Pumpkin Sourdough Bread

A Naturally Sweet and Soft Loaf for Autumn

(October’s #greatgrains challenge for the #rainydaybitescookbookclub)

Each month, I look forward to the #greatgrains challenge from the #rainydaybitescookbookclub. This month’s theme was pumpkin bread — the perfect excuse to fill the kitchen with the warm, earthy scent of autumn and give my sourdough routine an orange-tinted twist.

My first loaf started with a tin of pumpkin purée from Waitrose and a dash of cinnamon for warmth. It baked up beautifully, but I wasn’t too keen on the cinnamon flavour — it made the whole loaf feel too sweet and didn’t pair as well with savoury dishes. So, on my next bakes, I left it out entirely. What remained was a loaf that truly let the pumpkin shine: soft, slightly earthy, and with just enough natural sweetness from the molasses.

Curious to see if homemade pumpkin purée would make a difference, I steamed and blended some butternut squash from our allotment and tested it against the tinned version. The result was practically identical — as long as you don’t add any extra liquid to the purée. The natural texture of the pumpkin gives this bread its golden crumb and tender softness.

The baking method follows my usual sourdough rhythm: a gentle, unhurried process with a long, cool proof for better flavour. The difference is in the shaping. Instead of forming rolls or batards, this dough is shaped into a boule and later tied with baker’s twine to mimic the segments of a pumpkin. I experimented with decorative scoring, but it wasn’t really noticeable once baked — the folds created by the twine were striking enough on their own.

After a 30-minute bake — 15 minutes at 250 °C (fan) and another 15 minutes at 220 °C (fan) — the bread emerges from the oven golden, soft, and fragrant. The crumb stays moist for days, and the flavour strikes that perfect balance between subtly sweet and savoury. It’s a bread that belongs to the season — just as lovely with butter and honey as it is beside a bowl of soup or a wedge of cheese.

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Sourdough Bread

• Naturally leavened with sourdough starter

• Soft, moist crumb from pumpkin purée

• Lightly sweetened with molasses – no refined sugar

• Simple shaping with a beautiful pumpkin effect

• Pairs perfectly with both sweet and savoury toppings

Pumpkin Sourdough Bread Recipe

Ingredients

250 g water1

25 g pumpkin purée (tinned or homemade)

15 g molasses

100 g active sourdough starter

450 g strong white flour

50 g wholewheat flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

8 g salt

16 g neutral oil (sunflower, rapeseed, or light olive)

For the Twine:5 long pieces of baker’s twine (soaked in flavourless oil)

Method

1. Mix the Dough

In the bowl of your stand mixer (or by hand), combine the water, molasses, starter, and pumpkin purée. Add the flours and mix on low speed until the dough is smooth and all flour is incorporated. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.

2. Add Salt and Oil

Sprinkle in the salt and pour in the oil. Mix on medium-high speed for 5–6 minutes until the dough becomes elastic and well-developed.

3. Bulk Fermentation

Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 3–4 hours, or until slightly puffed. Optionally, perform one stretch and fold halfway through.

4. Shape the Loaf

Shape the dough into a tight round (boule) and place it seam-side down into a proving basket dusted with flour.

5. Cold Proof

Cover and refrigerate overnight (8–12 hours) for easier handling and deeper flavour.

6. Tie, Score and Bake

Before baking, soak five long pieces of baker’s twine in flavourless oil (such as sunflower or rapeseed) and arrange them on a parchment-lined tray like spokes of a wheel. Place the cold dough in the centre and tie each pair of ends loosely over the top to form pumpkin-like segments. Preheat your oven to 250 °C (fan). Lightly score between the tied sections for definition. Bake for 15 minutes at 250 °C (fan), then lower the temperature to 220 °C (fan) and bake for another 15 minutes, or until golden and deeply coloured.

7. Cool and Serve

Cut and carefully remove the twine, then transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool fully before the segments are separated. The crumb will be tender, slightly sweet, and beautifully orange.

Tips for Perfect Pumpkin Bread

• Homemade purée: Steam and blend pumpkin or butternut squash. Avoid adding extra liquid to keep the dough balanced.

• Skip the cinnamon: The natural flavour of pumpkin shines through without it, but you can add spice if you prefer a sweeter loaf.

• Storage: Keeps fresh for up to 3 days at room temperature or freeze in separated segments for easy breakfasts.

• Serving ideas: Toast with butter and honey, or serve with soup, cheese, or roasted vegetables.

More Autumn Sourdough Ideas

If you enjoy this recipe, you might also like my

• Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bagels — a sweet, chewy bake inspired by Bryan Ford’s New World Sourdough

• Oat and Rye Sourdough Bread — a nutty, hearty loaf perfect for cold mornings