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This Sourdough Apple Fritter Bread is sure to become your new favorite fall quick bread recipe. It’s soft and tender with a light, cake-like texture, filled with chunks of apples and a ribbon of cinnamon sugar. It’s finished off with a drizzle of vanilla glaze that melts into every bite, making this loaf irresistible.
Think of this Sourdough Apple Fritter Bread as a cross between a classic apple fritter and a slice of sourdough coffee cake. The cinnamon sugar on top caramelizes as it bakes, forming a lightly crystallized crust that adds just the right amount of crunch to every bite. It truly is a blend of flavors and textures that will make you want to make this recipe on repeat all season long.
If you love these flavors, don’t miss my Sourdough Apple Muffins, Apple Crisp Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls and Sourdough Discard Apple Cake.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Perfect fall treat – Tart flavors from the apples are balanced with the sweet cinnamon sugar mixture and icing.
- Texture- This Sourdough Apple Fritter Bread is super soft and moist with a tender crumb and a slight crunch from the cinnamon sugar on top.
- Easy quick bread – This recipe comes together quick and easy and only requires one bowl.
Important Ingredients & Substitutions
- Diced apples- I recommend peeling your apples before dicing for the best texture. You can use any type of fresh apples you’d like, such as Gala, Honeycrisp, or, for a more tart flavor, Granny Smith apples.
- Sourdough discard– The discard adds flavor and moisture to the bread. Room temperature discard will work best to avoid the butter from curdling when mixing, but in a hurry, cold discard works just fine. If you do not have discard, active sourdough starter works too. Don’t have a starter? Learn how to make your own sourdough starter here!
- Milk- I like to use whole milk for the fat content, although any kind will work. For a dairy-free option, I recommend full-fat coconut milk.
- Cinnamon –A warm spice that pairs perfectly with the apples.
See all the ingredients and amounts in the recipe card below.
Instructions to make a Sourdough Apple Fritter Loaf
Step 1: Grease a 8.5 x 4.5″ loaf pan or line with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar and beat until smooth with hand beaters or your paddle attachment.
Step 2: Add in the egg, sourdough discard, and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Whisk in the milk. If you use cold ingredients, the butter will curdle (like shown here), but it still bakes up well.
Step 3: Add the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until the flour mixture is just combined. It’s okay if that batter is a little lumpy, you do not want to overmix.
Step 4: Peel and dice the apples. If you want bigger chunks of apples, you can dice your apples larger, or if you prefer a softer, more uniform texture, chop them into small pieces. Fold in the diced apples to the batter with a spatula.
Step 5: In a small bowl, add the cinnamon and brown sugar and stir to combine.
Step 6: Add half the batter to the prepared loaf pan, and then add all but 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon sugar mixture on top.
Step 7: Add the remaining batter on top and then sprinkle with the 2-Tablespoons of cinnamon sugar.
Step 8: Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 55-60 minutes. All ovens are different, so be sure the internal temperature reaches 200°F before removing from the oven.
Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool.
Step 9: Make the glaze by mixing together the powdered sugar, milk, and a splash of vanilla, and then drizzle on top of the Sourdough Apple Fritter Bread. Slice and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Do not overmix the batter. Only incorporate until the flour is just incorporated. Overmixing can cause the bread to become tough.
- Fully cream the butter with the sugars to ensure a light and fluffy texture.
- Ovens can vary, so to ensure the apple fritter bread is baked properly, be sure the internal temperature reaches 200°F before removing from the oven.
- To prevent the butter from curdling, use room temperature ingredients. Although if it does curdle, don’t stress it still bakes up well!
Storage Instructions
To store, add the Sourdough Apple Fritter Bread to an airtight container or bag. They can be stored on the counter for up to 5 days.
To freeze, wrap the bread in plastic wrap or store it in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. To thaw, remove the bread from the freezer and let it thaw on the counter. Or, you can slice the apple fritter bread and place parchment paper in between each slice before freezing to enjoy a piece at a time. Just pop it in the microwave to quickly thaw.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, you can use either active starter or sourdough discard in this Sourdough Apple Fritter Bread.
Yes, if you would like to long ferment the batter, simply add the batter to the fridge for 12-24 hours before baking.
If you’d like to make muffins instead, I recommend trying my Sourdough Apple Muffin recipe!
More sourdough Quick Breads
Fall Sourdough Recipes
Sourdough Pumpkin Mini Muffins
Fall Sourdough Recipes
Sourdough Apple Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel
Sourdough Snack Recipes
Sourdough Chocolate Mini Muffins
Sourdough Quick Bread Recipes
Sourdough Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping
Tried this Sourdough Apple Fritter Bread or another recipe from the site? I’d love to hear about it! Drop a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments—can’t wait to see what you’re baking!
Sourdough Apple Fritter Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 50 grams granulated sugar, 1/4 cup
- 55 grams brown sugar, 1/4 cup
- 113 grams butter, room temperature, ½ cup
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 80 grams sourdough discard, room temperature, ⅓ cup
- 5 grams vanilla extract , 1 teaspoon
- 180 grams milk, room temperature, ¾ cup
- 175 grams all-purpose flour, 1 ¼ cups
- 10 grams baking powder, 2 teaspoons
- 3 grams salt, ½ teaspoon
- 150 grams apples, peeled and diced, 1 ½ cups
Filling:
- 110 grams brown sugar, ½ cup
- 8 grams cinnamon, 1 Tablespoon
Icing:
- 90 grams powdered sugar, ¾ cup
- 30 grams milk, 2 Tablespoons
- 3 grams vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 8.5 x 4.5″ loaf pan or line with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and sugars and beat until smooth with hand beaters or your paddle attachment.50 grams granulated sugar, 55 grams brown sugar, 113 grams butter
- Add in the egg, discard and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated. Then whisk in the milk. If using cold ingredients, the butter will likely curdle, but will still bake up fine. 1 egg, 80 grams sourdough discard, 5 grams vanilla extract , 180 grams milk
- Fold in the dry ingredients. Mix until the flour mixture is just combined. It’s okay if that batter is a little lumpy, you do not want to overmix.175 grams all-purpose flour, 10 grams baking powder, 3 grams salt
- Peel and dice the apples. If you want bigger chunks of apples, you can dice your apples larger, or if you prefer a softer, more uniform texture, chop them into small pieces.150 grams apples, peeled and diced
- Add the diced apples to the batter and fold to combine.
- In a small bowl, add the cinnamon and sugar and stir to combine.110 grams brown sugar, 8 grams cinnamon
- Add half the batter to the prepared loaf pan, and then add all but 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon sugar mixture on top.
- Add the remaining batter on top and then finish with the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 200℉.
- Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool.
- Make the glaze by mixing together the powdered sugar, milk, and a splash of vanilla, and then drizzle it on top of the Sourdough Apple Fritter Bread. Slice and enjoy!90 grams powdered sugar, 30 grams milk, 3 grams vanilla extract
Notes
- You can use any type of fresh apples you’d like, such as Gala, Honeycrisp, or, for a more tart flavor, Granny Smith apples.
- Do not overmix the batter. Only incorporate until the flour is just incorporated. Overmixing can cause the bread to become tough.
- Fully cream the butter with the sugars to ensure a light and fluffy texture.
- Use room temperature ingredients to prevent the butter from curdling.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I loooved this recipe! So simple but so great!
Thank you Sarah I’m so happy to hear that!
We think that this bread is delicious. I didn’t put the glaze on the bread and it was great. Thank you for all your hard work creating this recipe and for sharing. ♥️
Thank you Mary!
This was absolutely delicious. I’m already planning on making it again. I substituted 150g of fresh milled soft white wheat berries for the AP flour. Thanks for a great recipe.
Happy to hear it worked well with fresh milled flour. Thank you!
So good, it didn’t last long! I just followed the recipe.
Thanks so much Desiree!
This sourdough apple fritter bread is so delicious! It’s so light and soft and perfect for fall with the cinnamon sugar and apple flavor.