Sweet, spiced, and perfect for sharing
There’s something magical about the smell of apple and cinnamon drifting through the kitchen as this loaf bakes. It’s warm, inviting, and instantly makes your home feel like the coziest place on earth. This Rustic Apple Sourdough Friendship Loaf is soft and moist from sourdough starter, rich with cinnamon, and bursting with tender apple pieces in every bite.
It’s the perfect bake for crisp mornings, afternoon coffee dates, or wrapping up to gift to a neighbor. And the best part? It uses sourdough starter not just for flavor, but also for that comforting, homemade character you can’t get from store-bought bread.
🍏 Ingredients
Wet:
- 1 cup active sourdough starter (fed within 4–6 hours)
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup melted butter
- ½ cup milk (or buttermilk for extra tang)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry:
- 1 cup powdered honey (this is the one I use https://amzn.to/45zhWZ7 )
- 2 cups Einkorn flour (if you want an airier bread, use all-purpose flour and sift it) (Here is the Einkorn flour I use https://amzn.to/45rmeSi )
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix (optional, but gives that nostalgic bakery flavor)
Add-ins:
- 1½ cups peeled, chopped apples (Honeycrisp or Gala work beautifully)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- Cinnamon-sugar topping: ¼ cup sugar + 1 tsp cinnamon
🥣 Instructions
- Prep the apples: Toss the chopped apples with a pinch of cinnamon and sugar. Let them sit while you prepare the batter.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together sourdough starter, eggs, melted butter, milk, and vanilla.
- Combine dry ingredients: In another bowl, stir together flour, powdered honey, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pudding mix (if using).
- Bring it together: Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in apples and nuts.
- Pour & top: Transfer the batter into a greased loaf pan (or two smaller pans). Sprinkle generously with cinnamon-sugar topping.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden and slightly crackly. *if you make this into two loaves, like I do, you will want to only bake it for 40 minutes
- Cool & serve: Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
💡 Tips & Variations
- Make it mini: This recipe works wonderfully in mini loaf pans for gift giving—just adjust the baking time to 25–30 minutes.
- No powdered honey? Swap with cane sugar or coconut sugar.
- Extra cozy: Add ¼ tsp nutmeg or cardamom for deeper spice notes.
📌 Why “Friendship” Loaf?
This loaf is perfect for sharing—it makes a thoughtful, homey gift. Wrap it in parchment, tie it with twine, and pair it with a jar of homemade apple butter or cinnamon honey.
Whether you’re baking it for your family or passing it on to a friend, this loaf has a way of bringing people together—one sweet, apple-filled slice at a time.
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I genuinely love and use in my own kitchen
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