Cinnamon Apple Pull-Apart Bread

This split bread with cinnamon and apples is a must-have for a special breakfast that is sure to impress. Not only does it look delicious, but every lush fold of this golden-crusted bread is infused with an irresistible aroma of butter, apples, and cinnamon-brown sugar. Thanks to the use of canned cookies, this split bread recipe is simple enough for bakers of any skill level; however, it is what you add to the finished dough that gives the treat a completely homey taste. If you find that your melted butter starts to harden slightly after you add the vanilla extract, don't worry — just send it back to the microwave for a few seconds and continue smearing the sponge circles. When laying out piles of dough on a baking sheet, keep in mind that the dough will need space to rise slightly and expand as it bakes. A tangy cream cheese sprinkled on warm bread with cinnamon and apples is definitely a welcome finishing touch, but it's not necessary if you'd rather start cooking right away.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle a 9-inch x 5-inch baking dish with baking spray; set aside.Whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.Cut each cookie in half horizontally; lightly squeeze out a thinner oval tortilla from each slice. Whisk together vanilla and melted butter. Brush both sides of each piece of dough with the butter mixture, then sprinkle each side with the brown sugar mixture, flicking the excess back into the bowl.Cut the apples into very small pieces. In a large bowl, combine the apple slices, honey, remaining brown sugar mixture, and remaining butter mixture; mix well.Place approximately 1 tablespoon of the apple mixture on 1 circle of dough; place another circle of dough on top of the apple mixture, pressing lightly. Add another tablespoon of the apple mixture to these cookies. Repeat laying out layers of apple mixture and biscuits until you have a stack of 4 biscuits, and sprinkle the apple mixture on top. Repeat to get 5 more (stacks of 4 layers). As you turn each stack to its side, transfer the stacks to the prepared baking dish, arranging the stacks so that the edges of each stack touch each other and fill the mold. Do not forget to arrange the sponge cakes so that the filling does not reach directly to the edges of the mold.Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake at 350 ° C for 40 minutes; remove the foil and continue baking until golden brown and tender, another 10 minutes. Allow the bread to cool slightly before removing from the pan. Drizzle with cream cheese frosting if desired.To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Whisk together the milk, vanilla extract and salt until smooth. Brush the bread with icing before serving.