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If you love apple fritters, then you need to try this delicious apple fritter focaccia recipe!
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Best Apple Fritter Focaccia

If you love apple fritters, then you need to try this delicious apple fritter focaccia recipe! Soft fluffy focaccia loaded with warm cinnamon apples and drizzled with a sweet sugar glaze.
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Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword apple fritter focaccia
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Rise Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter melted and cooled

Focaccia Dough-

Apple Filling-

Icing-

Instructions

Cinnamon Apple Filling-

  • Wash, pit and peel the apples. Finely dice the apples into ⅓” small cubes, all even in size.
    2 medium apples
  • Add all the ingredients to a sauce pan or pot and mix to combine.
    3 Tbsp unsalted butter , 1/4 cup brown sugar, ½ tsp vanilla extract, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 3 Tbsp water, 1 ½ tsp cornstarch
  • Bring the apples to a simmer cooking on medium high heat. Once simmering, cook for about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the apples are soft and the sauce has thickened.
  • Remove from the heat and allow the apple mixture to cool. (You can make the apple filling 2-3 days ahead of time, store in the fridge until ready to make focaccia.)

Apple Fritter Focaccia-

  • Add all the ingredients for the focaccia dough to a large bowl. Using a dough whisk or your hands, mix until everything is well combined and a wet, sticky dough forms. Cover and let the dough rest at room temp for 15 minutes.
    240 grams all-purpose flour, ¾ tsp salt, 2 tsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp active dry yeast, , 204 grams warm water, 105-110°F, 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • After 15 minutes, stretch and fold the dough. With wet hands, grab one edge of the dough, gently pull it upward, and fold it toward the center. Turn the bowl slightly and repeat with another section of dough. Continue this process until you have stretched and folded the dough 4-5 times.
  • Cover the dough and let rest another 15 minutes. Repeat the stretch and fold process. Rest the dough for another 15 minutes, then repeat the stretch-and-fold process one final time, for a total of 3 rounds of stretching and folding.
  • After the third and final stretch and fold, cover the dough and let rise at room temp, or in a warm, draft-free spot, for 45 minutes.
  • Drizzle a 9×9 inch baking pan with 2 Tbsp of melted butter. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan. Using lightly oiled or wet hands, gently stretch the dough toward the edges of the pan.
    2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • Spread half of the cinnamon apple mixture evenly over the surface of the dough. Starting with one side of the dough, gently stretch it upward and fold it toward the center. Repeat with the opposite side, folding it over the first fold.
  • Carefully flip the dough over so the folded side is underneath. Using wet or lightly oiled hands, gently stretch the dough toward the edges of the pan. (If the dough does not reach all the way to the edges, that’s okay! It will continue to spread as it rises.)
  • Cover the baking pan and allow the dough to rise for another 2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size and looks fluffy and bubbly. (Do NOT rush this step! The dough needs enough time to rise properly for the best texture and flavor.)
  • About 20–30 minutes before the dough is finished rising, preheat the oven to 450°F. This ensures the oven is fully heated when the focaccia is ready to bake.
  • Once the dough has finished rising, uncover it and drizzle the remaining cinnamon apple mixture evenly over the top. Wet your hands, then gently press your fingertips straight down into the dough to create deep dimples. Continue until the entire surface of the dough is covered with dimples.
  • Bake at 450°F for 20-25 minutes, until the focaccia is deep golden brown and crisp around the edges.
  • While the focaccia is baking, whisk together all of the sugar icing ingredients until smooth. Set aside.
    1/2 cup powdered sugar, 2 tsp whole milk**
  • Remove the focaccia from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Then, carefully transfer it to a wire cooling rack and let it cool slightly.
  • Drizzle the warm apple fritter focaccia with the icing, then slice and serve. For the best flavor and texture, serve warm.

Notes

**If you want to make the focaccia dough overnight, check out my classic focaccia bread recipe.
***The flour and water are measured in grams instead of cups for greater accuracy, helping ensure your dough comes out perfect every time!
***The glaze should be thick but pourable. If it’s too thick, add more liquid. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar.