Easy Apple Cheesecake Buns with Crumble Topping

These soft, pillowy Apple Cheesecake Buns with a Crumble Topping and Sweet Glaze are the ultimate cozy treat, combining three incredible desserts in one perfect bite.

The creation of these Apple Cheesecake Buns with a Crumble Topping and Sweet Glaze was born from a classic case of family indecision on a cozy Sunday afternoon. I wanted to bake, but the requests were all over the place: Mark was craving apple crumble, my daughter wanted cheesecake, and I had my heart set on soft, fluffy cinnamon buns. Instead of choosing, a wild idea sparked: why not combine them all? I dove into creating a single, perfect pastry that would satisfy everyone. Using my favorite enriched dough as a base, a concept I’ve always loved from the experts at King Arthur Baking, I started layering the flavors. The result was this recipe—a warm, gooey, creamy, and crumbly masterpiece that has since become a legendary treat in our home.

🟫 Why This Is So Good

• Three Desserts in One – You get the tender dough of a cinnamon roll, the tangy creaminess of cheesecake, and the comforting spiced apple and crunchy topping of a crumble. It’s an explosion of textures and flavors.
• Incredibly Cozy & Comforting – The aroma of cinnamon, apples, and baking bread will fill your house, making it the perfect treat for a crisp autumn day or a special holiday morning.
• Looks Impressive, Totally Achievable – While there are a few components, each step is simple. The final result looks like it came from a high-end bakery, making you look like a pastry pro.
• Perfect for Sharing – This recipe makes a whole pan of buns, making it ideal for a family brunch, a gathering with friends, or a thoughtful gift for a neighbor.

The first time I pulled these from the oven, the entire family gathered in the kitchen, drawn in by the incredible smell. The tops were perfectly golden, the crumble was browned, and the sweet glaze was just waiting to be drizzled. Mark took the first bite, and his eyes went wide. He declared it “the most ridiculously good thing” I’d ever made. Seeing everyone so happy, debating which part was their favorite—the soft dough, the gooey apple, or the creamy cheesecake center—made all the effort worth it. These Apple Cheesecake Buns with a Crumble Topping and Sweet Glaze weren’t just a dessert; they were a memory in the making. That beautiful golden top is all thanks to the magic of the Maillard reaction, a fascinating bit of food science that Serious Eats explains so well. For more advanced recipes, visit Bake Warely.

🟫 Getting Your Ingredients Right

• The Apples: Choose a firm, crisp apple that holds its shape when cooked. Granny Smith is great for tartness, while Honeycrisp or Braeburn offer a wonderful sweet-tart balance. Check out this guide to the best apples for baking to find your perfect match.
• The Cream Cheese: For the creamiest, richest cheesecake filling, you must use full-fat, block-style cream cheese. Let it soften to room temperature to ensure it mixes smoothly without any lumps.
• The Yeast: Make sure your instant yeast is fresh and not expired! This is crucial for getting that beautiful, airy rise in your dough.
• The Butter: Use softened, room-temperature butter for both the dough and the crumble. Melted butter will change the texture, and cold butter won’t incorporate properly. This detail is key to the success of your Apple Cheesecake Buns with a Crumble Topping and Sweet Glaze.

🟫 Making It Step by Step

Make the Enriched Dough

First, let’s create the beautiful, pillowy dough. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm milk, sugar, and instant yeast. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy. This shows your yeast is active and ready to go. Next, add the softened butter, egg, vanilla sugar, and salt, mixing until combined. Gradually add the flour, mixing on low speed until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 8-10 minutes (or with a dough hook for 6-8 minutes) until it’s smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm place for about an hour, or until it has doubled in size.

Prepare the Luscious Fillings & Crumble

While the dough is rising, you can prepare your three delicious components. For the apple filling, combine the diced apples, sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch, and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and the sauce has thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Set it aside to cool completely. For the cheesecake filling, simply beat the softened cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla sugar until smooth and creamy. And for the crumble, use your fingertips to rub the cold butter, sugar, and flour together in a small bowl until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Shape and Assemble the Buns

Once your dough has doubled, gently punch it down and roll it out on a floured surface into a large rectangle, about 12×18 inches. Spread the cooled cheesecake filling evenly over the dough, leaving a small border along one of the long edges. Next, spoon the cooled apple filling over the cheesecake layer. Carefully roll the dough up tightly into a log, starting from the long edge. Using a sharp knife or unscented dental floss for clean cuts, slice the log into 12 even buns. Arrange the buns in a greased 9×13 inch baking dish, cover, and let them rise for another 30-40 minutes until puffy.

Bake to Golden Perfection

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Just before baking, brush the tops of the risen buns with the egg yolk wash and sprinkle generously with the crumble topping. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are beautifully golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Let the buns cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before drizzling with the sweet glaze. To make the glaze, simply whisk the powdered sugar and milk together until smooth. Finally, you are ready to serve your spectacular Apple Cheesecake Buns with a Crumble Topping and Sweet Glaze.

🟫 Making Sure It Turns Out

• Don’t Kill the Yeast: Make sure your milk is warm, not hot (around 110°F/43°C). Milk that is too hot will kill the yeast, and your dough won’t rise.
• Cool Your Fillings: It is absolutely essential that both the apple and cheesecake fillings are completely cool before spreading them on the dough. Warm fillings will melt the butter in the dough and create a sticky mess.
• Give Them Space: Don’t overcrowd the buns in the baking dish. They need a little room to expand during the second rise and in the oven.

My first attempt at this recipe was a lesson in patience. I was so excited to assemble the buns that I didn’t let my apple filling cool down enough. The moment I spread it on the dough, it started melting everything into a soupy, sticky disaster. It was impossible to roll up neatly. I learned that day that taking the extra 20 minutes to let things cool properly is the difference between a frustrating mess and a pan of perfect Apple Cheesecake Buns with a Crumble Topping and Sweet Glaze.

🟫 Perfect Serving Ideas

These Apple Cheesecake Buns with a Crumble Topping and Sweet Glaze are at their absolute best when served warm from the oven. They are a complete showstopper for a special weekend breakfast or holiday brunch, served alongside a pot of freshly brewed coffee or a spiced apple cider. They also make a wonderfully comforting dessert after a hearty autumn dinner. No one will be able to resist them!

🟫 Making It Different

This recipe is wonderfully adaptable. You could swap the apples for firm pears or even a mix of berries. For extra texture, add a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts to the crumble topping. Warm spices like cardamom, nutmeg, or allspice would be a lovely addition to the apple filling. For an even richer finish, you could use a cream cheese frosting instead of the simple powdered sugar glaze.

🟫 Storage and Leftovers

While they are best enjoyed the day they are made, these buns can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. To reheat, you can warm them in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds, or in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5-7 minutes until soft and warm again. I recommend adding the glaze just before serving for the best texture.

🟫 Tips That Actually Help

• Use a Stand Mixer: If you have one, a stand mixer with a dough hook makes kneading the enriched dough practically effortless.
• Dental Floss for Clean Slices: For perfectly clean, un-squished cuts, slide a piece of unscented dental floss under the log of dough, cross the ends over the top, and pull. It works like a charm.
• Room Temperature is Key: Using room temperature eggs and softened butter for the dough will help everything incorporate smoothly and result in a softer, more tender crumb.

The dental floss trick completely changed my cinnamon bun game. Before, I always struggled with my knife squishing the log, pushing the filling out the sides. The first time I tried the floss method, I was amazed at how perfectly round and clean each slice was. This simple little hack ensures that every single bun looks as good as it tastes, which is a huge confidence booster in the kitchen.

What started as a fun experiment to solve a family dessert debate has turned into one of our most requested recipes. Friends and family now ask for these Apple Cheesecake Buns with a Crumble Topping and Sweet Glaze for birthdays, holidays, and cozy get-togethers. They are a true labor of love that brings so much warmth and happiness to our table. I hope they bring the same joy to yours.

🟫 Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I make the dough ahead of time? Yes! After the first rise, you can cover the dough and refrigerate it overnight. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before rolling it out.

→ What are the best apples to use for the filling? Firm, tart apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn are best as they hold their shape and provide a nice flavor contrast to the sweet fillings.

→ Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast? You can. You’ll need to proof it in the warm milk and sugar first until it’s foamy, and you may need a slightly longer rising time.

→ Why didn’t my dough rise? This is usually due to expired yeast or milk that was too hot. Always check your yeast’s expiration date and use a thermometer for the milk if you’re unsure.

→ Can I freeze these Apple Cheesecake Buns with a Crumble Topping and Sweet Glaze? Yes, they freeze well. Let them cool completely (without the glaze), then wrap them tightly. To reheat, thaw them and warm them in the oven. Glaze after reheating.

→ Is the vanilla sugar necessary? If you don’t have vanilla sugar, you can substitute it with regular sugar and add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the wet ingredients.

Apple Cheesecake Buns with a Crumble Topping and Sweet Glaze

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• Author: Jessica Brown
• Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes (for rising)
• Yield: 2 hours 35 minutes 1x

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Description

Soft, fluffy buns filled with spiced apples and creamy cheesecake, finished with a crunchy crumble and sweet glaze.

 

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

→ For the Dough:

• 4 cups of flour (400g)
• 1 cup of warm milk (200ml)
• 1 egg
• 65g of softened butter
• 10g instant yeast
• 3 tablespoons of sugar (60g)
• 1 packet of vanilla sugar
• A pinch of salt

→ For the Apple Filling:

• 2 apples, peeled and diced
• 2 tablespoons of brown or white sugar
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of cornstarch
• Half a cup of water

→ For the Cheesecake Filling:

• 200g cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 packet of vanilla sugar

→ For the Crumble Topping:

• 1 tablespoon of butter (20g)
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• Half a cup of flour

→ For the Egg Wash:

• 1 egg yolk

→ For the Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons of milk

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Instructions

1. Activate Yeast: In a large bowl, mix warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
2. Make Dough: Mix in butter, egg, vanilla sugar, and salt. Gradually add flour and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled.
3. Prep Fillings: While dough rises, cook apples with sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch, and water until tender and thick; cool completely. Mix cream cheese with sugar and vanilla sugar until smooth. Make the crumble by rubbing butter, sugar, and flour together.
4. Assemble: Roll the risen dough into a 12×18 inch rectangle. Spread with cheesecake filling, then top with the cooled apple filling. Roll into a tight log.
5. Slice & Rise Again: Slice the log into 12 buns and arrange in a greased 9×13 inch pan. Cover and let rise for another 30-40 minutes.
6. Bake: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush buns with egg wash, sprinkle with crumble, and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
7. Glaze & Serve: Whisk powdered sugar and milk for the glaze. Let the buns cool slightly, then drizzle the glaze over the top and serve your Apple Cheesecake Buns with a Crumble Topping and Sweet Glaze warm.

Notes

• Room Temperature Ingredients: Using softened butter, a room temperature egg, and softened cream cheese ensures a smooth dough and filling.
• Cool Fillings Completely: Don’t rush this step! Warm fillings will melt the dough and make assembly difficult.
• Don’t Overbake: Keep an eye on the buns. They are done when they are golden brown on top to ensure a soft, fluffy interior.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: 12 buns
• Method: Breakfast, Dessert, Brunch
• Cuisine: American / European

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bun
• Calories: 395 kcal
• Sugar: 32g
• Sodium: 210mg
• Fat: 14g
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 62g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 7g
• Cholesterol: 55mg

Keywords: Apple Cheesecake Buns with a Crumble Topping and Sweet Glaze