Apple Cinnamon Bread Recipe for a Bread Machine

Make this Apple Cinnamon Bread with your bread machine and wait for the smell to fill your kitchen. Sweet and spicy cooked apples are folded into a whole wheat dough, baked, then covered with streusel or icing. Move over cinnamon rolls!

Although the recipe is written to be mixed and kneaded in a bread machine, you can easily do it by hand or use a stand mixer. See the notes in the recipe.

If you ask Pinterest, one of the most popular posts on this blog is entitled “Apples in a Bag” as pictured below. It’s super easy with only 4 ingredients and makes a healthy snack or dessert for 1-2 people.

Recipe Inspiration

Seeing how as I’m a bread-machine freak and I love these apples, it was high time to create a bread recipe incorporating “Apples in a Bag.”

Since I love to make yogurt, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Yeast Bread also includes Greek yogurt (but you can substitute buttermilk if you prefer). Either way, the result will be a tender crumb not unlike my favorite cinnamon rolls.

Top this apple-studded loaf with a streusel topping as seen above, or ice it with powdered sugar frosting as seen below. Frosting will make your loaf taste very similar to a huge cinnamon roll. If you want to be really decadent, pour the frosting on top of a streusel-topped loaf.

***Kitchen Tip

Storing iced bread in a plastic bag can be a messy business. Consequently, I don’t recommend frosting this loaf if you don’t have enough mouths to eat it all in one sitting.

How to Shape the Dough:

Method #1

The first shown below is my favorite, but it’s a bit trickier to accomplish.

1. Roll the dough out as you would for cinnamon rolls, and sprinkle the cooled apple filling over the dough.
2. Roll into a long cylinder and pinch the dough to seal.
3. Use the sealing line as a guide for cutting the cylinder in half the length-wise. Now say a prayer, take a deep breath and proceed.
4. Carefully lift up each “half-pipe” one at a time. With cut sides up, place each “half-pipe” into a prepared loaf pan in an S shape as illustrated in the picture below.
5. Loosely cover the pan. Allow the shaped loaf to rise until almost double.
6. Finally, remove the cover, sprinkle with streusel, then bake as directed.

Method #2:

This method might be easier if you are a novice baker.

• After rolling the dough into a long cylinder and sealing it (as seen in the pictures on the left side above), the same way you would for cinnamon rolls, slice the cylinder crosswise into six large slices and set on end in a loaf pan.
• Cover the pan loosely with a tea towel or freebie shower cap. As soon as the dough is almost double in size, remove the cover.
• Sprinkle with streusel if using, then bake as directed.

 “Can I make this Apple Cinnamon Bread Recipe ahead of time?”

Certainly!  Make it and bake it. This moist bread only gets better the next day or two or three. It also freezes well after it has been baked. It’s perfect to make in the days leading up to Christmas because it only gets better after hanging around for a day or two.

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Did you try this recipe and enjoy it? Consider helping other readers (and me) by returning to this post. Leave a rating on the recipe card itself underneath the picture. Although always appreciated, comments aren’t required.

If you have a question or tip to share, please leave it in the regular comments after the recipe so I can answer back. Or, email me privately: paula at saladinajar.com.

Thank you for visiting!
Paula

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Apple Cinnamon Bread Machine Recipe

Yield: 1 loaf

Prep Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 4 hours

A sweet yeast bread to mix and knead in a bread machine, then baked in a conventional oven

Print

Ingredients

• 2/3-3/4 cup buttermilk or yogurt thinned with milk to buttermilk consistency
• 1 egg
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 cup (120 grams or 4-1/4 oz) whole wheat flour
• 1-1/4 cup (180 grams or 6-1/3 oz) bread flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

"Apples in a Bag"

• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1 medium yellow delicious apple, peeled and finely diced
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water

Streusel:

• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cold butter
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Frosting: (if desired)

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons coffee
• 1 tablespoon cream cheese

Instructions

Dough:

1. Heat buttermilk or yogurt in microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. Mixture will probably separate but don't worry. Add only 2/3 cup yogurt to bread machine pan along with all other ingredients except raisins.
2. Select dough cycle and push start. Check dough about 5 minutes into the dough cycle. If dough is too dry (dough doesn't stick to sides and then pull away), add the remaining yogurt a teaspoon or two at a time until dough looks just right.
3. Add raisins after you hear the signal for add-ins.
4. When dough cycle completes, push dough back to original size with your hands. Remove pan (with dough still inside) from the bread machine. Cover pan and dough with a towel or shower cap and place in warm place for a SECOND rise. This helps make a lighter loaf since bread contains whole wheat flour.
5. Remove dough from pan to a floured surface. (See picture above.) Roll into a rectangle approximately 9 x 13 inches. Distribute apple mixture over the top like you would when making cinnamon rolls.
6. Starting with long side, roll dough up tightly and pinch closed at the seam. Use a large, sharp knife to cut the roll in half length-wise at the seam. You should now have two long "half-pipes."
7. With cut side up, make a snake or "S" shape going back and forth with one of the half-rolls (see picture above) and place into one end of a non-stick 9 x 5 loaf pan (mine holds 2 quarts of water if you want to compare sizes) sprayed on the inside with an aerosol flour/oil mixture like Baker's Joy.
8. Make an "S" shape with the other roll and place into the other end of the pan as pictured. It doesn't have to be perfect but should fill the pan from one end to the other.
9. Cover dough with shower cap or tea towel and set in warm place to rise for approximately 45 minutes. Dough should rise somewhat less than double. 10 minutes before bread is ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
10. If using streusel, sprinkle it over the top. Bake for 35 minutes. About halfway through baking time, cover bread loosely with foil to prevent over-browning.
11. Remove from oven and immediately turn out onto cooling rack. Allow to cool before slicing bread.

Apple Pie Filling

1. Combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and cover. Cook on HIGH for 2 minutes. Allow to cool while dough is rising.

Frosting

1. Combine powdered sugar, coffee, and cream cheese. Add more sugar if too thin, or add coffee if too thick. Drizzle over cooled loaf.

Streusel

1. Combine all ingredients with a fork until crumbly and mixture resembles oatmeal.

Notes

Directions for making bread with a stand mixer or by hand:

• To make this recipe in a heavy-duty stand mixer, add ingredients to the bowl in the same order. Turn on low to mix until all ingredients are moistened. Using dough hook, turn speed to 2 or 3 and continue kneading until dough becomes smooth and elastic--about 5-10 minutes. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place. Deflate dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.
• If making by hand, combine all ingredients into a shaggy ball in a large bowl. Turn dough out on a floured surface and knead with your hands until dough becomes smooth and elastic, a process that will likely take 10-20 minutes depending on your experience. Place the dough ball into a greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise until double. Deflate dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.
• Please note: If you substitute regular yeast for instant or bread machine yeast, you must dissolve it first before adding to the dry ingredients. Stir it into about 1/4 cup of the lukewarm liquid called for in the recipe. Let sit for about 10 minutes. Add to other wet ingredients and then add dry ingredients. Proceed as directed to knead and shape the dough.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 191Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 241mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 2gSugar: 14gProtein: 6g

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