These super soft caramel apple spelt sweet buns have dulce de leche in the homemade bread dough and a sweet caramel apple filling. The recipe can be adapted to use all-purpose (plain) flour, and we’ve got instructions for both a bread maker and stand mixer. 

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Why apples and caramel are so good together

Making soft buns with spelt flour

A spelt bread recipe for both a bread maker and stand mixer

Can I replace the spelt flour with something else?

Recipe for caramel apple sweet buns

These caramel apple spelt buns came about when gorgeous, huge apples began falling from our tree. Unlike our berry bushes, the apple tree loved the super hot summer we’ve had.

I wanted to use them up, had a tin of caramel (dulce de leche) in the cupboard and wondered if it would work to stuff an apple caramel mixture into bread. It was messy but it worked. I also added caramel to the actual dough. I know, right?

Why apples and caramel are so good together

I am not sure, but man, they really are an awesome pairing, aren’t they? There’s something about the tartness of the apple mingling with the sweet caramel. And then there’s the textures: slightly crunchy apple with gooey caramel. A combination made in heaven, right there. I seem to bake a lot of apple and caramel recipes around autumn (fall), such as my caramel and apple smulpaj, which is Sweden’s version of crumble. 

When I think of the classic combo of apple and caramel, it makes me think of toffee apples. We often eat them on Bonfire Night, which is celebrated on 5th November.  

There was something just so divinely irresistible about soft caramel dough paired with more sweet caramel along with tart apples. All in one mouthful. All they needed for decoration was a sprinkling of icing sugar and a cup of hot coffee. Bliss.

Making soft buns with spelt flour

I have a foolproof bread dough that works for any recipe. Sweet, savoury, and everything in between. These caramel apple spelt buns are no exception. One of my followers on Pinterest said that my recipe for soft spelt buns was her go-to. That’s awesome to hear, especially when spelt flour does sometimes get a bit of a bad rap. 

Here are some of my other soft bun recipes made with the same dough base:

• Subway spelt buns
• Sweet buns topped with berries
• Blackberry skillet overnight buns
• Sticky caramel buns
• Hot dog buns

A spelt bread recipe for both a bread maker and stand mixer

I became a huge fan of using a bread machine to make my dough. I’ve never been a fan of using it to actually make a loaf, but it did an excellent job of kneading and proofing. You can literally just leave it to work its magic. For some totally unknown reason (I am literally sat here scratching my head), I started to use my stand mixer. However, because of my vast experience with the two methods, I am able to give comprehension instructions for both. With regard to the end result, I have seen no difference between the two methods. 

Can I replace the spelt flour with something else?

Yes, absolutely. Although this is a blog to promote the amazing qualities of spelt flour, it is still rather an unknown quantity for many. Or, like I mentioned above, it has a bad rap where making bread is concerned. Spelt can behave a little erratically in bread (it has a much more reliable outcome with cakes and cookies). I understand how this might also be a little off-putting. I haven’t always used spelt flour, and because of this, I have made many of my recipes with both all-purpose (plain) flour and spelt flour. In most cases (and certainly with this sweet bun recipe), you can just do a straight swap.

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Caramel Apple Spelt Buns

These super soft caramel apple spelt sweet buns have dulce de leche in the homemade bread dough and a sweet caramel apple filling. The recipe can be adapted to use all-purpose (plain) flour, and we've got instructions for both a bread maker and stand mixer. 

Course Breakfast

Cuisine British

Keyword Caramel Apple Spelt Buns

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Proofing/bread machine 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8 buns

Ingredients

Dough (see note 1):

• 300ml (1¼ cups) milk
• 1 egg (medium)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbs dulce de leche / caramel (see note 4)
• 50g (3½ tbs) butter
• 450-500g (3¾ - 4⅙ cups) spelt flour (see note 2)
• 3 tbs sugar
• 7g (2¼ tsp) dried yeast (see note 3)
• 1 tsp salt

Caramel apple filling:

• 80g (2¾ oz) dulce de leche (see note 4)
• ½ large apple (keep the peel on if you like)
• icing / powdered sugar (to sprinkle)

Instructions

Caramel apple filling:

• Cut the apple into small pieces.
• Add them to a pan with a teaspoon of water, and cook until they start to soften (around 5 minutes).
• Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a while. Then, add the caramel and carefully mix everything together.
• On a baking tray lined with baking paper, plop around a tablespoon of the mixture on to the tray.
• Repeat until you have 8. Place in the freezer (until you need them).

Dough (see note 1):

Bread Machine:

• Add the milk, egg, vanilla, caramel and butter to your bread machine pan.
• Mix until everything has started to come together (if you've used cold butter, you will still have lumps, but that's perfectly fine).
• Add 450g (3¾ cups) of flour, and the remaining dough ingredients, taking care to keep the yeast and salt separate as much as possible.
• Set your machine to make dough.
• On a very well-floured surface (the dough will be very sticky) work in just as much flour as you need to make a soft, pliable, but still a little tacky, dough.

Stand Mixer:

• Add the milk, egg, caramel, vanilla and butter to your stand mixer, and mix together. If the butter is straight out of the fridge, it won't combine with the other wet ingredients too much, but that's okay.
• Add 500g (4⅙ cups) of flour, and the remaining ingredients. The dough should be sticky, but if you need more flour, just add a little at a time. Be careful: too much flour will result in dry bread.
• Switch to a dough hook (if you have one) and allow the mixer to knead the dough for around 10 minutes, just until soft. The dough will still feel a little tacky to the touch, but will be able to slowly drop off the hook.
• Cover the dough and leave to proof (until it has doubled in size - usually about an hour).
• When the dough is ready, knock it back, and on a floured surface, form into a rough ball.

Both methods:

• Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF).
• Divide into eight balls.
• Roll (or flatten) the balls out a little, then place one bit of the frozen apple/caramel in the centre.
• Pull the dough up over the sides until the apple mixture is covered.
• Roll the dough gently on the surface (or between your hands), until you have a fairly round shape.
• Place the dough rolls (with a little space in between them) on a baking tray lined with paper, or a greased oven dish.
• Cover and let rest for about 15 minutes.
• When ready, bake for around 15-18 minutes until the tops are firm to the touch and golden brown.
• Allow to cool for a while and then serve warm sprinkled with icing sugar. Enjoy!

Notes

 

I have converted grams to cups/ounces/tablespoons using online converters. Although I have no reason to believe they are inaccurate, please be aware that I have not made this recipe with imperial measurements.

 

1. I have made the dough using both a stand mixer and bread machine with identical results. I have not made the dough by hand, but I see no reason why you couldn't do so!
2. You can use spelt or regular flour for this recipe (just use the same amount).
3. In Sweden we have something called dried yeast. It is used both in warm liquid and allowed to proof, and it is also added directly to flour. I am aware that the US has two options for dried yeast, and I believe dry active yeast is the most similar to our dried yeast.
4. You can use tinned dulce de leche or caramel, or make your own.