Apple Crisp Sourdough Loaf

Apple Crisp Sourdough is a delicious combination of two treats: apple crisp and sourdough bread. This homemade loaf is filled with oats, sugar, cinnamon and pieces of grated apple to make for a fun and flavorful fall treat.

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🍲 Ingredients

Sourdough Starter – Bubbly, active starter that has been previously fed.

Water – Filtered water is best.

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Flour – I like to use organic, unbleached, all-purpose flour. While organic is not always necessary, I always recommend using unbleached flour while making sourdough.

Honey – for extra sweetness in the dough.

Salt – Use whatever salt you have on hand.

Apple – 1 large grated apple.

Oats – To bring the full apple crisp flavor together.

Sugar – Brown sugar for the apple crisp mixture.

👩‍🍳 How to Make Apple Crisp Sourdough

In the morning, feed your starter.
In the afternoon when your starter has doubled, assemble your dough.

Dough Assembly

Start by mixing your starter, water, and honey together in a large mixing bowl until your starter has dissolved turns into a milk liquid. Add in your flour and salt and mix together until a shaggy dough forms.
Cover with a damp tea towel or bowl cover and let rest for 45 minutes.
After resting, pull one side of the dough up and towards the middle, rotating the bowl and repeating each time for 30 to 60 seconds until a semi – smooth dough forms. Cover and let rest for one hour.
Repeat the stretch and folds 3 more times every 30 minutes – 1 hour apart.
Cover your bowl with a damp tea towel and let rest on the counter to bulk ferment for 8-10 hours.

The next morning

The next morning, transfer your fermented dough to clean workspace.
Slightly stretch your dough out into a rectangle shape.
Into a small bowl, mix together your grated apple, brown sugar, oats and cinnamon together.
Evenly sprinkle ¾ of the apple mixture all over the surface of the dough. Fold one of the longer sides of the rectangle up and towards the middle, do the same with the other side and meet it towards the center.
Sprinkle the remaining apple mixture over the seam of and roll the dough up.
Using the palms of your hands, push the dough up and pull the dough down on your workspace to create tension. Be careful with the step, creating too much tension will cause the surface of the dough to rip.
Use your bench scraper to transfer the dough into a floured banneton seam side up. Let rest in the banneton for 10 minutes.
After resting, stitch the center of the bread dough from the top all the way to the bottom.
Cover, and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 48 hours.

Baking

When you’re ready to bake, place your Dutch oven into your home oven and preheat it to 450 degrees for at least 20 minutes.
Transfer your dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Using a bread lame, score the top of the dough into whatever design you like best.
Carefully place the dough into a hot Dutch oven with the parchment paper. Recover with the lid and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 23 – 25 minutes, depending on how golden you like the crust.
Remove from the oven and place onto a cooling rack. Let your bread fully cool before slicing and serving with a side of soft butter or apple butter.

🪄 Tips and Tricks

Cinnamon has a chemical that breaks down the dough faster, be careful when creating tension because of the cinnamon there is a greater chance the surface of the dough can tear.
If you’re having a hard time shaping or stitching the dough, let it rest for 5 – 10 minutes to relax the gluten. This will make it easier to shape.
Add oats to the outside of the dough by damping the surface slightly and rolling it onto a plate of oats before placing it into the banneton.
Pat your grated apple dry before adding it to the dough or it will release to much moisture and your bread will come out a bit gummy.

🗒 Variations

Stuffed sourdough is one of the best ways to take a simple, classic sourdough recipe and make it special. I have so many stuffed sourdough recipes that are specific for fall that you should try!

🗒 Bakers Schedule

10am: feed your starter.

6pm: assemble your dough.

7pm: first set of stretch and folds.

8pm: second set of stretch and folds.

9pm: third set of stretch and folds.

9:30 – 10pm: last stretch and folds, cover and let bulk ferment.

7 – 8am: Shape your dough and add the apple crisp filling.

8:30am: Place your dough into the fridge.

10am: Bake your dough.

🗒 Best served with

Fall brunch spread.
Serve with a fall charcuterie board with butter, cheese, or can be sliced for sandwiches or toasted for breakfasts.

👝 How to Store Leftovers

You can slice the loaf and place the slices into a Ziplock bag and into the freezer for up to three months. Or, what I like to do, is dice the leftover pieces and place them in the freezer to save for a French toast casserole!

🤔 Common Questions

My dough seems wet and sticky, what should I do?

It could be from over proofed dough, or the cinnamon in the middle is breaking down the dough. Add very little flour but let the dough rest before manipulating it anymore.

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Print Recipe

Prep Time:3 30

Cook Time:50

fermenting time:7

Total Time:11 20

Equipment

Ingredients

75 grams bubbly, active sourdough starter
15 grams honey
350 grams filtered water
550 grams all-purpose flour
9 grams salt

Oat Filling

1 large apple, grated
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup rolled oats
1 tsp cinnamon