Pumpkin Sourdough Bread (Pumpkin-Shaped Sourdough Bread)

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here are some notes on key ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.

• Bread Flour- Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which helps develop the gluten structure needed for a chewy, well-risen loaf.
• Active Sourdough Starter- A strong, active sourdough starter is crucial for achieving a good rise, especially with the added pumpkin puree.
• Pumpkin Puree- Pumpkin puree adds moisture and a beautiful orange hue to the bread.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice- A blend of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves adds a cozy, fall flavor to the bread. You can adjust the spices to your preference or even make your own pumpkin pie spice blend.
• Water- Because pumpkin puree adds a lot of moisture to the dough, I reduced the water content in this pumpkin sourdough bread recipe to make the dough easier to handle. Feel free to experiment with the water amount to find what works best for you.
• Kosher Salt- Salt enhances the flavor of the bread. If you’re using table salt, measure by weight or reduce the amount by half since it’s denser than kosher salt.

How to Make Pumpkin Sourdough Bread

Here is how to make pumpkin-shaped sourdough bread.

Feed Starter

• Feed your sourdough starter the night before or on the morning of baking day. It should be active and bubbly within about 6-12 hours at room temperature (70-75°F).

Mix Dough

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, water, and sourdough starter until smooth.
• Add the bread flour, kosher salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
• Mix by hand until a rough, shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains.
• Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Stretch and Folds

• After resting, lightly wet your hand and perform the first set of stretch and folds.
• Lift one edge of the dough and fold it over to the opposite side. Rotate the bowl 90° and repeat this process until you've completed four folds.
• Gather the dough into a ball and place it seam side down in the bowl.
• Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
• Repeat this process three more times, for a total of four sets of stretch and folds.

Bulk Fermentation

• Cover the dough and let it ferment at room temperature (70-75°F) until it doubles in size and has noticeable air bubbles on the surface. This usually takes 4-6 hours, but can vary.

Pre-Shape and Shape

• Transfer the fermented dough to a lightly floured surface. Gently stretch it into a rectangular shape.
• Fold one side of the rectangle to the center, then fold the opposite side over the first fold (like folding a letter). Repeat with the other two sides.
• Flip the dough seam side down and shape it into a tight ball using your hands or a bench scraper. Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes.
• Flip the dough seam side up and repeat the shaping process to build more surface tension.
• Place the dough seam side up in a rice flour-dusted banneton or a bowl lined with a tea towel. Pinch the seam together if needed.
• Cover the dough and refrigerate it for 12-16 hours or overnight.

Preheat Oven and Score Dough

• About one hour before baking, preheat your oven to 450°F with a lidded Dutch oven inside.
• To Make a Standard Boule: Transfer the cold dough to a bread sling or parchment paper. Score the dough as desired.
• To Make Pumpkin Shaped: To create a pumpkin shape, cut four 24-inch pieces of food-grade twine and soak them in oil for 10 minutes. Squeeze enough of the oil out of the twine to prevent dripping. Lay the twine out in a double cross pattern on a bread sling or parchment paper. Place the dough on top and loosely tie the twine around it, leaving some slack for expansion. Trim excess string and score the loaf with a vertical line down each section. Keep in mind that a pumpkin-shaped loaf may turn out smaller and denser than a traditional boule, as the strings limit its ability to fully expand.

Bake and Cool

• Carefully remove the preheated Dutch oven from the oven and add two ice cubes for steam.
• Lower the dough into the Dutch oven, cover with the lid, and bake for 40 minutes.
• Remove the lid and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the crust reaches your desired color.
• Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool on a wire rack for 2-4 hours before slicing. For a pumpkin-shaped loaf, insert a whole cinnamon stick in the top center as a “stem.”

How to Store

For peak freshness, enjoy your pumpkin spice sourdough bread within the first 24 hours after baking.

You can store an uncut sourdough loaf at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Once sliced, store the pumpkin sourdough bread in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. Then, freeze for up to 3 months. Slices can be thawed at room temperature or in the microwave.

💡 Quick Tip: Avoid refrigerating sourdough bread, as the cool, dry environment can cause it to become stale quickly. Instead, freeze any bread you won’t eat within a few days for the best results.

More Sourdough Pumpkin Recipes