Cinnamon Bun Meets Apple Pie in This Cozy Fall Recipe

Autumn is upon us, meaning it’s time to get into the apple-picking spirit. If you’re looking for something to make with your apple haul other than traditional pie, chef Trung Vu, the chef-instructor of pastry and baking arts at the Institute of Culinary Education’s New York City campus, has a recipe for you. This cinnamon bun apple braid combines the comforting flavors of a cinnamon bun with gooey apple pie filling, making for a delicious fall treat.

1. How to Make the Dough
2. How to Make the Filling and Glaze
3. Bringing It All Together
4. Cinnamon Bun Apple Braid Recipe, Step by Step

How to Make the Dough

To make the perfect cinnamon bun apple braid, you’ll need to make the perfect dough. First, whisk dry yeast into water, and then add eggs to the mixture. Pour in the flour and mix everything in a stand mixer at low speed using the hook attachment. When you the dough is shaggy (which will take a few minutes) slightly increase the machine’s speed and add sugar and salt slowly. Knead the dough until it’s smooth and passes the “windowpane test.”

As Chef Vu explains, the windowpane test is used to determine the gluten strength of dough. “[Gluten] is the backbone or structure that will support the dough as it rises,” he tells Mental Floss. “The windowpane test is done by cutting off a piece of the dough and slowly stretching it out until the dough becomes so thin, you can see light pass through it. The key is for the dough not to tear while you are performing this test. [...] The dough can tear while you are performing the windowpane test if you are too aggressive with it, so slowly and gently stretch it from all directions.”

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After checking for gluten development, gradually add the softened butter until it is fully incorporated. Next, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and form it into a ball. Transfer to a greased square or rectangular pan, cover with plastic wrap, and let it sit at room temperature for one to two hours, or until it has doubled in size. (Whichever comes first will depend on the weather and temperature.) Finally, de-gas (punch down) the dough to release built-up carbon dioxide and redistribute the yeast for a more even rise and fewer large air pockets in the bread. Wrap the dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

How to Make the Filling and Glaze

To make the fruit filling, first peel the apples and dice them into small pieces. Combine in a baking dish with cubed butter, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Bake everything at 350°F for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened, stirring every 10 minutes. Let it cool completely before adding it to the dough.

The cinnamon filling and cream cheese glaze are much easier to make: Simply beat the ingredients for each item in separate bowls. There’s no need to chill the filling or cream cheese glaze.

Bringing It All Together

Now for the assembly: De-gas the refrigerated dough again and roll it into a 12-inch-by-30-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Spread cinnamon filling over the dough and fold it in half to approximately 6 inches by 30 inches. Cut the dough into 12 pieces, each about 6 inches by 2.5 inches, and keep them covered and chilled. Working one at a time, roll each 6-inch-by-2.5-inch dough piece to approximately 5 inches by 7 inches. Mark the dough in thirds, leaving the center third intact, and cut the left and right thirds into six to seven sloping strips on each side. 

Place the apple filling in the center and crisscross the strips to the opposite side to enclose the filling. Repeat with the remaining dough and move the braids to parchment-lined sheet pans, leaving space for expansion. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to double in size at room temperature. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow the braid to cool slightly before glazing it with cream cheese.

You can make more recipes like this one at the Institute of Culinary Education’s campuses in Los Angeles and New York City. Learn more about how to enroll on their website.

Cinnamon Bun Apple Braid Recipe, Step by Step

Dough:

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 packets active dry yeast

4 eggs

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon + 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 1/2 + 1/8 teaspoon table salt

2 sticks of butter, softened at room temperature

Apple pie filling:

6 medium Granny Smith or other tart, crispy apples

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

1/2 stick butter

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Cinnamon filling:

1 stick of butter, softened at room temperature 

3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Cream cheese glaze:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the dough:

1. Whisk the dry yeast into the water.
2. Once the yeast has dissolved, add the eggs.
3. Add flour over the liquids and knead with the hook attachment on a stand mixer on low speed for several minutes until a shaggy dough has formed.
4. Increase the speed slightly and incorporate the sugar and salt gradually.
5. Continue to knead until the dough looks smooth and passes the window pane test.
6. Add softened butter gradually until it is fully incorporated.
7. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and form into a ball.
8. Place the ball into a greased, large square or rectangular pan (such as a 9-by-13-inch pan) and cover with plastic wrap. Leave at room temperature until the dough has doubled in size, between 1 to 3 hours, depending on the weather and temperature.
9. De-gas the dough by punching it down, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight.

For the apple pie filling:

1. Peel and small dice apples.
2. Dice the butter and mix all the ingredients in a baking dish. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for approximately 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
3. Cool completely. 

For the cinnamon filling:

1. Beat or paddle together all the ingredients until they are emulsified. Do not chill. Use at room temperature.

For the cream cheese glaze:

1. Beat or paddle together all the ingredients until they are emulsified. Do not chill. Use at room temperature.

Assembly:

1. De-gas (punch down) the refrigerated dough again before turning it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out to 12 by 30 inches.
2. Spread the cinnamon filling over the dough and fold the dough in half, so that it is approximately 6 inches by 30 inches.
3. Using a knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into 12 pieces, each approximately 6 inches by 2.5 inches in size. Cover and refrigerate the dough pieces.
4. Working one at a time, roll each 6-inch-by-2.5-inch dough piece to become approximately 5 inches by 7 inches.
5. Mark the dough in thirds and, leaving the center third intact, cut the left and right thirds into the same number of sloping strips, approximately 6 to 7 on each side.
6. Place the apple filling in the center and crisscross the strips to the opposite side, enclosing all of the filling. Place the dough onto lined sheet pans, repeating with the remaining dough and leaving space between each piece to allow for expansion.
7. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and allow to double in size at room temperature.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F until golden brown, approximately 18 to 20 minutes.
9. Allow to cool slightly before glazing.