Pumpkin Sourdough Bread

Pumpkin Sourdough Bread is an easy fall recipe made with canned pumpkin puree and sourdough starter. The pumpkin is mixed right into the dough, giving this artisan loaf a soft, moist crumb and a crisp golden crust. Lightly sweet and perfectly flavored for autumn, it’s a favorite fall bread you’ll want to bake again and again.

If you’re searching for an easy pumpkin sourdough bread recipe or the best fall sourdough bread, this loaf is ideal for breakfast, snacking, or sharing at seasonal gatherings.

And if you can’t get enough pumpkin this season, check out my favorite pumpkin sourdough recipes for fall — filled with cozy, tried-and-true fall bakes that highlight everyone’s favorite autumn flavor.

Why You’ll Love Pumpkin Sourdough Bread

• Pumpkin Flavor – Canned pumpkin puree and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice gives this bread pumpkin flavor that’s lightly sweet and perfect for fall. If you love pumpkin bakes like my sourdough pumpkin muffins or sourdough pumpkin quick bread, this artisan loaf brings those same cozy flavors into a crusty sourdough bread.
• Beautiful Artisan Crust – The loaf bakes up with a golden, crackly crust and stunning color, making it perfect for sharing or gifting. For extra fall touch, you can even shape it into a pumpkin.
• Soft, Moist Crumb – The pumpkin keeps the inside tender and slightly chewy, just like my Pumpkin Sourdough Focaccia. It’s ideal for toast, sandwiches, or soup dipping.
• 100% Sourdough Recipe – Naturally leavened with sourdough starter (no commercial yeast!), this is a rewarding bake for sourdough lovers. If you enjoy my Apple Cinnamon Sourdough Loaf, this pumpkin version is another festive fall favorite.

New to Sourdough? If you are new to sourdough, learn how to make a sourdough starter from scratch and check out my Free Sourdough Beginner Guide. Using naturally fermented sourdough will take much longer, but you will love the fermentation benefits and the flavor!

Important Ingredients

• Sourdough Starter – Use an active/ripe sourdough starter (doubled in size/bubbly/mild sour aroma) to mix the levain.
• Canned Pumpkin – Use 100% pure canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) for the best texture and flavor. If using homemade pumpkin purée, reduce the water slightly since it’s usually more watery than canned.
• Brown Sugar – Adds sweetness that pairs beautifully with the pumpkin and spice.
• Bread Flour – A 12.5% protein bread flour works best for this dough. The higher protein content creates a lighter, springier loaf.
• Salt – Essential for flavor and dough strength — don’t skip it!
• Pumpkin Pie Spice – Laminated into the dough for a flavorful swirl and pretty finish. It enhances the loaf, but you can leave it out if you prefer.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities

• Sourdough Starter: Make a sourdough starter from scratch, purchase one or get one from a friend.
• Kitchen Scale: I know, I know you want to use cups and volume measurements because it’s familiar, but working with high-hydration dough – I don’t recommend it until you really know the feel of your dough (and even then I still love using a kitchen scale). It makes mixing up recipes—like this pumpkin sourdough loaf—so much easier. Plus, you can scale recipes up or down effortlessly with metric weights. Give it a try—I promise you’ll love
• Dutch Oven: The easiest way for a home baker to get a great loaf of sourdough is with a Dutch oven. There are lots of other options, including baking your sourdough in a loaf pan, but I still use a Dutch oven most of the time for consistently good results.
• Mixing Bowl: Any large bowl will work.

Sourdough Baker’s Timeline

A sample baking schedule helps me when baking with sourdough. Sourdough takes much longer to rise than traditional bread. This schedule helps me plan my bake.

Note: This schedule assumes the dough temperature is 78 degrees F throughout the process.

Same-Day Option: After shaping, let the dough rise at room temperature for 2–3 hours, until puffed and slightly domed. Then bake the same day, skipping the cold refrigeration entirely.

How to Make Pumpkin Sourdough BRead

Mix the Levain

Step 1: Mix Levain. This recipe calls for a levain mixed the same day you mix the dough. Combine active sourdough starter, water, and flour (Image 1). It should take about 3-4 hours until it’s ready to be mixed with the dough, if you keep the levain temperature at 78ºF. Levain is ready when it has doubled in size, has lots of bubbles, a slightly sour aroma and is just about to start going down from its peak height (Image 2).

Alternative Timing: If you prefer to prepare the levain the night before, use a 1:10:10 ratio (starter:water:flour). At that ratio, it will generally mature in 10–12 hours or overnight. You can also substitute bubbly, active sourdough starter for the levain in this recipe, though fermentation times may vary slightly.

Mix the Pumpkin Dough

Step 2: Mix Dough. Mix together the ripe levain, water, brown sugar and canned pumpkin together until incorporated (Images 3 & 4). Add the flour and salt (Image 5) and mix until a sticky dough forms (Image 6). The dough will be a little bit sticky. Wet your hands as needed and continue to work with the dough, gently kneading until all the ingredients are incorporated and the dough is smooth. This will probably take 3-5 minutes (Image 7).

Pumpkin Purée: This recipe is written for canned pumpkin, which is typically thicker and less watery than fresh. If you’re using fresh pumpkin purée, you’ll likely need to reduce the water in the dough slightly to account for the extra moisture.

Bulk Fermentation

Step 3: Bulk Fermentation. Bulk fermentation takes about 4–5 hours from the time the levain is mixed into the dough until shaping (before refrigeration). This estimate assumes the dough is kept around 78–80ºF. During bulk, perform three sets of stretch and folds to build strength. If the dough still feels slack or not cohesive after the third set, add one or two additional sets until it feels strong and cohesive.

To Stretch and Fold: Wet your hand to prevent sticking. Reach to the bottom of the bowl, lift the dough (Image 8), and fold it over onto itself (Image 9). Rotate the bowl ¼ turn and repeat. Continue until you’ve completed four stretches and folds (one full rotation). Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Repeat this process every 30 minutes for a total of 3 sets. The dough should feel progressively stronger and smoother after each round.

Step 4: Rest and Finish Bulk Fermentation. After the dough is sufficiently strengthened through folds, cover the bowl and let it rest at 78–80ºF until it has risen about 30–40%, is slightly domed in the center, and may show a few bubbles around the edges (Image 10). These are the signs the dough is ready for laminating and shaping.

Keep in Mind: If your dough is colder, you will want to see a larger percentage rise in the dough before pre-shaping. Dough that is 70ºF throughout the bulk fermentation will need to rise at least 70% in the bowl before it is ready for pre-shaping.

Laminate In the Pumpkin Pie Spice And Bench Rest

Step 5: Lamination. On a clean countertop, gently stretch the dough as thin as possible without tearing it (Images 11 & 12). Sprinkle pumpkin pie spice evenly over the surface (Images 13 & 14), then fold the dough up, adding a little more spice as you fold it into a loose package (Images 15–18). This process distributes the spices while strengthening the gluten.

Tip: Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves are antimicrobial, which means they can slow fermentation (how fast the dough rises) if added at the start of mixing. Incorporating them at this point keeps the dough rising well and giving the loaf that signature pumpkin spice flavor and marbled look.

Step 6: Bench Rest. Using your hands or a bench knife, tuck the dough under itself, working around in a circle until you form a ball. It doesn’t have to be super tight — just enough to give the dough some structure (Image 19). Let the dough rest, uncovered, on the counter for about 30 minutes (Image 20). During this rest, the dough will relax and spread out slightly. Some of the pumpkin spice may show through the surface at this stage — that’s perfectly okay.

Shape the Dough

Prepare the Banneton: Line a banneton or small bowl with a kitchen towel or a hair net. Lightly flour, if needed — when using a hair net, you may not need much flour at all.

Step 7: Shape the Dough. Lightly flour the top of the dough, then flip it over so the floured side rests on the counter. Working around in a circle, pull the dough gently toward you and fold it up to the center (Images 21–22). Stretch one side out, fold it into the center (Image 23), then repeat with the opposite side. Finally, pull the top down and fold it into the center. Continue this pattern, adding a little more tension with each pull, until the dough forms a tight, round ball (Image 24). Use a bench knife or your hands to lift the dough into the lined bowl, placing it seam-side up (Image 25). Cover with plastic wrap or a plastic shower cap (Image 26).

Cold Fermentation or Refrigerated Rest

Step 8: Cold Fermentation. I typically use a cold fermentation because it enhances the flavor and gives me flexibility in planning my bake. After shaping, cover the dough in the banneton and put in the fridge for 16–24 hours. This slow rise develops a deeper flavor and makes the dough easier to score and handle (Image 27).

Same-Day Option: Instead of refrigerating, you can also let the dough rise at room temperature for a few hours until it looks puffed up and airy, like in the image, and then bake the same day. For easier scoring, chill the dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour or the freezer for 15 minutes before baking.

Bake Pumpkin Sourdough Bread

Step 9: Score and Bake. Place a Dutch oven (with the lid on) into the oven and preheat to 450ºF for about 30 minutes. This ensures the pot is hot enough to create steam for great oven spring and a crisp crust.

Scoring the Dough: Once preheated, remove the loaf from the refrigerator. Take off the plastic wrap, place a piece of parchment paper on top of the dough, and flip it over onto the parchment. Remove the banneton and towel. Lightly smooth the flour on top (or dust with extra for contrast, or leave plain). Score the dough with a bread lame or sharp knife (Image 28).

Baking the Loaf: Carefully transfer the dough (with parchment) into the hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and return to the oven. Bake 30 minutes covered, then remove the lid and bake another 15 minutes, or until the loaf is deeply golden and the internal temperature reads 205–210ºF (Image 29). Let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and enjoying (toasted with some apple butter for me please!)

Note: For an extra special fall look, check out my post on How to Make Pumpkin Shaped Sourdough Bread. I like to cut this recipe in half for smaller pumpkin-sized loaves, but it works with any size. Before scoring your bread, wrap pieces of twine around it (Image 30). Score and bake according to the recipe directions. After baking, remove the twine (Image 31) and insert a cinnamon stick stem if desired.

How to Store Leftovers

Allow the sourdough pumpkin loaf to cool completely before slicing. Store slices in an airtight bag in the freezer for easy grab-and-go use. You can also freeze the whole loaf. Just thaw at room temperature and, if desired, warm in the oven for a few minutes before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pumpkin Sourdough Recipes

Sweet Sourdough Pumpkin Focaccia

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Sourdough Pumpkin Scones

If you tried this Pumpkin Sourdough Bread or any other recipe on my website leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Happy Baking!