Apple cinnamon sourdough bread
Apple sourdough bread is a sweet bread with warming fall flavors like apples and cinnamon. This bread is perfect for the holidays or served with butter as a treat for the weekend!
Why you will love this recipe
- Homemade bread with a sweet filling of apples and cinnamon is perfect for fall!
- Easy enough for beginners.
- Soft, homemade sourdough bread with sweet, soft apples is the perfect bread to impress your guests!
Ingredient notes
Sourdough starter: To make sourdough apple bread, you need an active sourdough starter. To ensure it is active and bubbly, it is best to feed your starter a few hours before you begin. This way, you know for sure it is bubbly, active, and ready to make the best bread.
Flour: You can make this recipe with all-purpose flour, but using a good-quality bread flour will give you a much better result. I recommend using a flour with at least 11% protein.
Apples: I prefer not to add much sugar to my loaves, so I always use sweeter apples, like Honey Crisp. However, any apple that holds its shape while cooking is perfect for this recipe. If you enjoy tart apples, Granny Smiths are a great option.
Walnuts: I love the combination of sweet apples and crunchy walnuts.
How to make apple sourdough bread
Day one:
Day one
Today, you want to start your dough and stretch and fold it to help with gluten development and the structure of the dough.
We also add the apple today! Place your bread in a banneton for the bulk ferment and let it rest for 12 hours.
Day two:
After the bulk ferment, you want to shape your dough and add the cinnamon. I like to make round boule bread, but you can make it any shape you like. This recipe is also great for making smaller buns!
After scoring, you want to bake it in a preheated oven and let it cool completely before cutting it into slices.
Our tips for this recipe
- Don’t skip the stretch and fold! This helps strengthen the dough and gives the gluten the best chance to develop properly.
- Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature.
- Feed your starter before you begin so you know it is active. This will not only make the fluffiest bread but also help shorten the bulk rise.
- You can also use your whole wheat sourdough starter to make this recipe!
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely! If you’re a speculaas spice or pumpkin spice lover, you can use that instead of cinnamon. A mixture of cinnamon, ground ginger, and nutmeg is also a great option.
I prefer using sweeter apples when making apple sourdough bread because we don’t add much sugar to the dough. My favorite apples for this recipe are those I also like to use for apple pie, such as Elstar, Golden Delicious, and Honey Crisp.
Absolutely! This recipe can also be made with other fall fruits like plums and apricots, or you can use summer fruits such as peaches and cherries. I recommend choosing fruit that remains firm while baking, as you want to avoid ending up with mushy bread.
Storage
Sourdough apple bread stays fresh at room temperature for two days. If you store it in the freezer, it will last for about six months. To enjoy the bread after freezing, take it out the night before you plan to eat it and let it thaw on the counter. The crust may become softer during thawing, but don’t worry! You can place it in a warm oven for a few minutes to make the crust crispy again.
More sourdough bread recipes you will love
Apple sourdough bread
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer with dough hook
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 cup water 240 grams
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter 100 grams, fed and active
- 1 teaspoon salt 7 grams
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour 60 grams
- 4 cups flour 500 grams
- 2 cups apple 250 grams, grated
For the cinnamon filling
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
Day one
- Grate your apples and add the apple with the rest of the ingredients to a large bowl.
- Mix them together until you have a smooth dough.
- Let your dough rest for half an hour before you begin with the stretch and folds.
- Preform a series of stretch and folds by pulling the sides into the center of the dough.
- Repeat this four times, and let the dough rest for 15 minutes between each set.
- Place your dough back in the bowl and cover it with plastic wrap for the bulk ferment.
- Let the dough ferment for 8-12 hours until it has doubled in size.
Day two
- After the bulk ferment, it is time to shape your dough.
- Pull the dough into a large square shape and cover it with the cinnamon and sugar.
- Fold the sides into the center and pull the dough towards you.
- Place it seam up in a banneton and let it rise for 2-3 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 450 F (230 C).
- Transfer your apple sourdough bread to a lined baking tray and score it with your favorite pattern.
- Place your tray in the oven with a bowl of water and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the water and lower the temperature to 380 F (190 C).
- Bake for another 20-30 minutes and let your apple bread cool completely before serving.