Apple Cinnamon Brioche (vegan)

Name: Apple Cinnamon Brioche
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: 300 g (2 + ½ cups) white bread flour; 7 g (2 ¼ teaspoons) fast action (instant) yeast; 50 g (¼ cup) caster or granulated sugar; ½ teaspoon salt; 190 g (¾ cup + 2 teaspoons) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy) (lukewarm); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 50 g (3 ½ Tablespoons) vegan block butter (softened); 600 g eating apples (about 4 medium apples); juice of 1 lemon; 30 g (2 Tablespoons) vegan block butter; 75 g (⅓ cup + 1 Tablespoon) light brown soft sugar; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract; pinch salt; 1 Tablespoon plain (all-purpose) flour; soya milk to glaze; demarera sugar for sprinkling

Go to Recipe

Apple cinnamon brioche - a soft, sweet vegan brioche style braided bread filled with juicy cinnamon apples.

It is really easy to shape and would make a great fancy breakfast, brunch or snack.

Vegan apple cinnamon brioche on a black surface surrounded by apples and cinnamon sticks.

This is a soft, slightly sweet, incredibly moreish vegan brioche style dough that is filled with juicy cinnamon scented apples and is shaped into an impressive looking braid that is actually incredibly easy to make.

You simply roll the dough out into a rectangle, spread the apple filling down the centre, cut the dough either side into wide strips then fold them over the filling, alternating sides - it looks like you have spent ages braiding it but it only takes a minute and very little coordination!

This apple cinnamon brioche is perfect for breakfast, brunch, afternoon tea or a snack and is so incredibly delicious that you will have a hard time resisting munching on a slice every time you go into the kitchen (I certainly couldn't resist anyway).

Close up of the sliced vegan apple brioche.

Ingredient Details:

Bread flour: White bread flour helps to give this bread it's soft, fluffy, chewy texture. Plain (all-purpose) flour will also work though the texture isn't quite the same. I don't recommend using wholemeal flour as that will make the bread too dense.

Instant/fast action yeast: I always prefer to use fast action yeast when making bread as it can just be added straight to the flour and doesn't need to be activated first.

Salt: You simply cannot make good bread without salt. Don't omit it.

Non-dairy milk: Soy milk is always my favourite for baking as it has the highest protein content so most closely resembles dairy milk. Any variety of non-dairy milk will work however, but go for an unsweetened one if you can.

Sugar: I use caster sugar in the dough as it dissolves easily; it can be swapped for granulated if that is all you have. Light brown sugar is best for the apple filling as it adds flavour, dark brown will also work. I also like to sprinkle the loaf with either pearl sugar or demarera sugar before baking for extra texture and sweetness.

Vegan butter: A block style butter such as Flora plant butter or Naturli vegan block really is best. A spreadable one will work but your dough may be softer and therefore harder to work with.

Apples: A sharper variety of eating apple such as Braeburn, Cox or Granny Smith is best.

Close up of a slice of vegan apple brioche.

How To Make Vegan Apple Cinnamon Brioche:

(Full measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page)

Step 1: To make the dough, mix the bread flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add the milk and vanilla and mix to form a shaggy dough.

Step 2: knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.The dough will be sticky at first.

Step 2, a two image collage of the dough while partially and fully kneaded.

Step 3: Knead in the butter then place in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled.

Step 3, a two image collage of the dough before and after rising.

Step 4: To make the apple filling, melt the butter in a wide frying pan and add the apples, sugar, cinnamon, salt and vanilla extract. Stir to combine then sauté gently until the fruit has softened slightly and the juices have reduced to a thick syrup, set aside to cool.

Step 5: Roll the risen dough out into a large rectangle. Spread the apple filling down the centre. Cut the dough surrounding the filling into diagonal strips about 4 cm/ 1 ½ inches wide.

Step 5, the rolled out dough with the apple filling on top.

Step 6: Fold both ends up, then cross the cut strips of dough over the filling, alternating sides so that it looks like its been braided.

Step 6, a two image collage of braiding the dough.

Step 7: Cover and set aside to rise until puffy. Before baking brush with milk and sprinkle with demarera sugar.

Step 8: Bake for 40 minutes.

Top Tips:

All of my recipes are developed using grams, and as with all of my baking recipes I really do recommend using the metric measurements with a digital scale rather than the cup conversions. Cups are a wildly inaccurate measuring system and you will get far better, more consistent results using a scale, not to mention that it is also easier and less messy than cups!

Make sure that your yeast hasn’t expired! Out of date yeast can lead to bread that doesn’t rise.

Don't be tempted to add more flour to the dough (unless it is wet rather than sticky), it is supposed to be a bit soft and sticky. If you add too much flour the bread will end up being dry and dense, not light and fluffy.

If you want, you can give the dough it’s first rise overnight in the fridge rather than at room temperature. This breaks up the workload and gives the buns an even better flavour.

The rising time of the dough will vary depending on how warm it is; on hot days it will rise much faster than on cold ones. If you refrigerate the dough for it's first rise, the second rise will take longer than if it's first rise was at room temperature.

The best way to tell if a loaf of bread is cooked in the middle is to use a probe thermometer. It is impossible to give a one-size-fits-all baking time as ovens vary so much. The bread should be done when it reaches 90°C / 195°F.

FAQ's:

How should I store it?

This apple cinnamon brioche really is best eaten on the day it is baked, but it will keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container at cool room temperature. If it is hot out store it in the fridge. The dough will soak up some of the juice from the apples as it sits.

Can I freeze it?

I wouldn't necessarily recommend making and freezing the loaf in advance of serving it, but any leftovers can be frozen, well wrapped, for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost at room temperature to serve.

Can I make it in advance?

The bread ideally needs to be eaten on the day it is baked so I would not recommend baking it in advance. You can however give the dough it’s first rise overnight in the fridge rather than at room temperature. Let it rise for about an hour at room temperature to give it a head start, then refrigerate overnight. Allow to come up to room temperature for about half an hour before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.

The apple filling can also be made a day ahead of baking and stored (covered) in the fridge.

Can I make it gluten-free?

No, I’m afraid that you cannot use gluten free flour. Making gluten free bread is tricky and the entire recipe would need reworking. Gluten free baking is not my area of expertise so I cannot advise you. It is best to use a recipe that is designed to be gluten free rather than trying to adapt a non gluten free recipe.

More Sweet Vegan Breads:

Sliced vegan apple brioche on a black surface.

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5 from 6 votes