Pumpkin Sourdough
Meet your new favorite fall bake: pumpkin sourdough. This loaf combines the signature tang of sourdough with the subtle sweetness and warmth of pumpkin purée for the ultimate autumn comfort bread. With its chewy crust, soft golden crumb, and earthy aroma, it’s perfect for toast, sandwiches, or serving alongside a bowl of soup. It takes time — but every bubbly, golden slice is worth the wait. Visit groovyfoodiess.com for more of Sarah's recipes!
Tasty Team
Total Time
21 hr
21 hr
Prep Time
30 minutes
30 min
Cook Time
1 hr 15 min
1 hr 15 min
Total Time
21 hr
21 hr
Prep Time
30 minutes
30 min
Cook Time
1 hr 15 min
1 hr 15 min
Ingredients
for 12 servings
- 1 cup water
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup active sourdough starter
- 3 ¾ cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 ice cubes
Nutrition Info
- Calories 142
- Fat 0g
- Carbs 29g
- Fiber 1g
- Sugar 0g
- Protein 4g
Estimated values based on one serving size.
Preparation
- Whisk together the water, pumpkin puree, and active sourdough starter in a large bowl until the sourdough starter dissolves. Add the bread flour and salt, and whisk together to form a shaggy dough.
- Let the dough rest, covered, at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Start the first round of the “stretch-and-fold” process. Grab 1 corner of the dough (still in the bowl), and pull it up to stretch the dough, then fold it in the center. Repeat until you’ve worked your way across the round of the sourdough, 4–5 times. Cover the bowl, and let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Uncover the bowl.
- Repeat Step 3 (stretching and folding, followed by a 30-minute rest) 3 times, for a total of 4 stretch-and-folds. At this point, the dough will be smooth and much less sticky.
- Cover the bowl, and let the dough rise at room temperature until the dough rises by 60–100% in volume, 4–8 hours (the exact time will depend on your kitchen temperature).
- At this point, your dough should be much less sticky than what you started with, and it should be very jiggly and squishy. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface, and gently shape it into a round ball. Fold the top of the dough into the center, then rotate the dough 90 degrees, and fold the top into the center. Repeat until you’ve come to a full circle.
- Transfer the dough ball to a proofing basket lined with a towel. Dust the top and bottom of the dough with flour. Cover the dough basket, and place it in a plastic bag. Tie the bag shut, leaving no space for air to move in or out of the bag.
- Place the dough basket in the refrigerator for at least 11 hours or up to 24 hours for the flavors to develop.
- Remove the dough from the dough basket, and place it on a sheet of parchment paper on a work surface. Using a sharp knife, make a very shallow (about ¼-inch-deep) score on the top of the dough with one swift motion (or a simple “X” is nice). Set aside at room temperature while you preheat the oven.
- Place a 7-quart Dutch oven in the oven, and preheat the oven to 500˚F.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 450˚F, and carefully remove the Dutch oven. Place the parchment paper with the dough on it in the oven. Carefully pull up a corner of the parchment in the Dutch oven, and place 2 ice cubes under the paper.
- Cover the Dutch oven, and bake the bread for 20 minutes. Remove the lid from the Dutch oven, and reduce the oven temperature to 400˚F. Bake the bread for about 25 minutes, until the top of the bread is golden.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the oven, and transfer the bread to a wire rack. Let the bread cool for at least 1 hour up to 4 hours. Slice and serve.
- Store the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.
- Enjoy!
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