Apple & Almond Sweet Brioche Buns

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These soft, homemade brioche buns are filled with sweetened cream cheese, topped with thinly sliced apples and almonds, then baked until golden brown. They start with a lightly sweetened brioche dough that pairs perfectly with the creamy filling, sweet apples, and crunchy almonds.

I love my brioche dough; it’s one of the most popular recipes on my site, and I use it as the base for these buns, but I’ve slightly increased the sweetness for this version. The dough is soft and enriched with milk, butter, and eggs, making a perfect base for the cream cheese and apples.

The dough is rich and tender without being difficult to make, but accurate flour measurement is important for getting the right texture. If you haven’t made brioche before, you can read my original brioche recipe and my guide on how to measure flour correctly.

Measuring flour correctly is one of the most important parts of successful baking. For this recipe, I recommend starting with less flour and adding more as needed. This accounts for differences between flour brands and helps prevent adding too much flour, especially if you’re measuring with cups instead of a kitchen scale.

Ingredients

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

For the brioche dough

• Milk: Adds moisture and richness to the dough and helps create a soft dough.
• Yeast: I use instant yeast. You can use active dry yeast, but you’ll need to proof it in warm water first.
• Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps the buns develop their golden color. You can also use honey as I sometimes do in my regular brioche dough.
• All-purpose flour: Provides the structure for the brioche dough. Weighing the flour is the most accurate way to measure it.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the flavor of the enriched dough. Very important in bread recipes!
• Eggs and butter

For the cream cheese filling

• Cream cheese: Creates a creamy, slightly tangy filling that works especially well with the sweet apples.
• Powdered sugar: Sweetens the cream cheese while keeping the filling smooth.
• Vanilla and salt

For the topping

• Apples: Add fresh apple flavor and become tender as they bake. I use Jazz apples, which hold their shape well when baked and have a sweet, slightly tangy flavor.
• Sliced almonds: Add a crisp, nutty topping. They toast gently in the oven, bringing out more flavor.
• Egg: Brushed over the exposed brioche dough, it gives the buns a shiny, golden-brown finish.

Tips for making sweet brioche buns

• Weigh the flour if you can: This is the most important tip for this recipe and any baking recipe. Flour can vary considerably by volume depending on how it is measured. Too much flour makes brioche dense and dry instead of soft and tender. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, use the spoon-and-level method: fluff the flour, spoon it into a dry measuring cup, and level the top with the back of a knife. Don’t scoop directly from the flour bag. Add 2/3 of the flour, and add the remaining only if needed.
• Use room-temperature eggs and cream cheese: Room-temperature eggs incorporate more easily into the enriched dough, while softened cream cheese is much easier to mix into a smooth filling.
• Slice the apples thinly: Thin slices soften quickly during the short baking time. Very thick apple slices may still be firm when the brioche is finished.
• Don’t flatten the buns too much: The center should be pressed down enough to hold the cream cheese and apples, but the outer ring should remain thick and puffy. Think of it as making a shallow well rather than flattening the bun. See the photos in the step-by-step section below.

How to make apple and almond sweet brioche buns

Make the brioche dough

Warm the milk until it is comfortably warm, not hot. Combine it with the sugar and let it sit.

Add the melted butter and eggs, and mix until combined. Then mix in the flour, yeast, and salt to form a soft dough. I use a stand mixer and a dough hook.

Knead the dough until it’s smooth. The dough should be quite soft and slightly tacky. It should come away from the sides of the bowl when mixed, but it will probably still be somewhat stuck flat to the bottom of the bowl and not a dough ball like in a lot of bread recipes. It should come together into a ball when you form it using oiled hands.

Measure your flour carefully. Too much flour is one of the easiest ways to end up with dense brioche. I recommend weighing the flour at 480 grams. If you’re measuring by volume, use the spoon-and-level method rather than scooping flour directly from the bag. I also recommend adding about 2/3 of the flour first and adding more as needed. You can watch the video in my Brioche Buns post to see the dough while mixing.

For more detail, see my guide to how to measure flour.

Let the dough rise

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise until doubled in size.

Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, this can take roughly 1–2 hours. Don’t worry about the exact timing. The dough’s appearance is a better indicator than the clock.

Shape the buns

Once the brioche dough has doubled, gently deflate it and divide it into eight equal portions.

Shape each piece into a smooth ball and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving room between them for the dough to expand.

Cover and let the buns rise again until noticeably puffy.

Prepare the apples

When the dough is almost ready, core and thinly slice the apples. I don’t peel them. Jazz apples have a thin skin.

Place the apple slices in cold water with a little lemon juice to help prevent browning while you prepare the rest of the recipe.

Before using them, drain the apples well and pat them dry. Extra water can make the cream cheese filling watery.

Make the cream cheese filling

Mix the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth.

The cream cheese needs to be at room temperature so that it mixes easily and can be piped onto the buns.

Transfer the filling to a piping bag, or use a small zip-top bag with the corner snipped off. Or divide it evenly using a spoon.

Add the cream cheese and apples

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Once the buns have completed their second rise, gently press down the center of each one with the bottom of a glass.

You want to make a wide, shallow indentation for the filling while leaving a thick border of brioche around the outside.

Pipe the cream cheese filling into the center of each bun.

Arrange the apple slices over the cream cheese, slightly overlapping them.

Brush the exposed brioche dough with beaten egg, then sprinkle the toasted sliced almonds over the buns.

Bake

Bake for 15–20 minutes, until the brioche is golden brown, the almonds are lightly toasted and the apples are tender.

Let the buns cool for a few minutes before serving. The cream cheese filling will be very hot straight from the oven. I like to dust them with powdered sugar.

Storage

Store leftover buns in an airtight container in the refrigerator because of the cream cheese filling.

Bring them to room temperature before serving, or warm them gently in the microwave or oven. I like them best warmed!

For the best texture, these are best enjoyed within a couple of days.

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