Sourdough apple fritter bread is a tasty twist on a classic recipe, and it’s a delicious way to use up a sourdough discard.
This Sourdough Apple Fritter Bread is the perfect balance of sweet and tangy, with tender, spiced apples nestled inside a fluffy, buttery bread. The cinnamon streusel adds the perfect crunchy texture, and the vanilla glaze gives it a lovely finish. It’s the kind of bread that will quickly become a favorite in your baking repertoire!
This quick bread is the perfect way to use up your sourdough discard, and it’s ideal for a cozy breakfast, a mid-afternoon snack, or even as a gift for a friend or neighbor. The best part? It’s incredibly easy to make and absolutely scrumptious.
Ingredients for Sourdough Apple Fritter Bread
- All-Purpose Flour: This is the base for the bread, providing structure and texture. It helps create a soft, tender crumb while also supporting the other ingredients during baking. If you want a more cakey end result, you can use cake flour, but I find that all purposes hold the dough together a bit better and still give you a tender crumb.
- Brown Sugar & White Sugar: Brown sugar adds sweetness and a touch of molasses flavor, which complements the other ingredients and helps keep the bread moist. This sugar sweetens the bread, providing a clean, pure sweetness that balances the richness of the brown sugar. It works best with both, but you can substitute all brown sugar or all white sugar if that’s what you have.
- Baking Powder: A mixture of the leavening from the sourdough, plus a bit of baking powder gives this bread the best texture.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor of the bread and helps balance the sweetness from the sugars. It also strengthens the dough and improves the overall texture.
- Sourdough Discard: Adds a slight tangy flavor and contributes to the overall texture and structure of the bread. It also introduces beneficial bacteria, which may improve the flavor complexity.
- Eggs: Provide structure, moisture, and richness. Eggs also help bind the ingredients together and contribute to the bread’s soft texture.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a warm, aromatic sweetness that enhances the overall flavor of the bread.
- Unsalted Butter: Contributes richness and moisture, creating a tender crumb. Butter also helps with flavor and helps brown the crust during baking. You can use salted butter too, if that’s what you have on hand.
- Apples: The apples bring natural sweetness, moisture, and a slight tartness. They add texture and a fruity flavor that complements the other ingredients.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds warmth and spice, making the apples more flavorful and enhancing the overall aroma of the bread.
The bread comes together with a layer of cinnamon sugar and apples in the center, and then another layer on top. That gives you the most apple-y goodness throughout!
How to Make Sourdough Apple Fritter Bread
To start, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Once the butter is fully melted, remove the saucepan from the heat and set it aside to cool slightly.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, brown sugar, white sugar, baking powder, and salt. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and set this aside for the moment.
Next, in another bowl, combine the sourdough discard, eggs, whole milk, vanilla extract, and 6 tablespoons (about 84g) of the melted butter. Stir these ingredients together to fully combine.
Pour the wet ingredients into the well in the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined, making sure not to overmix. The batter will be thick. If you’d like to deepen the flavor, you can cover the batter and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or refrigerate it overnight. Keep in mind that you won’t assemble the bread until you’re ready to bake.
While the batter is resting (or if you are proceeding immediately), preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare your loaf pan by liberally buttering the inside and then dusting it with flour to prevent sticking. For an extra layer of protection, you can line the pan with parchment paper.
For the apple cinnamon mixture, peel and dice the apples into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch pieces. Toss the diced apples in a small bowl with the white cane sugar and ground cinnamon until the apples are evenly coated.
To make the streusel topping, mix the brown sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl. No butter is needed for this topping, as the sugar and cinnamon will form a delightful, crumbly texture as it bakes.
Now, you’re ready to assemble the bread. Spread half of the batter into the bottom of your prepared loaf pan. Then, evenly distribute half of the apple cinnamon mixture over the batter, pressing the apples lightly into the dough. Sprinkle half of the streusel topping over the apples, and then add the remaining batter on top, spreading it evenly to cover the apples and streusel. Add the rest of the apple cinnamon mixture, pressing the apples into the batter again. Finally, sprinkle the remaining streusel topping over the top of the bread.
Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for 60 to 70 minutes. The bread should have a golden-brown crust, and when you insert a toothpick into the center, it should come out clean. If the top of the bread is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with foil during the last 20 minutes of baking.
Once baked, allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. After this, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. This resting time helps the bread set and makes it easier to slice.
While the bread cools, prepare the vanilla glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 to 3 tablespoons of milk. Stir until smooth, adjusting the milk to reach your desired glaze consistency. If the glaze is too thick, add a little more milk; if it’s too thin, simply add more powdered sugar.
Once the bread has cooled enough to handle, drizzle the vanilla glaze generously over the top. Allow the glaze to set before slicing into the bread.
Finally, slice and enjoy! This bread makes a perfect treat for coffee breaks, tea time, or any occasion where a sweet, comforting snack is needed.
For extra success, consider resting the batter before baking. This helps develop a deeper, more complex flavor. Let it rest at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes or refrigerate it overnight. The sourdough discard will add a subtle tanginess, balancing the sweetness of the apples.
If you’re looking to gift the bread, using parchment paper makes it easy to remove from the pan. You can tie a ribbon around the loaf for a charming presentation. And if you prefer a more rustic bread, feel free to skip the glaze. The bread is absolutely delicious with the caramelized streusel topping on its own.
Tips for Success
- Rest the Batter: For a deeper, more complex flavor, give your batter a bit of time to rest, either at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes, or in the fridge overnight. The sourdough discard will contribute a slightly tangy flavor that balances the sweetness of the apples. (Don’t assemble the bread until after the rest.)
- Gift-Friendly: If you plan on giving the bread as a gift, the parchment paper makes it easy to remove from the pan. You can even tie a ribbon around the loaf for a charming presentation.
- Optional Glaze: If you’re not a fan of glaze or want a more rustic bread, simply skip the vanilla glaze. The bread is delicious without it, but I have to admit that the glaze really does put it over the top!
Sourdough Apple Fritter Bread
Equipment
- 1 Loaf Pan (9x5-inch)
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
Ingredients
For the Bread:
- 1 1/2 cups 180g All-Purpose Flour
- 1/4 cup 55g Brown Sugar
- 1/4 cup 50g White Cane Sugar
- 1 tsp 4g Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp 3g Salt
- 1 cup 250g Sourdough Discard
- 2 Eggs 110 g
- 1 tsp 5 ml Vanilla Extract
- 6 tbsp 85g Unsalted Butter, melted
For the Apple Cinnamon Mixture:
- 3 medium Apples about 300g, peeled and diced (Granny Smith or similar tart variety works best)
- 1 tbsp 15g White Cane Sugar
- 1 tsp 3g Ground Cinnamon
For the Streusel Topping:
- 1/2 cup 105g Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp 3g Ground Cinnamon
For the Vanilla Glaze:
- 1/2 cup 65g Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 to 3 tbsp Whole Milk adjust for desired glaze consistency
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Once melted, remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, white sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and set aside.
- In another bowl, combine the sourdough discard, eggs, whole milk, vanilla extract, and 84g (about 6 tbsp) of the melted butter. Stir to combine.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the well in the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined—don’t overmix. The batter will be thick. For deeper flavor, you can cover the batter and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or refrigerate it overnight. (If resting the batter, don’t assemble the bread until you’re ready to bake.)
- Liberally butter the inside of your loaf pan (9x5 inches), making sure to cover all surfaces. Then, dust the pan with flour to prevent sticking. If you'd prefer, you can also line the pan with parchment paper as an optional extra layer of protection.
- Prepare the Apple Cinnamon Mixture: Peel and dice the apples into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch pieces. Toss them in a small bowl with the sugar and cinnamon until evenly coated.
- Make the Streusel Topping: In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon until well combined. No butter is needed for this streusel; the sugar and cinnamon will create a delightful, crumbly topping when baked.
Assemble the Bread:
- Spread half of the batter into the bottom of the prepared loaf pan.
- Top the batter with half of the apple cinnamon mixture, pressing the apples lightly into the dough.
- Sprinkle half of the streusel topping over the apples.
- Add the remaining batter, spreading it evenly to cover the apples and streusel.
- Top with the remaining apple cinnamon mixture and gently press the apples into the batter.
- Finally, sprinkle the remaining streusel evenly over the top of the bread.
Bake the Bread:
- Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for 60–70 minutes. The bread should have a golden-brown crust, and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. If the top is browning too quickly, you can cover the bread loosely with foil during the last 20 minutes of baking.
- Cool the Bread: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps the bread set and makes it easier to slice.
- Prepare the Vanilla Glaze: While the bread is cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 1–3 tablespoons of milk until smooth. Adjust the milk for your desired glaze consistency. If it’s too thick, add a bit more milk; if it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- Glaze the Bread: Once the bread has cooled slightly, drizzle the vanilla glaze generously over the top. Let the glaze set before slicing the bread.
- Slice and serve! This bread is perfect with coffee, tea, or as a sweet treat for any occasion.
Leave a Reply