bundt pan, since that was all I had, and they both turned out wonderfully. At first glance I thought the recipe might be challenging because of the amount of instructions but it was easy to follow and execute. Definitely a keeper!

NanaNila | Reply

Instead of making it a pull apart bread can I just roll it up tightly with the filling on it and bake it?

Red Star Yeast | Reply

Hi Nana – Yes you can! We also have some other apple bread recipes that you may like to try.
Happy baking!

Susan | Reply

5 stars
This was out of this world! I would only do one thing differently next time. READ THE ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS! I should have stacked just a couple slices at a time and inserted the apple as I went. My loaves looked a bit wonky, but the flavor was incredible! Gave a loaf to friends who were moving and they raved… who can blame them? I might try diced apples and shape into cinnamon rolls next time – doubling the struesel.

Barb | Reply

Was wondering how long you would knead the dough with a kitchen aid mixer dough hook?

Red Star Yeast | Reply

Hi Barb – We’ve updated the recipe and added stand mixer directions in the notes section. I hope you will find this information helpful!
Happy baking!

melinda | Reply

Tried this recipe for the first time. Came out amazing!! Looked like a professional did it! Posted and shared recipe on Facebook…got a bunch of likes!!

Tricia | Reply

Will this work with gluten free flour?

Red Star Yeast | Reply

Hi Tricia,
It is not recommended to substitute GF flour for wheat flour in recipes. Gluten-free recipes typically have additional ingredients to help with the dough structure since there is no gluten in the flour. I would suggest trying our gluten-free recipes.
Happy baking!

Leigh | Reply

5 stars
This was delicious! The bread was wonderfully soft and not overly sweet. I made it using one bread pan and a Bundt pan, since that was all I had, and they both turned out wonderfully. At first glance I thought the recipe might be challenging because of the amount of instructions but it was easy to follow and execute. Definitely a keeper!

Chiara | Reply

Pls can i bave this recipe in grams? Thank you!

Red Star Yeast | Reply

Hi Chiara,
I would recommend using this chart to convert this recipe to grams: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/ingredient-weight-chart.
Happy baking!

Kerry | Reply

What about freezing one loaf?

Red Star Yeast | Reply

Hi Kerry,
I’m not sure how well the apples will freeze, but you can certainly give it a try. Check out the Cooling and Storage section for freezing tips.
Happy baking!

Peggy | Reply

Can regular Active yeast be used in place of the Platinum Superior?

Red Star Yeast | Reply

Hi Peggy,
Yes, you can substitute Active Dry Yeast for Platinum Yeast. Use the same amount, and follow directions as listed. Rise times may vary, so keep an eye on your dough.
Happy baking!
Carol

Jordan Gruendler | Reply

Hey! First time baking something like this and i was a bit confused by the wording on the assembly! Took me awhile but i figured it out and wanted to shar it in case anyone was in a position like me! When it says cut north to south, cut it long ways. Then when it says stack the strips on top of eachother you would be folding the strip on top of it’s self like accordion style from when you were young! tucking in apples as you are folding. then you stack these peices into the pan long ways and that is why you need to prop it up! I hope this helps anyone else who is confused!!

Tammy | Reply

5 stars
Thank you for the information!

Lenore Allen | Reply

5 stars
Thank you so much, this is the first time I’ve made a “pull apart” recipe and I would never have figured that out.

Cahill | Reply

5 stars
This bread was amazing!It was a hit with my daughter, husband, grandma, and aunt! Yes, it does take some time and patience but it is not the hardest recipe to make. Follow the instructions and you will be okay.

Marissa | Reply

5 stars
hi!im baking it right now, and i got to tell you, this whole house smells absolutely scrumptious!! it is a bit involved, but so worth it for the amount it makes and taste. Ive never had such a good home made pull apart bread. I even added roasted crushed pecans to the crumble and giving that a go. Also, i mixed in a little cinnamon/sugar mixture onto the apples along with a squirt of lemon juice…I found that i needed about 3 normal sized apples for everything, or at least 2 large (even cut thinly!). Also, the most interesting thing i adjusted was i made some brown butter for when you spread melted butter onto the dough, just to give it a more nutty taste and add some depth to the flavor. Good luck anyone who tries this out!!

Mary | Reply

Hi Lisa, I’m a vey visual learner. Have you considered doing a video? Thanks, this looks tasty.

Janice | Reply

5 stars
Not sure why someone is rating a recipe a two without even trying it, so I, thinking it at least looks fabulous, will give it a five star rating to even out the two stars.

Lisa | Reply

4 stars
I am a first time baker of breads this seems pretty easy until the part of rolling out the dough into pieces and assembling it I’m gonna try it cause it sounds so good I will let you know how it turns out I hope this wasn’t too ambitious for me to try.

Red Star Yeast | Reply

Hi Lisa,
This is definitely a more involved recipe, but I hope you were successful!

Happy baking!
Carol

Fall | misshannahmp | Reply

[…] https://redstaryeast.com/apple-streusel-pull-apart-bread/ […]

Leave a Reply

Made the recipe? Rate it!