Cinnamon Apple Pull Apart Bread is a soft and tender yeast bread that’s filled with fresh apple and warm cinnamon under a layer of streusel and sweet glaze.
Cinnamon Apple Pull Apart Bread is like a pan of freshly baked cinnamon rolls without all of the fuss.
Apple Pull Apart Bread is the perfect yeast bread. It’s soft and tender, sweet and crunchy, and everything that you crave.
We totally love a pull apart bread! Who doesn’t love peeling their own slice of cinnamon bread from a loaf layered with warm spices and fresh apple under a streusel topping and glazed with a sweet drizzle?
Over the top? Not really. It sounds like something that will take a lot of time and technique to put together but it’s NOT!
We just love this time of year when the days are cool and dinner is often a pot of soup cooking on the stove.
Growing up we often had something sweet with our savory meals so whether it’s a bowl of soup or a plate of scrambled eggs, we like something sweet on the side. If we have a choice give us some bakery!
We originally made this Pull Apart Apple bread for a challenge bread group we participated in.
The theme we were assigned was to make a “Pull Apart” bread. Pull Apart bread are can also be called monkey bread or bubble bread, and can be savory or sweet are all game.
We love cinnamon rolls, but face it, they’re definitely a commitment to make.
We also like pull apart bread because everyone can dive in and help themselves to a piece.
So we decided to make a pull apart cinnamon apple pull apart bread with a streusel topping.
It sounded amazing in my mind, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed with the results!
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Pull Apart Apple Bread Ingredients
The ingredients for this recipe and the majority of them you may already have at home. Here is what we used.
- Flour
- Yeast
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Apple
- Butter
- Milk
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Salt
- Brown Sugar
- Rolled Oats
- Pecans
Don’t have time to make it now? Pin it for later!
Tip: We originally used sliced apples in this recipe but found that they were a bit difficult to insert between the pieces of dough so we now dice the apple in small pieces and mix it right into the dough.
If you like this recipe, here are a few more that I think you’ll enjoy
If it’s apple recipes you’re looking for, you may like these
- Swedish Apple Pie
- Skillet Apple Pie
- Stovetop Apple Pie Filling
- Pumpkin Apple Bread
- Apple Kolaches
- Easy Apple Crisp
When you make this be in the mood to share because it makes two generous loaves!
Of course, you could save it all to yourself by putting one in the freezer…I wouldn’t judge.
I would love it if you enjoy this recipe that you will leave me a comment and rate the recipe with 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This recipe may look tedious, but I just wanted to break it down in small tasks.
Apple Pecan Streusel Pull Apart Bread Recipe
Ingredients
Dough
- 8 tbsp butter unsalted
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 8 tbsp sugar divided
- 1/2 cup water warmed to 110°-115°F
- 2 pkgs instant yeast 4-1/2 tsp
- 5 3/4 cups all purpose flour divided
- 1 tsp salt kosher
- 4 eggs lightly beaten
Filing
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 8 tbsp butter unsalted, melted
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped
- 1 apple Diced. I used a granny smith.
Streusel Topping
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp pecans chopped finely
- 2 tbsp rolled oats old fashioned
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp butter cold, unsalted, diced
Drizzle
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 tbsp milk
Instructions
Dough
- In a medium saucepan heat butter and 2/3 cup of milk together just until the butter is melted. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Set aside to cool to 115°F to 125°F.
- In a small bowl whisk 2 tablespoons sugar with the warm water until dissolved. Whisk in the yeast and set aside until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl whisk the remaining 6 tablespoons of sugar with 4 cups of flour and salt until combined. Add the milk mixture, yeast mixture, and eggs. Stir with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms.
- Add another 1 1/2 cups of flour and continue to stir until smooth. Dough will still be sticky and that’s o.k. Shape dough into a loose ball and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm place and let dough rise until doubled, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
- In a small bowl whisk sugar and cinnamon for the filling together.
- Punch down risen dough. Add remaining 1/4 cup of flour and knead it into the dough. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, covered with a clean kitchen towel.
- Divide dough into 2 equal-sized pieces. Lightly dust your working surface with all-purpose flour. Roll each piece of dough into a 20 by 12-inch rectangle with a floured rolling pin.
- Brush the dough with melted butter and then sprinkle with half of the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife and cut dough into 6 pieces down the 12-inch length. Stack the strips on top of each other and then cut stack into 6 even stacks of squares.
- Spray two 9×5 loaf pans with baking spray and then line with parchment paper. I use two strips and criss-cross them. Spray the parchment paper. Prop up the pans on its long end and carefully stack the squares evenly into the pans. Unprop the pan and cover the filled pans loosely with a clean kitchen towel. Cover the pans with a clean towel and let them rise 30 to 45 minutes or until doubled.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium-sized bowl combine the streusel ingredients except for the butter. Cut the butter in using a pastry cutter, pizza cutter or two forks until large crumbs develop. Refrigerate until you're ready to bake.
- Uncover risen loaves. Sprinkle with the streusel topping. Bake the loaves for 40 minutes or until the top of the loaves are a deep golden brown.
- Removed baked loaves and let them cool on a baking rack in the pans for 30 minutes. Carefully lift the loaves from the pans, using the parchment paper. Drizzle with glaze.
- Store baked loaves in an air-tight container or wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil at room temperature up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Now it’s time to check out these other bakers who are sharing their pull apart recipes with us!
- Cinnamon Apple Pull Apart Bread from Hostess at Heart
- Bananas Foster Monkey Bread from Food Lust People Love
- Christmas Tree Bread from Sara’s Tasty Buds
- Chrysanthemum Bread from Ambrosia
- Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread from Cook’s Hideout
- Coffee Pull-Apart Bread from Passion Kneaded
- Coriander Garlic Pull Apart Bread from The Mad Scientist’s Kitchen
- Cranberry Chutney Pull Apart Bread from Spiceroots
- Garlic Pull Apart Bread from Palatable Pastime
- Laadi Pav or Pull Apart Rolls from Sneha’s Recipe
- Overnight Monkey Bread Pudding from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Paneer Pesto Pull Apart Rolls from Veena’s Vegnation
- Pull-Apart Dill Bread from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Pumpkin, Garlic, and Sage Pull Apart Bread from Baking Sense
- Pumpkin Spice Latte Pull-Apart Bread from All That’s Left Are The Crumbs
- Savory Breakfast Monkey Bread from Sonlicious
#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.
We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.
Michaela Kenkel says
I am making a loaf of this as soon as I get to the store for ingredients!! I can only imagine how it smells when it’s baking!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Michaela! I hope you like it as much as we did!
Debra C. says
Oh my goodness she does have mad bread skills! What a treat to share this on the blog, save me a slice for breakfast!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Debra! I would put streusel on everything if I could!
Jennifer A Stewart says
This looks perfect for Christmas morning the only problem is that I would be in the corner, holding the whole loaf, and peeling off slices while everyone else is unwrapping presents!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you! I’m a compulsive peeler too LOL!
[email protected]'s Dinnertime Dish says
I love making yeast bread, I find it to be very therapeutic, as well as very tasty. This bread sounds absolutely amazing, so it’s definitely on my list to try!
Julie Menghini says
I do too, Lisa! Thank you!
Madi says
This bread looks so incredible! Pull apart bread is the best!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Madi! I think everyone loves a pull-apart bread. I know I do.
Sandra Shaffer says
Wow, this came out gorgeous, and I love that it’s a pull apart bread for my family to gather around this holiday season. Also would be a wonderful gift for neighbors.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Sandra! I love giving edible gifts too!
Kylee from Kylee Cooks says
This looks sooooo good. I was literally thinking this morning I wanted to make some kind of bread – but wasn’t sure what. NOW I AM. This is going DOWN (into my stomach)
Yum!!
Julie Menghini says
LOL, thank you Kylee!
michele says
I love pull apart bread but Im always intimidated by breads but you always explain it in ways I know it will turn out ! Making this for thanksgiving morning!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Michele! I know bread intimidates people and respect that. With your mad skills, I know you can pull this one off in a heartbeat!
debi at Life Currents says
This bread will be delicious on the breakfast table. And this time of year it’s so festive!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Debi!
Jeff the Chef says
What a gorgeous crumb you’ve got! Nice work! That bread looks so lush.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much Jeff! We really loved this bread!
Techrax says
apples, cinnamon and pecans in very part of the bread. Hopefully will have time to bake this for after Christmas breakfast.
Julie Menghini says
It would be perfect for Christmas! Thank you!
Allison says
This bread looks AMAZING!! I’m planning a brunch with some friends and I would love to make this for it. I’m looking more closely at the recipe, though, and it seems like part of it is missing? You do not describe adding the apples and pecan filling, the streusal topping, or the drizzle, and you don’t tell us how long to cook it for or what the oven should be at. The bread looks spectacular and I’d love to make it I’m just a little confused. I’m not sure if I’m missing something? Thank you for the post regardless!
Julie Menghini says
Oh heavens, Allison can you see the egg on my face? I must have written this half asleep! I am so appreciative that you didn’t write me off as a loon and let me know that I needed to fix it which I have. This bread is so good and I hope you’ll let me know how it turns out for you. Have a great day my friend! Julie
sneha datar says
A delicious and beautiful bread, perfect for breakfast.
Robin Daumit says
This looks like a Christmas morning breakfast!!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much, Robin. I think I’ll have to make this for Christmas morning too!
Hadia says
This looks incredibly tasty, Julie! I would love a piece with my morning coffee!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Hadia! This bread just begs for a cup of coffee!
Lynn Elliott Vining says
We love pull apart breads! We call them Monkey bread! This one looks and sounds awesome! I bet the kitchen smells divine!!!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Lynn! This read was just begging for a dollop of butter and I did my best to devour a slice!
sharanya palanisshami says
Loved your good looking and delicious bread………
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much sharanya!
Mayuri Patel says
An incredibly tempting loaf… apples, cinnamon and pecans in very part of the bread. Hopefully will have time to bake this for after Christmas breakfast.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Mayuri! I think I’ll be making it for our Christmas breakfast too!
Pavani says
That bread looks sooo good Julie. Love the addition of apples and the streusel on top AND that drizzle looks awesome.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much, Pavani! I loved this challenge.
Christina says
Gah, you’re killing me! Here I am eating boring ole cereal for breakfast dreaming about your streusel! I know pumpkin is popular this time of year but I’m obsessed with apples, pecans, and cinnamon. I want to dive into this bread and never come out. Amazing!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Christina! My breakfasts are usually just oatmeal. I’m with you on the baked apples and cinnamon!
themadscientiststskitchen says
OMG! this is so delicious. The flavours are amazing. Love it.
themadscientiststskitchen says
OMG! this is so delicious. The flavours are amazing.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much! There’s not much that can compare with homemade bread.
Judith Graber says
I love pull-apart breads but I have not made one yet. Your version looks so good especially using apples and then the topping with the drizzle. I’m afraid I would eat more than I should 🙂
Julie Menghini says
It was so good Judi! I had to give most of it away right away because it was so good.
Judith Graber says
I totally understand Julie as when I make something that is so good I have to either freeze it or give it away. I love breads like this!
Namita says
Hello Julie, Loved your bread. Cinnamon and apples and streusel sounds a great combo. This bread would be a perfect accompaniment to a cup of hot soup for a simple dinner.And yes, I am also a great fan of sweet and savoury combo 🙂
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Namita! I’m with you on the sweet and savory and boy when homemade bread is involved I’m in heaven!
karen says
That’s such a gorgeous loaf. That drizzle alone… and then the streusel! Sounds delicious.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Karen!
Suzanne says
Looks incredible Julie, love sweet bread and this is gorgeous and I’ afraid I would eat way too much, it’s a weakness of mine.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Suzanne! I’m afraid that those breads are definitely a weakness of mine too. I have to give most of it away immediately!
Wendy Klik says
Cinnamon, apple and pecans…..be still my heart.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Wendy!
Ansh says
I love everything about this bread, especially the streusel! Great photos and a great recipe.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you! I think I could just eat the topping too!
Eileen says
I’m a sucker to anything with streusel! I’m pretty sure I could eat this entire loaf by myself. It looks wonderful, Julie! Your photos are truly tempting!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much, Eileen! I’m a sucker for these sweet breads too. I could just devour that streusel too.