Sweet Apple Braid

This tender and sweet apple braid is bursting with juicy apples and drizzled with a sweet glaze. It’s totally delicious and perfect for fall!

Now that we’re a full week into September, it’s about time I posted my first fall recipe of the year! I saw a post a few weeks ago saying that September is “apple fall” while October and November are “pumpkin fall”, and I definitely agree. It’s apple season, and we are loving all of the apple recipes at my house lately! This sweet apple braid is a new recipe that I came up with a few weeks ago, and it was an instant favorite. It has a tender and light sweet bread recipe as the base, loaded up with an apple cinnamon filling, baked until golden, then drizzled with icing. It’s so delicious!

It looks a lot more complicated to make than it actually is! The actual process of assembling it is quick and straightforward, and the end result is beautiful and impressive. I used a large cosmic crisp apple to make the filling, and it added the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. The apples stayed juicy and soft without becoming mushy or grainy. If you would prefer to use a different kind of apple, you may need to adjust the amount of sugar in the filling. I’m guessing it would work well with a lot of other varieties of apple. Just make sure to choose one that’s flavorful and doesn’t turn mushy when cooked.

This sweet apple braid is best when eaten within 2-3 days, but will keep a little longer if stored in the fridge. I think it’s best warm, so I like to cut slices and then microwave them for a few minutes to make them a little more soft and gooey. This is such a delicious comfort food dessert!

Sweet Apple Braid

Print Recipe

Prep Time:30 minutes mins

Cook Time:30 minutes mins

Rise Time:1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time:2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

for the braid:

• 3/4 cup warm milk
• 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup butter melted
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups bread flour more as needed

for the filling:

• 1 large cosmic crisp apple peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup water

for assembling:

• 1 tablespoon water
• coarse sugar

for the icing:

• 1 tablespoon butter melted
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-3 tablespoons half and half

Instructions

• In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the warm milk, yeast, and sugar. Let the mixture sit until foamy and bubbly. Add the egg, egg yolk, melted butter, and salt, and mix to combine. Add half of the bread flour, mix, and continue to add the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, to form a soft dough. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until smooth and pliable. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 60-90 minutes, until doubled in size.
• While the dough is rising, make the filling by stirring together the apple, cinnamon, sugar, and corn starch in a small saucepan. Stir in the water and lemon juice, then bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thickened and the apples are softened. Remove the filling from the heat and let it cool completely.
• After the dough has risen, gently punch it down and roll it out into a 14 by 12 inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Lightly score the dough into thirds, starting from the short edge. Cut 1/2 inch strips along the sides, being careful not to cut past the scored lines. Spoon the cooled filling down the center of the dough, then criss-cross the strips over the filling, alternating sides. Let rest for 30 minutes.
• Toward the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 350. Whisk together the egg and water, then brush the egg mixture over the top of the braid. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake the braid for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool 5-10 minutes while you prepare the icing.
• To make the icing, whisk together the butter and powdered sugar. Add the vanilla, then add the half and half one tablespoon at a time, until the glaze is a good drizzling consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the braid and let cool completely before serving.

Servings: 8