Sourdough Apple Fritter Focaccia
This sourdough apple fritter focaccia is taking a sweet sourdough focaccia recipe to another level. With swirling cinnamon sugar apple filling throughout and piled on top, it’s like an apple fritter from your favorite donut shop– but even better. It’s made with only active sourdough starter as the leaven, and no instant yeast.
It can be a same day sourdough focaccia recipe OR an overnight sourdough focaccia recipe, depending on your schedule.
Scroll down for the recipe card, followed by detailed step-by-step instructions (with photos). Check out my sample same day baking schedule OR how to easily make it an overnight recipe.
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If you like this recipe. you’ll love my Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Focaccia. It’s where my obsession with sweet sourdough focaccia recipes began.
Sourdough Apple Fritter Focaccia Recipe
Sourdough Apple Fritter Focaccia
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Dough whisk
- Kitchen towel
- Medium saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- 9×13 glass baking dish
- Kitchen scale (if using gram measurements)
Ingredients
Sourdough Focaccia Dough
- 200 g active sourdough starter about 1 cup
- 400 g warm water about 1 ⅔ cups (warm water between 110℉-110℉, no hotter)
- 10 g salt 1 ½ teaspoons
- 510 g unbleached flour about 3 ½ cups
- avocado cooking spray or cooking spray of choice for spraying 2nd mixing bowl
- 30 g salted butter, melted reserved for baking dish, about 2 Tablespoons
Apple Fritter Focaccia Topping
- 115 g salted butter 1/2 cup or 1 stick
- 100 g brown sugar 1/2 cup
- 2 g vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon
- 12 g ground cinnamon 2 Tablespoons
- 3 medium apples cored, peeled, and finely diced
Vanilla Glaze Icing
- 120 g powdered sugar about 1 cup
- 30 g milk about 2 Tablespoons
- 2 g vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon
Instructions
Sourdough Focaccia Dough
- Mix Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine active sourdough starter and water. Whisk to combine until starter is evenly dissolved.
- Add salt and flour to mixture and whisk to combine to form dough. Dough will be very wet and sticky and not come together right away. This is normal! Let dough rest for 30 minutes.
- 1 Set of Stretch and Folds: After 30 minute rest, perform 1 set of stretch and folds. You only need 1 set during the bulk fermentation for this recipe. The dough will still be very wet, shaggy, and stretchy even after stretch and folds.How to stretch and fold: With slightly wet fingers, grab one side of the dough and stretch the dough upward. Fold the dough into the center. Slightly rotate the bowl and repeat 8-10 times until all sides of the dough have been stretched up and folded into the center. This is 1 set of stretch and folds.
- Bulk Fermentation (or 1st Proof)*: Spray 2nd mixing bowl with avocado cooking spray (or cooking spray of choice). Since this dough is very sticky and wet, cooking spray helps the dough transfer better. Transfer dough to greased mixing bowl and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Place in an oven (not turned on) with oven light on. *See Note about using warmth to speed up rise times.
- Let dough sit covered for about 4 hours or until the dough has grown in size by 50% to 75%. And is bubbly, jiggly, and passes the poke test. Always rely on visual cues for bulk fermentation versus a timer. Fermentation time depends on strength of your sourdough starter, what type of flour you use, and how warm your kitchen is.How to do the poke test: Wet a finger with water and poke the dough. If the dough springs slowly and leaves a slight indentation, it's ready. If the dough springs back quickly, it needs more time to proof.
- Prepare the Baking Dish: Once dough is proofed, line a 9×13 glass baking dish with parchment paper. Pour 30 grams (2 Tbsp) of melted butter on the parchment paper and spread around to cover the bottom of the pan. Transfer dough to baking dish. Gently stretch it to the edge and let it sit while you prepare the topping.
OVERNIGHT Instructions
- Mix up your focaccia dough in the late afternoon and perform 1 stretch and fold. Allow to ferment at room temperature for a few hours. Then cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and place in fridge overnight.The next morning, simply continue with the instructions for 2nd proof (allowing for extra time for dough to return to room temperature), topping, and baking.
Apple Fritter Focaccia Topping
- Peel and dice apples into small pieces. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, and add brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Be careful to remove from heat so the sugar doesn't burn. Stir to combine and fold in apples.
- Scoop about 1/3 of the cinnamon sugar apple mixture onto the dough in the pan. Fold it into the dough by pulling the sides of the dough into the center. It will be very messy and that's okay! Flip the dough over so it is seam side down in the pan. Spread the dough back out by pushing it gently to the edges with your fingers.
- Cover pan with damp kitchen towel. Place pan back in oven with the oven light on for a 2nd rise for 1 hour or until the dough has nearly doubled in size and mostly filled pan. The dough will be bubbly and will have expanded to nearly reach the edges. *See Note about using warmth to speed up rise times.
- After 2nd proof, remove baking pan from oven and place on counter. Preheat the oven to 425℉ while you add the rest of the topping.
- Dimple Dough: On low heat, warm the remaining cinnamon sugar apple mixture up on the stove to make it pourable. Scoop the remaining mixture all over the top of the dough. It may look soppy and runny. Use your fingers to poke the dough to create "dimples." Gently push the dough all over to expand it fully in the pan and push down the apple fritter mixture. The dough should be dimpled and covered with topping all over.
- Bake Focaccia: Place pan on the lowest rack of your oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes until focaccia is bubbling and golden brown.
Vanilla Glaze Icing
- Once baked, allow the focaccia to fully cool in the pan. Then remove it carefully from the parchment paper and place on a wire rack sitting on a shallow baking tray.
- Combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk in a small bowl. Brush glaze all over the cooled focaccia, making sure you brush the sides. Allow the glaze to cool and harden. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- The #1 KEY TIP to this same day recipe is using warmth to speed up the rise times. Keep the dough in a warm place like an oven with the light on, by a warm stove, OR placed in an oven that has been preheated to 170 degrees Fahrenheit and then turned off and allowed to slightly cool with the door open before placing dough inside.
- Types of Apples: I use Gala apples for this recipe. Other apple varieties that would be good are Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Pink Lady. These are all good baking apples. Avoid softer varieties of apples that get mushy when baked.
- Rise times for a sourdough recipe can be impacted by kitchen temperature, elevation, and many other factors. Always rely on visual cues for bulk fermentation and proofing versus relying on a timer.
- Using 200 grams of active starter means this recipe ferments and rises faster. Using a light in a turned-off oven provides a warmer environment and quicker fermentation. Proof times may be longer if left out on the counter or placed in a cooler area.
- Using a damp kitchen towel to cover the bowl keeps the dough from drying out during proofing.
- This dough is very wet and sticky pretty much the whole time. That’s okay! This leads to a soft focaccia in the end. But it’s also why using cooking oil like avocado oil, coconut oil, or olive oil is important to make the dough easier to transfer for baking.
How to Make Overnight Sourdough Apple Fritter Focaccia
This recipe is very adaptable. If you want to make it an overnight sourdough focaccia recipe, it’s easy. Just mix up your focaccia dough in the late afternoon and perform 1 stretch and fold. Allow the dough to ferment at room temperature for a few hours. Then cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and place in the fridge overnight. The next morning, simply continue with the instructions for 2nd proof (allowing for extra time for dough to return to room temperature), topping, and baking.
Or it can be a same day sourdough focaccia recipe by using warmth to and lots of active starter to speed up fermentation times. See my sample same day baking schedule below.
Sample Same Day Sourdough Apple Fritter Focaccia Baking Schedule
Note: This is just a sample guide. Results and proof times will depend on many factors such as strength of sourdough starter and warmth of kitchen/dough.
| Morning | |
| 8:00am | *To use active starter, feed your starter the night before. Mix up focaccia dough. Let sit for 30 minutes in a bowl covered with damp kitchen towel. |
| 8:30am | Do one set of stretch and folds. Transfer dough to greased bowl. Cover with damp towel and place in oven with the oven light turned on. |
| Let sit for bulk ferment for 4 hours. Check on dough periodically to gauge how fermented dough is getting. | |
| Afternoon | |
| 12:30pm | Check on dough and do the poke test. Wet a finger with water and poke the dough. If the dough springs slowly and leaves a slight indentation, it’s ready. If the dough springs back quickly, it needs more time to proof. |
| If dough is properly fermented, place dough in parchment paper lined baking pan. Make apple fritter topping and fold 1/3 of topping into dough. Cover pan with damp kitchen towel and place back in oven with oven light on for 1 hour for the 2nd proof. | |
| 2:00pm | Remove pan from oven when dough is ready and place on counter. Preheat oven to 425 Fahrenheit. |
| Pour the rest of the topping over the dough evenly and dimple it with your fingers. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool. | |
| 3:30pm | Mix up vanilla glaze icing and brush over the top and sides of cooled focaccia. Slice and serve. |
Important Ingredients
This recipe uses many pantry staples but some ingredients to note:
- Active sourdough starter – You’ll need to use sourdough starter that has been fed in the last 12 hours. We’re looking for active and bubbly starter here.
- Apples – Use a firm apple variety that’s good for baking such as Gala, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Granny Smith. You don’t want to use soft varieties apples that become mushy when baked. They will make this recipe too wet if they get mushy.
- Unbleached flour – My favorite unbleached flour is the organic King Arthur flour. You can use the King Arthur regular unbleached all purpose flour or the bread flour here. Either is fine.
- Butter – You can use salted or unsalted for this recipe.
- Vanilla extract – Maybe I’m biased, but there is nothing like the flavor of homemade vanilla extract. I think it levels up any sweet treat recipe. Any kind of vanilla extract will do, but if you want to kick it up a notch, use homemade. I like this recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card above.
How to Make Sourdough Apple Fritter Focaccia Bread: Step-by-Step (With Photos)
Sourdough Focaccia Dough
Step 1: Mix Dough – In a large mixing bowl, combine active sourdough starter and water. Whisk to combine until starter is evenly dissolved. Here is the Danish dough whisk pictured here.
Step 2: Add salt and flour to mixture and whisk to combine to form dough. Dough will be very wet and sticky and not come together right away. This is normal! Let dough rest for 30 minutes.
Step 3: 1 Set of Stretch and Folds – After 30 minute rest, perform 1 set of stretch and folds. You only need 1 set during the bulk fermentation for this recipe. The dough will still be very wet, shaggy, and stretchy even after stretch and folds.
How to stretch and fold: With slightly wet fingers, grab one side of the dough and stretch the dough upward. Fold the dough into the center. Slightly rotate the bowl and repeat 8-10 times until all sides of the dough have been stretched up and folded into the center. This is 1 set of stretch and folds.
Step 4: Bulk Fermentation (or 1st Proof) – Spray 2nd mixing bowl with avocado cooking spray (or cooking spray of choice). Since this dough is very sticky and wet, cooking spray helps the dough transfer better. Transfer dough to greased mixing bowl and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Place in an oven (not turned on) with oven light on.
Step 5: Let dough sit covered for about 4 hours or until the dough has grown in size by 50% to 75%. And is bubbly, jiggly, and passes the poke test. Always rely on visual cues for bulk fermentation versus a timer. Fermentation time depends on strength of your sourdough starter, what type of flour you use, and how warm your kitchen is.
How to do the poke test: Wet a finger with water and poke the dough. If the dough springs slowly and leaves a slight indentation, it’s ready. If the dough springs back quickly, it needs more time to proof.
Step 6: Once dough is proofed, line a 9×13 glass baking dish with parchment paper. Pour 30 grams (2 Tbsp) of melted butter on the parchment paper and spread around to cover the bottom of the pan. Transfer dough to baking dish. Gently stretch it to the edge and let it sit while you prepare the topping.
Apple Fritter Topping
Step 1: Peel and dice apples into small pieces. Set aside.
Step 2: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, and add brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Be careful to remove from heat so the sugar doesn’t burn. Stir to combine and fold in apples.
Step 3: Scoop about 1/3 of the cinnamon sugar apple mixture onto the dough in the pan. Fold it into the dough by pulling the sides of the dough into the center. It will be very messy and that’s okay! Flip the dough over so it is seam side down in the pan. Spread the dough back out by pushing it gently to the edges with your fingers.
Step 4: Cover pan with damp kitchen towel. Place pan back in oven with the oven light on for a 2nd rise for 1 hour or until the dough has nearly doubled in size and mostly filled pan. The dough will be bubbly and will have expanded to nearly reach the edges. *See Note about using warmth to speed up rise times.
Step 5: After 2nd proof, remove baking pan from oven and place on counter. Preheat the oven to 425℉ while you add the rest of the topping.
Step 6: Dimple Dough – On low heat, warm the remaining cinnamon sugar apple mixture up on the stove to make it pourable. Scoop the remaining mixture all over the top of the dough. It may look soppy and runny. Use your fingers to poke the dough to create “dimples.” Gently push the dough all over to expand it fully in the pan and push down the apple fritter mixture. The dough should be dimpled and covered with topping all over.
Step 7: Bake Focaccia – Place pan on the lowest rack of your oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes until focaccia is bubbling and golden brown.
Vanilla Glaze Icing
Step 1: Once baked, allow the focaccia to fully cool in the pan. Then remove it carefully from the parchment paper and place on a wire rack sitting on a shallow baking tray.
Step 2: Combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk in a small bowl. Brush glaze all over the cooled focaccia, making sure you brush the sides. Allow the glaze to cool and harden. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
How to Store
Store any leftover sourdough apple fritter focaccia in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. If it lasts that long!
Frequently Asked Questions
This sourdough apple fritter focaccia recipe (without yeast) is perfect for any level of sourdough baker. It’s easily adaptable for an overnight sweet sourdough focaccia recipe. Or as a same day sourdough focaccia recipe that uses a lot of active sourdough starter. It’s better than a trip to your favorite donut shop. I hope you love it as much as we do!
Leave a comment below letting me know how you enjoyed this recipe or if you have any questions!
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This recipe is better than a trip to your favorite donut shop! We are obsessed. Ask me any questions in the comments and I’ll answer them as soon as I can!
Thank you so much for this! Apple fritters are my FAVORITE donut, but I’ve been gluten free (non celiac) for nearly a decade. Recently I’ve learned that I can now tolerate sourdough, and I’m living in a whole new world. This turned out sooooo good! Way better than the donuts I remember. And that glaze at the end? Perfection! Again, thank you!
That’s wonderful, I’m so glad you can enjoy sourdough!
Seriously! This looks amazing! I have to start getting into making sourdough
Focaccia is the easiest place to start with sourdough!
This looks SO delicious! We’ll have to make this instead of one of our usual SD bread loaves soon!
Yes, an extra special SD treat!
Apple fritters are my alltime favorite kinds of donuts. I used to get the best from a small town donut shop in WA. Now that I moved away, I’m missing them! Glad I found this recipe, because I am so going to try this. I’ve got a great sourdough going (Max) and I think he will love to be baked up into an apple fritter foccacia! Thanks for this amazing recipe!
Same here, we love apple fritters! Gives me that same homey feeling.
My husband’s favorite donut shop goodie is an apple fritter. He would love it if we had this at home. Looks sooo good!
It’s pretty incredible!
Wowww this sounds so good!! I feel like this would be amazing in the fall months!! I definitely need to try it out
Mmm, yes! All the apple cinnamon fall flavors.
this looks so ”gourmand” as we’d say in French! delicious looking!
Thank you so much! It is delicious.
The one reason I don’t make apple fritters is because I don’t want to fry them. This focaccia seems like the perfect recipe to enjoy the flavor but skip the frying. Can’t wait to try with some fresh apples!
You had me at apple fritter! Holy Batman this looks amazing!
I love this fantastic recipe! Wow this looks so delicious and you don’t have to fry anything. It’s on my list of recipes to make!
Oh man I am going to need to make this. It looks delicious!!
This looks so good!
Looks so yummy! Can’t wait to try it on a cozy rainy day!
This was absolutely incredible! I definitely had moments of doubt with how sticky the dough was, but I followed your instructions and the end result is one of the most delicious treats I have ever made!
So glad to hear you loved it, Cassidy! It can definitely be a “trust the process” recipe. 🙂
Oh my delicious! I make sourdough apple fritters… But what a nice variation! So much easier and healthier!
This looks so delicious, what a great idea a sourdough apple fritter focaccia bread!
I’ve been waiting to try making sourdough focaccia and I think I’ve just found the recipe to try!
Thanks, Jaice! Hope you enjoy!
Hi! First off, thanks so much for the recipe! It’s delicious! The only thing I had a problem with was it getting soggy. I also think that might have been the icings problem since it soaked in a bit. How can I prevent this? I think I’ll try cooking down the apples next to get some of the moisture out.
Hi, Lucie! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback. What type of apples did you use? Some varieties aren’t good to use because they get too mushy during baking. My recommendation is to use a very firm variety of apples. Melt the other ingredients for the apple mixture and then remove from heat before adding the apples. Don’t cook down the apples at all or they will get mushy. It’s also important to let the focaccia completely cool before adding the glaze. Hope this helps! Keep me posted how your future bakes turn out! 🙂
I don’t know how it’s possible to flip over the dough after adding the first apple mixture. It’s so messy and gooey. Even with the buttered parchment paper. So it baked without the paper. It smells amazing in my house, but I’m not sure it will come out of the pan.
Hi, Shantelle. A key step of the recipe is adding only 1/3 of the apple mixture at first. You fold in that 1/3 of the apple mixture and flip over the dough. The rest of the apple mixture is added on top later before baking. Adding all of it will make the dough much too messy to flip over. Hope this helps for next time! 🙂
This was so great! I love apple fritters and have made them homemade. This is easier, less messy, and still delicious without the frying! I may tone down the cinnamon just a touch next time but that’s just a preference. We all enjoyed!
Thanks so much, Shauna! I agree. Why go through all the work of frying when this is so much easier? So glad everyone enjoyed!