Apple Butter Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Apple butter cinnamon swirl bread: a soft, moist yeast loaf with ribbons of apple butter and cinnamon sugar in every bite!
It’s a cool October morning, and I can’t think of a better way to start the day than with a cup of tea and a warm slice of apple butter cinnamon swirl bread!
I made this loaf over the weekend and I’m so glad to be able to nibble on it all week long. It makes a lovely breakfast or afternoon snack. And it’s a great way to use up some of the apple butter we picked up on our most recent trip to the orchard. I bet you have a jar in your fridge too; am I right?
I am a huge fan of Baked by Rachel, and all the gorgeous swirl breads she makes. Especially this one! So when I got the idea to make an apple butter cinnamon swirl bread, I knew I wanted to follow her lead and try this gorgeous technique.
It’s surprisingly simple! I know it looks fancy and complicated but really it’s not at all. If you can make cinnamon rolls, then this will be a snap for you.
Just roll out the dough into a flat rectangle, and spread the apple butter all over it. Then, sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar, and roll it up in a log, just like you would do with cinnamon rolls. Now, instead of cutting it crosswise into rolls, slice it lengthwise, all the way down, leaving it just barely attached at the one end. After that you just twist the two long pieces together. It feels a little awkward- the log wants to come undone, but it’s ok! You really can’t mess it up. It’s meant to be free-form so the more it waves and twists the better.
Look at all those ribbons of apple butter and cinnamon! There’s plenty of sticky filling in every bite. And the bread itself is super moist and soft. My family loved this apple butter cinnamon swirl bread and I think yours will too! It’s perfect for fall, or even for Thanksgiving or Christmas morning!
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Apple Butter Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (375 g) water,, warm
- 1/4 ounce (7.09 g) active dry yeast, (1 packet)
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, , lightly packed
- 3 tablespoons (44.36 g) unsalted butter,, softened
- 3 3/4-4 1/2 cups (531.25 g) all-purpose flour, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (141 g) apple butter
Instructions
- Place the warm water in a large bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top.
- Set aside for 5 minutes to allow the yeast to proof.
- Add the brown sugar and butter.
- Blend in 2 cups of the flour and the salt until moistened.
- Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes.
- Stir in an additional 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 cups flour, until dough pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
- Knead on floured surface, adding 1/2 to 3/4 cup additional flour, until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
- Place dough in large greased bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise in warm place until doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes.
- Lightly mist a 9×5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray.
- Stir the granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.
- Punch down the dough and roll it into a rectangle, about 9 inches on the short side and 1/4 inch thick.
- Spread with a thin layer of apple butter, and top with the cinnamon sugar.
- Starting at the short side, roll into a tight log (like a cinnamon roll).
- Using a sharp knife, cut the log in half lengthwise, leaving the two halves attached at one end.
- Twist the two long pieces together and place in the prepared pan.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise in warm place until doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Uncover dough and bake 40 to 45 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped.
- Cool completely before slicing.
Entered this in the baking competition at the State Fair and won a blue ribbon! Used my bread maker to mix, knead and raise the dough, and home made apple butter for the filling. Easy to do and makes a beautiful loaf!
Hooray! Congrats on the big win that’s amazing!
Its in the oven now. I hope its right andI followed instructions but Two tablespoons of cinnamon really seems like a lot hope you didnt mean two tsp!
I didn’t! Hope you enjoy!
I have become a “scale snob”, especially for bread recipes. Any chance you have the weights for the ingredients? Just checking! Thank you!
Absolutely! Just click the “metric” button just below the list of ingredients. Good luck & enjoy!
I can’t begin to tell you how amazing this bread. What a huge hit with friends and family. But in seeking perfection I too need clarification on the cutting and twisting. I cannot find anything in this page on Pesto Bread or Rachel as suggested below. Can you please give a link or clarify exactly how the final dress is intended. It is much appreciated and thanks again for a magical recipe
Hey there! If you take a look at the video for my Chocolate Babka recipe, you’ll see the same rolling/cutting/twisted method there. Just type “Chocolate Babka” in the search window at the top of this site. Good luck!
Getting ready to make this for the second time. Only sub I did was to replace apple butter with diced apples with cinnamon sugar. Turned out great last time, and makes amazing French toast!
Ooh, that sounds fantasic! Thanks for the 5-star review JoAnn!