Sourdough Holiday Spiced Apple Cider and Walnut Discard Bread

Name: Sourdough Holiday Spiced Apple Cider and Walnut Discard Bread
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1½ cup (360 ml) sourdough starter discard, unfed, at room temperature; ½ cup (120 ml) apple cider, reduced, simmered down and cooled; 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour; 1½ teaspoon (7½ g) baking powder; ½ teaspoon (2½ g) baking soda; ¾ teaspoon (4 g) fine sea salt; 2 teaspoon (5 g) ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon (1.2 g) freshly grated nutmeg; 2 whole (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature; ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract; 1 cup (120 g) walnuts, toasted, chopped coarsely

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A tender, moist quick bread that transforms sourdough discard into a holiday favorite. Spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, enriched with apple cider reduction, and studded with toasted walnuts, this bread is perfect for breakfast, gifting, or a cozy snack. The sourdough discard adds subtle tang and keeps the crumb tender for days.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 55 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 1 hr 35 min
Makes: 2 loaves (8 slices per loaf)

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the center
Grease two 8.5×4.5-inch (21×11 cm) loaf pans and line the bottoms with parchment for easy removal
Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until fragrant, then let cool and chop coarsely
Reduce apple cider to 1/2 cup (120 ml) first by simmering in a small saucepan for 8–10 minutes; let cool before using

1
Prepare dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly distributed.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: All spices are evenly distributed throughout the flour
Tip: Whisking the dry ingredients prevents clumps of baking soda and powder in the finished bread
2
Combine wet ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard, reduced apple cider, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract until well combined and slightly frothy.
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Ready when: The mixture is homogeneous with no visible streaks of eggs
Tip: Room-temperature eggs integrate more smoothly and create a more tender crumb
3
Fold in dry mixture
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold together with a rubber spatula using 12–15 strokes until just combined.
- Do not overmix; the batter should be slightly lumpy.
- Fold in the chopped walnuts with 2–3 additional strokes.
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Ready when: No visible streaks of dry flour remain and walnuts are evenly distributed
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten, making the bread tough; a slightly lumpy batter is ideal for quick breads
4
Divide batter into pans
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans, smoothing the tops gently with a spatula.
- Each loaf should be about three-quarters full.
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Ready when: Batter is evenly distributed and tops are roughly level
Tip: Fill the pans only three-quarters full to prevent batter from overflowing during baking
5
Bake loavesOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 50–55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of each loaf comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- The tops should be deep golden brown and a skewer should come out mostly clean (a few moist crumbs are fine due to the moisture in the batter).
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Ready when: Toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs; tops are deep golden brown
Tip: Start checking at 48 minutes to avoid overbaking; every oven is different
6
Cool and release
- Let the loaves cool in their pans for 10 minutes.
- Then turn them out onto a wire rack and cool completely, about 5 minutes more.
- If using parchment liners, they should slip out easily.
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Ready when: Loaves pull away slightly from the pan sides and are cool enough to handle
Tip: Cooling in the pan for 10 minutes prevents the bread from falling apart, but turning it out prevents a soggy bottom

Good to know

Tips

The reduced apple cider is essential—it concentrates the flavor and sweetness while keeping the bread moist. Do not skip this step
Sourdough discard makes this bread stay tender for days. If you have a wet, bubbly discard, use it as is; if you have thick starter, thin it with a tablespoon of water to reach the correct volume
Toast the walnuts just before using to maximize their flavor and aroma
This bread tastes even better the next day after flavors have melded. Perfect for gifting in a holiday box

Make ahead

You can prepare the dry ingredients and toast the walnuts the day before. Store both in separate airtight containers. Reduce the apple cider the day before and refrigerate. Mix and bake the bread on the day you want to serve it.

Storage & reheating

Store cooled loaves, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Freeze whole loaves or slices in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature or toast slices directly from frozen.

Substitutions

walnuts, toasted → chopped pecans or hazelnuts. Pecans and hazelnuts offer similar texture and toasted flavor; use the same amount
apple cider, reduced → unsweetened applesauce plus 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar. Use 1/2 cup (120 ml) applesauce; the vinegar adds tang similar to reduced cider
ground cinnamon → a blend of 1 teaspoon cinnamon plus 1/4 teaspoon cardamom. Cardamom adds deeper spice complexity for a more elaborate holiday flavor
freshly grated nutmeg → ground ginger or allspice. Either works well; use the same amount. Ginger adds warmth, allspice brings earthiness