Apple Pie Pull-Apart Bread
Imagine all the cozy flavours of apple pie, layered into soft, cinnamon-sugar pull-apart bread and finished with a drizzle of cream cheese icing. It’s the kind of fall treat that makes your kitchen smell amazing and has everyone reaching for just one more piece.
I’m still working my way through our apple-picking haul before they start going bad, so I’m finding all kinds of delicious ways to use them up beyond the usual pies and crisps. This Apple Pie Pull-Apart Bread is such a fun way to turn those fresh apples into something a little different. It’s perfect for a weekend brunch, an afternoon treat with a cup of tea or coffee, or a cozy dessert to share with family.
The best part is that you don’t have to make bread dough from scratch. Refrigerated biscuit dough makes this recipe much easier, with layers of buttery cinnamon sugar and tender apple filling tucked throughout. Add a crumbly topping and a generous drizzle of cream cheese icing, and you have a treat that’s hard to resist.
I actually used six apples and doubled the apple pie filling ingredients because I wanted extra filling for another dish. You can stick with the quantities listed below if you’re only making the pull-apart bread, or make a larger batch and save the extra filling for another delicious apple dessert. It’s always nice having some homemade apple pie filling ready to go!
There’s no need to worry about perfectly neat slices, either. The fun is in pulling the pieces apart and discovering all those sweet apple-filled layers. Serve it warm, and if you really want to make it extra special, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Give my recipe a try and let me know what you think!
INGREDIENTS:
Apple Filling
3 medium apples, peeled, cored and finely diced
2 tablespoons of butter
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon of water
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
2 tablespoons of water, for mixing with the cornstarch
Cinnamon-Sugar Layers
1 can of refrigerated biscuits (Pillsbury)
6 tablespoons of butter, melted
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
2 tablespoons of cinnamon
Crumb Topping
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
5 tablespoons of softened butter
Cream Cheese Icing
2 tablespoons of butter, softened
2 oz of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Milk, as needed
STEPS:
Prepare the Apple Filling
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, leaving some overhang on the sides to make removing the bread easier.
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the diced apples, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and one tablespoon of water. Cover and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples begin to soften.
In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with two tablespoons of water until smooth. Stir the mixture into the apples and continue cooking until the juices bubble and thicken. Remove from the heat and allow the filling to cool.
Prepare the Cinnamon-Sugar Layers
Melt the butter in a shallow bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Carefully separate the biscuits, gently stretching each one a little. Dip both sides into the melted butter, then coat generously in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Spoon some apple filling over a biscuit round, then add another round on top. Continue layering to make small stacks of approximately four rounds each. Turn each stack onto its side and arrange it upright in the prepared loaf pan, with the biscuit layers standing vertically. Spoon any remaining apple filling between the stacks, taking care not to pack the pan too tightly.
Add the Crumb Topping
In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Use a fork to work in three tablespoons of softened butter, adding more as needed until the mixture forms buttery crumbs. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the assembled bread.
Bake
Loosely cover the loaf pan with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15 minutes. Baking time can vary depending on how tightly the loaf is packed, so don’t rely on the golden top alone. If it browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil again. I start chickening mine every 10 minutes after removing the foil.
Make the Cream Cheese Icing
While the bread cools slightly, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt, mixing until creamy. Add a little milk at a time until the icing reaches a consistency that’s easy to drizzle.
Let the bread cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before lifting it out using the parchment paper. Drizzle the cream cheese icing generously over the top.
Bon appétit! Enjoy!
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