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I don’t know about you all, but as soon as the temperatures start to dip, I start craving rich and indulgent meals. And you better believe that includes breakfast! 

These apple cheesecake brioche buns are definitely an indulgent choice for the morning, but I have big plans to serve it up the day after Thanksgiving or for Christmas morning, maybe even along side my classic cinnamon rolls? The holidays mean you can get away with enjoying dessert right when you wake up. Or at least that’s how things work in my house!

The buns themselves are fluffy, light, and perfectly chewy. They’re filled with a simple cinnamon cream cheese frosting and apples, and the whole thing is topped with a sweet and salty crumble. 

In other words, my apple cheesecake bites are wildly delish. And when I say wildly, I mean it. I promise you won’t regret making these!

What You Need to Make Apple Cheesecake Buns

These are the main ingredients and substitutions for Apple Cheesecake Buns. Scroll down to the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and instructions

• Active dry yeast: Key for leavening the dough — AKA, what helps it rise and become light and fluffy! I “activate” it with the addition of warm milk.
• All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the dough. I haven’t tried apple pie cheesecake bombs with gluten-free flour (yet!), but you could use your preferred 1:1 GF blend if you’d like, and let me know how it turns out for ya!
• Coconut sugar: I like to keep things refined sugar-free when I can, and coconut sugar is my go-to. It also has the best, almost caramel-like flavor!
• Apple: If I’m baking, I’m using a Honeycrisp apple! It’s perfectly sweet and tart — and boasts a firm texture. That said, Gala, Granny Smith, or Braeburn would also work for these apple cheesecake brioche buns.
• Egg yolks: Add richness and moisture so the buns come out nice and tender. Save the egg whites for the egg wash!
• Cream cheese: The base of the sweet filling! It brings a really nice, creamy texture and tangy flavor too.
• Vanilla bean paste: Adds a deep and authentic vanilla flavor to the apple cheesecake bites! You could also use pure vanilla extract, but know that the taste won’t be as strong.
• Unsalted butter: For more richness in the dough and the crumble topping. Coconut oil is another option!

How to Make Apple Cheesecake Brioche Buns 

Start by combining the warm milk, packet of yeast, and brown sugar in a bowl and let it sit until bubbles form on top. Place in the bowl of a stand mixer with a hook attachment. Add flour, sugar, salt, egg yolks, vanilla, and butter to the yeast mixture and knead until a smooth dough ball forms. Cover and let it rise for 1 hour.

When it’s ready, split the dough into 8 equal pieces and roll each portion into a bowl. Place 4 portions on one baking sheet with parchment paper and the other half on a separate sheet. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

While you wait, sauté the diced apples in oil, sugar, and cinnamon and set aside. Add the softened cream cheese, coconut sugar, and vanilla to a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter with coconut sugar, cinnamon, flour, and salt. Mix until a crumble forms and set aside.

Flatten each bun with your fingers tips, and then make an indent in each one with the bottom of a floured drinking glass.

Then add the cream cheese frosting, sautéed apples, and crumble topping (in that order). Brush the edges with an egg wash and bake the apple cheesecake buns at 375 degrees F for 16-18 minutes. Enjoy!

A Few Tips For Making Apple Cheesecake Bites

• Yeast proofing: The milk must be around 90 degrees F— too hot and it could kill the yeast, too cold and it won’t activate! For recipes like these apple cheesecake brioche buns, I rely heavily on my kitchen thermometer so I know I’m being precise.
• Don’t rush the kneading process: I’ve tested and tried this a bunch and you really do have to knead the dough for the full 10-15 minutes for a smooth and elastic texture. A stand mixer with a hook attachment makes it super easy. If you’re kneading by hand (I salute you!), you’ll know it’s done when it starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
• Use a glass to make the indents: I find that a normal drinking glass is the perfect size for apple cheesecake buns. Add a little extra flour to it so nothing sticks. Be sure to press firmly enough to make a nice little pocket for the fillings without squashing the dough too much!

Other Recipes You May Like:

• Mini Apple Pies
• Frozen Yogurt Mini Cheesecake Bites
• Apple Truffles
• Whole Baked Cinnamon Apples
• Puff Pastry Apple Rings

If you make these apple cheesecake brioche buns, I would really appreciate a comment and rating down below the recipe card. Don’t forget to take a picture and tag me over on Instagram, TikTok, or Pinterest!

Pin Print

Apple Cheesecake Brioche Buns

5 from 1 rating

Hannah Kling

My Apple Cheesecake Brioche Buns are everything you love about a slice of cheesecake and a cinnamon roll baked into one! Light, fluffy, and perfectly chewy, these buns are the hybrid breakfast dessert you didn’t know you needed until now.

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 8 cheesecake buns

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

Buns 

• 1 cup warm milk about 90F
• 2 1/4 tsp of active dry yeast
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup coconut sugar
• 2 egg yolks (save the whites for egg wash)
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 6 tablespoon unsalted butter (softened)

Sautéed Apples

• 1 large honey crisp apple (peeled + diced)
• 1 tsp oil or butter
• 2 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Cream Cheese Filling

• 8 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste

Crumble Topping

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt (I like flakey sea salt here)

Instructions

Make the buns: 

• In a bowl, combine the warm milk, packet of yeast and a tbsp of brown sugar and let sit for about 5 minutes until bubbles have formed on the top. 
• In a stand mixer with a hook attachment, add flour, rest of sugar sugar, salt, 2 egg yolks, vanilla extract, and butter to the yeast mixture and let knead for at least 10-15 minutes or until the dough forms a smooth ball and does not stick to your fingers when touching it.
• Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let it rise for an hour. 

Apple Filling

• Sauté diced apples in oil, sugar and cinnamon for 5 minutes and set aside. 

Sweet Cream Cheese

• combine softened cream cheese, coconut sugar, and vanilla bean paste in a stand mixer on medium high speed until light and fluffy. About 2 minutes.

Crumble Topping

• Combine melted butter with coconut sugar, cinnamon, flour and salt. Mix until you have a crumble.

Process:

• After dough is done rising bring it out of the bowl and split into 8 equal parts. You can use a kitchen scale to measure and make them 100% accurate or just eyeball the best you can (that’s what I did).
• Roll each portion into a ball and place 4 at a time on a baking sheet that’s lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise for 30 more minutes.
• In the meantime preheat the oven to 375F. You can make the filling and crumble during this time too.
• When the 30 minutes are up, use your fingers to flatten the tops of each bun. Then using the bottom of a floured drinking glass, make an indent in each bun where your filling will be.
• Then, evenly add the cream cheese filling in each, top with the sautéed apples and sprinkle with the crumble.
• Brush the edges of each one with an egg wash and bake at 375F for 16-18 minutes. Let stand for 5-10 minutes and enjoy!

Notes

• Yeast proofing: The milk must be around 90 degrees F— too hot and it could kill the yeast, too cold and it won’t activate! I rely heavily on my kitchen thermometer so I know I’m being precise.

• Don’t rush the kneading process: I’ve tested and tried this a bunch and you really do have to knead the dough for the full 10-15 minutes for a smooth and elastic texture. A stand mixer with a hook attachment makes it super easy. 
• Use a glass to make the indents: I find that a normal drinking glass is the perfect size for apple cheesecake buns. Add a little extra flour to it so nothing sticks. Be sure to press firmly enough to make a nice little pocket for the fillings without squashing the dough too much!

Did you make this recipe?Don’t forget to tag @lovelydelites across all social media platforms!