Pecan Cheese Braid

A rich dough wraps a filling of cream cheese, sweet spices, caramel and pecans. The top is drizzled with a vanilla glaze. What's not to love?

Pecan Cheese Braid

Yield

16 Servings 16 Servings

Difficulty

Intermediate Intermediate

Prep Time

0:30 0:30

Bake Time

20 to 25 minutes 20 to 25 minutes

Rise Time

1-3/4 hours 1-3/4 hours

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Ingredients

  • 1 (2-1/4 tsp.) envelope Fleischmann's® Active Dry Yeast
  • 1/4 cup warm water (100° to 110°F)
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 3/4 cup warm milk (100° to 110°F)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup butter OR margarine, melted and cooled
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • Filling
  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons caramel topping
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
  • Glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Directions

  1. Combine yeast, water and 1 teaspoon honey in a large mixing bowl; let stand for 5 minutes. Yeast mixture should be foamy. Stir in warm milk, salt, eggs, butter and 1/3 cup money. Add 3 cups flour; beat until well mixed. Add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
  2. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
  3. For filling, combine cream cheese, brown sugar, caramel topping and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl. Set aside.
  4. Punch dough down. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12 X 9-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Place each piece on a greased baking sheet. Spread filling down the middle third of the dough, lengthwise. Sprinkle pecans over filling. Brush sides of dough with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Make 1-inch wide cuts on both side of the dough up to the filling using a sharp knife or scissors. Fold each cut section of dough over the filling to resemble a braid. Cover and let rise 45 minutes.
  5. Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 20 minutes on a baking sheet. Transfer to serving platter.
  6. For glaze, combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons milk in a small bowl. Stir until smooth. Add more milk to reach desired consistency, if needed. Drizzle over warm braid. Serve warm.

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