This Sourdough Discard Apple Pull Apart Bread is like if a cinnamon roll and a pull-apart loaf had a baby (plus, of course, apples)! It is a sweet treat that is fun to make and fun to eat, and a perfect way to use those fall apples. Enjoy this as a sweet brunch item, afternoon treat, or dessert loaf!
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Delicious! This recipe is a keeper! I can't wait to try the garlic version next.
- Sarah
Why you'll love this recipe
- The irregularity is part of the charm, so embrace the irregular shapes of the dough and have fun with it! It's also a great recipe to make with young or less-experienced bread bakers since the dough is very forgiving.
- Love a pull-apart bread? Try my Sourdough Discard Garlic Pull Apart Bread and Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Pull Apart Bread, too!
- The layers create a sweet bread from the cinnamon and brown sugar mixture, the apples, and the glaze. A delicious treat that is fun to peel and eat!
- Use your favorite fall apples for the ultimate fall flavor!
- If you're looking for other apple desserts, try these Sourdough Apple Muffins, Sourdough Discard Apple Cinnamon Rolls, and Sourdough Apple Pie Bars.
- This recipe is a great way to use up some of your sourdough discard. You can also make this recipe with active sourdough starter, if you prefer!
Ingredients
There are only a few key ingredients you'll need to make this Sourdough Discard Apple Pull Apart Bread.
- Sourdough discard: The sourdough discard should be unfed and at room temperature for this recipe. This recipe is designed for a sourdough starter that uses a 1:1 ratio (when you feed your starter, it's with 1 part water and 1 part flour). If your starter uses a different ratio, you may need to adjust some of the ingredients in this recipe.
- Learn more about how to make a sourdough starter.
- Apple: You will use one cup of diced apples (about 1 medium apple) for this recipe. It's important that it's a small dice as apple chunks that are too large will not bake as well, will hold more moisture (making it harder for your bread to bake fully), and will make it harder for your finished loaf to hold together.
- I like to use Gala Apples, but other apple types that work well are Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Fuji, Granny Smith, and Pink Lady apples.
See full recipe below for detailed directions.
Substitutions & Variations
This is a very adaptable recipe and below are a few easy substitutions and variations you can try.
- Use active sourdough starter - If you'd like to make this recipe with active sourdough starter, you can! To do so, omit the yeast and replace the sourdough discard with active starter (200g). You will also need to adjust the rise times.
- Add nuts - You can add up to ¼ cup of chopped nuts (such as walnuts) with the apples as you're assembling the layers.
- Add dried raisins or cranberries - You can add up to ¼ cup of dried raisins or cranberries along with the apples when you're assembling the layers.
- Interested in other cozy, fall desserts? Try this Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread, Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia, and this Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Pull Apart Bread.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Apple Pull Apart Bread
As long as you're patient with the rise times, this recipe comes together in a few easy steps. The full recipe with detailed directions is at the bottom of this post.
- Step 1: Combine all dough ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. You can also make this dough in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon.
- Step 2: Knead until a smooth, soft dough forms. The dough will be slightly tacky, but not sticky. Transfer to a large, greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 60-90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Step 3: Turn the dough onto a work surface and divide into 10 equal-sized pieces. I recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Step 4: Using the palm of your hand, press each piece of dough into an oval shape, approximately 4 inches in diameter.
- Step 5: Spread with softened butter, then sprinkle generously with the brown sugar mixture.
- Step 6: Add apples to half of the oval. Fold in half (like a taco).
- Step 7: Stack the layers in the baking pan, fold-side down. Repeat until the pan is full.
- Step 8: Bake until golden brown, then let cool slightly in the pan. Pour the glaze over top when you're ready to serve!
Expert Baking Tips
- Make sure to knead the dough long enough. The dough should be smooth and soft, and slightly tacky (but not sticky) when you put it in the bowl for the first rise.
- Use a kitchen scale to divide the dough. This way, your pieces will all be the same size and will bake consistently.
- Embrace the irregularity of the flattened dough shapes! You'll press each dough piece into an oval shape with your hand, and they'll be irregular. Again, this is part of the charm! Embrace it!
- Place a pan under your loaf while baking to catch any drips! Depending on the size of your pan, how much the dough has risen, and the juiciness of your apples, you may have some drips while baking. If you place a baking sheet on the rack below the loaf, this will catch them!
- Let the baked bread cool before adding the glaze. If the loaf is still warm, the glaze will melt right off. It'll still be delicious, though!
- Use a kitchen thermometer to make sure the loaf is fully baked. When finished, the loaf will reach an internal temperature of 200℉.
Storage
Refrigerator Storage: Store the loaf covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. You can reheat the bread for 15-30 seconds in the microwave to make it warm and soft again.
Freezer Storage: If you want to store this bread to enjoy later, let it cool fully, then transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container or bag before adding the glaze. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let the bread thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then you can reheat the bread in the microwave for about 60 seconds to make it warm and soft again. Top with the glaze before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Sourdough discard is what is leftover after you feed your sourdough starter. You can either literally discard it (throw it away or compost it), or you can use it in sourdough discard recipes like this one.
If you're new to working with sourdough starter, check out these in-depth guides on how to feed sourdough starter, how to use sourdough discard, and tips for struggling sourdough starter.
This is going to be about personal preference. I like to use Gala Apples, but other apple types that work well are Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Fuji, Granny Smith, and Pink Lady apples.
If you want to make this dough and then let it rise to bake in the morning, you can. Assemble the loaf in the layers in the 9x5-inch baking pan, then cover and place in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, let the dough come to room temperature, then bake as directed.
Use a kitchen thermometer to make sure the loaf is fully baked. When finished, the loaf will reach an internal temperature of 200℉.
After the initial 30 minutes of baking, it may look like it's finished, but it's not! The second part of baking (covered with aluminum foil) is important to make sure the center of the loaf bakes fully.
More Sourdough Discard Fall Recipes
If you tried this Sourdough Discard Apple Pull Apart Bread or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I'd love to hear from you! Happy Baking!
Sourdough Discard Apple Pull Apart Bread
Ingredients
For the Dough
- ¼ cup milk non-dairy or regular dairy, warmed to 110℉
- 1 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ¾ cup + 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 200 grams (about ¾ cup) sourdough discard unfed, at room temperature
- 1 egg lightly beaten, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For the Filling
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened and divided
- 1 cup diced apple about 1 medium apple
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 6 Tablespoons brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoons milk non-dairy or regular dairy
- 1 teapsoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the dough. Combine all dough ingredients except melted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook*. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add 2 Tablespoons melted butter. Increase speed to medium and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead by hand until a smooth dough forms. The dough should be completely smooth and slightly tacky, but not sticky. If needed, add more milk or flour (1 Tablespoon at a time) until you reach the desired consistency.
- Transfer the dough to a large, greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise 60-90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Make the filling. While the dough rises, make the filling. In a small skillet over medium heat, melt 1 Tablespoon butter (the remaining softened butter will be used to assemble the layers). Add the diced apples to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Set aside to cool.
- Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and set aside**. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir until combined and set aside.
- Shape the dough. After the rise, turn the dough onto a clean work surface and divide into 10 equal-sized pieces. I recommend using a kitchen scale (weigh the full dough, then divide by 10 to determine the weight for each piece. For mine, it was about 65g). Flatten each dough piece with the palm of your hand into an oval shape, approximately 4 inches in diameter. Spread with softened butter, then sprinkle generously with the brown sugar mixture. Add apples to half of the oval.
- Fold the piece in half (like a taco), then transfer to the prepared loaf pan, fold-side down on the bottom of the pan. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough until the pan is filled.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let rise 30-45 minutes until puffed. The dough should not rise abve the edges of the loaf pan.
- Bake the loaf. Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃). Place an empty baking sheet on the bottom rack to catch any drips.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then tent with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Use a kitchen thermometer to make sure the loaf is fully baked. When finished, the loaf will reach an internal temperature of 200℉ (93℃).The loaf may look like it's done baking after the initial 30 minutes, but it's not! The outside is baked, but the inside is still raw, so make sure to cover with foil and continue baking!Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool fully.
- While the loaf cools, make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk until smooth. Spoon the glaze over the bread before serving.
Courtney says
I really like this recipe. I've made it twice once all by itself and once doubling it. The loafs come out fantastic they're flavorful their buttery they're everything you could ever want. That beautiful hint of apple and cinnamon they taste like fall . My big critique though is the flour quantity it's nowhere near enough. Both times have made the recipe I've had to add at least a quarter to a half a cup of flour.
Jessica Vogl says
Thanks for the feedback, Courtney! Out of curiosity, are you using the cups or grams measurements?
Brooke Mathis says
My discard jar is starter that I normally feed 1:5:5. How would I adjust the recipe
Jessica Vogl says
You're still feeding equal parts flour and water, so you can use the recipe as written.
Sharon Coleman says
I guess I did something wrong. I found lacking favor and sweetness.
Danielle Bucki says
Can I freeze this raw and bake it later? Or is it better to freeze after I bake?
Jessica Vogl says
It would be better to freeze after you bake.
Heather says
I was looking for soft fluffy loaf, for me this gave a dense chewy loaf instead. It tastes delish though