Sourdough Discard Sour Cream Apple Bread
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if you purchase through these links at no extra cost to you. #ad
There is something about apple bread baking in the oven that just makes the whole kitchen feel warmer.
I made this one because I had some sourdough discard that needed to be used and a pile of apples sitting in my kitchen. I wanted something soft and moist, full of cinnamon apples, but not overly sweet.
And I have to tell you…
I just ate a slice, and it is yummy.
The bread is moist, the apples become soft and cinnamon-filled as they bake, and the simple vanilla glaze adds just enough sweetness on top.
This is definitely one of those recipes that makes your kitchen smell amazing while it’s baking—and makes waiting for it to cool very difficult.
Ingredients
For the Bread
- 275 grams sourdough discard — 1 cup, unfed and room temperature
- 250 grams all-purpose flour — about 1 ⅔ cups
- 8 grams baking powder — 2 teaspoons
- 2 grams baking soda — ½ teaspoon
- 84 grams salted butter — 6 tablespoons, melted and cooled slightly
- 120 grams full-fat sour cream — ½ cup
- 100 grams granulated sugar or 1:1 sugar substitute — about ½ cup
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cinnamon Apple Layer
- 350 grams apples, peeled and finely diced
- 36 grams sugar or 1:1 sugar substitute — about 3 tablespoons
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 12 grams all-purpose flour — 1 ½ tablespoons
I used McIntosh apples, but you can use whatever kind of apples you prefer. If you have apples sitting in your kitchen that need to be used, this is a great recipe for them.
Just make sure you have 350 grams of peeled, diced apples.
The little bit of flour tossed with the apples is important. Apples release moisture as they bake, and the flour helps absorb some of that extra juice so the bread stays moist without becoming soggy.
For the Vanilla Glaze
- 60 grams powdered sugar — about ½ cup
- 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons milk or milk alternative
I used unsweetened vanilla coconut milk because that’s what I had in my refrigerator. You can use whatever milk or milk alternative you have on hand.
Tools You'll Need
- 9 × 5-inch nonstick loaf pan (paid link)
- Measuring cups & Spoons (paid link)
- Kitchen scale (paid link)
- Glass mixing bowls (paid link)
- Dough whisk (paid link)
- Silicone spatula (paid link)
- Vegetable peeler (paid link)
- Paring knife (paid link)
- Cutting board (paid link)
- Cooling rack (paid link)
- Aluminum foil (paid link)
Looking for Sourdough Tools?
If you’re getting more serious about sourdough baking—or you’re just discovering how handy a few good bread-baking tools can be—I put together a Sourdough Tools & Accessories guide with some of the things that can make baking a little easier.
Instructions
1. Get the Pan Ready
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
I used a 9 × 5-inch nonstick loaf pan and generously buttered the inside of the pan.
No parchment needed. Just make sure the pan is nicely coated with butter.
2. Prepare the Apples
Peel your apples and cut them into small pieces.
You want 350 grams of peeled, diced apples.
I used McIntosh apples because that’s what I had, but this is a great recipe for using whatever apples you already have in your kitchen.
Place the apples in a glass mixing bowl and add:
- 3 tablespoons sugar or 1:1 sugar substitute
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
Give everything a really good toss so the apples are evenly coated.
Set them aside while you make the batter.
And don’t skip that little bit of flour. Apples are juicy, which is part of what makes this bread so good, but we don’t want all that extra juice making the loaf too wet.
3. Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a large glass mixing bowl, add:
- 250 grams all-purpose flour
- 8 grams baking powder
- 2 grams baking soda
- 100 grams sugar or 1:1 sugar substitute
Whisk everything together until it’s evenly combined.
I used my dough whisk for this, but a regular whisk works just fine too.
4. Mix the Wet Ingredients
In another bowl, add:
- 275 grams sourdough discard
- 120 grams sour cream
- 84 grams melted and slightly cooled butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Whisk everything together until smooth.
Your sourdough discard does not need to be active for this recipe. That’s one of the things I love about using discard—it gives you another delicious way to use what might otherwise go to waste.
5. Bring the Batter Together
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Now, don’t overthink this part.
Gently mix everything together with your dough whisk or spatula just until you no longer see dry flour.
The batter is going to be thick.
Really thick.
That’s okay.
Don’t add extra liquid. The apples are going to release plenty of moisture while the bread bakes.
6. Layer the Batter and Apples
Spoon about half of the batter into your buttered 9 × 5-inch loaf pan.
Spread it out as evenly as you can.
Scatter about half of the cinnamon-coated apples over the batter.
Now spoon the remaining batter over the apples. Because the batter is thick, gently spread it with your spatula to cover the apples.
Top with the remaining apples.
I like to gently press the apples on top down just a little so they settle into the surface of the batter.
It doesn’t have to look perfect.
It’s homemade apple bread. A little rustic is part of the charm.
7. Bake
Place the loaf in your 350°F oven.
Bake for approximately 65–80 minutes.
Because there are 350 grams of apples in this loaf, don’t be surprised if it needs the longer end of that range.
Start checking around 65 minutes by inserting a toothpick into the center.
You want it to come out clean or with a few dry crumbs.
If the top starts getting too brown before the center is finished, loosely cover the loaf with aluminum foil and continue baking.
The most important thing here is making sure the center is baked through.
8. Let It Cool
When the bread is finished, let it cool in the pan for about 20–30 minutes.
Then carefully remove it from the pan and place it on a cooling rack.
Let it cool completely before glazing.
I know. This is the hardest part.
The kitchen smells amazing, the bread is sitting right there, and you just want a piece.
But give it some time.
It will slice much better once it has cooled.
9. Make the Vanilla Glaze
Once the bread is cooling, make your glaze.
Add ½ cup powdered sugar to a small bowl.
Slowly add your milk or milk alternative, about 1 teaspoon at a time, whisking well after each addition.
You want a smooth, thick glaze that drizzles easily over the bread.
Start with the smaller amount of milk. If it’s too thick, add just a little more until you reach the consistency you like.
10. Drizzle, Slice & Enjoy
Once the bread is completely cool, drizzle the vanilla glaze over the top.
Then slice it.
And this is the part where you get to find out if all that waiting was worth it.
It was.
The bread is soft and moist, the apples are tender and full of cinnamon flavor, and the glaze adds just enough sweetness without overpowering the apple bread.
I just had a slice of mine, and honestly…
It’s yummy.
A cup of coffee alongside it would not be a bad idea either.
You Might Also Enjoy
If you’re enjoying this apple bread and have been getting into sourdough baking, you might also want to try another homemade recipe from Blooming Harbor.
Homemade Oat Bread is another simple homemade bread recipe that’s perfect for keeping the kitchen smelling wonderful and putting that sourdough enthusiasm to good use.
A Little Blooming Harbor Note
I love recipes like this because they don’t require a special trip to the grocery store.
I used monk fruit sweetener because that’s what I had in my kitchen, McIntosh apples because that’s what I had, and unsweetened vanilla coconut milk for the glaze because that’s what was in my refrigerator.
But you don’t have to use those.
Use the sugar you normally bake with. Use the apples you enjoy. Use the milk or milk alternative you have on hand.
That’s how I cook most of the time.
You don’t always need exactly what someone else used in order to make something delicious.
Sometimes you just need a few apples, some sourdough discard, and whatever happens to be in your pantry.
And sometimes that turns into a really yummy slice of apple bread.