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Rustic Apple Cider Sourdough Bread

September 10, 2025

6-8 hours

medium

1 large

🍂 Cozy Rustic Apple Cider & Maple Sourdough Bread 

The loaf I bake when the air turns crisp. This apple cider sourdough bread with maple sugar and nutmeg is pure autumn comfort with cider in the dough, maple sugar on the crust, and slices slathered with spiced whipped butter.

This apple cider sourdough bread with maple sugar and nutmeg is my ultimate cozy fall bake. There’s something magical about pulling a loaf like this from the oven. The scent alone feels like a warm hug on a chilly day. This is the bread I turn to when I want the house to smell like autumn and the table to feel like home. From the crackly crust kissed with cider and maple to the soft crumb spread with cinnamon, nutmeg whipped butter, every bite is a reminder of why we bake. For comfort, connection, and a little sweetness in the everyday.

Rustic apple cider sourdough bread stacked on a wooden board, buttered slices spread with cinnamon–nutmeg maple butter.
Sliced, buttered, and stacked — proof that one piece is never enough. 😉🍞🍯

💛 Why You’ll Love This Rustic Loaf

🍎 Apple Cider – Adds natural sweetness and a soft tang.
🍁 Maple Sugar – Warm caramel notes with a fall vibe.
🌰 Nutmeg & Pecans – Cozy spice and crunch in every bite.
🥖 Golden Crust – Crackly outside, pillowy inside perfection.

Slices of apple cider sourdough bread on a wooden board with whipped cinnamon nutmeg maple butter spread using a rustic butter knife.
One swipe of spiced butter and this loaf becomes irresistible. 🥖🍎🍯

✨ Baker’s Tease

Imagine the smell of warm cider and maple drifting from your oven. A crackly crust, a pillowy crumb, and just enough nutmeg to whisper that fall is here.

Right out of the oven, this rustic sourdough gets a drizzle of apple cider with a spoonful of maple sugar that soaks into the crust like a sweet autumn glaze. Slice it open, spread with homemade whipped butter made with cinnamon, maple sugar, and nutmeg, and watch this bread disappear faster than you can say cozy fall vibes. 🍎🍁🥖

The fun does not stop at the loaf. What you glaze or spread on top changes the whole mood. Here are a few of my favorite ways to dress it up:

🍯 Sweet

  • Honey cinnamon glaze made by stirring honey with a pinch of cinnamon and drizzling over warm slices

  • Whipped pumpkin butter made with softened butter, pumpkin purée, maple sugar, and pumpkin spice

  • Brown sugar pecan butter whipped with toasted pecans and a sprinkle of cinnamon for a nutty caramel flavor

If sweet loaves are calling your name, you might also love my Cinnamon Swirl Sourdough. It is another cozy bake that fills the kitchen with the scent of spice and sweetness.

🧄 Savory

  • Olive oil with garlic and rosemary brushed over warm slices

  • Herbed cream cheese spread with fresh herbs folded in for a tangy bite

  • Sage and thyme butter blended with fresh herbs and a touch of salt for a cozy holiday feel

And if savory loaves are more your style, try my Roasted Garlic Herb Sourdough Bread. It is soft, fragrant, and perfect for sharing at the table.

 

Rustic wooden bowl filled with whipped cinnamon nutmeg maple butter in front of sliced apple cider sourdough bread.
A cloud of maple cinnamon butter waiting for its bread soulmate. ☁️🍯🥖

 ✨ More Baker’s Notes

This bread makes the best toast the next morning if there is any left.

Here’s something I didn’t know when I first started baking, and you might not either: how you store your loaf changes its personality.

  • A tea towel or paper bag keeps the crust crisp, but the cut side will dry faster. Perfect if you’ll finish it in a day or two.

  • A plastic bag or an airtight container keeps the crumb soft and moist, but the crust loses its crunch. Great if you love to toast slices.

  • Best of both worlds is wrapping the loaf in a towel or paper bag, then slipping that into a loose plastic bag or bread box. You get a balance of crisp crust and soft crumb.

Freeze slices in an airtight bag for up to 2 months and toast them straight from frozen. The cinnamon, nutmeg maple butter keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before spreading.

Buttered slice of rustic apple cider sourdough bread on a wooden board with cinnamon nutmeg maple butter melting into the crumb.
Golden bread, melting butter, and a hint of spice, now that's pure autumn comfort. 💛

Looking for more comforting, flavor-packed meals? Check out our [other recipes here]!

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Ingredients

Adjust Servings
100g active sourdough starter (100% hydration)
500g King Arthur bread flour
250g apple cider (room temp)
100g water divided (50 g for autolyse, 50 g reserved)
25g maple sugar
10g salt
1 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
75g (Optional) chopped apple (patted dry), 50 g toasted pecans or walnuts
Maple Cider Glaze
1 tbsp apple cider
1 tbsp maple sugar
🍯 Cozy Spread – Cinnamon Nutmeg Maple Butter
113g (½ cup / 8 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
1½ tbsp (about 18g) maple sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp fresh grated nutmeg

Nutritional Information

170 Calories
34g Carbs
4g Protein
1g Fat
2g Fiber
2g Sugar

Directions

1.

Mix Starter, Flour & Cider

In a large bowl, combine flours, apple cider, 50 g water, and starter until just shaggy. The dough will look wet and gloppy at this stage. Trust the process, it will come together as you fold. Cover and rest 30–45 minutes.
Mark as complete
2.

Add Salt, Sugar, and Nutmeg

Dissolve salt and maple sugar into the remaining 50 g water. Pour over the dough, grate nutmeg on top, and mix until smooth and fully incorporated. Cover and rest 30–45 minutes.
Mark as complete
3.

Bulk Fermentation (3–5 hrs)

Let the dough rise at room temperature for 3–5 hours. Perform 3–4 stretch and folds in the first 2 hours. If using, gently add apples and nuts after the first fold. Dough should rise about 50–70 percent.
Mark as complete
4.

Shape

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a boule and place seam-side up in a floured banneton.
Mark as complete
5.

Proof

Cover and refrigerate 12–16 hours for cold proofing.
Mark as complete
6.

Bake

Preheat oven to 475°F (246°C) with Dutch oven inside. Transfer dough to parchment, score, and place in Dutch oven. Bake 20 minutes covered, then 25–30 minutes uncovered until deep golden with a crackly crust.
Apple cider sourdough bread with a maple cider glaze cooling on a wire rack.
Mark as complete
7.

Finish with Maple Cider Glaze

In a small bowl, dissolve 1 tbsp maple sugar in 1 tbsp apple cider. Brush or drizzle over the hot loaf so it soaks into the crust.
Baker’s Note: Want a thicker glaze? Double the cider and maple sugar, then brush on an extra layer once the loaf has cooled slightly for even more caramelized sweetness. 🍎🍁
Mark as complete
8.

Rest

When the loaf is finished baking, transfer it to a wire rack. Let it rest so the crust stays crisp and the crumb has time to set. Resist the temptation to slice right away. The wait is worth it.
Close-up of apple cider sourdough bread slice with maple cinnamon butter melting into the crumb.
Mark as complete
9.

Make Cinnamon Nutmeg Maple Butter

While the bread cools, beat softened butter with maple sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until light and fluffy.
Whipped cinnamon nutmeg maple butter in a mixing bowl with wooden spoon and spices nearby.
Mark as complete
10.

Slice & Enjoy

Slice the loaf and enjoy with your choice of butter spread. Smother it on thick — no one’s looking. 😉
Hand holding a slice of apple cider sourdough bread smothered with cinnamon nutmeg maple butter in front of a rustic loaf.
Baker’s Note: This bread makes the best toast the next morning… if there’s any left.
Mark as complete

Notes

This rustic loaf isn’t just bread, it’s a centerpiece. Slice it up, set it on the table, and watch how quickly family and friends gather for “just one more piece.”
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