Description
This Apple Fritter Bread recipe combines a soft, slightly sweet yeast dough with a spiced apple filling, baked into a delightful loaf and finished with a sweet glaze. Perfect for breakfast or a snack, it's reminiscent of classic apple fritters in bread form with a moist texture and cinnamon flavor throughout.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- ¾ cup milk
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup apple cider or water
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
Apple Filling
- 3-4 apples, peeled & diced
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
Glaze
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon salted butter, melted
- 3 teaspoons apple cider or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Prepare Dough: Heat the milk in a small saucepan until hot with bubbles forming around edges but not boiling. Add the butter and stir until melted. Let cool slightly. In a large bowl, mix flour, yeast, brown sugar, and salt. Add apple cider or water, beaten egg, and warm milk-butter mixture. Stir until dough forms a ball, then knead for five minutes until smooth. Use a stand mixer with a dough hook if available.
- First Rise: Transfer dough to a clean oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Make Apple Filling: While dough rises, combine diced apples, brown sugar, butter, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, and cornstarch in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until apples soften and juices thicken slightly but remain syrupy. Remove from heat and cool.
- Prepare Pans & Dough: Line two large bread pans with parchment paper slings. Divide the dough into two equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion into a rectangle. Spread half the apple filling evenly over dough including juices.
- Roll & Cut Dough: Roll dough from the long edge like a cinnamon roll. Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, cut the loaf diagonally into 1-inch slices, then cut again in the opposite diagonal direction to create an 'X' pattern forming small chunks.
- Assemble Loaf: Scoop dough chunks with apple filling and syrup into the prepared pan, using a bench scraper to collect any spilled syrup. Repeat with remaining dough and filling in the second pan. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes.
- Bake Bread: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake loaves for 45 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Remove loaves from pans immediately and place on wire racks.
- Make Glaze: Whisk powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and apple cider or milk together until smooth.
- Glaze Bread: Drizzle the glaze over warm bread loaves and allow to set before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Apple juice can be substituted for apple cider, though cider provides a stronger, richer flavor.
- For storage, wrap bread tightly in plastic wrap or airtight container; keeps fresh 2-3 days at room temperature.
- To freeze, omit glaze, wrap bread in foil, place in a plastic bag, and freeze up to 3 months.
- Thaw frozen bread at room temperature; reheat slices in toaster or whole loaf in oven at 300°F for 10-15 minutes.
- For make-ahead, assemble loaves and let rise overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature before baking for fresh results without the morning rush.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
