Moist Apple Cinnamon Bread

This apple cinnamon bread is not as complicated as it looks! The moist braided loaf is filled with a cinnamon apple crumb and topped with rich maple icing.

You don’t need to wait for fall to make this moist apple cinnamon bread recipe. Just from its aroma alone, you must add this to your baking bucket list ASAP. 

This braided bread is moist, fluffy, and generously stuffed with cinnamon, apples, and crumb. And to take things over the top, the loaf is also drizzled with maple icing. 

What is Apple Cinnamon Bread?

Apple cinnamon bread puts the crowd-pleasing combo of apples and cinnamon in a moist loaf of bread. It’s like an apple pie meets braided bread!

There are many variations of cinnamon apple bread, but we’ll use a yeasted dough for this recipe, so don’t expect quick bread’s cake-like texture.

If you adore apple crumbles, you’ll also love the crumb filling in this braided beauty.

It’s buttery and sweet with a hint of maple flavor, deliciously complementing the tart Granny Smith chunks and warm cinnamon. 

And unlike other apple bread recipes where the apples are added to the dough, we’ll assemble the filling in the center and then braid the dough on top. I promise it sounds more complicated than it is!

Why You’ll Love This Moist Apple Bread Recipe

• Easy But Impressive: This apple cinnamon bread looks pretty, but it’s actually sneakily simple to make. Just follow our tips for preparing each component, and the assembly will be a breeze. 
• Apple Bread With a Twist: Our creative take on homemade apple cinnamon bread will please all your senses! It’s pretty, smells amazing, and the different flavors and textures are just downright delicious. 
• Versatile Bread Recipe: Make this cinnamon apple bread for fall or whenever you need a pick-me-up. It’s decadent to be served as a dessert for any occasion but also not overly sweet, making it suitable for breakfast or brunch. 

What Does Apple Cinnamon Braided Bread Taste Like?

Apple cinnamon bread will remind you of apple pie! The moist fluffy bread encases a sweet apple filling made better with the flavors of cinnamon and maple. 

There is also the mouthwatering, buttery crumb filling and our secret ingredient, cheddar cheese, which takes this moist apple bread recipe to the next level. 

Yup, you read that right: cheese. 

The cheese balances the sweetness of the braided cinnamon apple bread, and just when you think it can’t get any better, your tastebuds will be greeted by the maple icing drizzled on top. 

Ingredients For Braided Cinnamon Apple Bread

APPLE FILLING

• Granulated sugar – To balance the tart apple chunks.
• Cinnamon – Cinnamon with apples will always be a lovely combination! This warm spice enhances the flavor of the apples. 
• Apples – You can use any fresh apples as long they can withstand baking. We opted for Granny Smiths. 
• Lemon juice – Adds brightness to the luscious apple mixture.
• Cheddar cheese – A surprising but delicious contrast to the sweet apple cinnamon center.

CRUMB FILLING

• All-purpose flour – Gives the crumb filling body. 
• Brown sugar – For texture and sweetness. 
• Unsalted butter – You can’t make a mouthwatering crumb without cutting butter into dry ingredients.
• Maple extract – Adds complexity to the sweet, buttery crumb filling. 

DOUGH

• All-purpose flour – For the apple cinnamon bread’s structure. 
• Granulated sugar – Adds sweetness to the bread and helps with moisture. 
• Active dry yeast  -To help the apple loaf rise perfectly. 
• Salt – Strengthens the dough and boosts the natural flavor of the cinnamon apple bread.
• Water – To get the best consistency for the dough.
• Buttermilk – The secret to fluffy braided apple cinnamon bread. 
• Unsalted butter – Adds richness and helps with the bread’s structure. 
• Eggs – Binds everything together. 
• Egg white – Gives a bakery-like finish to our homemade apple cinnamon braided bread.
• Water – For the egg wash.

 ICING

• Powdered sugar – For our quick maple icing. 
• Milk – Makes the icing creamy for drizzling. 
• Unsalted butter – Improves the icing’s flavor and consistency. 
• Maple extract – For aroma and an extra layer of flavor. 

Tools Needed To Prepare Homemade Apple Cinnamon Bread

• Mixing bowls for the ingredients
• Pastry blender for cutting butter into dry ingredients
• Stand mixer for combining the ingredients
• Saucepan for heating the water, buttermilk, and butter
• Parchment paper for keeping the dough from sticking and lining the baking sheets
• Plastic wrap for covering the dough
• Paring knife for cutting the dough
• Baking sheets for baking the bread
• Pastry brush for the egg wash
• Wire rack for cooling the baked cinnamon apple bread

Ingredient Additions & Substitutions For Apple and Cinnamon Bread

Alternative for Granny Smith apples

If Granny Smiths are unavailable, you can make this apple cinnamon bread recipe with Honeycrisp apples. They won’t easily get mushy, and their sweetness pairs well with warm cinnamon. 

Chopped pecans

Crunchy pecans make a yummy contrast to the moist and fluffy apple cinnamon braided bread! 

Maple cinnamon cream cheese frosting

For a more decadent take on this moist apple bread recipe, swap the simple icing with maple cinnamon cream cheese frosting. 

Just combine melted butter, softened cream cheese, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and cinnamon until smooth.

Spread this rich frosting on top of the cooled braided loaves generously, and I promise you’ll want to keep the entire bread for yourself. 🤤

How to Make Apple Cinnamon Bread

Ingredients:

FOR THE APPLE FILLING

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3 cups apples, peeled and diced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

FOR THE CRUMB FILLING

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp maple extract

FOR THE DOUGH

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 packets active dry yeast
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg white, beaten
• 1 tbsp water

FOR THE ICING

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/8 tsp maple extract

Tools you need:

• Mixing bowls
• Pastry blender
• Stand mixer
• Saucepan
• Parchment paper
• Plastic wrap
• Paring knife
• Baking sheets
• Pastry brush
• Wire rack

Instructions:

FOR THE APPLE FILLING

STEP 1: Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Add the chopped apples and lemon juice.

STEP 2: Toss until well-coated and set aside.

FOR THE CRUMB FILLING

STEP 1: Add the flour, brown sugar, butter, and maple extract in a bowl.

STEP 2: Cut in with a pastry blender until crumbly.

FOR THE DOUGH

STEP 1: Combine 1 cup of flour, granulated sugar, yeast, and salt in a stand mixer.

STEP 2: In a saucepan, heat water, buttermilk, and butter to 125°F. Add slowly to the dry ingredients.

STEP 3: Beat on medium speed, scraping the bowl as needed until thoroughly combined.

STEP 4: Add the eggs and 1 1/2 cups of flour. Mix until combined.

STEP 5: Stir in the remaining flour to form the dough.

STEP 6: Turn the dough out on a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, around 8 minutes.

STEP 7: Cover and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.

ASSEMBLY

STEP 1: Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

STEP 2: Divide the dough in half and roll each piece into a 12 x 14-inch rectangle. Place the rectangles on the prepared baking sheets.

STEP 3: Spoon half of the apple filling in the center of the rectangle and spread it into a 3-inch strip.

STEP 4: Starting at one long end of the dough, make cuts that are 3 inches long and 1 inch wide down the length of the rectangle. Repeat on the other end.

STEP 5: Sprinkle half of the cheddar cheese over the filling. Top with half of the crumb filling.

STEP 6: To braid, fold strips across to the center, alternating sides.

STEP 7: Repeat with the remaining dough rectangle, apple filling, and crumb filling.

STEP 8: Cover the braided cinnamon apple bread and allow to rise for 1 hour.

STEP 9: Preheat the oven to 350°F.

STEP 10: Make an egg wash with the egg white and water.

STEP 11: Brush the egg wash on top of each apple cinnamon bread.

STEP 12: Bake for 25 minutes or until they’re light brown in color.

STEP 13: Transfer to wire racks and cool.

FOR THE ICING

STEP 1: Combine the powdered sugar, milk, butter, and maple extract until smooth.

STEP 2: Drizzle the icing over the cooled braided apple cinnamon bread. Cut into slices, serve, and enjoy!

What To Serve With Apple Cinnamon Bread

What better treat to serve with freshly baked homemade apple cinnamon bread than vanilla ice cream?

The warm slice makes the creamy ice cream nice and melty for a delightful forkful. 

Another way to enjoy this moist apple cinnamon bread as a dessert is with cottage cheese and jam. 

But for those who prefer something simple and perhaps want their cinnamon apple bread for breakfast or brunch, top this bread with macerated apricots or pecans. 

In the mood for something cozy? Have a slice of this cinnamon and apple bread with our apple butter and a cup of hot chocolate!

Tips About Making Braided Apple Cinnamon Bread

• Pre-baking the apple filling at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes can reduce cooking time. This will also help the apples release extra moisture, ensure that they are cooked enough to the perfect texture, and intensify the flavor of the filling.
• Add more milk or flour to adjust the consistency of the dough so it’s perfectly soft and smooth. If the edges of the dough rectangles keep folding, you can also use a metal straight-edge spatula to straighten them.
• Feel free to overstuff your apple cinnamon bread! Just increase the baking time by 10 minutes, covering the bread with aluminum foil so the top won’t burn.
• Use a paring knife or pizza cutter to make clean cuts on the dough. Don’t forget to wet the blade before making the slits!

How To Store Apple Cinnamon Bread

• Room temperature: Keep your apple cinnamon bread moist and enjoy it for up to 5 days by skipping the fridge and just storing it in a covered container. Don’t forget to place it somewhere cool and dry. 
• Freezer: For longer storage, slice the loaf, wrap the slices in plastic wrap and foil, and store them in a freezer bag. 
• Reheating: Thaw the frozen cinnamon apple bread at room temperature, then heat the slice in the microwave until warm. I like to add more icing before serving, but butter is also delicious when reheating the bread.

What Are the Best Apples for Apple Cinnamon Bread?

The best apples for apple cinnamon bread include Granny Smiths, Honeycrisps, Gala, and Fuji. 

All these firm apples work for homemade apple bread loaves because they won’t soften too much after baking. You want distinct bits of apples contrasting the tender and moist crumb. No to mushy apples!

It’s also up to you to decide whether you’ll use tart or sweet apples for your bread. My tip? Consider the sweetness of the recipe. 

If you use a decadent frosting, tart apples like Granny Smith are the best apples for your moist apple cinnamon bread. 

FAQ About Cinnamon Apple Bread

Can this apple cinnamon bread recipe be made gluten-free?

Of course! Use gluten-free baking flour instead of all-purpose flour. The ratio is 1:1.

Can cinnamon apple bread be made dairy-free?

We haven’t tried these replacements ourselves, but vegan cheddar cheese, butter, buttermilk, and milk might work for a dairy-free cinnamon apple bread. Just expect a change in the bread texture. If you want a tried and tested dairy-free bread, try our dairy-free pumpkin bread!

Can apple cinnamon bread be frozen?

Yes. I suggest slicing the bread first, so it’ll be easier to thaw and reheat individual portions. 

Why did my apple cinnamon bread fall in the middle?

If the braided apple cinnamon bread is underbaked, it can sink in the middle, so check your temperature and baking time. Additionally, allow the loaf to cool completely before slicing to ensure it has enough time to set.

Why does my apple cinnamon bread keep burning on the bottom?

If your apple cinnamon braided bread is burning on the bottom, check if your baking temperature is too high. You can also adjust the oven shelf height. 

Conclusion

This apple cinnamon bread might not be a quick bread like our zucchini bread and double chocolate banana bread, but I promise the waiting time is worth it.

It comes out perfectly moist with a generous filling of apples, cinnamon, and buttery crumb, making it ideal for breakfast, snack, or dessert. 

The icing on top is just a bonus! 😋

Are you new to baking bread? Try these equally easy and delicious delights next:

• Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese
• Crusty French Baguettes
• Pumpkin-Shaped Bread
• Vegan Zucchini Bread
• Vegan Banana Bread