Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread with Apple and Pecan Streusel
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Prep Time: 2 hours | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes Servings: 32
If you’ve ever pulled apart a warm, gooey piece of cinnamon bread and felt instantly happy — this recipe is for you. This Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread is packed with fresh apple, warm cinnamon sugar, crunchy pecans, and a buttery streusel topping that makes the whole kitchen smell like a fall bakery. Then we drizzle a sweet glaze over the top, and honestly? It’s almost too pretty to eat….Almost.
John took one bite and declared this the best thing I’ve made all fall, which is saying a lot because the man does not hand out compliments lightly when it comes to baked goods. 😄
This recipe starts with a homemade yeast dough (I promise it’s easier than it sounds!), which gives you that soft, pillowy bread that store-bought just can’t match. If you love the flavors of a cinnamon roll but want something a little more special — something you can pull apart piece by piece at the breakfast table — this is your recipe.
What Is Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread?
Pull apart bread (also called monkey bread or bubble bread) is exactly what it sounds like — a loaf of bread that’s made so you can tear off individual pieces with your hands. No slicing needed! Each piece is loaded with whatever delicious filling is tucked inside.
This sweet version is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or even dessert. Think of it as a cinnamon roll that everyone gets to share straight from the pan.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Made from scratch dough — soft, tender, and miles better than canned biscuits
- Packed with real apple — fresh Granny Smith apple in every bite
- Crunchy streusel topping — that buttery crumble takes it over the top
- Sweet glaze drizzle — because more is more
- Makes two loaves — perfect for sharing or gifting
- Can be prepped the night before — yes, really! (See tips below)
Ingredient Notes
You’ll find the full ingredient list and measurements in the recipe card below. Here’s what to know before you get started:
Apples: I always use Granny Smith apples in this recipe. They’re firm, hold their shape during baking, and their natural tartness balances beautifully with all that cinnamon sugar. Red Delicious and similar soft apples will turn mushy — skip them here. Honeycrisp also works great if that’s what you have on hand.
Instant Yeast: This is the kind that doesn’t need to be “woken up” first — you can add it straight to your dry ingredients. If you only have active dry yeast, dissolve it in the warm water with a pinch of sugar first and let it sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy before proceeding. If yeast confuses you, we get it. It’s why we created a baking article to answer all your questions.
Pecans: Pecans and cinnamon brown sugar are a match made in heaven. If you have a nut allergy concern (especially if you’re gifting these loaves), you can leave the pecans out entirely.
Butter: This recipe uses unsalted butter. If you only have salted butter on hand, just cut the added salt in the recipe in half.
Rolled Oats: Old-fashioned oats go into the streusel topping and add a wonderful nutty texture. Do not use quick-cook oats — they’ll turn mushy instead of crunchy.
Milk: Whole milk is what I recommend. The extra fat makes the dough soft and rich. You can use 2% in a pinch, but the richer the milk, the better the bread.
Pro Tips for the Best Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread
Watch your milk and butter temperature. If the liquid is too hot when you add it to the yeast, it will kill the yeast and your dough won’t rise. You want it between 115°F and 125°F. An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of this completely.
Dice the apples small. We originally used sliced apples in this recipe but switched to small diced pieces. They mix right into the dough, distribute more evenly, and make it so much easier to cut and stack the layers.
Sticky dough is normal. Don’t be tempted to add a ton of extra flour. The dough will be sticky after the first rise — that’s what gives you soft, tender bread. Just flour your hands and work surface lightly as needed.
Use parchment paper in the pan. I criss-cross two strips of parchment in the loaf pan. This makes it easy to lift the whole loaf out cleanly once it’s baked and cooled. Don’t skip this step!
Keep the streusel cold until baking. Once you’ve made the streusel topping, pop it in the fridge until you’re ready to top the loaves. Cold butter in the streusel is what creates those big, crunchy crumbles.
Don’t over-bake. The loaves are done when the tops are deep golden brown — about 40 minutes. If they’re browning too quickly, you can loosely tent them with foil for the last 10 minutes.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 — Make the Dough
In a medium saucepan, heat the butter and milk together just until the butter melts. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and set aside to cool to 115°F–125°F.
In a small bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons of sugar with the warm water until dissolved. Whisk in the yeast and let it sit until foamy, about 5–10 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk the remaining sugar, 4 cups of flour, and salt together. Add the milk mixture, yeast mixture, and eggs. Stir with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms.
Step 2 — First Rise
Add another 1½ cups of flour and stir until smooth. The dough will still be sticky — that’s perfect. Shape into a loose ball, place in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours, until doubled in size.
Step 3 — Make the Filling
While the dough rises, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon for the filling. Then combine with diced apple and chopped pecans. Set aside.
Step 4 — Shape the Bread
Punch down the risen dough. Add the remaining ¼ cup of flour, knead it in, and let the dough rest for 5 minutes under a towel.
Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a 20×12-inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter, then sprinkle with the apple-cinnamon-pecan filling.
Step 5 — Cut and Stack
Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut each rectangle into 6 strips down the 12-inch length. Stack the strips on top of each other, then cut the stack into 6 even squares.
Step 6 — Load the Pans
Spray two 9×5 loaf pans and line with criss-crossed parchment strips. Spray the parchment too. Stand the pan on its long end and carefully stack the dough squares into the pan. Lay flat and cover loosely with a towel for the second rise, 30–45 minutes, until doubled.
Step 7 — Add Streusel and Bake
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine streusel ingredients (except butter) in a bowl. Cut in cold butter using a pastry cutter or two forks until large crumbs form.
Sprinkle streusel over the risen loaves and bake for 40 minutes until deep golden brown.
Step 8 — Glaze and Serve
Let the loaves cool in the pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Lift out using the parchment paper. Mix powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk together until smooth and drizzle over the warm bread.
How to Serve Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread
This bread is best served warm — pull apart the pieces right at the table and let everyone dig in. It’s a fun, interactive way to enjoy breakfast or brunch, and it never fails to make people smile.
It also makes a wonderful homemade gift. Wrap a cooled, unglazed loaf in parchment and tie it with a ribbon. Tuck a little card inside with the glazing instructions and you’ve got the most thoughtful hostess gift.
How to Store and Freeze
Room temperature: Store in an airtight container or wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then foil. It keeps at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Pop a few pieces in the microwave for 15–20 seconds. Or warm the whole loaf in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes, loosely covered with foil.
Make-ahead tip: You can do the second rise in the refrigerator overnight! After loading the dough squares into the loaf pans, cover loosely (a plastic grocery bag slipped over the pan works great) and refrigerate. The next morning, remove the pans from the fridge and uncover them. Let them sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Then top with streusel and bake as directed. This is a perfect strategy for Thanksgiving or Christmas morning!
Freezing: This bread freezes beautifully — either whole or in individual slices. Let it cool completely first, then wrap well in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight on the counter, then warm gently in the oven or microwave.
Variations to Try
Chocolate chip version: Skip the apples and fold in ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips with the cinnamon-sugar filling. A chocolate lover’s dream.
Raisin spice version: Add ¼ cup of plump raisins to the apple-pecan filling for an old-fashioned flavor that pairs perfectly with the warm cinnamon.
Walnut swap: Not a pecan fan? Walnuts or even macadamia nuts work beautifully in both the filling and the streusel.
Maple glaze: Swap the vanilla in the drizzle for ½ teaspoon of maple extract and a drizzle of real maple syrup for a fall-inspired twist that goes especially well with the Granny Smith apple.
Pear version: Swap the Granny Smith apple for firm Bosc pear for a slightly different flavor that’s just as delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use store-bought biscuit dough instead of homemade? You can, but the texture won’t be the same. Homemade yeast dough gives you that soft, pillowy pull-apart texture. Canned biscuits tend to be a bit more dense and dry. If you’re short on time, it will still taste good — but homemade is worth the extra effort here!
What apples work best for this recipe? Granny Smith is my top pick because they’re firm, tart, and hold their shape during baking. Honeycrisp is a great second option. Avoid softer varieties like Red Delicious, McIntosh, or Fuji — they’ll turn mushy.
My dough didn’t rise. What happened? The most common culprit is liquid that was too hot and killed the yeast, or yeast that was past its expiration date. Always check your yeast’s expiration date and use a thermometer to verify your liquid is between 115°F and 125°F.
Can I make this without pecans? Absolutely! Leave them out of the filling and streusel entirely, or substitute with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds for a nut-free version.
Can I make one big loaf instead of two smaller ones? This recipe is sized for two 9×5 loaf pans. One large loaf may not bake evenly through the center. If you want to cut the recipe in half, divide all ingredients in half and make one loaf.
Can I do the second rise in the refrigerator? Yes! See the make-ahead tip in the storage section above. This is actually a great trick for holiday mornings.
How do I know when it’s fully baked? The top should be deep golden brown. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the internal temperature should read around 190°F–200°F.
My streusel sank into the dough. What did I do wrong? This usually happens when the streusel butter was too warm. Make sure to keep the streusel in the refrigerator until right before you top and bake the loaves.
Let’s Talk About This Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread!
Cinnamon pull apart bread is one of those recipes that just makes mornings feel special. The combination of homemade dough, warm apple and cinnamon filling, crunchy streusel, and sweet glaze is truly hard to beat — and the fact that you can prep it the night before makes it a total game-changer for holidays and weekends.
Whether you’re making it for a cozy family breakfast, a holiday brunch, or to give as a gift, I promise you it will be a hit. John always requests this one the moment apple season rolls around, and it genuinely never lasts more than a day in our house!
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Drop a comment below and — if you wouldn’t mind — leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating! It helps other readers find this recipe and means so much to me. Happy baking!
Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread with Apple and Pecan Streusel
Ingredients
Dough
- 8 tbsp butter unsalted
- ⅔ cup milk
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 8 tbsp sugar divided
- ½ cup water warmed to 110°-115°F
- 4½ tsp instant yeast (2 packages)
- 5¾ 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
- ½ 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
- ½ 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.
- For the filling, combine the cinnamon and sugar together in a medium-sized bowl, and then add the apple and pecans.
- 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 each half the apple filling 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
- Use firm apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp. Softer apples will turn mushy.
- Dice apples small for easier layering and more even distribution.
- Keep streusel refrigerated until right before baking for the best crumble texture.
- Make-ahead: After loading loaf pans, cover loosely and refrigerate overnight for the second rise. Remove from fridge, uncover, and let sit while oven preheats. Top with streusel and bake as directed.
- Freezing: Freeze whole or sliced, wrapped well in plastic wrap and a freezer bag, for up to 2 months.
- Recipe adapted from Red Star Yeast.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
Related Recipes You’ll Love
If this cinnamon pull apart bread made you happy (and I know it did!), here are a few more recipes from the blog that hit the same cozy, apple-cinnamon sweet spot:
My Spiced Apple Star Bread uses a similar soft yeast dough and the same warm apple-cinnamon filling, shaped into a stunning starburst that makes an incredible centerpiece for holiday mornings.
Love apple baked goods but want something quicker? My Apple Muffins with Crumble Topping come together fast and have that same irresistible streusel crunch on top.
If you fell in love with the cinnamon dough here, you’ve got to try my Cinnamon Twist Bread — two gorgeous loaves of swirled cinnamon bread that are perfect for sharing.
My Apple Kolaches use a similar soft dough filled with a warm cinnamon apple filling and are so fun to make for a weekend brunch.
And for a true showstopper, my Homemade Cinnamon Rolls are soft, pillowy, and made with the same type of love-from-scratch approach that makes this pull apart bread so special.
Did you enjoy this recipe? Don’t forget to pin it for later and follow me on Pinterest for more delicious recipes like this one!
Originally published: July 24, 2023. Updated on April 8, 2024, 2026– Enhanced with more detailed instructions, tips, and serving suggestions. No changes were made to the recipe.
Hi, I was wondering if I could do the 2nd rise in the refrigerator overnight? I would love to make this for Thanksgiving but won’t have time to make it that morning. It looks and sounds delicious!
Yes, Bailey you can do the 2nd rise in the refrigerator overnight. Cover it loosely so that it doesn’t dry out or get too wet. I often just slide it in a plastic grocery bag. The next day remove it from the refrigerator and remove the cover. Let it sit out for the time that it will take to preheat your oven. Hope this helps and I hope you’ll stop back and let me know how it goes. Happy Thanksgiving! Julie
These came out soft and moist and I love the crunchy pecan topping. I give it 10 stars!!!!
Thank you! Such a sweet comment, and I’m so glad that you stopped back to share.
This bread is an absolutely wonderful treat! The combination of apples and pecans is so tasty, and the streusel topping is the BEST!
Thank you, Eliza! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it. It’s one of our favorites too.
We make this every fall, I just found your recipe as I am making plans for a fall tea – and realized I needed to comment. We love this pull-apart bread!
What a great way to share this delicious bread. It’s not one that you see that often making it truly special. Thank you!
My apple tree is full so I’m looking for fun ways to use the. Tis is a great idea. So full of apple flavor.
Thank you, Debi! I love how this one comes out. Such a show-stopper and delicious.
I am in the middle of making this and have read the recipe three times. Do not see any mention of where the apples and pecans are mentioned except in the ingredient list. I assume they go with the cinnamon sugar mix, but it doesn’t specifically say. This is my first try with a pull-apart loaf.
I’m so sorry Jean. This recipe definitely needs a redo. The apples and pecans are mixed together as part of the filling. I brushed the rolled out dough with the melted butter and then sprinkled the apple and pecan filling over the dough. I’ll jump in and clarify the recipe. Thank you for the heads up!
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!
Thank you, Michaela! I hope you like it as much as we did!
Oh my goodness she does have mad bread skills! What a treat to share this on the blog, save me a slice for breakfast!
Thank you, Debra! I would put streusel on everything if I could!
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!
Thank you! I’m a compulsive peeler too LOL!
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!
I do too, Lisa! Thank you!