This soft, enriched braided apple bread is filled with tender apples, a hint of cinnamon, and sweet apricot jam. Golden and fragrant, it’s the perfect loaf for fall baking, beautiful to serve and even better to eat.
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There’s nothing quite like the aroma of apples and cinnamon baking in the oven, especially when they’re wrapped in a soft, enriched brioche-style dough. This braided apple bread starts with a tender dough similar to my Nutella pull-apart bread, then gets layered with a sweet apple cinnamon filling.
It’s a little more work than simple fall favorites like apple crumb bread or Dutch apple loaf, but the beautiful braid and bakery-style crumb make it worth it. Think of it as a larger, yeasted version of my apple cinnamon rollups, finished with a light vanilla glaze that makes every slice irresistible.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Beautiful presentation: This cinnamon apple braid looks bakery-worthy, yet it’s simple enough for any home baker to master.
- Versatile treat: Soft, warm, and fragrant with apples and spice, it’s just as delicious for breakfast as it is served with a drizzle of glaze for dessert or brunch.
Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour: A reliable choice for soft, enriched dough. It gives structure while still keeping the bread tender.
- Yeast: I used active dry yeast. Be sure it’s fresh so the dough rises properly and develops that light, airy texture.
- Enriched dough base: Made with milk, butter, egg, and a touch of sugar, similar to brioche. This combination creates a soft, buttery loaf with a hint of sweetness.
- Apples: Firm, slightly tart apples such as Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Granny Smith hold their shape in baking and balance the sweet filling.
- Cinnamon: A little goes a long way in this braided apple bread. It adds warmth that pairs perfectly with the apples without overpowering them.
- Apricot jam: Spread on the dough before adding the apple mixture, it adds moisture, a light fruity note, and helps the filling stay in place.
- Vanilla glaze: Optional, but drizzling it over the cooled braid gives a bakery-style finish and a touch of extra sweetness. You’ll need powdered sugar, vanilla and milk or cream.Â
How to Make Braided Apple Bread
Start by combining the yeast with warm milk and a pinch of sugar until it foams.
Add the butter, egg, vanilla, and flour a little at a time until the dough comes together. It should be smooth, elastic, and just slightly tacky. A stand mixer makes this easier, but kneading by hand works too.
Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover, and let it rest in a warm spot until doubled. Depending on your kitchen, this can take 1½ to 2 hours for the first rise. The dough should feel light and airy when ready.
To prepare the filling, toss finely chopped apples with cinnamon. You’ll also need apricot jam, which adds both flavor and moisture to the filling.
Divide the dough into three equal portions to shape the bread then roll each piece into a flat oval.
Spread with jam, and sprinkle with apples.
Roll up each oval lengthwise into a rope, then pinch the seams closed. Place the ropes side by side, pinch the ends together.
Gently braid. Don’t worry about perfection, the rustic look is part of the charm.
Cover the braid with a clean towel and do a second rise until puffy. Brush dough with milk and sprinkle with sugar for a golden, slightly crisp crust. Bake until deep golden brown.
Cool braided apple bread on a wire rack, then drizzle with a simple vanilla glaze if you’d like. It adds a bakery-style finish and pairs beautifully with the cinnamon-apple filling.
tips for success
- Check your yeast: If it doesn’t foam after sitting in the warm milk, it may have expired and the dough won’t rise properly.
- Don’t overfill: Keep the apple pieces finely chopped and spread in a thin layer so they stay tucked inside the braid instead of spilling out.
- Seal the ropes: Pinch the seams tightly before braiding to help the filling stay in place.
- Watch the color: If the braided apple bread browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil so it can bake through without burning.
- How to tell when it’s done: The loaf should be deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. You can also use a thermometer, it’s ready at about 190°F in the center.
- Cool before glazing: Let the braided apple bread cool completely first, otherwise the glaze will melt right off.
Variations
- Different braid style: Instead of a three-rope braid, you can use the cut-and-twist method like in my chocolate pastry. Both create a beautiful loaf, just with a different look.
- Pear filling: Swap apples for firm pears for another cozy fall version. The flavor pairs especially well with cinnamon or even a little ginger.
- Instant yeast: You can replace active dry yeast with instant yeast. Just skip the proofing step in milk and add it directly to the flour mixture.
- Apple pie spice: Use apple pie spice in place of cinnamon for a warm blend of spices that deepens the flavor.
- Maple glaze swap: Swap the classic vanilla glaze for a cozy maple glaze, like in my favorite apple butter cinnamon rolls.
This braided apple bread is best enjoyed slightly warm, when the tender crumb and spiced apple filling are at their most comforting. Serve it as a simple dessert, a cozy afternoon treat, or a special addition to your breakfast table—either way, it’s sure to disappear slice by slice. Enjoy!
- ½ cup milk (lukewarm)
- 1 pinch granulated sugar
- 1¼-1½ teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2¾ tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 3½ tablespoons butter (softened)
- 1 pinch salt (if you use unsalted butter then add ¼ teaspoon salt)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-2¼ cups all purpose flour
EXTRAS
- ½-¾ cup apricot jam
- ½-1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup finely chopped apple pieces
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar or turbinado sugar
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In the stand mixer add the milk and 1 pinch of sugar, combine, sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit 5-10 minutes. Stir to combine. Add the 2¾ tablespoons of sugar, egg, butter, salt, vanilla and 1½ cups / 188 g of flour, start to knead, then add the remaining flour a little at a time until you have a soft dough 5-6 minutes, the dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
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Place the dough in a lightly buttered or greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in a warm draft free area for approximately 2 hours.
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In a small bowl combine the chopped apples with the cinnamon.
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Divide the dough into 3 parts, cover with a tea towel and let sit 10-15 minutes then roll each to a ½ inch thick oval, spread each oval with some apricot jam, sprinkle each with some chopped apples mixture. Roll each up tight from the lengthwise. Join the three ropes at the top and twist the ends one over the other to form a braid. Place the braid on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, cover and let rise in a warm draft free area for 1-2 hours or doubled in bulk.
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Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C.
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Brush the braid with milk and sprinkle with sugar, bake for approximately 35-40 minutes, if browning too much, cover with foil and continue to bake. Move to a wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with a glaze before serving if desired. Enjoy!
Whisk everything together until smooth. Adjust for thickness with either more sugar for thickness or more milk for a thinner drizzle. Pour over cooled bread.
How to store the braided apple bread?
Keep it covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for 3–4 days. Store in an airtight container or wrap well to keep it from drying out.
Best to freeze without the glaze. Wrap the cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and warm briefly in the oven before serving. If glazed, it’s best to freeze without the glaze and drizzle it on after thawing.
Calories: 2124kcal | Carbohydrates: 375g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 310mg | Sodium: 500mg | Potassium: 832mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 130g | Vitamin A: 2057IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 303mg | Iron: 15mg | Phosphorus: 577mg
recipe FAQs
Yes. You can prepare the dough the night before and let it rise slowly in the refrigerator. If refrigerating overnight, cover the bowl tightly to keep the dough from drying out. The next day, bring it to room temperature, shape the braid, and bake as directed. You can also bake the bread a day ahead, just keep in mind that if you’ve already added the glaze, warming it too much can cause the glaze to melt. For best results, glaze just before serving.
Keep it covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for 3–4 days. Store in an airtight container or wrap well to keep it from drying out.
Yes, without the glaze is best. Wrap the cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and warm briefly in the oven before serving. If glazed, it’s best to freeze without the glaze and drizzle it on after thawing.
This cinnamon-apple twist bread tastes wonderful warm or at room temperature. Add the glaze just before serving for the best flavor and presentation.
Definitely. Divide the dough into smaller portions and braid each one for individual rolls. They’ll bake faster than a full loaf, so start checking for doneness around 20–25 minutes
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