Vegan Star Bread with Apple Cinnamon Filling

Why We Love This Star Bread

The concept of a holiday star bread first caught my eye on the King Arthur Baking Blog. Their version looked absolutely stunning, with its intricate layers and beautiful shape. As a longtime fan of King Arthur’s flour (seriously, I use it in almost all my baking recipes), I couldn’t wait to try making my own. But since their original recipe wasn’t vegan, I saw it as the perfect opportunity to get creative and make a fully vegan version.

With a few simple ingredient swaps, like plant based milk, dairy-free butter and a vegan egg wash, this star bread is now completely plant-based while keeping all the cozy flavors and soft, pull-apart texture intact.

Whether it’s for Christmas morning or as a warm, cinnamon-spiced dessert on a chilly winter night, this apple cinnamon star bread will definitely have a permanent spot on my holiday baking list. 

Ingredients:

How To Make the Star Bread

🍎 *Ingredient Quantities are in the Recipe Card Below!*

Make the Dough:

STEP 1: You’ll want to heat the oat milk or almond milk to be about 110F, then add the sugar and the yeast. Set it aside to froth up and activate.

STEP 2: Stir the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add the yeast and warm milk mixture, vegan butter, and vanilla. Mix to form a scraggly dough.

STEP 3: Using a spatula, knead the dough in the bowl for about 2-3 minutes. Then flour your hands and continue kneading the dough in the bowl for another 7-8 minutes. 

STEP 4: Shape into a smooth dough ball and place into a lightly greased bowl (you can use the same one as mixing). Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. 

Prep the Fillings:

STEP 5: Make the apple cinnamon filling by simmering the apples, spices, vegan butter and sugar in a saucepan until slightly tender. Place in the fridge to cool. 

STEP 6: Mix together the cinnamon sugar filling. Set aside. 

STEP 7: Punch down the risen dough, divide into 4 equal pieces, and roll out each piece into a 10-inch circle with a rolling pin. 

STEP 8: Place once circle of dough on a parchment lined baking sheet. Spread 1/2 of the apple mixture on the first circle of dough. Cover with the second circle.

STEP 9: Sprinkle 2/3 of the cinnamon sugar mixture on the second circle. Cover with the third circle.

STEP 10: Spread the remaining apples and cinnamon sugar on top of the dough. Cover with the last circle of dough and gently pinch the edges together.

Shape into a Star & Bake:

STEP 11: Place a circular glass or cutter in the center of the dough circle. Using a sharp knife, pizza cutter or bench knife slice the dough into 16 equal pieces.  

STEP 12: Take two adjacent strips and twist them away from each other two times. Pinch the ends together to seal. Repeat with all strips to form an eight-pointed star.

STEP 13: Let rise for about 15 minutes. Brush with the vegan egg wash. Then, bake in a preheated oven at 375F for about 25 minutes

How to Serve the Bread

This cinnamon sugar star bread is so delicious straight out of the oven. After cooling for a few minutes, you can dust it with powdered sugar. This sweet bread is perfect for the holiday season. Sweet and spiced with seasonal apples inside. 

But one of my favorite things about this bread is how versatile it is! You can easily swap out the filling to suit your mood, the season, or whatever you happen to have on hand. Here are a few of my favorite ideas:

Sweet Fillings

• Vegan Nutella: I’m a huge fan of anything chocolate-hazelnut, and I think a rich, gooey Nutella-inspired filling would make this bread absolutely irresistible.
• Strawberry Jam or Mixed Berry Preserves: If you want to give this bread a summery twist, a fruity jam would be so delicious.
• Peanut Butter and Brown Sugar: For all the peanut butter lovers out there, this combination would be cozy, nutty, and creamy.
• Apple Curd: If you’re feeling fancy or want to lean into seasonal flavors, apple curd makes a tangy, sweet filling that’d be great for fall and winter gatherings.

Savory Fillings

• Vegan Pesto: As a lover of all things pesto, I can’t wait to try a savory version of this bread. The herby, garlicky flavor would pair beautifully with the soft, slightly sweet dough.
• Vegan Cream Cheese and Herbs: If you’re in the mood for something creamy and savory, try spreading vegan cream cheese mixed with fresh or dried herbs like thyme, chives, or rosemary.

Storing the Bread

For the best, soft texture, this star bread is absolutely at its peak on the first or second day after baking. But don’t worry, if you’ve got leftovers or want to make it ahead of time, I’ve got you covered!

The great news is that this bread freezes beautifully. Gotta be honest…I actually had to freeze most of my bread to keep myself from eating it in one or two days, because…well…it’s just that tasty.

After it cools completely, I pop the leftovers into an airtight freezer bag. Be sure to squeeze out as much air as possible to lock in all that moisture. When I’m ready to enjoy it again, I just let it thaw at room temperature the morning I plan to serve it.

Once thawed, I microwave a piece for about 15–30 seconds until it’s slightly warmed. It brings back that soft, fresh-from-the-oven texture and makes it taste just as delicious as the day I baked it.

Why This Recipe Works

This apple cinnamon star bread is the result of careful testing, small tweaks, and just the right techniques to make it vegan while preserving its soft texture and golden-brown finish.

• Vegan Butter: Through testing, I found that vegan butter with around 79% oil content is the perfect replacement for dairy butter. It provides the richness needed for an enriched dough while contributing to the tender, pull-apart texture.
• Oat Milk: Oat milk behaves similarly to dairy milk but has a unique advantage: its natural starches help feed the yeast, creating a light and airy dough.
• Maple Syrup as the Egg Wash: Instead of a traditional egg wash, I use a mix of maple syrup and soy milk. As it bakes, the syrup caramelizes, giving the bread its gorgeous golden color and adding just a touch of sweetness to the top.

During recipe testing, I discovered a couple of key insights. Once, I twisted the star points the wrong way and allowed the bread to proof too long after shaping. The dough puffed up too much, and the star shape wasn’t as defined (see images below). To fix this, I shortened the proofing time after shaping to about 15 minutes, which helps the bread hold its intricate design.

I also analyzed several enriched dough recipes to pinpoint the ideal hydration level for this bread. This dough’s hydration lands between 65% and 70%, which gives it a soft, smooth consistency and a tender, enriched texture that’s perfect for shaped bread.

Helpful Tips for an Amazing Star Bread

❶ Let the Yeast Activate in Warm Milk: Mix the yeast with warm oat milk to activate it. The milk should be warm to the touch but not hot, about 100–110°F is perfect. If the mixture doesn’t froth up after 5–10 minutes, the yeast may be inactive or expired.

❷ Don’t Over-Add Flour: Adding too much flour will dry out the dough and throw off the hydration level, leading to a dense texture. Use a digital scale for the most accurate measurements or spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife to avoid overpacking.

❸ Cook the Apples for the Filling: Lightly cook the apples before adding them to the filling. This removes excess moisture that could seep into the dough during baking and makes sure the bread holds its shape.

❹ Avoid Over-Proofing the Dough: Be careful not to let the dough proof for too long, especially after shaping. Over-proofed dough will puff up too much and lose some of its intricate star shape during baking. Aim for about 15 minutes for the final proofing step.