This no-knead apple fritter focaccia is made with fresh apples cooked with cinnamon sugar on the stove and thickened with a little cornstarch, so they add all the fruity flavor without making the bread gummy. And an apple cider glaze goes on top after baking for that donut-style crackle with every bite.
I Turned My Favorite Donut Into Glazed Apple Bread
My husband spent two summers in college working at a donut shop, and to this day an apple fritter is still his favorite. While the original version is undeniably delicious, I wanted to chase that same nostalgic flavor without standing over a pot of hot oil. Naturally, focaccia felt like the obvious answer because it's so forgiving, fits into my busy schedule (hello, optional overnight rise), and gives me the perfect caramelized apple, sticky-sweet glaze, and pillowy soft bread in every bite.
I swapped the water in the focaccia dough for apple cider (or apple juice works too). And the apple cider glaze gets its fruity flavor from a splash of cider as well. Finally, four tablespoons of olive oil or melted butter in a good ol' 9x13 pan is what gives you that deeply caramelized, almost fried-tasting crust on the bottom. It makes this apple cinnamon focaccia tastes just as good for brunch or dessert.
My first test batch came out gummy in the center, because I wanted a full pound of apples mixed into the dough and piled on top. But that many raw apples release a lot of liquid as they bake. My fix was to precook the apples on the stove first, which pulls out a lot of that moisture. Then I thicken the released juices with a little cornstarch instead of draining them away, so you keep every bit of that concentrated apple flavor. I also pulled the oven temp down and stretched the bake time a little longer, since the apple edges were scorching.
If you love this fall flavor combination as much as I do, my streusel apple fritter cake also leans into that cozy apple-meets-glaze vibe. And if you want a version with apples that don't need pre-cooking, try my apple cider donut focaccia next!
Let's Bake Apple Fritter Focaccia!
For the full step-by-step directions, scroll down to the recipe card.
How to Make Fluffy Focaccia Without Kneading
My focaccia dough sits around 87% hydration, so it's sticky on purpose to create an airy, fluffy crumb instead of something dense or flat. Because it's so wet, we skip kneading entirely and do four sets of stretch-and-folds right in the bowl instead. But if that sounds like too much handling for a weeknight, you can let it rise hands-off in the fridge. Either way, you're not using a stand mixer for this one!
My Baking Tips for Yeasted Apple Focaccia Bread
- Watch the last 10 minutes of bake time closely. If the apple edges start turning dark brown, tent a piece of foil loosely over the top of the loaf.
- The trick to even caramelization without burnt edges is to brush melted butter evenly over the dough after adding the apple topping.
- Let the focaccia cool first for 10-15 minutes, or the glaze will melt straight into the bread. Then give it another 30 minutes before slicing so the glaze can set and crackle when you slice it, rather than stick to the knife (or your fingers).
- Sift the powdered sugar before making the glaze, or whisk out the clumps, otherwise you'll end up with a weird lumpy glaze.
Apple Fritter Focaccia
developed & tested by:
Equipment
Ingredients
Focaccia Dough
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1¾ cups warm apple cider (between 105-115°F or 40-46°C)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups bread flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons salt (use fine sea salt or table salt)
- 6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, divided (for greasing and topping)
Cinnamon Apple Filling
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 pound apples, diced (2 large or 3 medium apples; no need to peel them)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Apple Cider Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons apple cider
Instructions
Mix, Stretch-and-Fold, and Rise
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the yeast, brown sugar, and warm apple cider. Set aside for 10 minutes, until it's foamy on top. (If it's not foamy, check your yeast packet, as it might be expired.)
- Add the olive oil and vanilla extract, and stir it into the foamy yeast mixture.
- Add the flour, cinnamon, and salt, and mix for a minute with a large wooden spoon or silicone spatula until it forms a soft, sticky dough.
- Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Fold 1: Use your hand to scoop a handful of dough from underneath, up one side, up out of the bowl as far as you can stretch it without tearing, then fold it over itself on top. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat another stretching of the dough up and folding over itself. Repeat rotating the bowl and stretching & folding the dough twice more, until you've completed four stretch-and-folds.
- Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Fold 2: Repeat the process for four stretch-and-folds. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Fold 3: Repeat the process for four stretch-and-folds. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Fold 4: Repeat the process for four stretch-and-folds. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 1 hour, until it doubles in size and looks bubbly on top. While the dough is rising, prep the apple filling.
Mix the Apple Filling
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the diced apples, sugar, cinnamon, optional nutmeg, and salt. Cook, stirring often, for 10-15 minutes, until the apples soften and release a lot of their juice.
- Bring to a boil and stir in the cornstarch. Boil, stirring constantly for 1 minute, to activate the cornstarch. Set aside to cool.
Shape, Fill with Apples, and Proof
- Spread 4 tablespoons of melted butter on the bottom and up the sides of a 9x13 baking dish.
- Dump the dough from your mixing bowl onto the center of the baking dish and press it down into all the edges and corners.
- Spread three quarters of the cooled apple filling evenly over the dough.
- From a short edge, lift up the dough and roll it up like a giant burrito. Then pick up the dough from the long edges, lift it out of the dish, rotate it 90 degrees, and place it back down in the baking dish. Press it back out (it might not fully reach the edges of the baking dish, but it'll expand as it proofs).
- Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for 2 hours, or until the dough has really puffed up and jiggles when you shake the baking dish.
Top with Apples, Bake, and Glaze
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (230°C).
- Brush 2 tablespoons of melted butter evenly over the dough. Spread the remaining apple filling evenly on top.
- Use your fingers to press dimples into the dough, pressing all the way to the bottom of the baking dish.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until the focaccia is puffed up and golden.
- While the focaccia bakes, prepare the glaze. In a mixing bowl, mix the powdered sugar, salt, melted butter, and apple cider. Mix with a spoon or fork until it's smooth.
- Let the focaccia cool for 10 minutes, then drizzle the glaze all over the top in an even layer, all the way to the edges and corners. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes more before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Apples: Stick to a firm apple variety, such as Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Jonagold, Braeburn, Fuji, or Gala, which all turn tender without going mushy.
- Equipment: Bake this in a ceramic dish if you have one, since metal runs hotter and scorched the sugar-coated edges of this sweet focaccia in my recipe testing.
- Storing: The glaze starts to dissolve after the first day, so this is really best served fresh. For a make-ahead holiday option, bake the bread, cool it completely, and store at room temperature for up to a day. Warm it in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, then add the glaze before serving.
- Overnight Rise: For the overnight method, skip the stretch and folds. Let the dough sit covered at room temperature for 1-2 hours right after mixing, then move it to the fridge for 8-12 hours. The next day, add 1-2 extra hours to the proofing time to let the dough warm back up before baking.
Nutrition
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