Apple Pull Apart Bread

An easy-to-make Apple Pull Apart Bread recipe using bread dough formed into small balls that are coated with cinnamon and sugar. Apples are sprinkled throughout the layers. A delicious powdered sugar glaze is poured over the top.

Ingredients

1/4 c. warm water
1 Tbs. yeast or 1 package dry yeast
2 Tbs. sugar
3/4 c. warm milk
3 Tbs. melted butter or oil
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 to 4 1/2 c. four 

Filling

2/3 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tbs. butter or margarine, melted
1 large apple, diced (peeling is optional)

Glaze 

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbs. butter, softened
1 Tbs. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a bundt with vegetable oil; set aside.

In a bowl, combine water, yeast and sugar. Place in a warm location for 10 minutes. This allows the yeast to bloom and show that it is active. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup flour, salt. Pour in the yeast mixture, milk, melted butter and egg. Beat well with a wooden spoon to combine. You can also use a mixer with the dough hook.

Continue to mix in the remaining flour, until it gets too hard to stir with a spoon. Turn the dough out on a floured surface. Knead in the rest of the flour, using more or less flour as needed, depending on the day. If there is a lot of moisture in the air, you will need more flour. If it is a dry day, you may need less flour.  Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic. This takes about 8 to 10 minutes. You will want a dough that is slightly sticky.

In the same bowl that you mixed the dough in, lightly grease or oil the bottom and sides. Place the dough in the bowl, turning once to coat all sides with oil. Cover the bowl with a tea towel or a sheet of plastic wrap. Place in a warm location and let rise until doubled in bulk.  This takes between for about 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours. 

While the dough is almost done rising, prepare the filling.

In a small bowl, melt the butter.

In another small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.

Roll the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll one ball in melted butter.

Allow the excess butter to drip off, then roll the dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Place the dough balls in the prepared bundt pan. Repeat the process with each dough ball. When you get the first layer of dough balls in the bundt pan, sprinkle some of the apples over the top. Repeat layering the dough balls and apples until you are out of dough. 

Cover the loaf pan with a tea towel, and place in a warm location. Allow the dough to rise for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size. 

Bake the bread for 25 minutes. Check the top of the bread to make sure it is not starting to burn. If it is, cover the top with a sheet of aluminum foil.  Bake for another 10 minutes, or until done.

Cool in the bread pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack. When the bread is cool, it is time to make the glaze.

In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, butter, milk and vanilla together.  Stir or whisk to remove all the lumps.  You will want the glaze to be thin, but not too thin. It should be the consistency of corn syrup.  

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled pull apart bread. Allow the glaze to set, then serve.