Sourdough Apple Crisp | Apple Breakfast Bake

Sourdough Apple Crisp is the perfect way to combine the tangy goodness of sourdough discard with the warm, comforting flavors of apple crisp. This recipe is a crowd-pleaser and a great way to use up your extra sourdough discard. Whether you're deep into apple season, fresh from an apple-picking adventure, or just looking for a cozy fall dessert, this sourdough apple crisp recipe will hit the spot.

We had an exceptionally cool Summer day and it felt like the autumn weather was creeping in a little too early. I was surprised to realize that the cool fall weather felt welcome to me!

There is something extra special about fall baking, smells, weather, and events in the midwest! Especially when you can throw in the oven an easy apple breakfast bake and wake up the house with those delicious seasonal smells.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Equipment
• Storage
• Substitutions
• FAQ
• Sourdough Apple Crisp | Apple Breakfast Bake

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Sourdough is often used for breadmaking, however, it has many uses and applications for baking and cooking.

A sourdough starter is a living organism of flour and yeast and it must be fed and allowed to ferment at room temperature. It can also be stored in the refrigerator to allow it to rest without consistent feedings.

However, when you are feeding the starter daily, you discard a portion of the starter in order to fit in your jar or container. If you continually feed it without discarding it, the starter will get overly large and it will become very expensive to feed!

For this apple breakfast bake, I am using two cups of sourdough starter or discard and it is poured over the apples. It creates a very unique flavor and a very yummy flavor at that!

Ingredients

When we make anything with apples our favorite way to slice the apples is to use an apple spiralizer. My kids think this thing is an absolute hoot and beg to use it no matter what the occasion.

Hint - Don't ask me why but my kids will eat basically anything we use the spiralizer with. When veggies and fruit are spiralized apparently they just taste better!

Apples spiralized or chopped (skin on or off is optional)
Gentle Sweet
Oats
Butter at room temperature or slightly softened in the microwave
Sourdough Starter or Discard
Cinnamon (additional for sprinkling)
Ground Cloves

Pinch or two of mineral salt

Instructions

This is a family favorite and a delicious treat that is easy to throw together as an apple breakfast bake or as a dessert! It's really a versatile recipe!

Need more instructions on how to make this apple breakfast bake! No problem, watch me make it on Youtube below.

*The skin on or off the apple is optional. I like to keep the skin on.

Equipment

• Large mixing bowl
• Small bowl
• Baking dish (a glass pan or a metal pan works well)
• Stand mixer (optional for mixing the crisp topping)

Note- I've heard of people using parchment paper to line the

Storage

Once cooled, store your sourdough apple crisp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Simply reheat on medium heat for 10-15 minutes in the oven to bring back its golden brown, crispy top.

Substitutions

Flour: Of course, you can swap out the einkorn sourdough discard for whole wheat flour sourdough discard, all-purpose flour sourdough discard, or even a gluten-free flour sourdough discard.

Sweeteners: You can replace my sugar-free option with brown sugar with coconut sugar or white sugar with cane sugar.

Butter: For a dairy-free version, use coconut oil or a plant-based butter alternative. Or you could use half coconut oil and half butter.

Apples: Use a mix of sweet apples like honeycrisp or fuji for extra sweetness and juiciness. For best results I recommend using a crispier apple.

Oats: If you don’t have rolled oats, try using quick oats or adding some sourdough bread crumbs for a unique twist.

FAQ

What is the Best Sweetener to Use?

Around here we pursue a sugar-free lifestyle with the principles of Trim Healthy Mama. Does that mean that we never have sugar? No. We are just like anyone else and when our kids want a cookie at Target, we typically get them a cookie at Target.

However, we do find a marked difference in their behavior when we allow them to consume sugar when their body is not as used to it.

We still sweeten our food (after all, what is life without some sweetness!) we just chose to sweeten our desserts and bake goods with Gentle Sweet. Gentle Sweet is a stevia blend that does not have the bitter taste of many stevia blends.

I have also used monk fruit and a variety of other natural sweeteners in my sugar-free journey. Gentle Sweet continues to be my favorite.

What is the difference between apple crumb and apple crisp?

I struggled with what to call this dessert when I was making it because it was not a true apple crisp or apple crumble.

What is the difference?

The main difference between the two is that an apple crumble typically does not have oats in the topping. Apple crisp has a crunchy or crisp topping and uses brown sugar and oats to achieve this.

This apple breakfast bake doesn't quite into either category, so it became an apple breakfast bake!

There is no processed sugar, but there is little to no protein either, so if you are a Trim Healthy Mama, you will need to add protein to your meal.

I hope you enjoy this delicious apple crisp. Make sure to save the recipe or pin it for later so you can enjoy it each season!

Find more sourdough and sourdough discard recipes here.

Don't Forget to Pin for Later!