Dairy Free Apple Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread

My Dairy Free Apple Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread makes an ideal autumn breakfast or snack. The bread is soft, slightly sweet, and sticky, and packed with warm cinnamon spice, apple pieces, and a touch of orange and lemon zest, guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.

By Rose Huxford

Apple Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread is a beloved treat in the autumn season. This sticky, soft loaf is packed with apple chunks and warm cinnamon spices, making it perfect for gatherings. Although my Apple Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread is dairy-free, you wouldn't notice, and it's lower in calories because I used unsweetened almond milk, which is only 30 calories per cup. The filling is what brings this loaf to life; my combination of cinnamon spice, apples, zest from a whole orange and lemon, along with a blend of vanilla and almond extract, creates a delightful balance of flavors that burst in your mouth.

Dairy Free Apple Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread

Yields: 1 loaf

Pre-heat oven: 375 degree F

Prep-time: 5 minutes

Rise-time: ~2.5 hours

Bake-time: ~50-60 minutes

Equipment: 1 loaf pan (1-2lbs), Stand mixer (optional), large mixing bowl, plastic wrap, medium mixing bowl, wooden spoon, liquid measuring cup, measuring cups, measuring spoons, parchment paper, cooling rack.

By Rose Huxford

By Rose Huxford

By Rose Huxford

By Rose Huxford

By Rose Huxford

By Rose Huxford

*As a King Arthur affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Dough Ingredients

• 400 g (3 1/3 cups) King Arthur all purpose flour

• 1 packet ( 2 1/4 teaspoon) instant/fast action yeast

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/3 cup cane sugar

• 1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk, lukewarm

• 1/4 cup dairy free butter, very soft and room temperature

Filling

• 1/4 cup dairy free butter, very soft and room temperature

• pinch of salt

• 2-3 large apples (honey crisp or granny smith are best), diced

• 3/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon

• zest from 1 whole orange

• zest from 1 whole lemon

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 1 tsp pure almond extract

• 1 1/2 tsp corn starch

  
  

Directions

1. To prepare the dough, put the flour into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a dough hook. Add the yeast on one side, and place the salt and sugar on the other side, then stir to mix.

2. Add the lukewarm milk to the dry ingredients and stir to create a rough dough. Knead the dough using a mixer or on an un-floured surface for 5-10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Remember, the dough will initially be sticky, so avoid adding extra flour. If it feels too dry, you may add 2 tablespoons of milk at this point. The dough will become smooth after a minute or two of kneading, and you might need to use a dough scraper to lift it off the surface.

3. Then, incorporate the softened butter. Keep kneading until the butter is completely blended in and the dough becomes smooth and elastic once more. Initially, this step may appear greasy and messy, but continue kneading for about 5-10 minutes until the butter is fully mixed and the dough is smooth. If you're using a stand mixer, you may need to scrap the butter back to the bottom of the bowl so it gets fully incorporated.

4. When the butter is completely mixed in, the dough will become smooth and silky, detaching from the work surface or the bowl's sides. However, it should remain soft and slightly sticky, which is essential for a soft loaf.

5. Then, put the dough in a bowl that has been lightly greased, cover it with plastic wrap and a tea towel. Set it in a warm area to let the dough rise until it doubles in size, which should take about 1-2 hours, depending on the day's temperature.

6. Lightly grease your loaf pan with either butter or non-stick spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper in half and place one half in the center of the pan, then lightly grease the exposed surface of the paper. This prevents the bread from sticking to the sides and makes it easier to remove.

7. After the dough has doubled in size, deflate it by punching it down and briefly knead it on a lightly floured surface to remove any air bubbles. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 12 x 18 inches. Spread the very softened butter evenly over the dough using your hands.

8. Next, core and dice your apples (you can peel them, but I like the skin on), and mix them together with the brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, orange zest, lemon juice, salt, vanilla extract, almond extract and corn starch.

9. Spread the apple filling plus the juices evenly over the buttered dough.

10. Cut the dough into 5 equal strips across the width (a pizza cutter is useful for straight lines), then cut lengthwise into 4 strips, creating 20 squares of dough. Stack the squares into 5 piles with 4 squares each (this can be a bit messy, but it all comes together once baked).

11. Place the dough stacks upright in the prepared pan, pressing them together to fit. Collect any apple filling that fell off and sprinkle it on top. Cover the pan loosely and let it rise in a warm area for approximately 30-40 minutes, until it becomes puffy. (Keep in mind, the dough will continue to rise in the oven, so you don't need to allow too much rise time at this point).

12. Ten minutes before, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

13. Bake for approximately 50-60 minutes, or until a probe thermometer reads about 195-200 degrees F in the center, or a skewer inserted comes out clean. If the edges of the bread begin to cook more quickly than the center, you can cover the top with foil. Then, add more foil to the center to avoid any dark browning.

14. Allow to cool on a cooling rack for about 20-30 minutes before removing from the tin. Then, once the bread has cooled, you can turn the bread out onto a serving dish.

15. Keep the bread in a resealable bag on the counter for approximately 4 days. Alternatively, let it cool completely and store it in a freezer bag for up to a month.

16. Enjoy!