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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!
Course Dessert
Keyword apple cheesecake, brioche buns, sourdough
Servings 8 Brioche Buns
Author eastongilowski

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.