Easy Caramel Apple Pull-Apart Bread with Frozen Bread Dough

This easy caramel apple pull-apart bread starts with frozen bread dough and is loaded with cinnamon sugar, butter, and gooey caramel apple filling.

Sometimes one recipe leads straight to another, and that's exactly what happened with this caramel apple pull-apart bread.

I had recently been experimenting with frozen bread dough to make my Copycat Dollywood Cinnamon Bread, inspired by the famous cinnamon bread served at Dollywood. That recipe turned out so much better than I expected that it got me thinking: What else can I do with a simple frozen loaf of bread dough?

As it turns out, quite a lot.

I've experimented with several versions since then, both sweet and savory, but I have to tell you: the sweet breads have my heart. And this caramel apple version might be one of the best things to come out of the experiment.

Caramel Apple Bread That Tastes Like You Worked All Day

There's something magical that happens when caramel apple pie filling meets butter and cinnamon sugar.

As the bread bakes, some of that filling works its way toward the sides and bottom of the pan, where it mingles with the butter and cinnamon sugar and caramelizes against the hot metal.

The result? Sticky, buttery, cinnamon-covered edges with gooey little pockets of caramel and apple tucked between soft pieces of yeast bread.

Wowza. It tastes like the sort of dessert somebody spent hours making from scratch.

Here's the secret: you didn't. You started with a frozen loaf of bread dough and half a can of caramel apple filling. That's my kind of baking.

The Surprising Thing I Loved Most

When I pulled off an end piece of the finished loaf, I noticed that the interior was still fairly white and plain. At first glance, you might think it needed more filling. Then I tasted it.

Absolutely not.

There was so much flavor coming from the caramelized cinnamon-sugar exterior and those pockets of caramel-coated apples that I was actually happy for the soft, fluffy white bread in the middle. It gave all of those rich flavors some breathing room. More apple filling would have been too much.

So if you're tempted to dump the whole can into this loaf, resist! About half a can gave me just the right balance of fluffy bread, apples, caramel, butter, and cinnamon sugar.

What You'll Need to Make Caramel Apple Pull-Apart Bread

You won't believe how short this ingredient list is. You'll find a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here's a quick look at what you'll need:

• 1 loaf frozen bread dough
• About 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• About ½ can caramel apple fruit filling/topping

That's it!

I used Lucky Leaf Premium Caramel Apple Fruit Filling & Topping, but you can use another caramel apple filling if you find one you like.

How to Make Caramel Apple Pull-Apart Bread

Start by generously greasing a standard loaf pan.

Place the frozen loaf of bread dough into the prepared pan and loosely cover it with plastic wrap. I like to lightly spray the underside of the plastic wrap so the dough doesn't stick as it rises.

Let the dough sit at room temperature until it is thawed enough to work with but still cool. In my kitchen, this took about two hours.

You don't want the loaf fully risen at this point. You simply need it soft enough to cut and manipulate.

Remove the partially thawed loaf from the pan and place it on a clean work surface.

Cut the Dough into Thin Sections

For some of my other pull-apart breads, I used fewer, thicker pieces. For this caramel apple version, I made more cuts and thinner sections, and I think that's the way to go.

More sections mean more exposed dough surfaces for cinnamon sugar—and more little spaces to tuck those caramel-coated apple pieces.

Cut almost all the way through the loaf, dividing it into roughly 10–12 sections. You can also separate the sections completely if that's easier for you. Don't worry about making everything perfect. Once the bread rises, it has a wonderful way of filling in the gaps.

Add the Butter, Cinnamon Sugar, and Apples

Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Brush the exposed surfaces of the dough generously with melted butter, then sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar.

Now comes the good part.

Spoon small amounts of caramel apple filling between the sections of dough, making sure you distribute the apple chunks throughout the loaf.

You only need about half a can. And I'm going to say that again because I know how bakers think: You do not need the whole can.

The finished bread has plenty of apple flavor. Too much filling could weigh down the dough and leave you with a wet or gummy center.

Gingerly transfer the sections back into your greased loaf pan, keeping them arranged in loaf form. Tuck in any additional apple pieces where you see a good spot for them. Sprinkle any remaining cinnamon sugar over the top.

Note: If you're worried about transferring the dough back to the pan once it's filled you can always fill it in the pan.

Let the Bread Rise

Cover the loaf again with lightly greased plastic wrap and let it rise until the dough is noticeably puffy.

The individual sections will expand and begin pressing against one another, with little bits of caramel apple filling peeking through the spaces.

This is when it starts looking really promising.

Bake Your Caramel Apple Bread

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Bake the loaf for approximately 30–35 minutes.

Here's something important I learned during my test: don't judge this bread by the top alone.

At about 25–30 minutes, mine was looking quite good but was still pale in places and noticeably jiggly. The extra moisture from the caramel apple filling means this loaf needs more time than a simple cinnamon pull-apart bread.

Mine needed about 35 minutes total.

If you're unsure, check one of the thicker pieces of bread toward the center. The dough should be fully baked and no longer look wet or gummy. If you're using an instant-read thermometer, insert it into an actual section of bread rather than an apple-filled pocket. You're looking for approximately 190–200°F.

If the top becomes too dark before the middle is finished, loosely tent the loaf with foil and continue baking.

Should I Line the Pan with Parchment?

Nope. Normally I'm a big fan of parchment when I'm working with sticky fillings, but I don't recommend it here.

One of the very best things about this bread is what happens where the butter, cinnamon sugar, and caramel apple filling come into direct contact with the hot loaf pan. Those edges caramelize.

And I don't want anything getting between the bread and that glorious sticky crust. Grease your pan well and embrace it.

After baking, allow the loaf to cool briefly before loosening the edges. You don't want to leave it sitting in the pan until all of that caramel becomes completely cold and sticky.

What to Expect from This Caramel Apple Bread

Oh, friends.

This one is good.

The bread itself is soft, white, light, and fluffy. Between the pieces you'll find tender chunks of apple coated in gooey caramel, along with plenty of cinnamon and sugar. But the outside edges might be my favorite part.

That's where the apple filling, cinnamon sugar, and melted butter caramelize together against the pan. You get chewy, sticky, buttery little edges with an almost apple-fritter quality to them.

Then you reach that fluffy white center, which keeps the whole thing from becoming overwhelmingly sweet.

It's the balance that makes this bread work.

Other Easy Bread Recipes

If you enjoy shortcut breads like this one, check out some of my other easy bread recipes:

• Nutella Pull-Apart Bread with Canned Biscuits
• Copycat Dollywood Cinnamon Bread
• Easy Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread (coming soon)
• Everything Bagel Pull-Apart Bread (coming soon)
• Easy Cinnamon Rolls with Frozen Bread Dough (coming soon)

Final Thoughts

Sometimes the simplest experiments turn into the recipes I like best.

I started playing with frozen bread dough because I wanted an easy way to recreate the cinnamon bread I remembered from Dollywood. I certainly didn't expect one inexpensive frozen loaf to open up a whole new category of baking ideas.

But here we are.

This caramel apple pull-apart bread tastes like something that required homemade yeast dough, hours of work, and some complicated caramel apple concoction.

Instead, you thaw a frozen loaf, cut it up, add butter, cinnamon sugar, and some caramel apple filling, let it rise, and bake it.

It tastes complicated. It looks impressive. It isn't difficult at all.

And around here, that's exactly the kind of recipe I love.

Thanks for Stopping By!

If you make this delicious caramel apple pull-apart bread and love it (I know you will!) please leave a comment or review. And before you go, please pin some photos to your Pinterest boards. I'm always so honored when folks share my recipes.

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