I've transformed your favorite donut into a scrumptious loaf of bread! That's right, this is my recipe for Country Apple Fritter Bread, and it's seriously SO GOOD.

It's a simple yeast bread with butter, apples, brown sugar and cinnamon laced throughout.

There are flaky layers and the dough is squishy and fluffy and lightly sweet, and the apple filling is just perfect.

It's great for fall (or any time of year, really). I just know you'll love it!

A birds eye view of a loaf of apple fritter bread in a Dutch oven.

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How to make country apple fritter bread

Featured Ingredients

For the dough:

Flour. I use whole wheat pastry flour for almost all of my baked goods. But any all-purpose style flour will work.
Yeast. A package of the active dry yeast.
Sugar. A few tablespoons to sweeten the dough.
Egg. To make it fluff up a bit.
Milk. Of your choice - any variety goes!
Butter. For flavor, of course.

For the filling:

Apples. Use firm, crisp apples like Honeycrisp or McIntosh (not the mealy kind).
Butter. For moisture and flavor.
Lemon juice. Brightens the flavors up a bit.
Brown sugar. I use dark brown (almost always), but light works too.
Cinnamon. And lots of it!
Walnuts. These are optional! Adds nuttiness and crunch.

For the glaze:

Powdered sugar. The base of the glaze.
Milk. Of your choice!

An overhead shot of dough with apple filling on top, sitting on a cutting board.

Equipment Needed

A stove and oven.
A cutting board and chef's knife.
Measuring cups (dry and liquid) and spoons.
A small saucepan and spoon or whisk.
A stand mixer with the dough hook attachment (you could also do it by hand).
A large glass mixing bowl and plastic wrap.
Another cutting board for working the dough.
A large skillet and a spatula or wooden spoon.
A Dutch oven or some sort of high-sided casserole dish for baking the bread and some parchment paper.
A knife or bench scraper.
A knife, plates and some butter for serving!

Step-by-Step Instructions

To make the dough:

Pour the milk in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and add the butter.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter until it is melted. Let cool until the mixture is warm to the touch (not hot).
Place the yeast, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Add the warm milk and butter mixture.
Stir to mix. Let sit 10-15 minutes, until the yeast has bloomed (there should be a puffed light brown yeast topping).
Fit the stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Add the egg to the warm milk/yeast mixture and run the stand mixer on low until the egg is incorporated.
Add the flour to the mixture, ½ cup at a time, with the mixer running on low, until a ball of dough has formed.
Let the mixer run on low to knead the dough, 2-3 minutes.
Coat a large glass bowl with cooking spray. Set aside. Dust a large cutting board with about ¼ cup of flour.
Transfer the dough to the cutting board. Knead the dough for 1-2 minutes or until a smooth ball forms.
Transfer the dough ball to the greased glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 1 hour or until the ball has doubled in size.

To make the filling:

Place the butter in a large skillet on medium heat.
Add the diced apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt and bring to a low simmer.
Let the apples cook until soft, about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the walnuts (if using) and let cook another 1-2 minutes.
Let the apple filling sit until the dough is ready.

To make the bread:

Transfer the proofed dough to back to the cutting board, adding additional flour to the board if needed (so the dough doesn’t stick). Press the dough out into a ½-1 inch circle.
Place a piece of parchment paper into a Dutch oven or large round high-sided baking/casserole dish. Set aside.
Spoon the apple filling on top and spread into an even layer, all the way out to the edges. Use a knife or bench scraper to cut the apple filling-topped dough into 6 equal-sized pieces.
Stack them on top of each other, then use your hands to form it back into a dough ball (this part is messy!).
Transfer the dough ball to the prepared Dutch oven.
Let sit 30-60 minutes or until the dough has again doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Place the lid on the Dutch oven or casserole dish and place in the oven.
Bake 30-40 minutes or until the bread is set or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

To serve:

Transfer the bread to a wire rack and let cool. In a small bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients.
Drizzle on top of the bread. Slice and serve with butter.

Apple fritter bread inside a sheet of parchment paper.

Recipe Substitutions and Alterations

Flour: This recipe works with whole wheat pastry flour, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, oat flour or gluten free all-purpose flour.
Butter: You could try this recipe with coconut oil, but it will change the flavor.
Apples: Try this recipe with pears!
Brown sugar: Use dark or light. Or, you could use a brown sugar replacement like Swerve for a lower sugar version.
Walnuts: Try this country apple fritter bread with pecans.

Nutrition Considerations

To make it gluten free: Use gluten free all-purpose flour. Be sure all other packaged ingredients are gluten free.
To make it dairy free: Use dairy free milk (soy, rice, coconut, almond, etc.)
To make it vegan: Use coconut oil instead of butter. Try it with an egg replacer or flax 'egg' instead of a regular egg.
To make it nut free: Skip the walnuts.
To make it lower sugar: I've already cut a ton of sugar (and fat!) from traditional apple fritter bread, but you can cut back even more. Or, you can use an alternative sweetener like Swerve, if you'd like.

A hand holding a chunk of apple fritter bread.

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Festive apple recipes:

Country Apple Fritter Bread

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A simple Dutch oven yeast bread made with butter, apples and cinnamon laced throughout.

Author: Julie Andrews
Prep Time: 25-30 mins
Cook Time: 30-40 mins + 1 hr 30 mins proofing time
Total Time: 55 mins-1 hr 10 mins + 1 hr 30 mins proofing time
Yield: Serves 16 1x
Category: Dessert, Baked Goods
Method: Stove-Top, Baking
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

Bread:

1 cup milk (of choice)
4 tablespoons butter
0.25-ounce packaged active dry yeast (about 2 ¼ teaspoons)
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt
1 large egg
3 ¼ cups flour* + more for dusting

Filling:

2 tablespoons butter
3-4 medium firm apples, skins on, diced (about 4 cups)
Juice of ½ medium lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Pinch coarse salt
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Glaze:

¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk (of choice)

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Instructions

To make the dough:

Pour the milk in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and add the butter. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter until it is melted. Let cool until the mixture is warm to the touch (not hot).
Place the yeast, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the warm milk and butter mixture. Stir to mix. Let sit 10-15 minutes, until the yeast has bloomed (there should be a puffed light brown yeast topping).
Fit the stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Add the egg to the warm milk/yeast mixture and run the stand mixer on low until the egg is incorporated. Add the flour to the mixture, ½ cup at a time, with the mixer running on low, until a ball of dough has formed. Let the mixer run on low to knead the dough, 2-3 minutes.
Coat a large glass bowl with cooking spray. Set aside. Dust a large cutting board with about ¼ cup of flour. Transfer the dough to the cutting board. Knead the dough for 1-2 minutes or until a smooth ball forms. Transfer the dough ball to the greased glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 1 hour or until the ball has doubled in size.

To make the filling:

Place the butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the diced apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt and bring to a low simmer. Let the apples cook until soft, about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the walnuts (if using) and let cook another 1-2 minutes. Let the apple filling sit until the dough is ready.

To make the bread:

Transfer the proofed dough to back to the cutting board, adding additional flour to the board if needed (so the dough doesn’t stick). Press the dough out into a ½-1 inch circle.
Place a piece of parchment paper into a Dutch oven or large round high-sided baking/casserole dish. Set aside.
Spoon the apple filling on top and spread into an even layer, all the way out to the edges. Use a knife or bench scraper to cut the apple filling-topped dough into 6 equal-sized pieces. Stack them on top of each other, then use your hands to form it back into a dough ball (this part is messy!). Transfer the dough ball to the prepared Dutch oven. Let sit 30-60 minutes or until the dough has again doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the lid on the Dutch oven or casserole dish and place in the oven. Bake 30-40 minutes or until the bread is set or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

To serve:

Transfer the bread to a wire rack and let cool. In a small bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients. Drizzle on top of the bread. Slice and serve with butter.

Notes

Substitution Tip: This recipe works with whole wheat pastry flour, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, oat flour or gluten free all-purpose flour.

Storage Tip: Bread will last about 5 days in a sealed plastic bag or container. Bread can also be frozen for up to one month in a sealed plastic bag or container.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/16 of recipe
Calories: 183
Sugar: 10g
Sodium: 140mg
Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Unsaturated Fat: 2g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 29g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 5g
Cholesterol: 13mg