Sourdough Pumpkin Bread (same-day or overnight)

My sourdough pumpkin bread is super moist and full of pumpkin flavor. You can whip this recipe up same-day for a quick sweet bread or ferment it overnight. Either way, you’ll love every bite!

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This recipe is perfect for using up sourdough discard. Which is just an unfed starter. Sometimes you’ll have to discard some of your starter so you have enough room to feed it. Other times you’ll use your unfed starter if you forget to feed it but need to whip something up.

My favorite recipes to whip up quickly with sourdough discard are sourdough pancakes, sourdough waffles, sourdough banana bread, sourdough zucchini bread, and all kinds of sourdough scones. They’re super simple and quick to make with an unfed starter.

Sourdough Pumpkin Bread Video Tutorial

Ingredients You’ll Need

• sourdough starter (fed or discard)
• canned pumpkin purée 
• sour cream (my Southern secret ingredient for the most moist sweet bread!)
• a large egg
• pure vanilla extract
• light brown sugar
• butter melted (salted)
• all-purpose flour
• baking soda
• baking powder 
• salt
• ground cinnamon

Helpful Kitchen Tools

• 9×5″ loaf pan— this is the perfect loaf pan size; stainless steel is best. 
• large mixing bowl: I like to use glass
• whisk: either a balloon whisk or bread whisk
• wire cooling rack: makes cooling bread easy

Step By Step Instructions

Lightly grease a 9×5″ loaf pan with butter and a light dusting of flour, or line it with parchment paper. (Don’t preheat the oven just yet)

In a large mixing bowl, add sourdough starter (fed or unfed), pumpkin puree, sour cream, egg, vanilla, melted butter, and brown sugar. Use a whisk to combine.

Then add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Whisk to combine just until smooth. Avoid over mixing.

Stir in any optional add-ins if desired (chopped nuts, shaved coconut, or chocolate chips).

At this point, you can either continue the recipe or you can place the batter into the fridge for an overnight ferment up to 24 hours.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth it out so it’s evenly distributed.

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY: Place the filled loaf pan into a turned-off oven and then preheat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Set the timer for 35 minutes after the oven has finished preheating.

When the bread has finished baking a toothpick should come out clean in the center. If it has residue, it needs 2-3 more minutes to finish baking.

Let it cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire cooling rack, then turn the bread out and let it cool the rest of the way. Enjoy!

Overnight Long-Ferment Option

You can place the batter into the fridge for overnight ferment up to 24 hours. This will deepen the sourdough flavor and provide more gut benefits. This is completely optional.

My tips for Success

• Bake your pumpkin bread in a 9×5″ stainless steel loaf pan for the best results.
• Use organic canned pumpkin puree if you can; it’ll add so much more flavor!
• Use light brown sugar for the best flavor, although dark brown sugar would still be delicious.
• When measuring the brown sugar, pack it into the cup with a spoon for best results.
• Use your sourdough starter fed or unfed; either will work great for this recipe.
• Follow the recipe closely!
• By starting in a cold oven it allows your pumpkin bread to have a super-fluffy texture and an almost caramelized crust. It’s my little Southern secret for sweet bread and pound cakes.

How to Serve

You can serve this pumpkin bread in many ways. My favorite is with a cup of coffee for breakfast or warmed with a spread of butter on top in the afternoon.

If you’re having guests over during the fall, this bread would be perfect to get out with some coffee or tea. Your guests will love how special it’ll make them feel! 

How to Store and Freeze Leftovers

Store completely cooled-down bread in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature. After that, transfer any leftover bread into the fridge in the same container. It’ll last another 3-4 days in there. 

You can also freeze sourdough pumpkin bread for up to 3 months. After the bread has completely cooled down, either place it in an airtight freezer-safe container or in a freezer storage bag.

How to Reheat

To reheat your pumpkin bread, whether it is in the fridge or on the counter, place the slices you want on a sheet pan and heat at 300 degrees in the oven for 5 minutes or until warm. It’ll warm without toasting the bread.

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy

• Easy Sourdough Banana Bread
• Best Sourdough Zucchini Bread
• Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
• Easy Sourdough Pumpkin Scones with Chocolate Chips

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Facebook or Instagram @plumbranchhome

Recipe

Sourdough Pumpkin Bread

Molly LaFontaine

My sourdough pumpkin bread is super moist and full of pumpkin flavor. You can whip this recipe up same-day for a quick sweet bread or ferment it overnight. Either way, you'll love every bite!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Bread

Cuisine Sourdough

Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 cup sourdough starter fed or discard
• 1 cup pumpkin purée
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed in the cup
• 2 Tbsp butter melted salted
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

 

• Lightly grease a 9×5″ loaf pan with butter and a light dusting of flour, or line it with parchment paper. (Don't preheat the oven just yet)
• In a large mixing bowl, add sourdough starter (fed or unfed), pumpkin puree, sour cream, egg, vanilla, melted butter, and brown sugar. Use a whisk to combine.
• Then add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Whisk to combine just until smooth. Avoid over mixing.
• Stir in any optional add-ins if desired (chopped nuts, shaved coconut, or chocolate chips).
• At this point, you can either continue the recipe or you can place the batter into the fridge for an overnight ferment up to 24 hours. This will deepen the sourdough flavor and provide more gut health benefits. This is completely optional.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth it out so it’s evenly distributed.
• PLEASE READ CAREFULLY: Place the filled loaf pan into a turned-off oven and then preheat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Set the timer for 35 minutes after the oven has finished preheating. (see notes for reason)
• When the bread has finished baking a toothpick should come out clean in the center. If it has residue, it needs 2-3 more minutes to finish baking.
• Let it cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire cooling rack, then turn the bread out and let it cool the rest of the way. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Why start in a cold oven?

By starting in a cold oven it allows your pumpkin bread to have a super-fluffy texture and an almost caramelized crust. It's my little Southern secret for sweet bread and pound cakes.

How to measure the brown sugar

When measuring the brown sugar, pack it into the cup with a spoon for best results.

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