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Perfect Homemade Pumpkin Sourdough Bread with Fall Spices

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This pumpkin sourdough bread combines the tangy complexity of naturally leavened dough with warm fall spices and real pumpkin puree for a tender, moist loaf with a crisp crust. It’s perfect for toast, sandwiches, or enjoying warm out of the oven.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 100g active sourdough starter (about ½ cup)
  • 200g pumpkin puree (about ¾ cup)
  • 400g bread flour (about 3 cups)
  • 100g whole wheat flour (about ¾ cup)
  • 100g water (about ½ cup), room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice blend (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves)
  • 10g fine sea salt (about 1½ teaspoons)
  • 50g brown sugar (about ¼ cup)
  • 30g unsalted butter or olive oil (about 2 tablespoons)

Instructions

  1. Feed your starter 8-10 hours before mixing until bubbly and doubled in size.
  2. In a large bowl, combine bread flour, whole wheat flour, salt, pumpkin spice, and brown sugar. Whisk to distribute.
  3. Add pumpkin puree, water, active starter, and softened butter. Mix until no dry bits remain. The dough will be shaggy and sticky.
  4. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
  5. Perform 4 rounds of stretch and folds every 30 minutes: wet hands, stretch one side of dough up and fold over top, rotate bowl 90°, repeat for 4 stretches per round.
  6. Cover and let bulk ferment at room temperature for 4-6 hours until increased by 40-50% with visible bubbles.
  7. Lightly flour work surface, turn out dough, fold edges toward center to form a boule. Flip and use bench scraper to create surface tension. Rest 15 minutes, then final shape.
  8. Place shaped dough seam-side up in floured banneton, cover, and refrigerate for 12-18 hours (cold ferment).
  9. Preheat oven and Dutch oven to 475°F (245°C) for 30 minutes.
  10. Flip dough onto parchment paper, score with a deep slash (about ½ inch deep) using a lame or razor blade.
  11. Carefully place dough (on parchment) into hot Dutch oven, cover, and bake for 25 minutes.
  12. Remove lid and bake for 20-25 minutes more until deep golden brown and internal temperature reaches 200°F (93°C).
  13. Transfer to cooling rack and cool completely for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Notes

Pumpkin puree adds moisture, so use less water than standard sourdough. Cold ferment develops flavor and makes dough easier to handle. Do not skip scoring—it controls expansion. For best crust, preheat Dutch oven for full 30 minutes. Cool completely before slicing to avoid gummy texture. Store wrapped in beeswax wrap or towel at room temperature for up to 3 days; freeze sliced for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin sourdough bread, fall sourdough, pumpkin spice bread, homemade sourdough, sourdough bread recipe, pumpkin bread, fall baking, sourdough with pumpkin

Find it online: https://cheerycrisp.com/perfect-homemade-pumpkin-sourdough-bread-with-fall-spices/