Sourdough Apple Bread

overhead photo of sourdough cinnamon apple bread on a white and yellow towel with apples on top

A delicious spiced bread with caramelized apples cooked down in brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon throughout. This quick bread is packed with apple flavor and is the perfect fall treat.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword baking, long fermented sourdough apple bread, sourdough apple bread, sourdough cinnamon apple bread

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Fermentation time (optional) 12

Servings

Calories 304kcal

Author Amy

Equipment

Stand mixer

Ingredients

Bread Dough

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup sourdough starter - Active or discard will work
1/2 cup butter 8 tablespoons
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon cinnamon

Apple filling

2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups apples- chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Sprinkle of salt

Instructions

How To Make Long Fermented Sourdough Apple Bread

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine melted butter, flour, sugar, and a cup sourdough starter.
Mix well with a silicon spatula until all the flour is coated and a ball forms. Since this is a quick bread, you do not need to knead the bread.
Cover bread dough with a towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 8-24 hours.
The next day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bread pan well or line with parchment paper.
Heat a skillet over low heat and add butter. Allow the butter to melt.
Add diced apples.
Cook the apples down, stirring frequently until they start becoming translucent and soft.
Add brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir until coated with butter and it starts to caramelize and the sugar is completely melted. Be careful to not burn the apples. This is fairly easy to do.
Turn off heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
To the bowl with the fermented dough, add eggs, vanilla extract, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
Mix until well incorporated.
Slowly add in the slightly cooled caramel apple mixture into the batter. I like to do this with the stand mixer on low gently pouring the apples in a little bit at a time. This helps it incorporate better without running the risk of cooking the eggs.
Mix together until combined, scraping down the sides occasionally.
Pour into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake for 55-65 minutes until it starts to brown and a toothpick comes out clean. If it is getting too brown but has not baked all the way through yet, cover it with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Allow to cool before cutting into it.
Serve with a little butter, or for an extra decadent dessert, some ice cream.

How To Make The Quick Version

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bread pan well or line with parchment paper.
Heat a skillet over low heat and add butter. Allow the butter to melt.
Add diced apples.
Cook the apples down, stirring frequently until they start becoming translucent.
Add brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir until coated with butter and the sugar starts to caramelize and completely melted.
Turn off heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine melted butter and sugar. Mix well.
Beat in sourdough starter, eggs, and vanilla extract.
In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
On slow speed, add in the flour mixture to the sourdough starter mixture.
Mix until just combined.
Slowly add in the slightly cooled caramel apple mixture into the batter. I like to do this with the stand mixer on low gently pouring the apples in a little bit at a time.
Mix together until combined, scraping down the sides occasionally.
Pour into prepared loaf pan.
Bake for 55-65 minutes until it starts to brown and a toothpick comes out clean. If it is getting too brown but has not baked all the way through yet, cover it with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Allow to cool before cutting into it.

Notes

Any kind of apple should work. The best apples tend to be ones that are good for pie making. Firm, slightly more tart like granny smith apples. Honestly, I have zero idea what types of apples we have and any of them would work fine in this.

Substitute the cinnamon for pumpkin spice for an even more flavorful bread.

If the bread is starting to brown too much before being completely baked through, cover it with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Make this recipe vegan by substituting the butter for vegan butter.

While technically this recipe can be made without special equipment, a stand mixer makes the process way easier.

Nutrition