Description
Soft, pillowy buns filled with creamy cheesecake and tender apples, finished with a buttery crumble and sweet glaze—these festive delights are perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a cozy treat anytime.
Ingredients
4 cups (400 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (200 ml) warm milk
1 egg
65 g softened butter
10 g instant yeast
3 tablespoons (60 g) sugar
1 packet vanilla sugar (or ½ tsp vanilla extract)
Pinch of salt
2 apples, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons brown or white sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ cup water
Butter for cooking apples
200 g cream cheese
2 tablespoons sugar
1 packet vanilla sugar (or ½ tsp vanilla extract)
1 tablespoon (20 g) butter (for crumble)
1 tablespoon sugar (for crumble)
½ cup flour (for crumble)
1 egg yolk (for egg wash)
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine flour, warm milk, egg, butter, yeast, sugar, vanilla sugar, and salt. Knead into a soft dough. Cover and let rise 1 hour.
- Cook apples in butter with sugar and cinnamon until softened. Mix cornstarch with water and stir in. Cook until thickened, then cool.
- Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla sugar until smooth for the cheesecake filling.
- Divide risen dough into 9 pieces, shape into balls, and place on a baking sheet. Let rise 15 minutes.
- Prepare crumble by rubbing butter, sugar, and flour together until crumbly.
- Press indentations into each dough ball with a glass. Brush edges with egg yolk. Fill with cheesecake mixture, then apple filling, and top with crumble.
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 20–25 minutes until golden.
- Whisk powdered sugar and milk into a glaze. Drizzle over cooled buns and let set before serving.
Notes
- Use Granny Smith apples for tartness or Honeycrisp for sweetness.
- Add nutmeg or allspice to spice up the filling or crumble.
- Make gluten-free with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend suitable for yeast doughs.
- Skip glaze and dust with powdered sugar if preferred.
- Prepare dough the night before and refrigerate to save time.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus rising time)
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Bread, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: European-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bun
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
