Amazing 1 Cinnamon Apple Crumble Sourdough Quick Bread

If you’re dreaming of a warm, spiced treat that tastes like fall but comes together faster than you can believe, you need the Cinnamon Apple Crumble Sourdough Quick Bread in your life. Seriously, this bread is the perfect marriage of tangy sourdough depth and cozy, sweet apple crumble goodness. It’s my go-to when I need something impressive without the commitment of a long proofing time.

Hi there! I’m Daniel, and I started Reciqa because I truly believe that cooking should always bring you joy, not stress. For me, the kitchen is where the best memories are made, whether it’s a simple weeknight dinner or a weekend baking project. Here on the blog, my goal is to share recipes that are easy to follow, incredibly tasty, and fit right into your busy life. You deserve delicious food without the fuss!

That’s exactly why this Cinnamon Apple Crumble Sourdough Quick Bread is a superstar around here. It uses up that sourdough starter discard you always have lying around, and you get those gorgeous layers of flavor and texture in one perfect loaf. You’re going to love how simple this layering technique is!

Gathering What You Need for Cinnamon Apple Crumble Sourdough Quick Bread

Okay, let’s get organized! Baking is always smoother when everything is measured out before you start mixing—I call it my little mise en place station. We’ve got three main groups of ingredients here: the main batter, that sweet apple filling, and the crunchy topping. Trust me, having them ready keeps you from panicking halfway through!

Don’t worry about writing everything down separately; I’ll put this all into an easy reference table below so you can check it off as you go. Just make sure your apples are peeled and chopped before you start combining things.

Ingredients for the Cinnamon Apple Crumble Sourdough Quick Bread Batter and Filling

For the actual bread base, we need about two cups of all-purpose flour, a teaspoon each of baking powder and soda, and just a half teaspoon of salt in the batter itself. Then we move to the wet side: one cup of sourdough starter discard (or active starter, if you prefer!), three-quarters cup of brown sugar, a half cup of melted butter or coconut oil, one whole egg, one cup of milk, and a teaspoon of vanilla. For the apple layer, you’ll need two chopped apples, a third cup of sugar, and a teaspoon and a half of cinnamon.

Crafting the Perfect Crumble Topping

This topping is what takes it over the top! For that classic crumbly texture, you’ll need that remaining quarter cup of flour, a quarter cup of granulated sugar, and a tiny half teaspoon of cinnamon. Crucially, you need about two to three tablespoons of soft, room-temperature butter. You’ll cut this butter into the dry ingredients until it looks like coarse sand—that’s the secret to a good crumble that stays crispy!

Equipment Required for Your Cinnamon Apple Crumble Sourdough Quick Bread

You don’t need a million fancy gadgets for this bread, thankfully! The most important thing is having a sturdy 9×5 inch loaf pan ready to go. Make sure you have at least two good mixing bowls—one for your dry stuff and one for the wet—and a whisk or spatula. A box grater might come in handy if you decide to shred your own apples, but a sharp knife works just fine for chopping!

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Cinnamon Apple Crumble Sourdough Quick Bread

Alright, now for the fun part! Before we even look at the batter, you need to get your oven humming. Go ahead and preheat that oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or 175 Celsius. While it’s warming up, make sure you grease that 9×5 loaf pan really well, or line it with parchment paper—we don’t want any sticking drama later!

Preparing the Crumble Topping Components

Let’s tackle the topping first so it’s ready when the batter is done. Grab a medium bowl and toss in your quarter cup of flour, the granulated sugar, that half teaspoon of cinnamon, and the small pinch of salt reserved for the topping. Now, take your soft butter—remember, soft, not melted—and cut it right into those dry ingredients. Use your fingers or a pastry blender and work it quickly until you have coarse, uneven crumbs. Set that bowl aside; it’s waiting patiently!

Next, make the cinnamon sugar swirl. In a tiny bowl, just mix the third cup of sugar with the one and a half teaspoons of cinnamon until it looks like fragrant, reddish sand. That’s it for the prep work!

Mixing the Cinnamon Apple Crumble Sourdough Quick Bread Batter

Time for the batter! In your biggest bowl, whisk together all your dry stuff: the two cups of flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and the half teaspoon of salt. Give it a good mix so everything is evenly distributed.

In a separate bowl—no need to wash the first one—whisk your wet ingredients: the cup of sourdough starter, the three-quarters cup of brown sugar, your melted butter or coconut oil, the egg, and the vanilla extract. Mix this until it’s smooth and combined.

Now, pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. This is important: stir it with a spatula only until you see just combined. I mean it—stop stirring when you still see a few streaks of flour. Overmixing quick bread batter is the number one way to kill the tenderness. Once it’s just mixed, gently fold in those chopped apples.

Assembling and Layering the Quick Bread

This is where the magic happens! Pour exactly half of that thick batter into your prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top gently with the spatula.

Now, take half of your cinnamon sugar mixture and sprinkle it right over that first layer of batter. Take a butter knife and gently swirl it into the dough—don’t dig down to the pan, just a light swirl on top!

Pour the remaining batter right over the top. Spread the rest of the cinnamon sugar on this new layer and swirl it in too. Finally, take your prepared crumb topping and sprinkle it evenly over the very top. Try to get it distributed nicely so every slice gets some crunch!

Baking and Cooling Procedures

Slide that beautiful loaf into the preheated oven. It’s going to bake for about 55 to 65 minutes. Around the 40-minute mark, check the top. If it’s getting too dark and golden brown, loosely tent a piece of aluminum foil over it to protect that crumble! You know it’s done when a toothpick inserted right into the center comes out clean, maybe with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, but definitely no wet batter.

Once it’s done, pull it out and let it sit right in that pan for a solid 10 minutes. This is crucial! If you try to dump it out right away, it might break. After 10 minutes, carefully turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Patience pays off here for the best slicing!

Tips for Baking Excellent Cinnamon Apple Crumble Sourdough Quick Bread

Even with a great recipe, sometimes little things can trip you up. I’ve learned a few things over the years about making sure this bread comes out perfectly every time, especially when dealing with fruit and sourdough discard. Follow these little pointers, and you’ll be golden!

Selecting and Preparing the Apples

Don’t just grab any apple rolling around in the fruit bowl! For a quick bread like this, you want apples that hold their shape when baked, not ones that turn to mush immediately. Granny Smith apples are my absolute favorite because they keep a nice tart bite that cuts through the sweetness of the crumble. Honeycrisp or Fuji work really well too. Make sure you peel them—the skins can get a little chewy in quick bread. Chop them into pieces about the size of a small pea or a little bigger; if they are too small, they disappear, and we want those nice pockets of soft apple!

Managing Your Sourdough Discard in This Cinnamon Apple Crumble Sourdough Quick Bread

This recipe is a fantastic way to use up that discard that’s just sitting in your fridge, but you need to know what you’re using. Discard is unfed starter, so it won’t give you much lift on its own, but it brings amazing flavor and moisture. That’s why this recipe relies on baking powder and soda for most of the rise—the sourdough just adds that lovely, subtle tang! For more on the science behind sourdough, check out this resource on sourdough starter.

If you use active, recently fed starter instead, you might find the bread rises a little more aggressively, but the texture should remain mostly the same since we aren’t relying on a long fermentation here. Just make sure you measure it as called for, whether it’s discard or active!

Frequently Asked Questions About This Sourdough Quick Bread

I get a ton of questions about adapting quick bread recipes, especially when sourdough is involved! Here are a few things folks ask me most often about this Cinnamon Apple Crumble Sourdough Quick Bread.

Can I make this Cinnamon Apple Crumble Sourdough Quick Bread without sourdough starter discard?

Oh yes, absolutely! If you don’t have any sourdough discard on hand, you can definitely still make this delicious apple bread. Since this is a quick bread relying on chemical leaveners (baking soda/powder), you can swap the one cup of discard for one cup of buttermilk or whole milk. You’ll lose a little bit of that subtle tang, but the texture will hold up great because the liquid content stays the same!

How do I prevent the crumble topping from burning during baking?

That buttery crumble topping is my favorite part, and nobody wants a burnt top! If you notice the crumble is getting deeply golden brown before the center of the loaf is fully cooked—which usually happens around the 45-minute mark—just grab a piece of aluminum foil. Loosely tent it over the top of the pan. This shields the topping from direct heat while allowing the inside to finish baking through. It’s a lifesaver, especially in hotter ovens! For general baking safety tips, consulting an official source like the FDA guidelines is always a good idea.

Storage and Reheating Instructions for Leftover Cinnamon Apple Crumble Sourdough Quick Bread

Don’t worry if you don’t finish this entire loaf in one sitting—though I might judge you a little! This bread actually tastes fantastic the next day, once those spices have had time to really settle in. The best way to keep it fresh is to let it cool completely on the rack first. Once it’s totally cool, wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap, and then maybe wrap that again in foil or put it in a sealed container. This keeps the air out so it stays moist.

You can keep it on the counter at room temperature for about two to three days. If you want to keep it longer, freezing is your friend! I always slice mine first, then wrap individual slices or small stacks tightly before tossing them in a freezer bag. They hold up beautifully for about three months. When you want a slice, just pop it straight from the freezer into the toaster or microwave for a few seconds. I’ll put the quick storage guide in a handy table below for you!

Understanding the Estimated Nutrition for Cinnamon Apple Crumble Sourdough Quick Bread

Now, I’m not a nutritionist, so please take these numbers with a grain of salt—or maybe a sprinkle of cinnamon! Since we’re using butter, brown sugar, and flour, this is definitely a treat, not a diet food. The figures below are just my best estimates based on the ingredients used for the whole loaf.

Nutrient	Estimated Value (Per Slice)
Calories	Approx. 320
Carbohydrates	Approx. 45g
Fat	Approx. 14g
Protein	Approx. 5g

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