This braided apple bread has sweet bits of apple and walnuts that are layered with cinnamon coconut sugar twisted together with honey sweetened spelt bread. It’s free of eggs, dairy, and refined sugar. It’s also vegan friendly.
The fall has had me busy baking in the kitchen. When warm spices, sugar, and flour marry together in the oven it produces the best aroma in the world, one no candle could ever mimic. The fragrance is just so fitting, almost necessary, with the cooler weather and colorful leaves on the ground outside. We’ve definitely been benefiting from this idea anyway with warm treats frequently emerging from the oven.
With autumn here in full force, cinnamon + apple anything is the popular flavor in the house. Whether it’s in the form of pancakes, waffles, in a crisp, or galette, we’ve been enjoying the fruit thoroughly, especially in this braided honey spelt bread, layered with sweet apples, walnuts, and lots of cinnamon sugar.
This bread is dramatically beautiful, but is fairly simple to create. If you’ve ever made cinnamon rolls, this is very similar but the dough log is cut and twisted rather than sliced.
Sprinkle the golden loaf with a bit of powdered sugar or drizzle with caramel or a cream cheese glaze. However you top it, I hope you enjoy this taste of autumn!
Braided Apple Walnut Bread
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
Description
Sweet bits of apple, walnuts are layered with cinnamon coconut sugar and twisted together with honey sweetened spelt bread. Free of eggs, dairy, and refined sugar. Vegan friendly.
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm almond milk or other milk of choice
- 3 tablespoon butter/vegan butter
- 3 tablespoon honey
, coconut nectar
, or sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant/rapid rise
yeast
- 2 1/2–3 1/2 cups flour, I used half spelt flour
and half unbleached all-purpose flour, just enough to form a soft dough (can also use all-purpose flour, but amount may vary)
, 
, or sugar
yeast
and half unbleached all-purpose flour, just enough to form a soft dough (can also use all-purpose flour, but amount may vary)Filling:
- 1/3 coconut sugar
(brown sugar can also be used)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 large apple, peeled, cored, and chopped small (I use gala, fuji, or granny smith)
- 1/4 – 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
, or other nut (optional)
- 3 tablespoons softened butter
(brown sugar can also be used)
, or other nut (optional)Instructions
To make dough:
- Combine milk, butter, sweetener, and salt in a small saucepan or microwave-safe container. Heat on low, just until butter is melted. Cool until warm to the touch.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups all-purpose and yeast. When milk is warm (120˚F-130˚F) slowly pour into the flour mixture and begin to stir/blend until dough is smooth well blended, about 1 minute. Change to a dough hook (if you have one) or you can use a wooden spoon and begin slowly stirring in more all-purpose or spelt flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough is soft and begins pulling away from the sides of the bowl, about an additional 1/2–2 cups of flour, give or take. You many not need the full amount.
- Continue to knead dough, until it’s smooth, elastic, and soft but not sticky, about 4-5 minutes.
- Cover dough and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make your filling. Combine sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Place dough on a lightly floured surface (or if you can, a large sheet of parchment paper
so you can just slide onto a baking sheet at the end) and roll into a large rectangle(ish). Slather the top with the softened butter and sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly across the top. Repeat with chopped apple and nuts.
- On the long edge, begin tightly rolling the dough, similar to making cinnamon rolls. Begin slicing the roll evenly in half length-wise (see photos above) leaving 2-3 inches of the roll in tact at the top to hold the bread together.
- Turn the long slices so that the cinnamon apple filling is face up. Gently overlap one of the long bread slices over the other. Continue to overlap one side over the other, making a twist, and pinch the ends together to seal.
- Carefully bring both ends together to make a wreath and tuck one end under the other.
- Preheat oven to 350F. If you made the bread on parchment paper, you just have to slide paper with the wreath onto a baking sheet to rise. If not, carefully lift the wreath and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet or onto a lightly greased baking sheet to rise. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 25-30 minutes or until almost doubled in size.
- Place bread onto the middle rack of your oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove and let cool. Sprinkle with organic powdered sugar
(optional).
- Best eaten same day, but reheat leftover slices in the microwave 20-45 seconds or wrapped in foil in a 350F oven for 10-15 minutes.
so you can just slide onto a baking sheet at the end) and roll into a large rectangle(ish). Slather the top with the softened butter and sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly across the top. Repeat with chopped apple and nuts.
(optional).- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Bread, Dessert
Incredible. IN-CRE-DIBLE! So pin-worthy and I can’t wait to give this a try over the weekend. I’ve just stalked and followed all of your accounts. Looking forward to filtering through your blog for more recipes.
Thank you Nicole for all the encouragement and kind words. I really appreciate it! Please let me know if I can help you find anything.
It’s beautiful and it’s making me hungry!
🙂 Thanks Kimberly!
Ok, this bread is gorgeous. Like, I really hate cooked apples, but it looks so appealing! Loving the style of your photos!
Molly | Hey There Sunshine
Thank you so much, Molly! I really appreciate your encouragement 🙂
Oh that looks so delicious! Your photos are gorgeous too!
La Belle Sirene
Thank you, Courtney!
This is beautiful and so healthy!!! I am super stoked to try this. It looks easy enough that I can do it! Your pictures are stunning!
Thank you for your kind words, Sheila! It was a big hit with my family. My kiddos ate this all up. Have a wonderful week!
WOW, lady. This is just gorgeous! I think I’m allergic to raw apples but can have them in ALL cooked forms 😉
Aw, thanks girly! It’s a bummer that you’re allergic to raw apples, but at least you can have them cooked, which is the best way, in my opinion!!
Wow… this looks amazing! I know my family would love this on Christmas morning. Pinned to use later!
Thanks for pinning, Rebecca! It would be great for Christmas (or really any time of the year).
This looks amazing! I’d love to try it out for Thanksgiving, or even just for fun.
Yes, it would make such a great Thanksgiving dessert. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays (so much great food and quality family time).
this looks so good!!! I think I might just have to try it!
Thanks, Bianca!
Right now, I’m picturing myself eating a big slice of this bread with a cup of coffee outside on our back porch for breakfast! The weather has been so nice in the morning, this would be the perfect addition to start any morning off the right way!
I love the apple chunks nestled in the layers and the braid design is just lovely!
Just beautiful! I can’t wait to try this over the holidays (and appreciate your step-by-step photos)! All those seasonings mixed with the apple — I’m sure baking smells wonderful!
Thank you, Patricia! Please let me know if you get a chance to try it. You’ll love both the taste and the smells 🙂 Have a wonderful week!
Oh yum. I would love this! It looks so pretty. Im pinning it for later. Haha, i think i pin all of your recipes.
Thank you for pinning my recipes, Leslie! I really appreciate your encouragement 🙂
This looks delicious and your photos are fantastic!
Thank you, Cheryl!
This looks incredible! I can’t believe it’s vegan <3
Thank you, Rebecca!
Your photos are absolutely gorgeous! They make me want to start baking this RIGHT NOW!
Aw, thanks Wendie! Have a great week!