Fresh Milled Apple Pie Pull-Apart Sourdough Skillet
This fresh milled apple pie pull-apart sourdough skillet is made with soft fresh-milled sourdough brioche, buttery cinnamon sugar, and homemade apple pie filling, then baked in a cast iron skillet and finished with a sweet vanilla glaze. It's a shareable treat that's great for fall breakfasts, brunches, or dessert.
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Ingredients
For the Fresh-Milled Sourdough Brioche Dough
- 350 g freshly milled hard white wheat flour milled as finely as possible
- 220 g milk at cool room temperature, plus an extra 5–15 g if needed
- 70 g active sourdough starter 100% hydration
- 42 g granulated sugar
- 35 g unsalted butter softened
- 1 medium egg or about 35 g beaten egg
- 5 g fine sea salt
For the Apple Pie Filling
- 500 g apples peeled and diced into small cubes
- 55 g light brown sugar
- 20 g unsalted butter
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of ground cloves optional
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 10 g fresh lemon juice
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 7 g cornstarch
For the Cinnamon Sugar
- 90 g granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
For Assembly
- 80 g unsalted butter melted
For the Vanilla Glaze
- 80 g powdered sugar
- 15–18 g milk
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the freshly milled flour, milk, sourdough starter, egg, sugar, and salt. Mix until all of the flour is hydrated and no dry spots remain. Cover and let the dough rest for 20–30 minutes.After the rest, check the consistency. If the dough still feels quite firm, mix in another 5–15 g of milk.
- With the mixer running on low speed, add the softened butter. Once all of the butter has been added, continue mixing for another 2–3 minutes until the dough becomes smoother.Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- Perform 2–3 sets of stretch and folds, about 30 minutes apart. After the final set, cover the dough and let it continue bulk fermenting until it has increased in volume by about 30–50%.At 72°F (22°C), this usually takes around 5–7 hours.
- While the dough is fermenting, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.Add the diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves (if using), vanilla, lemon juice, and salt. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples have softened but still hold their shape.
- Sprinkle in the cornstarch while stirring continuously. Cook for another minute, until the juices have thickened into a glossy apple pie filling.Transfer to a bowl and let it cool completely.
- Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl.Pour the melted butter into a second shallow bowl.
- Generously butter a 10.25-inch cast iron skillet. There's no need to line it with parchment. Tear off or slice off pieces of dough about 3–4 tablespoons in size (don’t be afraid to make pieces different in size, it ads to the charm of this dish! Dip each piece into the melted butter, letting the excess drip off, then coat lightly in the cinnamon sugar.
- Arrange about half of the coated dough pieces in the skillet. Spoon about ¼ of the cooled apple pie filling over and between the dough pieces. Add the other half of the pieces.
- Cover the skillet and let the dough proof until it looks noticeably puffy and slightly jiggly, about 2–3 hours.It should rise to just below the rim of the skillet.
- Toward the end of the proof, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).Spoon over the remaining ¾ of the apple filling. If you have any melted butter left, drizzle it over the top. Sprinkle on any remaining cinnamon sugar.Bake for 28–32 minutes, rotating the skillet halfway through baking, until the top is deeply golden brown and the center is fully baked. If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely tent it with foil during the final 10–15 minutes.
- Let the pull-apart skillet cool for about 15–20 minutes before glazing. Serve it warm, straight from the skillet.
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and 15 g of milk until smooth. Add a little more milk if needed to reach a thick but pourable consistency.
- Drizzle the glaze generously over the warm pull-apart skillet and let it set for about 15–20 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Mill the flour as finely as possible for the softest texture.
- Freshly milled flour can absorb different amounts of liquid. Wait until after the initial rest before deciding whether to add more milk.
- Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Pink Lady, or Granny Smith apples all work beautifully.
- Let the apple pie filling cool completely before assembling. A warm filling can soften the dough and slow the rise.
- Coating each piece of dough in butter and cinnamon sugar is what creates the soft, pull-apart layers, so don't skip this step.
- Don't overfill the skillet. Before proofing, the dough should come only about halfway up the sides of the skillet. After proofing, it should rise to just below the rim.
- Overnight after bulk fermentation: Once the dough has finished bulk fermenting, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Let it sit at room temperature for 30–60 minutes before assembling.
- Overnight after assembly: Assemble the skillet, cover, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, let it rise at room temperature until puffy and jiggly, usually 2–4 hours, and spoon over the remaining apple filling before baking.
- Because of the apple filling, the center may look softer than it actually is. Make sure the dough between the apple pockets looks fully baked before removing it from the oven.
- Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. They're especially delicious gently warmed before serving.
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Nutrition
Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 207mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 404IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 0.2mg
