Sourdough Apple Cheesecake Brioche Pastries
Sourdough Apple Cheesecake Brioche Pastries. Think apple pie — but in the most golden, delicate brioche form. Soft, fluffy sourdough dough filled with a creamy cheesecake center, topped with spiced caramelized apples and a buttery crumble. They’re gooey, spiced, and perfectly cozy — the kind of bake that defines the start of fall.
Chai & Spiced: Episode One
Welcome to Episode One of my Chai & Spiced fall baking series.
This is the series that’s been living in my head for years — a cozy corner of my kitchen dedicated to all things warm, aromatic, and inspired by the season. Fall has always been my favorite time to bake; there’s something about the scent of cinnamon in the oven and the ritual of slowing down that makes everything feel more intentional. Every recipe in this series celebrates that — the comfort of baking, the grounding spices, and that slow, beautiful rhythm that comes with cooler days.
And we’re starting right here, with these Sourdough Apple Cheesecake Brioche Pastries — a cozy nod to apple pie, reimagined through sourdough.
Every recipe in this series is a love letter to that feeling — to cozy kitchens, to chai lattes, to creating something beautiful and intentional. And it all starts here, with these Sourdough Apple Cheesecake Brioche Pastries. I can’t wait to share this recipe and see where Chai & Spiced takes us this fall season…
What You’ll Need: Sourdough Apple Cheesecake Brioche Pastries
These cozy sourdough apple buns start with my sourdough brioche dough — you’ll want to make it the night before so it’s ready to bake in the morning. I find that overnight fermentation gives it the perfect rise, soft texture, and a hint of tang that pairs beautifully with the warm cinnamon apple filling. Everything here is made with simple, wholesome ingredients — no refined sugars, just cozy, feel-good fall baking.
Sourdough Apple Cheesecake Brioche Pastries Checklist
The Brioche Dough
flour
active sourdough starter
almond milk
butter (softened)
brown sugar
egg
sea saltCream Cheese Filling
cream cheese (room temperature)
powdered sugar
vanilla
sea salt
cinnamonApple Filling
apples (peeled & diced)
brown sugar
cinnamon
water
arrowroot starchCrumble Topping
flour
cane sugar
butter
Making the Sourdough Apple Cheesecake Brioche Pastries
Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl or your stand mixer, add everything except the flour — the active sourdough starter, almond milk, softened butter, brown sugar, egg, and sea salt. Mix well with a fork until combined. Add the flour and mix until a very shaggy dough forms. Knead with a stand mixer for 5–8 minutes, or by hand on the counter for ~10 minutes, until the dough is soft and smooth. Cover and let ferment 8–10 hours (I usually do overnight) until doubled and puffy.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees & Shape the buns: The next day, divide the dough into 8 even pieces. Press the center of each piece gently to create a shallow “nest” (don’t press through the bottom) — this is where the fillings will live. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes while we prep the fillings and crumble!
Apple filling: In a saucepan, cook the peeled and diced apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, and water. Stir in the arrowroot starch or flour to thicken it and simmer for about 8–10 minutes, until thickened and jammy.
Cream cheese filling: Whisk together the room-temperature cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, a pinch of sea salt, and a sprinkle of cinnamon until smooth and whipped.
Crumble topping: Rub the cold butter into the flour and sugar until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
Assemble and bake: Fill each dough nest with a spoonful of cream cheese filling, top with the apple mixture, and finish with a scattering of crumble. Bake at 350°F (~175°C) for ~18 minutes, until golden and puffed.
Allow them to slightly cool and set and then serve warm — they’re gooey, spiced, and perfectly cozy. They’re apple pie in pastry form, so flavourful, fall and festive! I can’t wait for you to try them. Watch Episode One here! See you soon for Episode 2….
Sourdough Apple Cheesecake Brioche Pastry Recipe
Sourdough Apple Cheesecake Brioche Pastries
Gooey, spiced, and perfectly cozy, these refined sugar-free pastries combine a light sourdough brioche with a creamy cheesecake filling, a spiced apple compote, and a crisp crumble topping. Made with whole, simple ingredients!
Servings 8 Brioche Buns
Ingredients
The Sourdough Brioche Dough
- 400 g bread flour or AP
- 200 g active sourdough starter
- 150 g whole milk or almond milk
- 100 g softened butter
- 60 g cane sugar
- 2 eggs
- 6 g sea salt
The Apple Filling
- 2 large apples
- splash of water
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp arrowroot starch or flour
Cream Cheese Filling
- 1 cup cream cheese
- 2 tbsp powder sugar
- splash of vanilla
- pinch sea salt
Crumble
- 1 tbsp cane sugar
- 1 tbsp flour
- 15 g cold butter
Instructions
Make the dough:
- In a large bowl, combine everything except the flour — the starter, almond milk, butter, brown sugar, egg, and salt. Mix with a fork until smooth and fully combined. Add the flour and mix until a dough forms. Knead with a stand mixer for 5–8 minutes, or by hand for about 10 minutes, until soft and smooth. Cover and let ferment for 8–10 hours (I usually do overnight) until doubled and puffy.
Shape & fill:
- Once the dough has risen, divide it into 8 pieces. Press the center of each piece gently to create a shallow “nest” — make sure not to press through the bottom. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes while prepping the fillings.
Apple filling:
- In a small saucepan, cook the apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, and water until softened. Stir in the arrowroot starch and simmer for 8–10 minutes until thickened and glossy.
Cream cheese filling:
- Whisk together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until creamy and smooth.
Crumble topping:
- Combine flour and sugar, then rub in the cold butter until the mixture looks sandy and crumbly.
Assemble:
- Fill each dough nest with a spoonful of cream cheese filling, top with the warm apple mixture, and finish with crumble.
Bake:
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 18 minutes, or until golden and puffed.Cool slightly before serving. They’re soft, spiced, and pure fall perfection.
