Spiced Apple Walnut Sourdough (with the Best Next-Day French Toast)

An orchard-to-oven ritual that feels equal parts editorial and everyday. Made with apples my toddler picked himself, a swirl of cinnamon warmth, and a walnut crunch that turns breakfast into an event.

There’s a certain kind of fall day that begs you to bake: sleeves pushed up, windows cracked, and a small helper proudly clutching a sack of orchard apples like treasure. This loaf is that day, captured: golden, fragrant, and quietly special. It’s a spiced apple walnut sourdough with a ribboned swirl that looks bakery-level but stays weeknight-manageable. And the morning after? It makes French toast so good you’ll want to calendar it.

INGREDIENTS

DOUGH

• 125g peaked sourdough starter

• 330g warm water (adjust if your apples are super juicy)

• 20g honey

• 200–230g apple (2-3 apples), grated or finely chopped (I used ~200g in the dough and held ~30g for the swirl)

• 525g bread flour

• 10g fine sea salt

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

SWIRL

(added during lamination, measure with your heart)

• Grated apple, squeezed dry

• Cinnamon + nutmeg

• Brown sugar

• Finely chopped walnuts

• A dusting of flour (to keep the layer from getting too wet)

BAKER’S TIMELINE

• Feed starter and let rise to peak (~4-6 hours with a 1:1:1 ratio)

• Mix + bulk ferment (5-7 hours, depending on room temp)

• Shape, then cold proof overnight (10–15 hours)

• Bake (45–55 minutes)

My personal timeline in Alabama humidity and ~75 degree room temp: feed starter at 6 AM, usually at peak around noon for the initial mix, and just in time for naptime! I complete the last set of stretch and folds around 2:30-3 PM and let counter-rest, covered, until around 7:30-8 PM. I shape and place in the fridge overnight, then bake the next day.

METHOD

MIX + AUTOLYSE (30 MINUTES)

1. In a large bowl, whisk 330g warm water with 20g honey until dissolved. Whisk in 125g peaked starter.

2. Add 525g bread flour; mix until no dry spots remain. The dough will look shaggy. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

Hydration Note: Apples vary. If yours are very juicy, you can start with 310–320g water and add the rest only if needed during mixing. (Less water = easier shaping.)

ADD SALT, CINNAMON, & APPLES

1. Mix 1tsp cinnamon, 10g salt, and ~200g grated or finely chopped apple (squeezed if extra juicy) in a small bowl.

2. During your first set of stretch-and-folds, gently fold in the apple mixture to distribute it. Cover and let rest 30 minutes.

BULK FERMENTATION (5–7 HOURS)

1. Over the first 90 minutes, do three more sets of folds every 30 minutes (stretch-and-fold or coil folds). The dough should gain strength and a smoother surface.

2. Cover and let it rise until puffy with ~60–80% volume increase and a slightly domed top. If using a clear bowl, bubbles at the bottom and sides are your green light. For me, this is typically 4-5 hours after the last stretch-and-fold. Every environment is different, so follow your dough, not the clock!

LAMINATION & SWIRL

1. Lightly dust the counter with flour. Gently laminate: ease the dough into a wide, thin sheet.

2. Mix squeezed apple, brown sugar, cinnamon + nutmeg, finely chopped walnuts, and a bit of flour to keep the sugar from getting too wet in your dough. Sprinkle over the dough, avoiding the edges.

3. Fold the dough back up (tri-fold or letter-fold), pinching the sides as you go, and brushing away any filling that falls out.

FINAL SHAPE

1. Shape into a tight boule (a bench scraper is your friend here). You want to keep your dough from ripping and letting your filling out, so work it just enough to get a nice, rounded shape.

2. Nestle seam-side up in a rice-flour-dusted banneton.

COLD PROOF

1. Cover and refrigerate 10–15 hours (overnight). This deepens flavor and sets that swirl.

BAKE

1. Preheat a Dutch oven to 450°F for 45–60 minutes.

2. Turn the dough onto parchment, score, and gently load it into the hot Dutch oven.

3. Bake 30 minutes covered at 450°F, then 15-20 minutes uncovered at 425°F, until deeply bronzed.

4. Immediately transfer to a cooling rack. Cool for at least 1 hour before slicing (the swirl needs time to set).

STORAGE

• Room Temp: Wrap and store 1–2 days, cut-side down on a board or in a bread bag.

• Freeze: Slice, then freeze in a zip bag up to 2 months. Toasts back like a dream.

THE NEXT MORNING: SPICED APPLE WALNUT FRENCH TOAST

BATTER

• 2 large eggs

• ½ cup milk (or half-and-half)

• 1 tsp vanilla

• ½–1 tsp cinnamon

• Pinch nutmeg + pinch salt

TOPPING

• Freshly grated apple

• Maple syrup

• Chopped walnuts

HOW TO
Whisk the batter. Dip thick slices of your apple-walnut sourdough (slightly day-old is ideal) into the soaking liquid briefly, but not until they collapse. Cook in a medium, buttered skillet until golden on both sides. Top with grated apple, walnuts, and warm maple syrup. Weekend energy, weekday effort.

FAQs

Can I make this without a Dutch oven?
Yep! Use a preheated baking stone or cookie sheet and add steam (a preheated tray with boiling water). Results will be slightly different but still excellent.

Do I have to peel the apples?
No. Peel if you prefer a smoother crumb.

Is honey required?
It balances the spice and nudges browning. You can omit or swap for maple syrup.

Can I add more cinnamon?

Cinnamon can slow yeast when used in large amounts because of compounds like cinnamaldehyde. A light 1 tsp in the dough is generally fine. Keep the bulk of your spice in the swirl and measure with your heart!

---

Printable Recipe Card (Copy/Paste Friendly)

Spiced Apple Walnut Sourdough
Yield: 1 loaf (about 900–950g baked)

Dough: 125g peaked starter · 330g warm water · 20g honey · ~200g apple (grated/finely chopped, squeezed if juicy) · 525g bread flour · 10g fine sea salt · 1 tsp cinnamon
Swirl: Grated apple (squeezed) · cinnamon + nutmeg · brown sugar · chopped walnuts · a little flour

Method:

1. Mix starter, water, honey; add flour. Rest 30 min.

2. Add salt, cinnamon, & ~200g apple; fold to combine.

3. Bulk: 3 sets of folds over 90 min; rise until puffy (total 5–7 hrs).

4. Laminate and add swirl; fold up.

5. Shape; place in banneton.

6. Cold proof 10–15 hrs.

7. Bake 30 min covered at 450°F, then 15–20 min uncovered at 425°F. Cool 1 hr.

French Toast: 2 eggs · ½ cup milk · 1 tsp vanilla · ½–1 tsp cinnamon · pinch nutmeg + salt. Dip thick slices; griddle in butter. Top with grated apple, maple syrup, walnuts.