Apple Spice Sandwich Bread

When I experimented with ingredients for the apple spice sandwich bread, I discovered that adding applesauce to it made it super soft, and just a little bit of cinnamon brought out its incredible fall flavor.

It can absolutely become the greatest alternative for your sandwich bread.

Approved by my family. Kids loved it for school sandwiches with cream cheese or butter.

Also the recipe doesn’t require any eggs. So it can be considered a vegetarian.

Let’s bake it!

Ingredients

Sourdough Starter

• 7g sourdough starter
• 35g water
• 35g bread flour

Dough

• 320g bread flour (100%)
• 240g applesauce (75%)
• 32g brown sugar (10%)
• 3g of cinnamon (1%)
• 64g of starter on it’s peak (20%)
• 6g salt (2%)
• 48g soft or melted butter(15%)
• 0.5 g dry yeast (optional, to reduce the sourness, can be added with water)
• Extra 2 tbs of cinnamon mixed with 2 tbs of sugar, for coating (optional)

Directions 

Day 1

Starter 

• 10 pm add starter to the water and whisk together, add flour, mix well, cover loosely, let it sit at a room temp 74-78F for about 8-10 hours until starter reaches its peak (at least triples in volume).

Dough

• 8 am mix applesauce , flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, sourdough starter (64g on its peak, the rest use for future feedings), yeast, if using. Let the dough autolyse for 1 hour. During the autolyse process the flour becomes fully hydrated. This activates gluten development.

• 9 am mix dough on low speed of your mixing machine for 2-3 minutes, or KitchenAid on speed 3 for 3-4 minutes until well incorporated.
• Add salt, mix for a couple more minutes. The dough should come up together.
• Add soft butter, increase the speed to medium and mix for 10 more minutes until the dough is well incorporated and comes up together.
• Perform a windowpane test. Wet your hands and stretch the dough. You should be able to stretch it very thin, that’s a sign of a well developed gluten, and that your final product will have a soft and light structure.
• Cover and let the dough proof for 3-4 hours at 76-80F/ 24-28C.

• During that time perform 2 stretches and folds.
• The dough should become slightly puffy.
• 1 pm transfer the dough to the fridge for cold fermentation till the evening (for 8-9 hours).
• 10 pm remove the dough from the fridge.
• Shape as desired. I rolled it into a roll half length of a baking/loaf pan.
• Optional: roll the dough into cinnamon sugar mixture for more flavor.
• Put a sheet of parchment paper on the bottom of your loaf pan, or spread butter and sprinkle some flour, inside your loaf pan.
• Transfer the shaped loaf into the loaf pan.
• Cover the dough and let it proof overnight at 68- 72F /20-22C until it doubles or more in volume. About 7-9 hours. Usually it doubles or more in volume by morning (6-7 am).

Day 3

• 7 am preheat the oven to 375F.
• Bake bread for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.

Enjoy your apple spice sandwich bread!

Apple Spice Sandwich Bread

1995kcal

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Prep 30 minutes mins

Cook 35 minutes mins

Rise & Rest Time 22 hours hrs

Total 23 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Adding applesauce to this cozy fall-inspired loaf makes the crumb unbelievably soft and tender, while a touch of warming cinnamon highlights its rich flavor. It makes an incredible alternative to standard sandwich loaves and is absolutely delicious for school lunches spread with cream cheese or butter.

Servings 1 loaf

Cuisine American

Ingredients

1x2x3x

The Sourdough Starter Levain (Night Before)

• ▢ 7 g Sourdough starter culture
• ▢ 35 g Water
• ▢ 35 g Bread flour

The Main Fruit & Spice Dough

• ▢ 320 g Bread flour (100%)
• ▢ 240 g Smooth applesauce (75%)
• ▢ 32 g Brown sugar (10%)
• ▢ 3 g Ground cinnamon (1%)
• ▢ 64 g Active sourdough starter levain (20% – At its peak)
• ▢ 6 g Fine sea salt (2%)
• ▢ 48 g Unsalted butter (15% – Softened completely to room temperature or melted)
• ▢ 0.5 g Dry instant yeast (Optional helper pinch to balance out and reduce any natural sourness)

Optional Sweet Swirl Coating

• ▢ 2 tbsp Sugar
• ▢ 2 tbsp Ground cinnamon

Equipment

• ▢
  Stand Mixer (Fitted with a dough hook attachment)
• ▢
  Standard Loaf Pan
• ▢
  Parchment Paper (or butter and flour for greasing)
• ▢
  Kitchen Scale

Method

Prevent Sleep ModePrevent Sleep Mode

Day 1 – Active Starter Ignition & Initial Autolyse

1. 10:00 PM: In a clean glass jar, dissolve your 7g of starter culture into 35g of water. Whisk together cleanly, then stir in the 35g of bread flour. Mix thoroughly, cover loosely, and let it ferment at room temperature 74–78°F (23–26°C) overnight for 8 to 10 hours until it at least triples in volume.

Day 2 – The Applesauce Autolyse, High-Speed Mixing, and Cold Retard

1. 8:00 AM – The Autolyse: In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the 240g of applesauce, 320g of bread flour, 3g of cinnamon, 32g of brown sugar, 64g of your active overnight starter peak, and the optional 0.5g of dry yeast. Mix with a spoon until no dry flour patches remain. Cover and let autolyse undisturbed for 1 hour to fully build up initial gluten structures.
2. 9:00 AM: Attach your dough hook attachment. Mix on the low speed of your machine for 2 to 3 minutes (or if using a KitchenAid mixer, run it on speed 3 for 3 to 4 minutes) until completely unified.
3. Add the 6g of salt and mix for a couple more minutes until the dough ball comes together firmly.
4. The Butter Incorporation: Add the 48g of soft or melted butter to the bowl, increase your mixer speed to medium, and knead continuously for 10 more minutes until the fat incorporates seamlessly.
5. The Windowpane Check: Wet your hands with a bit of water and gently stretch a small piece of the dough. You should be able to stretch it paper-thin without it ripping—this means your structure is well-developed, giving your finished loaf a soft, light texture.
6. Cover the bowl and let the dough bulk ferment for 3 to 4 hours at a warm 76–80°F (24–28°C). Perform exactly 2 separate rounds of structural stretch-and-folds during this window until the dough becomes slightly puffy.
7. 1:00 PM: Move the covered dough container directly into the refrigerator for a cold fermentation retard lasting 8 to 9 hours.
8. 10:00 PM – Pan Shaping: Remove your cold dough from the fridge. If you want a more flavorful profile, mix your 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon together in a shallow dish.
9. Roll the cold dough out slightly, then roll it tightly into a dense log matching half the length of your baking pan. If using the extra coating, roll the entire shaped cylinder directly into your cinnamon-sugar mixture.
10. Line the bottom of your loaf pan with parchment paper (or grease it well with butter and flour). Place the shaped log seam-side down inside. Cover loosely and let proof on your counter overnight for 7 to 9 hours at a stable 68–72°F (20–22°C) until it completely doubles in size.

Day 3 – Golden Morning Bake

1. 7:00 AM: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Slide your puffed apple spice loaf onto the middle rack and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top turns a uniform, gorgeous golden brown. Let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Nutrition

Calories1995kcalCarbohydrates357gProtein45gFat45gSaturated Fat26gPolyunsaturated Fat4gMonounsaturated Fat11gTrans Fat2gCholesterol103mgSodium2356mgPotassium674mgFiber21gSugar79gVitamin A1332IUVitamin C3mgCalcium294mgIron6mg

Notes

• Why Applesauce Instead of Liquid Water: This specialized formula uses 0g of added water in the main dough phase—relying entirely on 240g of smooth applesauce for hydration. The natural pectin and simple sugars in applesauce work as a natural softening agent, slowing down starch retrogradation and keeping this sandwich bread moist and pillow-soft for days.
• The Yeast Accelerator Advantage: Because applesauce makes the dough environment inherently acidic and sweet, adding a tiny 0.5g pinch of instant yeast acts as a reliable helper engine. It streamlines your proofing windows and safely neutralizes any overpowering sour profiles, ensuring a beautifully balanced cinnamon-apple flavor profile.
• Shaping with Chilled Dough: Working with the dough right out of its 8-hour cold fridge rest makes shaping completely effortless. The cold temperatures solidify the heavy butter fats, transforming an otherwise sticky dough into a firm, easy-to-handle consistency that rolls and holds its shape flawlessly.
• Flour Hydration Adjustments: Depending on whether your chosen store-bought applesauce is particularly watery or thick, the flour may absorb moisture slightly differently. If the dough mass feels too wet or sticky to clear the mixing bowl walls cleanly during step 5, simply dusting in an extra tablespoon of bread flour will fix it instantly.

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