Sourdough Pumpkin Bread Recipe

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This beautiful bread is the perfect pairing for soups and stews. Sourdough Pumpkin Bread has a beautiful color for fall but the flavour is very subtle, so it will pair wonderfully with anything.

A loaf of sourdough pumpkin bread with a slice off the front.

In fact, the day after I made this, Marius and I went away, and the kids made it into french toast. Do they even realize how gourmet they are?

This isn't pumpkin quick bread - I've added homemade pumpkin puree to my sourdough as the perfect loaf for fall. You won't really taste the squash, but it gives the bread a really lovely color and of course adds great nutrition.

Why You Need This Recipe

Pumpkin is the perfect fall addition to any recipe, bread included. Add nutrition without a strong taste.
I love creating new sourdough options and you will, too. No need to be bored!
While this seems like a long recipe, it's really simple and so much of it is hands-off so that you can make bread fit into your daily life.

A pint and a half mason jar half full of pumpkin puree.

Key Ingredients

Sourdough starter - Make sure your starter is bubbling along and ready to inflate your dough. If you're new or curious about sourdough, I've got you covered with all the step-by-step instructions you need.

Flour - I use regular all-purpose here as I just find it to act correctly with the dough. There is an option to add some whole wheat in the recipe card below.

Pumpkin - Make your own or keep a can on the pantry shelf. Just make sure it's plain pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix.

Eggs - These help bind the dough together and keep the inside light and fluffy.

How to Make Sourdough Pumpkin Bread

Step 1: Mix up your levain (fancy word for your sponge or just "the beginning") well ahead of time. See the recipe card for details. Let rest at least 8 hours.

Step 2: Next up, add the remaining ingredients to create your dough. Wet, then dry.

A whisk ready to mix two eggs into batter.

A bowl of flour with a whisk on a kitchen scale.

A Danish dough whisk in a bowl of stiff dough.

Step 3: Cover the bowl with a towel and let rest until doubled.

Sourdough resting in a bowl covered with a towel.

Step 4: Next, split your dough into two rectangles. Roll and tuck under the edges to make the top taut and place in your loaf pans.

Two shaped sourdough loaves on a counter.

Sourdough shaped into loaves and placed into two loaf pans.

Step 5: Bake until nice and crusty!

Tips and Tricks

I love my Danish dough whisk for mixing stiff doughs like this. You can also use a sturdy wooden spoon.
Remember that canned pumpkin is essentially any orange winter squash.
I love fresh bread, but you can definitely wrap and freeze the second loaf for another day.

Try serving with Sausage Lentil Soup or any of your favorite wild game stews. Perfect for sopping up every last drop.

A baked sourdough loaf in a cast iron bread pan.

FAQs

How do I know my bread is done?

There's nothing worse than slicing into bread and finding a raw center. The low-tech way is to thump the bread - it should sound hollow. You can also use an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the loaf and aim for 190-200°F.

Does my bread pan make a difference?

I used cast iron in these photos, but I also have thinner metal pans. Some people have glass loaf pans as well. they all work, but they all will have slightly different bake times and different levels of browning. That's why a thermometer can be a super important tool!

What type of bread is this?

This bread falls in the middle for me. It's crustier than my Soft Sourdough Master, though you can always try brushing this crust with butter while warm. It's also not crazy hard, so it's still an enjoyable eating experience.

More Sourdough Recipes

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If you like this recipe, I’d love if you reviewed it so others can find it easier. Sharing this recipe on Facebook or Pinterest is another way you can help us out at no cost to you. Thanks, xo Kate