Description
This easy pumpkin sourdough bread brings cozy fall flavor to a naturally fermented loaf with pumpkin puree and warm cinnamon. It is a quick and simple way to use an active starter while creating the best tender crumb and lightly crisp crust. Serve it for brunch or holiday breakfast and slice it for meal prep or a potluck table. The healthy pumpkin adds moisture and color while the sourdough process builds rich flavor that works for toast or sandwiches.
Ingredients
- 100 g Active sourdough starter
- 180 g Pumpkin puree
- 450 g Bread flour
- 170 g Water
- 30 g Pure maple syrup
- 10 g Fine sea salt
- 2 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg
- 30 g Pumpkin seeds
- 2 tbsp Rice flour
Instructions
- Combine the active starter with pumpkin puree and water and maple syrup until the mixture turns smooth and evenly orange. Fold in the bread flour until no dry patches remain and the dough becomes rough and shaggy with irregular folds.
- Scatter the salt and cinnamon and nutmeg over the rested dough then pinch and fold until the spices disappear into the orange mass. The dough changes from rough and loose to smoother and more elastic with darker spice speckles spread unevenly through the folds.
- Let the dough rise until it looks puffier and holds soft rounded edges with bubbles appearing beneath the surface. Perform gentle folds during the rise so the dough gathers toward the center and develops a stronger domed structure instead of spreading flat.
- Turn the airy dough into a loose round then tighten it into a rustic boule with the seam gathered underneath. Set the shaped loaf into a rice floured proofing bowl then scatter pumpkin seeds unevenly over the exposed top so some areas remain bare.
- Transfer the fully proofed loaf into a cast iron Dutch oven then cut one curved score across the top so the dough can expand. Bake until the loaf rises and the score opens into a rugged ridge while the orange crust deepens to golden brown with darker toasted seeds.
- Cool the loaf completely then cut one thick slice to expose the moist orange crumb and irregular fermentation holes. Place the slice beside the remaining loaf so the crisp crust and tender interior are both visible with a few loose seeds resting naturally nearby.
Notes
Pro Tips:
- Use pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling so the dough keeps the right moisture level and a clean savory sweet flavor.
- Keep the dough slightly sticky during shaping because adding too much flour can make the finished pumpkin crumb dense and dry.
- Cold proof the shaped loaf overnight for deeper sourdough flavor and cleaner scoring before it goes into the hot baking vessel.
- Let the loaf cool for at least two hours because pumpkin holds extra moisture and the crumb needs time to finish setting.
Storage: Store the completely cooled loaf cut side down on a wooden board for the first day so the crust stays crisp and the crumb remains moist. For two to three days wrap the loaf loosely in a clean towel then place it in a bread box or paper bag. Avoid sealing a warm loaf because trapped steam softens the crust and can make the crumb gummy. For longer storage slice the bread then freeze the pieces in a sealed freezer bag with parchment between them. Toast individual slices directly from frozen until the edges turn crisp. Refresh a whole thawed loaf in a warm oven for several minutes. Let it rest briefly before cutting so the pumpkin crumb stays tender rather than compressed.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: American