This fun, pumpkin-shaped, sourdough bread is sweet and spiced. It’s great for fall holidays and get-togethers. Not only is it whimsical, but it’s also delicious.
Fall is here, the mornings are cool, and I’m officially craving all things fall. From soups to pumpkin spice lattes. The sweaters are starting to come out, and I’m here for it.
We’ve had multiple fall activities on the agenda: apple picking, barn sale, soccer games, and a fall festival.
I love to really embrace every season. So when our homeschool group had a fall meet up, I knew this pumpkin sourdough bread would be perfect to bring along.
Not only is it a delicious bread, perfectly sweet with the warmth of pumpkin spice, but it’s super fun. Who could say no to a loaf of bread shaped like a pumpkin?
It was a big hit. This recipe would be perfect for any fall get together, or to grace your Thanksgiving table.
Tips:
- Use food-grade cotton string for shaping. Twine is not a good option. Ask me how I know.
- Make sure the sourdough starter is super active and bubbly before starting this recipe. Sourdough is what rises this bread since it doesn’t contain commercial yeast.
- Add some extra fancy detail to the pumpkin shape by scoring the sections.
- To make a stem, add a small cinnamon stick or even a stick from the yard. Another layer of whimsy.
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Tools:
Food scale
Parchment paper
Food grade cotton strings
Banneton (optional)
Ingredients:
Flour – All-purpose flour will do.
Active sourdough starter – This is starter that has been fed between 4-12 hours before baking and is super bubbly.
Water
Pumpkin puree – Canned or homemade
Salt – This is a necessary ingredient that adds so much flavor to the bread.
Sugar – Sweetens this pumpkin sourdough bread a bit.
Pumpkin spice – That classic fall flavor we all love and expect come fall, providing a warm, spicy flavor.
FAQ:
How do you shape a sourdough pumpkin?
Tying 8 pieces of string around the boule when baked will give you that pumpkin look.
Find more description on exactly how to achieve this below.
How To Make A Pumpkin Shaped Sourdough Bread
Place bowl on kitchen scale and tare. Add ingredients and combine until it comes together. Don’t knead the bread, you just want it to come together.
Cover and allow to autolyse for 30 minutes.
Perform 4-6 stretch and folds in the first two hours about 20-30 minutes apart. This is when you take the dough in the bowl and grab the edge firmly. Pull up, stretch the dough upwards and then push the dough into the center. Turn the bowl about a quarter turn and do this process again. Repeat two more times.
Cover with a tight lid or plastic wrap and bulk ferment for 3-8 hours.
Shape into a ball and add to a banneton. Place in a plastic bag (I normally use a grocery bag) and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, preheat a cast iron dutch oven to 500 degrees.
Cut 4 strings about 20” in length. Ideally you’ll have food-safe cotton string. Twine works, but beware – you’ll have a few strings sticking to your bread. 🤪
Arrange them in a criss cross pattern on top of a piece of parchment paper.
Place the cold bread dough top side down on the strings.
Tie each string around the bread dough, so that you have 8 even sections.
Reduce the oven heat to 450 and bake for 20 minutes with the lid on and 20 minutes with the lid off.
Allow to cool completely before serving.
We like to serve ours with goat cheese and homemade peach jam. Enjoy!
Bakers Schedule:
The evening before: Feed starter.
8 AM: Create dough. Autolyse.
8:30-10:30 AM: Complete 4-6 stretch and folds.
10:30 AM: Shape into a ball and place in a greased bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Ferment.
9 PM: Shape and add to the banneton basket (optional). You can also place a tea towel in a basket. Place in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator overnight.
8 AM: Preheat oven.
9 AM: Remove the dough from the fridge and place onto strings. Tie and place into the dutch oven. Bake with a lid for 20 minutes, remove the lid and bake for another 20 minutes.
9:40 AM: Take the pumpkin sourdough bread out from the oven and allow to cool before slicing.
More Fun Sourdough Recipes:
- Sourdough Cheese Bread
- Sourdough Croissants
- Chocolate Sourdough Bread
- Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Sourdough Pumpkin Roll
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Thank you! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Sourdough Pumpkin Shaped Bread
This fun, pumpkin-shaped, sourdough bread is sweet and spiced. It’s great for fall holidays and get-togethers. Not only is it whimsical, but it's also delicious.
Ingredients
- 475 g all-purpose flour
- 100 g active sourdough starter
- 200 g water
- 100 g pumpkin puree
- 10 salt
- 10 g sugar
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice
Instructions
- Place bowl on kitchen scale and tare. Add ingredients and combine until it comes together. Don’t knead the bread, you just want it to come together.
- Cover and allow to autolyse for 30 minutes.
- Perform 4-6 stretch and folds in the first two hours about 20-30 minutes apart. This is when you take the dough in the bowl and grab the edge firmly. Pull up, stretch the dough upwards and then push the dough into the center. Turn the bowl about a quarter turn and do this process again. Repeat two more times.
- Cover with a tight lid or plastic wrap and bulk ferment for 3-8 hours.
- Shape into a ball and add to a banneton. Place in a plastic bag (I normally use a grocery bag) and refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, preheat a cast iron dutch oven to 500 degrees.
- Cut 4 strings about 20” in length.
- Arrange them in a criss cross pattern on top of a piece of parchment paper.
- Place the cold bread dough top side down on the strings.
- Tie each string around the bread dough, so that you have 8 even sections.
- Reduce the oven heat to 450 and bake for 20 minutes with the lid on and 20 minutes with the lid off.
- Allow to cool completely before serving.
Notes
Use food-grade cotton string for shaping. Twine is not a good option. Ask me how I know.
Make sure the sourdough starter is super active and bubbly before starting this recipe. Sourdough is what rises this bread since it doesn’t contain commercial yeast.
Add some extra fancy detail to the pumpkin shape by scoring the sections.
To make a stem, add a small cinnamon stick or even a stick from the yard. Another layer of whimsy.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 199Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 584mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 6g
Courtney says
Can you sweeten with honey instead of sugar ?
Lisa says
I haven’t tried it. Should work. You may need to add a touch more flour if the dough seems too sticky. Or use less maple syrup.
Phyllis says
For recipe like that it would be very helpful to have a video
Lisa says
Just published one on my YouTube video today.
Meri says
Hi! Excited to try this, but can’t figure out what “10 salt” is??
Thank you!
Meri
Bonita says
Grams
Amy says
What a fun idea! Does it retain some of the pumpkin flavor? I love this idea. It seems like it would be particularly tasty slathered with cream cheese and drizzled with honey. Yum! Now I’m going to have to try it!
Lisa says
That does sound delicious. Yes! It has a hint of pumpkin flavor.
Tania says
Would love to have the measurements in the standard way without needing to weigh ingredients. 😊
Lauren says
I’m in the same boat! Trying to make it today, and I know I should have a kitchen scale but I don’t. Trying to look up conversions on line. Yikes!
Lisa says
You can try this: https://www.farmhouseonboone.com/baking-conversion-chart
Bridgette U. says
This looks and sounds absolutely fabulous! I probably will skip the effort of making the fun shape but definitely will be trying this.
Lisa says
Enjoy!
Anita says
I love this recipe .. this is just a random question .. where did you buy your daughters dress and apron ?
Sue Groth says
How beautiful this is Lisa!!! I don’t make bread but maybe will try it?
I love all ur videos and love the kids 🙂 Enjoying fall but can’t wait
for Christmas! Blessings
Sue
Lisa says
Thank you Sue,
Heather says
Do you need to score this loaf? I’m afraid it will burst in random spots if not. I’m going to try making this tomorrow morning for a party.
Katie says
Does the bread need that extra cold ferment in the fridge? Or could I skip that step and back the bread in the afternoon after it has risen all day?
Lisa says
Placing it in the fridge helps slows down the ferment, but it also helps it keep its shape by firming it up a bit.
Heather R. says
Hi! I am halfway through making this, currently in the long ferment stage. However, my dough is definitely way more dense and less stretchy than in the pics (and your video) when I went to stretch it. Any idea what might’ve caused that? Thanks in advance!
Lisa says
It may need more stretching and folding to develop the gluten, or possibly a touch more water when making the dough.
Sarah says
My dough is also very dense and not able to stretch at all. Followed measurements exactly.
Lisa says
Usually it will get stretchier as you continue the stretch and folds and the gluten strands develop. Was this after the stretch and folds that it was dense?
Breanna garay says
Thank you for this! Mine turned out sooo amazing! Wish I could leave a picture to show you.
Lisa says
That would be awesome. So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Selwa Lukoskie says
Where do you get food grade cotton string that’s not twine? Every product seems to be labeled “twine” even if it’s 100% cotton… is that correct? Do you have a link to a product we can purchase online?
Lisa says
I usually just get it from amazon. Something like this https://amzn.to/3GrCvvJ (affiliate link). Food grade cotton bakers twine.
Nancy Pressley says
Can you used bread flour instead of all purpose flour in this recipe? Thanks.
Lisa says
Yes, that should work!
Kasey says
Really wanting to try this but don’t have a food scale, are there conversions somewhere to show the amounts in TSP/Cups, etc?
Lisa says
You can try this: https://www.farmhouseonboone.com/baking-conversion-chart
Elissa says
My bread dough was dense and nit very stretchable even after many extra stretches and folds. I followed the measurements exactly. I wish I had read the comments earlier because I would have tried adding water. I did the cold ferment in the fridge but it didn’t raise over night. I’m guessing the stretch and folds didn’t work because the dough was so stiff it was hard to do. Any suggestions for saving it?
Britt says
Is it possible to add a cinnamon/sugar swirl to the inside? If so when would I add those ?
Lisa says
You could maybe add a cinnamon sugar layer. I would pour half the batter in, sprinkle in the cinnamon sugar, and then top with the remaining batter.