Sourdough Pumpkin Bread
Fall baking doesn't get better than this cozy Sourdough Pumpkin Bread. Soft, spiced, and naturally leavened with sourdough starter and with a hint of sweetness from the honey and pumpkin puree, this loaf is perfection in every bite. Slice it up, slather on some butter and enjoy!
It's perfect for breakfast, snacking, or holiday gatherings (just like my Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Roll Roses), fills your kitchen with the aroma of fall, and delivers a tender crumb in every slice. Best of all, it's quick to prepare compared to other sourdough recipes.
I've been trying a lot of fall-inspired recipes recently, gearing up for the upcoming season. My sourdough cinnamon toast crunch cereal has been a huge hit with everyone, and my sourdough cinnamon swirl bread recipe is a keeper if you love simple, classic breads.
This time, I wanted to whip up a bread using some Hokkaido pumpkin puree that I had at hand, and that's when I tried this recipe.
Recipe Quick Look
- Prep time: 30 mins.
- Cook time: 40 mins.
- Servings: 12.
- Main ingredients: Flour, sourdough starter, pumpkin puree, honey, turmeric.
- Cooking method: Prepare dough with sourdough starter 🡢 cover and rest 🡢 stretch and fold 🡢 rise 🡢 transfer to banneton basket and rise 🡢 score and transfer to a preheated Dutch oven 🡢 bake, cool and serve.
- Difficulty: Medium.
- Serving ideas: Enjoy on its own or pair with other classic fall bakes like sourdough cinnamon Babka and sourdough Swedish cardamom buns.
Jump to:
Important Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour forms the base of the dough, giving it structure and a soft crumb.
- Pumpkin Purée adds moisture and a subtle pumpkin flavor to the bread.
- Water hydrates the dough and activates the starter.
- Active Sourdough Starter provides natural leavening and a classic sourdough tang.
- Honey adds a gentle sweetness that complements the pumpkin.
- Turmeric brings a warm color and earthy flavor to the bread.
- Salt balances and enhances the overall flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Pumpkin alternatives: Swap out pumpkin purée for butternut squash or sweet potato for a different flavor.
- Flour: You can use bread flour if you want a chewier texture, but all-purpose flour works just fine.
- Sweeteners: Replace honey with maple syrup or brown sugar if you prefer. I used it for my sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls.
- Spices: Add a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin spice to enhance the fall flavors.
- Seeds: Top the bread with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds for extra crunch.
How to Make Sourdough Pumpkin Bread
Step 1: In a bowl, mix water, salt, and active sourdough starter until the starter dissolves slightly (Image 1).
Step 2: Add the all-purpose flour and pumpkin purée. Mix well with a spoon, then use your hands to make sure all the flour is incorporated. Cover with an airtight wrap and let rest for 30 minutes (Image 2).
Step 3: After the rest, perform a set of stretch and folds. Grab the edge of the dough, stretch it, and fold it over. Repeat 3 more times, rotating the bowl after each fold (Image 3). Cover and let it rest for 20 minutes.
Step 4: Repeat the stretch and fold process 3 more times, with 20-minute rests in between. This helps build the dough's strength (Image 4).
Step 5: After the final stretch and fold, cover the dough and let it rise at room temperature for 4-6 hours, until it has almost doubled in size (Image 5).
Step 6: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and shape it by folding opposite ends together. Place it in a banneton basket lined with a floured tea towel. Let the dough rise for another 2 hours (Image 6).
Step 7: Preheat your oven to 460°F (238°C) and place a Dutch oven inside to heat up. Once ready, transfer the dough onto parchment paper, score the top, and place it in the hot Dutch oven. Add a splash of water between the parchment and Dutch oven to create steam (Image 7).
Step 8: Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes at 440°F (227°C) until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack before slicing (Image 8).
Baking Schedule
OPTION 1: Feed the starter the day before, have bread for dinner the next day.
- 8:00 - Mix the dough
- 8:30 - Start stretch and folds
- 9:30 - 12:30 - Bulk rise
- 12:30 - Shape the dough and start second rise
- 13:30 - Bake the bread
- 14:15 - Bread comes out to cool
OPTION 2: Feed the starter in the morning, have bread for a late dinner.
- 8:00 - Feed starter
- 13:00 - Mix the dough
- 13:30 - Start stretch and folds
- 14:30 - 17:30 - Bulk rise
- 17:30 - Shape the dough and start second rise
- 18:30 - Bake the bread
- 19:15 - Bread comes out to cool
💭Crucial Success Tips
- Dough consistency: If your dough feels too sticky, sprinkle in a bit more flour. If it's too dry, add a little water. Adjusting the dough makes it easier to work with.
- Stretch and folds: Be consistent with your stretch and folds to build up the dough's strength. It helps create a better structure in the bread.
- Shaping: Handle the dough gently when shaping to avoid knocking out too much air, which gives you a better rise.
- Scoring: Make sure to score the dough deeply enough. This helps the bread expand properly in the oven.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, canned pumpkin works great! Just make sure it's 100% pure pumpkin, not the pumpkin pie filling.
Yes, you can leave it out. The turmeric mainly adds color and a mild earthy flavor, but the bread will still turn out delicious without it.
It stays fresh for about 3-4 days at room temperature. Just make sure to store it in an airtight container.
More Sourdough Holiday Recipes
If you tried this Sourdough Pumpkin Bread or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below! Happy Baking!
Sourdough Pumpkin Bread with Hokkaido Pumpkin
Equipment
Ingredients
- 320 grams all purpose flour
- 150 grams water
- 70 grams sourdough starter active
- 110 grams pumpkin puree
- 5 grams honey
- 6 grams salt
- 2 grams turmeric
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix water, salt, and active sourdough starter until the starter dissolves slightly.
- Add the all-purpose flour and pumpkin purée. Mix well with a spoon, then use your hands to make sure all the flour is incorporated. Cover with an airtight wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
- After the rest, perform a set of stretch and folds. Grab the edge of the dough, stretch it, and fold it over. Repeat 3 more times, rotating the bowl after each fold. Cover and let it rest for 20 minutes.
- Repeat the stretch and fold process 3 more times, with 20-minute rests in between. This helps build the dough's strength.
- After the final stretch and fold, cover the dough and let it rise at room temperature for 4-6 hours, until it has almost doubled in size.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and shape it by folding opposite ends together. Place it in a banneton basket lined with a floured tea towel. Let the dough rise for another 2 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 460°F (238°C) and place a Dutch oven inside to heat up. Once ready, transfer the dough onto parchment paper, score the top, and place it in the hot Dutch oven. Add a splash of water between the parchment and Dutch oven to create steam.
- Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes at 440°F (227°C) until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
- Dough consistency: If your dough feels too sticky, sprinkle in a bit more flour. If it's too dry, add a little water. Adjusting the dough makes it easier to work with.
- Stretch and folds: Be consistent with your stretch and folds to build up the dough's strength. It helps create a better structure in the bread.
- Shaping: Handle the dough gently when shaping to avoid knocking out too much air, which gives you a better rise.
- Scoring: Make sure to score the dough deeply enough. This helps the bread expand properly in the oven.
Hi! This sounds amazing but there is no recipe card or ingredient amounts on the page even though it says to see recipe card for amounts. I can’t wait to try this recipe.
Hi Suzanne,
Thanks for reaching out! There was a glitch affecting the recipe card on the page, but it's been fixed now. You should be able to see all the ingredient amounts and instructions. Can't wait for you to try the recipe!
Thank you so much! One more question. How much turmeric do you add?
Hi Suzanne!
Thank you for your question! I usually add about 2-3 grams of turmeric to my recipes, depending on how potent it is—a little goes a long way! That's roughly equivalent to half a teaspoon to three-quarters of a teaspoon.