Apple Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Apple Cinnamon Swirl Bread is the ultimate fall edition of the classic cinnamon raisin bread. It’s soft and fluffy, filled with juicy chunks of apple, and a buttery, cinnamon sugar swirl throughout. This is a great bread to use for French toast, or simply enjoy is with a smear of Organic Valley butter for a decadent fall treat!
Ingredients for Apple Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Apples – I used one medium Ida Red apple for this bread which was enough to have one cup of diced apple. I like Ida Reds because they’re sweet and hold their shape while baking (and I was able to pick them myself at the orchard on Fall Fun Day). Other good varieties would be Jonathan or Cortland, but really any apple will do.
Organic Valley butter – This is a key component of Apple Cinnamon Swirl Bread. Butter is used to sauté the apples, enhance the flavor and texture of the dough, and provide a medium for the cinnamon sugar swirl to stick to. It’s really important to use a high quality butter such as Organic Valley or an Irish butter, as these are noticeable more yellow, indicating the cows were on pasture, thus providing more nutrients to the butter!
Spice House Cinnamon – Obviously cinnamon is critical when making cinnamon swirl bread. I love the bold, sweet, spicy flavor from The Spice House’s Saigon Cinnamon. If you want to add even more dimension to the bread, feel free to also include cloves, nutmeg, ginger, or allspice.
Organic Valley Whole Milk – Adding milk to the bread makes it soft and fluffy and gives it more of a rich flavor. I stick with whole milk to maximise the effect, but you could definitely use low-fat or skim if you prefer. I have not tested this recipe with plant based “milks”, but if you do, I’d love to hear how it goes!
Bolted Bread Flour has 75% of the bran removed, so it’s pretty fine and makes for a soft, fluffy loaf of bread. Bread flour also has a higher protein content which gives dough its elasticity.
Coconut sugar is unrefined and has a richness similar to brown sugar. It perfectly compliments the cinnamon and butter in the filling.
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Cinnamon Apples
In a small skillet, melt a half tablespoon of butter. Add the diced apples and cinnamon to taste.Saute for about 5 minutes on medium, until the apples are slightly softened. Remove from heat and set aside.
Bread
Pour the warm milk and water in a bowl and whisk in the yeast. Set aside for 5-10 minutes for it to proof. It will look frothy when ready. Meanwhile, melt the butter and add the honey, cinnamon, and salt. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
When the yeast is proofed, pour it into the mixer bowl and whisk it with the butter mixture. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour. As the dough starts to form, increase speed to medium-low. If needed, scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure all the flour gets incorporated.
Add the cinnamon apples and continue kneading the dough in the mixer on medium-low for about 10 minutes. Then, lightly cover the bowl with a towel and set it in a warm place to rise for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
When the dough has risen, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a 9×15 rectangle. Brush the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter over the bread. Whisk together the coconut sugar and remaining cinnamon and sprinkle the mixture all over the melted butter.
Starting with the short end, roll up the dough into a log. Fold down the ends and tuck them under the loaf. Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper and transfer the bread to the pan, seam side down. Cover with a towel and let the bread rise in a warm place for another 40-60 minutes until it has doubled in size again.
Towards the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 40-50 minutes until the top is golden and sounds hollow when tapped. Transfer the bread to a cooling rack and let cool entirely before slicing.
I hope you enjoy this Apple Cinnamon Swirl Bread! Be sure to leave a rating below and let me know what you think in the comments! Happy baking!
More Recipes to Try
- EGGLESS CINNAMON RAISIN BREAD
- GOOEY CINNAMON RAISIN ROLLS
- APPLE CHERRY CRISP
- HARVEST APPLE CRANBERRY CRISP
Apple Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Ingredients
Cinnamon Apples
- 1 cup Ida Red apple diced, about 1 medium apple
- ½ Tbsp Organic Valley salted butter
- Spice House cinnamon to taste
Bread
- 1 cup Organic Valley whole milk warm
- ⅓ cup water warm
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- ¼ cup Organic Valley Salted butter melted
- 1 Tbsp raw honey
- 1 tsp Spice House cinnamon
- 1 tsp Celtic sea salt
- 3½ cups bolted bread flour
Cinnamon Swirl
- 2 Tbsp Organic Valley salted butter melted
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- 2 tsp Spice House cinnamon
Instructions
Cinnamon Apples
- In a small skillet, melt ½ Tbsp butter. Add the diced apples and cinnamon to taste.
- Saute for about 5 minutes on medium heat, until the apples are slightly softened. Remove from heat and set aside.
Bread
- Pour the warm milk and water in a bowl and whisk in the yeast. Set aside for 5-10 minutes for it to proof. It will look frothy when ready.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter and add the honey, cinnamon, and salt. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- When the yeast is proofed, pour it into the mixer bowl and whisk it with the butter mixture.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour. As the dough starts to form, increase speed to medium-low. If needed, scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure all the flour gets incorporated.
- Add the cinnamon apples and continue kneading the dough in the mixer on medium-low for about 10 minutes.
- Lightly cover the bowl with a towel and set it in a warm place to rise for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- When the dough has risen, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a 9×15 rectangle.
- Brush the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter over the bread. Whisk together the coconut sugar and remaining cinnamon and sprinkle the mixture all over the melted butter.
- Starting with the short end, roll up the dough into a log. Fold down the ends and tuck them under the loaf.
- Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper and transfer the bread to the pan. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for another 40-60 minutes until it has doubled in size again.
- Towards the end of the rise, preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 40-50 minutes until the top is golden and sounds hollow when tapped.
- Transfer the bread to a cooling rack and let cool entirely before slicing. Enjoy!