Yield: 10–12 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes
Rise/rest: 60–90 minutes
Bake time: 35–45 minutes
Total: about 2½–3 hours
Ingredients
For the dough
3¼ cups (405 g) all-purpose flour
2¼ tsp (1 packet/7 g) instant or active dry yeast
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
¾ cup (180 ml) warm whole milk, about 105–110°F / 40–43°C
2 large eggs, room temperature
4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
Apple-cinnamon filling
3 medium apples, peeled, cored and finely diced
4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup (100 g) brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp lemon juice
Pinch of salt
Good apples: Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Gala, or a combination.
Optional crunchy nut topping
½ cup (55 g) chopped pecans or walnuts
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp melted butter
½ tsp cinnamon
Nut-free version: Simply omit the nuts. The recipe works perfectly without them.
Vanilla glaze
1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar
2–3 tbsp milk or heavy cream
1 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
For a thicker, creamier glaze, replace 1 tbsp milk with cream cheese softened to room temperature.
Step-by-Step Recipe
- Prepare the dough
Combine the warm milk, yeast and about 1 teaspoon of the sugar.
If using active dry yeast, let it stand for 5–10 minutes until foamy. Instant yeast can be mixed directly into the flour.
In a large bowl, combine flour, remaining sugar and salt.
Add eggs, melted butter, vanilla and the milk/yeast mixture.
Mix until a soft dough forms.
Knead for 7–10 minutes, either by hand or with a dough hook.
The dough should be soft and slightly tacky but shouldn’t be extremely sticky.
First rise
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise for approximately 60–90 minutes, or until roughly doubled.
2. Make the apple filling
While the dough rises:
Peel and finely dice the apples.
Toss them with lemon juice.
Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour and salt.
Stir the dry mixture into the apples.
Add vanilla.
For a softer, jammy apple filling, cook the apples in a skillet with 1 tablespoon butter for about 5–7 minutes. Cool completely before assembling.
Tip: Cooking the apples first helps prevent excess moisture from making the bread soggy.
3. Prepare the cinnamon mixture
Mix:
4 tbsp softened butter
½ cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
until spreadable.
4. Assemble the pull-apart bread
Grease a 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33 cm) baking dish.
Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface.
Roll it into approximately a 12 × 18-inch rectangle.
Spread the cinnamon-butter mixture evenly over the dough.
Scatter the diced apple mixture across the surface.
If using nuts, sprinkle the chopped pecans or walnuts over the apples.
Cut the dough into approximately 3 × 6-inch strips.
Stack several strips on top of each other, then cut the stack into smaller sections.
Place the sections upright or slightly overlapping in the prepared baking dish.
Don’t pack them too tightly—the bread needs room to expand.
5. Second rise
Cover the dish loosely and let the dough rise for another 30–45 minutes.
It should look noticeably puffy.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to:
350°F / 175°C
6. Bake
Bake for approximately 35–45 minutes.
The top should be:
deeply golden brown
crisp around the edges
visibly cooked through
bubbling slightly where the apples and butter meet the bread
If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil for the final 10–15 minutes.
Important
The center should not look wet or doughy. If you have an instant-read thermometer, aim for roughly 190–200°F (88–93°C) in the bread portion.
Let it cool for 15–20 minutes before glazing.
7. Make the vanilla glaze
Whisk together:
powdered sugar
melted butter
vanilla
2 tbsp milk
Add additional milk ½ teaspoon at a time until you reach your preferred consistency.
For the appearance in the photo, make the glaze fairly thick but still pourable.
Drizzle generously over the warm bread.
For an especially dramatic finish, allow the first layer of glaze to partially set and then drizzle a second layer. Nut Information & Allergens
Nuts used
The optional recipe uses:
Pecans, or
Walnuts
These are tree nuts.
Is the recipe naturally nut-free?
Yes. The base recipe does not require nuts. Simply leave out the optional nut topping.
Nut-free precautions
If preparing this for someone with a tree-nut allergy:
Check flour, chocolate, spices and other packaged ingredients for cross-contact warnings.
Use clean bowls, utensils and baking equipment.
Don’t use butter or toppings that have been in contact with nuts.
Check powdered sugar/other packaged ingredients according to the allergen requirements where you live.
Other major allergens
This recipe normally contains:
Wheat/gluten — flour
Milk/dairy — butter and milk
Eggs
Tree nuts — only if pecans/walnuts are added
It does not inherently contain peanuts unless a peanut-containing ingredient or cross-contact is introduced.
Approximate Nutrition
Nutrition varies substantially depending on the size of the pieces, amount of glaze and whether nuts are included.
Per serving, assuming 12 servings and no nuts
Approximately:
Calories: 400–450 kcal
Carbohydrates: 65–70 g
Protein: 7–8 g
Fat: 14–17 g
Saturated fat: 7–9 g
Sugar: 30–35 g
Fiber: 2–3 g
Sodium: 250–350 mg
With pecans or walnuts, calories and fat will increase.
These are recipe estimates, not laboratory-tested nutrition values.
Recipe Q&A
Can I use store-bought dough?
Yes. Refrigerated or frozen bread/roll dough can be used to make this much faster. Thaw according to the package instructions, then proceed with the filling and assembly.
Can I use canned apple pie filling?
Yes. Drain some of the excess liquid and chop the apples into smaller pieces. Use approximately 2 cups of filling.
What apples work best?
For a balanced sweet-tart flavor, use Granny Smith + Honeycrisp. Gala, Pink Lady and Braeburn also work well.
Why is my bread dough sticky?
A little stickiness is normal. Avoid adding large amounts of flour because that can make the finished bread dense. Knead it first and add flour only a tablespoon at a time if absolutely necessary.
Why did the center remain doughy?
Common causes are:
too much apple filling/liquid
pieces packed too tightly
insufficient baking time
oven temperature running low
Tent the top with foil and continue baking if the exterior is brown but the center isn’t finished.
Can I make it the night before?
Yes. Assemble the bread, cover it tightly and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, allow it to sit at room temperature until puffy, then bake.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Freeze the unglazed baked bread well wrapped for up to about 2–3 months. Thaw, warm gently, and add fresh glaze.
Can I make it without yeast?
Yes, but it will have a more cake-like/biscuit texture rather than the stretchy pull-apart texture shown in the photo. A quick-bread version can be made with baking powder instead.
Can I add raisins?
Absolutely. Add ½ cup raisins with the apples. Soaking them in warm water for 10 minutes first makes them plumper.
Can I add caramel?
Yes. Drizzle ½ cup caramel sauce over the warm bread before or after the vanilla glaze.
Can I use cream cheese frosting?
Definitely. Beat together:
4 oz (113 g) cream cheese
2 tbsp softened butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1–2 tbsp milk
This gives a richer frosting similar to a cinnamon-roll topping.
How do I get the gooey appearance shown in the picture?
Use plenty of apple-cinnamon filling, don’t overbake the bread, and drizzle the glaze while the bread is warm rather than completely cool. A second glaze drizzle gives the thick white streaks visible in the photograph.
Can I make it less sweet?
Reduce the brown sugar in the filling to ⅓ cup and use only about ¾–1 cup powdered sugar for the glaze.
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