Sourdough Caramel Apple Pull-Apart Bread Recipe

Sourdough Caramel Apple Pull-Apart Bread on a tray

Sourdough Caramel Apple Pull-Apart Bread Recipe

Yield: slices

Prep Time: 8

Cook Time: 1 15

Second Proof: 3

Total Time: 12 15

Sourdough Caramel Apple Pull-Apart Bread combines tangy sourdough starter, sweet apples, and rich caramel for a deliciously shareable treat!

4.67 from 3 votes

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Equipment

Ingredients

Pull-Apart Dough

65 grams active sourdough starter heaping 1/4 cup
300 grams warm water 1 1/3 cups
57 grams unsalted butter, melted 4 Tablespoons
25 grams white sugar 2 Tablespoons
400 grams bread flour 2 3/4 cups + 1 Tablespoon
100 grams all-purpose flour 3/4 cup
9 grams salt 1 1/2 teaspoons

Homemade Caramel Sauce

200 grams sugar 1 cup
85 grams unsalted butter, softened 6 Tablespoons
115 grams heavy cream 1/2 cup
3 grams salt 1/2 teaspoon

Apple Filling

280 grams apples, peeled and 1/2-inch cubes about 2 large apples,
44 grams unsalted butter, softened 3 Tablespoons
110 grams light or dark brown sugar 1/2 cup
8 grams ground cinnamon 4 teaspoons
1 gram ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon
pinch ground cloves

Instructions

Make the Dough

In a straight-edge bowl, whisk together active starter, warm water (no hotter than 110 degrees F), melted butter, and sugar. Add the flour and salt to the wet ingredients and mix with a Danish dough whisk until all the flour has been incorporated. The bread dough will be shaggy and a little sticky.
I love using this straight-edge bowl because it allows me to clearly see when the dough has doubled in size.
65 grams active sourdough starter, 300 grams warm water, 57 grams unsalted butter, melted, 25 grams white sugar, 400 grams bread flour, 100 grams all-purpose flour, 9 grams salt
Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes to an hour to allow the gluten to relax a little bit.

Knead the Dough

First, wet your fingers so the dough doesn’t stick to them. Then, take a piece of the bread dough, pull it upwards, and fold it towards the center of the dough. Push the heel of your hand into the dough.
Turn the bowl clockwise a quarter turn and repeat the same motion. Continue to knead the dough for about 20 seconds. The dough should become more stiff and smooth looking.

Bulk Fermentation

Cover the bowl again and let the dough rise till doubled in size.
In my 70-degree F kitchen, the bulk rise will take anywhere from 8-10 hours. If your kitchen is cooler, then this will take longer. If your kitchen is warmer, then it will take less time.
Once the dough has just about doubled in size, proceed to prepare the homemade caramel sauce and apple filling.

Homemade Salted Caramel

To a medium pot, add white sugar and bring to medium heat on the stovetop. Leave the sugar for a few minutes. Once the sugar starts to melt, continue to give it a stir. It will dissolve completely in about 8-10 minutes. Keep an eye on it, be sure the sugar doesn’t burn.
200 grams sugar
Once the sugar is melted, add in the room temperature butter, stirring vigorously. It will begin to bubble and rise. Continue to mix. It will take some stirring to incorporate the sugar and butter fully.
85 grams unsalted butter, softened
When the sugar and butter are combined, slowly pour in the heavy cream while also stirring. Continue to cook until the caramel begins to bubble and rise again.
115 grams heavy cream
Remove from the heat and pour into a small bowl to cool. Sprinkle in the salt and stir until combined. Set aside.
3 grams salt

Apples

Peel and dice two large apples, I like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp, into ½ inch cubes. You don’t want the slices to be too big, otherwise, they won’t cook and be tender after baking. Set aside.
280 grams apples, peeled and 1/2-inch cubes

Shape the Dough

Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the dough onto a non-floured surface. With a rolling pin, roll the bread dough into a large 12 x 12-inch square (it doesn't need to be exact). Spread the softened butter over the entire surface of the dough.
44 grams unsalted butter, softened
In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and spices. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on the entire surface of the dough. With a pizza cutter or sharp knife, slice the dough into 16 even pieces. See photos above
110 grams light or dark brown sugar, 8 grams ground cinnamon, 1 gram ground nutmeg, pinch ground cloves
Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with more butter and line with parchment paper before pouring ½ of the homemade caramel to the bottom of the pan.
Take a piece of cut dough, place it at one edge of the loaf pan, and press about 20g (2 tablespoons) worth of the chopped apples on the right side of the dough. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough until you've filled the whole loaf pan. (I don't place any apples on the last piece of dough.) Sprinkle any remaining brown sugar mixture over the top of the bread.
Not ready to bake these on the same day? No worries! Cover the unbaked pull-apart bread with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge overnight. Before you’re ready to bake the loaf, pull the loaf pan out of the fridge and allow the dough to rise. This will take longer since the dough is cold from the fridge.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for a second time.
In my 70-degree F kitchen, this took 3-4 hours until they had noticeably grown and looked puffy. This step greatly depends on the temperature of your kitchen.
Do not bake this bread until the dough has risen; otherwise, it will bake up dense and gummy. See photos above for reference. Since this is an enriched dough, it can take longer for the dough to rise. The rise time will also depend on the temperature of your kitchen. A cooler kitchen will have a longer bulk fermentation and final rise, while a warmer kitchen will be quicker. Then bake as normal.

Bake

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
Place the sourdough pull-apart bread in the hot oven on the middle rack and bake for 75-85 minutes. Be sure to place a baking sheet underneath your loaf pan as the caramel sauce may bubble over.
If you notice the top of your loaf is browning too quickly, cover it with a piece of aluminum foil and continue to bake.
This loaf takes longer to bake due to the caramel sauce on the bottom of the loaf pan. I highly suggest investing in a digital thermometer. Continually check the internal temperature of the loaf while it is baking to be sure that the loaf is fully baked and not raw in the center. A baked loaf will have an internal temperature of 190-200 degrees F.
Remove from the oven and place the bread pan on a wire rack. Keep the pan loaf in the pan for an extra 5-10 minutes before removing it. This helps the caramel sauce to thicken and stick to the top of the bread.
While it is still warm, place a serving plate on top of the loaf pan and then flip to remove the pull-apart loaf from the baking dish.
Drizzle the remaining caramel sauce on top of the loaf, pull apart the slices, and serve warm. Enjoy!

Notes

Ingredients:

Sugar: 24 grams or 1 Tablespoon of honey can be used as a substitute.

Baker’s Schedule

Bake the Same Day:

7 am: Make the Dough

7:30 am: Knead the Dough & Bulk Ferment

5 pm: Shape

5 pm: Second Rise

9 pm: Bake

Bake the Next Day:

9 pm: Make the Dough

10 pm: Knead the Dough

10 pm: First Rise

Next Morning:

7 am: Shape

7 am: Second Rise

11 am: Bake

How to Store

If you have leftovers, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, wrap the bread in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, just reheat slices in a microwave-safe dish for about 15-20 seconds to warm it back up.

What types of apples work best in this recipe?

For the best apple flavor, I recommend using Granny Smith apples for their tartness or Honeycrisp or Gala apples for a sweeter taste. Mixing and matching is also great—just make sure to chop them into small pieces so they fit nicely in your stacked strips of dough.

This recipe card was updated on 03/12/26.

Nutrition

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