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Add a bit of fall to your breakfast bread with this fruit-filled apple cinnamon swirl bread.
Although the temperatures keep creeping up into the 80s, I’m finding it’s the perfect time to be getting back into the swing of baking bread.
For whatever reason, one bread I always have success with is cinnamon swirl. Thanks to the apples we’ve been getting in our produce delivery (as well as apple picking), I was inspired to add some fruit to this classic breakfast bread.
For some reason swirl breads come together easier for me than some other breads. I’m not sure what it is about them; maybe the extra hands-on time?
I have a tendency to under-knead my breads, but with the rolling method here the dough gets worked well enough for a great crumb that isn’t soggy or dry.
While bread does take some time, most of it is hands-off. When I worked outside the home full time, I found it worked perfectly to mix up the dough when I got home and let it rise while dinner cooked.
After we ate it was time to punch down and shape the dough, and after the dishes and cleanup it was time to bake, ensuring a fresh loaf for breakfast and sandwiches the next day. And trust me, the little bit of trouble is worth it!
If you still have apples left over after making this bread, you could try making my apple pie bars. If you have a lot of apples on hand, why not make crockpot applesauce?
Note that because this recipe uses whole wheat flour, it won’t rise as much as an all-white loaf. However, you can swap out the whole wheat for more all-purpose if you prefer!
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Apple Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast, (1 packet)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, or olive oil
- 1 1/3 cup whole milk, warmed slightly
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- 1 cup chopped apple, about 1 medium apple
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix together flours, yeast, and salt in a large bowl, stand mixer, or food processor. Stir in the honey, oil, and milk, mixing until the dough comes together and forms a ball. If the dough is too sticky add a small amount of all-purpose flour; if too dry, add a small amount of milk.
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for a couple of minutes, until the dough is smooth. Let rise in a covered bowl until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
- Punch down dough and put onto floured surface. Roll out into a rectangle with its short side approximately 9 inches (to fit a loaf pan). If the dough resists rolling out, let it rest 10 minutes and continue.
- Spread butter on dough. Scatter apple pieces across, similar to topping a pizza. Mix together sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the entire surface.
- Roll up dough from the short side and pinch ends closed. Place in a greased loaf pan, and press down gently on dough to fit into the pan, making sure to reach the corners. This will help ensure an even second rise and properly shaped loaf. Let rise approximately 1 hour.
- Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing. After the first day, store in the fridge.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.
About Megan
I learned how to cook by exploring seasonal ingredients, and you can too! Meal time shouldn’t be stressful or complicated, and with fresh ingredients and easy methods, I’m here to help you enjoy the time spent in the kitchen. Read more…
I love the idea of adding some apples to the cinnamon layer. I’m starving and better get something in my tummy cause this is making it grumble!
That would make some outstanding French toast … or if any of it manages to go stale (and as tasty as it sounds that may not happen) this would be so nice in a bread pudding. Maybe with a brown sugar bourbon sauce. MMMMMM!
This looks so great Megan. I like Kelly’s idea of french toast. Or just a large pat of butter. 🙂 Either way….yum!
Heather
(p.s. – I’m off to make this now)
That is truly beautiful bread. We picked bushels of apples this year and I’ve canned quarts upon quarts of applesauce, but I still have apples leftover. My kids would love this.
I am definitely going to have to try your bread baking “schedule”! One of the reasons I don’t make bread is that I never seem to be able to schedule it right!! Since my family is a huge fan of cinnamon bread think I will have to start with this recipe – with the apples for me!
The bread looks great.