Introduction

Oh, remember those crisp autumn days, the scent of cinnamon wafting through the air, and the absolute joy of a perfectly baked apple pie? Well, get ready to relive those cozy vibes, but with a delightful twist! I’m so excited to share this Sourdough Apple Pie Focaccia recipe with you. It’s like a warm hug in a baking pan – a wonderfully rustic, soft, chewy focaccia infused with the classic flavors of apple pie, all made with the magic of sourdough. It’s surprisingly simple and incredibly rewarding, perfect for impressing guests or just treating yourself to something truly special.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast (Relatively!): While sourdough takes time to develop its incredible flavor, the active prep for this focaccia is surprisingly quick!
Easy: Even if you’re new to sourdough, this recipe is designed to be straightforward and forgiving.
Giftable: Imagine gifting a warm, fragrant loaf of this focaccia to a friend or neighbor. They’ll be absolutely smitten!
Crowd-Pleasing: The irresistible combination of sweet apples, warm cinnamon, and that signature sourdough tang is a guaranteed hit for everyone.

Ingredients

Let’s gather our goodies! Don’t be intimidated by the sourdough starter and levain; they’re the secret to that amazing flavor and texture.

For the Focaccia Dough:

5 grams ripe, active sourdough starter: This is your starter’s bubbly, lively self, ready to work its magic.
55 grams all-purpose flour: The building blocks for our initial starter mix.
55 grams water: To get our starter going strong.
100 grams ripe, active levain: This is essentially a well-fed sourdough starter, ready to give our focaccia its lift and tang.
300 grams water: More hydration for that wonderfully soft crumb.
250 grams grated apple: Use your favorite baking apples – Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or a mix work beautifully!
20 grams granulated sugar: Just a touch to help tenderize the dough and complement the apple.
10 grams salt: Crucial for flavor and dough structure.
500 grams bread flour: Bread flour gives us that perfect chewy texture.
40 grams light tasting olive oil: For richness and that signature focaccia sheen.
30 grams unsalted butter, melted: A little richness goes a long way!

For the Apple Filling:

120 grams brown sugar, packed: The molasses in brown sugar adds a lovely caramel note.
6 grams ground cinnamon: The quintessential apple pie spice!

For the Crumb Topping:

30 grams unsalted butter, softened: Key for that crumbly texture.
30 grams brown sugar: For sweetness and that delightful crisp.
2 grams ground cinnamon: Double the cinnamon, double the joy!
50 grams all-purpose flour: The base of our delicious crumble.
Pinch of salt: To balance out the sweetness.

For the Sweet Glaze:

150 grams powdered sugar: For that classic sweet finish.
30 grams milk: To get the perfect drizzling consistency.
5 grams vanilla extract: A hint of warmth and aroma.
Pinch of salt: Again, just to make those sweet flavors pop!

How to Make It

Alright, let’s get our hands a little bit floury and create some magic!

Prepare the Dough: Grab a large bowl. Combine your ripe sourdough starter, 55 grams of all-purpose flour, and 55 grams of water. Give it a good mix until there are no dry bits. Cover it up and let it rest for about 1 hour. This is called a “starter rest” or “autolyse,” and it helps the flour absorb the water, making the dough easier to work with.
Add the Good Stuff: Now, to that same bowl, add your active levain, the 300 grams of water, your grated apple, the 20 grams of granulated sugar, the 10 grams of salt, and the 500 grams of bread flour. Mix everything together until it forms a shaggy, messy dough. Don’t worry about it being perfectly smooth yet!
Knead Your Dough: Lightly flour your work surface and turn the dough out onto it. Now for the fun part! Knead the dough for about 10-15 minutes. You’re looking for a dough that becomes smooth and elastic. If it’s sticking too much, add just a tiny bit more flour, but try to resist adding too much. I like to do a “stretch and fold” method for about 5 minutes to build strength.
First Rise: Lightly oil a clean bowl. Place your kneaded dough in the bowl, turning it to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel. Let it rest at room temperature for 2-3 hours, or until it has roughly doubled in size. The warmer your kitchen, the faster it will rise!
Prepare the Filling: While the dough is doing its thing, let’s get the apple filling ready. In a small bowl, simply mix the 120 grams of brown sugar and 6 grams of ground cinnamon together. Easy peasy!
Prepare the Crumb Topping: In another small bowl, combine the softened butter, 30 grams of brown sugar, 2 grams of cinnamon, 50 grams of all-purpose flour, and that pinch of salt. Use your fingertips or a fork to mix until it forms a lovely, crumbly texture.
Assemble the Focaccia: Time to build our masterpiece! Generously oil a 9×13 inch baking pan with the 40 grams of olive oil. This is important for that classic focaccia crisp bottom.
Shape the Dough: Gently transfer your risen dough into the prepared pan. Using your fingertips, gently press and stretch the dough outwards to fill the pan. Create those signature focaccia dimples by pressing your fingertips into the dough, going all the way down to the bottom of the pan.
Add the Apple Filling: Evenly scatter the prepared apple filling over the dimpled dough. Try to get it into all those little nooks and crannies.
Sprinkle the Crumble: Now, sprinkle that delicious crumb topping generously over the apple filling.
Second Rest: Cover the pan again and let the focaccia rest for another 30-60 minutes. This final rest helps the dough puff up a bit more before baking.
Bake Time! Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Butter Up! Once your oven is ready, brush the top of the focaccia with the 30 grams of melted unsalted butter. This adds a beautiful sheen and extra flavor.
Bake to Golden Perfection: Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the focaccia is a gorgeous golden brown and cooked through. The aroma filling your kitchen will be divine!
Make the Glaze: While your focaccia is cooling slightly, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and that final pinch of salt in a small bowl until you have a smooth, pourable glaze.
Drizzle and Serve: Drizzle the sweet glaze over the warm focaccia. Let it set for a few minutes, then slice and enjoy! It’s best served warm, but still absolutely delightful at room temperature.

Substitutions & Additions

This recipe is fantastic as is, but here are some fun ways to make it your own:

Apples: Feel free to mix up your apple varieties! A tart apple like Granny Smith paired with a sweeter one like Honeycrisp or Fuji creates a wonderful depth of flavor.
Spices: Not a huge cinnamon fan? Try adding a pinch of nutmeg, ginger, or cardamom to the filling or crumb topping for a different spice profile.
Nuts: Toasted pecans or walnuts chopped and added to the crumb topping or sprinkled over the apples before baking add a delightful crunch.
Glaze: If you’re not a fan of powdered sugar glaze, you can simply dust the focaccia with a little extra powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar after baking.
Citrus Zest: A little bit of lemon or orange zest mixed into the apple filling or the glaze can add a bright, fresh note.

Tips for Success

A few little tricks up my sleeve to help you achieve focaccia perfection:

Starter Activity: Make sure your sourdough starter and levain are truly active and bubbly before you start. This is key for a good rise and flavor.
Don’t Over-flour: Resist the urge to add too much extra flour when kneading. A slightly sticky dough is often a good sign of a moist, tender crumb.
Dimples: When dimpling the dough, oil your fingertips to prevent sticking. Press all the way down to the bottom of the pan to create those beautiful wells for the toppings.
Oven Temperature: Ovens can vary! Keep an eye on your focaccia during the last 10 minutes of baking. If it’s browning too quickly, you can loosely tent it with foil.
Prep Ahead: You can make the crumb topping and the apple filling a day or two in advance and store them in airtight containers. The sourdough starter and levain should also be kept active and fed regularly.

How to Store It

Once your Sourdough Apple Pie Focaccia has cooled completely, you can store it at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days. For longer storage, you can wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil, and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and gently reheat in a warm oven if desired.

FAQs

Is sourdough really necessary for this recipe?

Yes, the sourdough starter and levain are crucial for the unique flavor, texture, and slight tang that makes this focaccia so special. While you could technically adapt it with commercial yeast, you’d miss out on the signature sourdough goodness!

Can I use pre-grated apples?

While you can use pre-grated apples, I highly recommend grating them yourself just before adding them to the dough. This helps retain moisture and prevents them from becoming too watery during the baking process.

My dough didn’t double in size. What went wrong?

Several things could cause this! Your starter might not have been active enough, your kitchen might be too cool for the rise, or you might have added too much salt which can inhibit yeast activity. Don’t worry too much – even if it doesn’t double, as long as it increases in volume, it should still bake up nicely!

How do I get the crispy bottom on focaccia?

Generously oiling your baking pan and ensuring the dough is spread to the edges helps create that lovely crisp base. Also, baking at the correct temperature ensures the bottom gets direct heat and browns nicely.

Sourdough Apple Pie Focaccia

A rustic, soft, and chewy focaccia infused with the classic flavors of apple pie, made with the magic of sourdough.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 3

Cook Time 35

Servings 8 slices

Equipment

Large bowl for mixing and rising dough
9x13 inch baking pan for baking the focaccia
Small bowls for filling, topping, and glaze ingredients
Fork for mixing crumb topping
fingertips for kneading and dimpling dough
Whisk for making the glaze

Ingredients

Focaccia Dough

5 grams ripe, active sourdough starter bubbly and lively
55 grams all-purpose flour for initial starter mix
55 grams water to get starter going strong
100 grams ripe, active levain well-fed starter
300 grams water for hydration
250 grams grated apple Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or a mix
20 grams granulated sugar to tenderize dough
10 grams salt for flavor and structure
500 grams bread flour for chewy texture
40 grams light tasting olive oil for richness and sheen
30 grams unsalted butter, melted for richness

Apple Filling

120 grams brown sugar, packed for caramel note
6 grams ground cinnamon apple pie spice

Crumb Topping

30 grams unsalted butter, softened for crumbly texture
30 grams brown sugar for sweetness and crisp
2 grams ground cinnamon for joy
50 grams all-purpose flour base of crumble
1 pinch salt to balance sweetness

Sweet Glaze

150 grams powdered sugar for sweet finish
30 grams milk for drizzling consistency
5 grams vanilla extract for warmth and aroma
1 pinch salt to make flavors pop

Instructions

Prepare the Dough: Combine sourdough starter, 55g AP flour, and 55g water in a large bowl. Mix until no dry bits remain. Cover and let rest for 1 hour (starter rest/autolyse).
5 grams ripe, active sourdough starter
Add Ingredients: To the same bowl, add active levain, 300g water, grated apple, 20g granulated sugar, 10g salt, and 500g bread flour. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
5 grams ripe, active sourdough starter
Knead Dough: Lightly flour a work surface and turn out the dough. Knead for 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic. Use a stretch and fold method for 5 minutes to build strength. Add minimal flour if sticking.
First Rise: Lightly oil a clean bowl. Place dough in the bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 2-3 hours, or until doubled in size.
Prepare Filling: In a small bowl, mix 120g brown sugar and 6g cinnamon.
5 grams ripe, active sourdough starter
Prepare Crumb Topping: In another small bowl, combine softened butter, 30g brown sugar, 2g cinnamon, 50g AP flour, and a pinch of salt. Mix with fingertips or a fork until crumbly.
5 grams ripe, active sourdough starter
Assemble Focaccia: Generously oil a 9x13 inch baking pan with 40g olive oil.
5 grams ripe, active sourdough starter
Shape Dough: Gently transfer risen dough to the oiled pan. Press and stretch with fingertips to fill the pan. Create dimples by pressing fingertips to the bottom of the pan.
Add Filling: Evenly scatter the apple filling over the dimpled dough.
5 grams ripe, active sourdough starter
Sprinkle Topping: Generously sprinkle the crumb topping over the apple filling.
5 grams ripe, active sourdough starter
Second Rest: Cover the pan and let the focaccia rest for another 30-60 minutes.
Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
Butter Top: Brush the top of the focaccia with 30g melted unsalted butter.
5 grams ripe, active sourdough starter
Bake: Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
Make Glaze: While focaccia cools slightly, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth and pourable.
5 grams ripe, active sourdough starter
Drizzle and Serve: Drizzle the glaze over the warm focaccia. Let set for a few minutes, then slice and serve warm.
5 grams ripe, active sourdough starter

Notes

Make sure your sourdough starter and levain are active and bubbly. Resist adding too much flour when kneading. Oil your fingertips for dimpling. Monitor baking closely as ovens vary. Crumb topping and apple filling can be made a day or two ahead.