As impressive as it is delicious this apple cream cheese braid is the perfect brunch treat for any special occasion.
Not quite an apple danish or a strudel — this apple braid uses a rich yeasted sweet dough instead of puff pastry or phyllo dough for something that is simultaneously light and rich.
If you love baking with apples, this yeasted maple apple bread is another favorite that strikes the same balance of simple ingredients and impressive results.
Simple but Elegant
The ingredients for this apple bread are simple. There’s nothing really fancy or complicated about them but the way they layer together is what makes it all so very tasty.
Do use the best ingredients for best flavor.
Difficulty Level: Advanced
Because over kneading will absolutely kill the lightness of this bread, it shouldn’t be a beginner level bread. The rolling and braiding is relatively easy but one should have some experience with kneading bread dough before attempting.
The Braid
Truly the braiding is just laying the strips of dough over the filling. It looks complicated but isn’t and don’t stress about perfection it will bake up and look just fine as long as you get those strips crossed and touching in the middle.
Some Optional Touches
The recipe as written is perfect in my opinion but if you want to switch it up a little, try these ideas:
- After applying the egg wash, sprinkle the dough with some coarse sugar
- Drizzle the baked & cooled braid with some vanilla glaze
Switch the Fruit
I used apples but believe pears would work just fine. I also think you could use 1 apple and 1 cup of raisins instead of all apples for something really lovely.
If you love apple in a yeasted dough, these caramel apple cinnamon rolls are another showstopper worth trying — same impressive result, different format.
Spice Choices
I went with simple cinnamon here but that isn’t the only option. Use apple pie spice, nutmeg, chai spice or any combination you prefer.
Egg Wash
The egg wash is optional but it is what gives the braid that gorgeous color. Only skip if you simply don’t have the extra egg.
Troubleshooting
My dough is too stiff and hard to roll out. This usually means too much flour was added during kneading. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky — not dry or stiff. Let it rest the full 10 minutes before kneading as mentioned in the recipe, which helps the gluten relax and makes rolling much easier.
The filling leaked out during baking. A little leakage is normal and the caramelized edges are actually delicious. To minimize it, don’t add the extra juice from the apple bowl as noted in the recipe, and make sure your strips are overlapping firmly in the center.
My braid looks messy. Don’t worry, it bakes up beautifully regardless of how the raw braid looks. As long as the strips are crossed and touching in the center the final result will be impressive. Imperfection is part of the handmade charm.
The cream cheese filling is lumpy. Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened to room temperature before creaming — cold cream cheese will stay lumpy no matter how long you mix it. Leave it on the counter for at least an hour before starting.
The dough didn’t rise well. Make sure the milk and butter mixture was fully cooled to 110 to 115 degrees before adding the yeast — too hot will kill it. Also make sure not to over-knead this dough as noted above, which can tighten the gluten and inhibit the rise.
How to Serve
This braid is best served slightly warm or at room temperature. Slice with a sharp serrated knife for clean cuts.
It’s impressive enough for holiday feast and celebration brunch tables but simple enough for a weekend breakfast treat. Serve alongside eggs and fresh fruit for a complete brunch spread.
A drizzle of lemon glaze over the cooled braid adds a lovely brightness — the citrus cuts through the richness of the cream cheese beautifully.
For dessert, serve warm slices with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
How to Store
Because of the cream cheese filling, store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let slices come to room temperature before serving or warm briefly in a low oven.
This braid does not freeze well because of the cream cheese and apple filling — the texture changes significantly after thawing.
Cream Cheese Apple Braid Recipe
Sweet, rich but light and creamy too, this apple cream cheese braid is perfect for brunch or dessert.
Ingredients
Braid Dough
- 1/4 Cup Salted Butter
- 1/2 Cup Milk
- 1 Tablespoon Dry, Active Yeast
- 1/4 Cup White Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 1/2 Cups Unbleached, All-Purpose Flour
Apple Filling
- 2 Large Apples, peeled & thinly sliced (approximately 1 pound)
- 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
- 1/4 Cup White Sugar
Egg Wash
- 1 Egg
- 1 Tablespoon Water
Instructions
Make the Dough
- In a small saucepan, melt butter and milk together just until simmering
- Remove from heat and cool to 110-115 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the milk mixture with the sugar and yeast.
- Whisk slightly and let proof until foamy - about 10 minutes.
- Add the egg and salt to the yeast mixture.
- Stir in 2 cups of flour and mix until a soft dough begins to form. If necessary, add a bit more flour but go lightly.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured board, let rest 10 minutes. Knead the dough and add just a little bit more as necessary to form a soft dough.
- Oil a bowl and turn the dough around inside to coat. Cover with a tea towel and let rise until doubled, about an hour.
Make the Apple Filling
- In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and cinnamon until completely combined.
- Toss the apple slices into the bowl and mix to coat with the sugar mixture. Set aside.
Make the Cream Cheese Filling
- Cream together the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl as necessary. Set aside.
Assemble the Braid
- Grease a large baking sheet.
- Punch down the dough and knead slightly on a floured board.
- Roll dough out to a 12 x 15 inch sheet.
- Place the sheet of dough in the center of your greased baking sheet.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture into the center of the dough, leaving 2 to 3 inches on all sides.
- Spoon the apples on top of the cream cheese mixture. If there is extra juice in the bottom of the bowl, leave it behind — too much moisture will make the braid soggy. Layer the spiced apple slices evenly across the cream cheese filling.
- Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut 1-inch wide strips into the dough edges, starting at the edge and cutting toward the filling, leaving about 1/4 inch before the filling.
- Fold the dough strips on top of the filling in a criss-cross pattern, repeating until all the dough edges are folded on top of the filling.
- Cover the dough with a towel and let rest 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a small bowl combine the egg and water for the egg wash. Whisk together until combined.
- With a pastry brush, gently brush the egg wash over the top of the dough.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 22 to 25 minutes or until the braid is deep golden brown and the dough sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on a wire rack.
- Let cool at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 223Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 215mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 2gSugar: 15gProtein: 4g
I try but cannot guarantee this nutritional information is 100% accurate.
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Gail
Thank you for posting such a great post