Pumpkin-Shaped Sourdough Bread
There's something extra special about baking sourdough in the fall, and this pumpkin-shaped sourdough bread might just be the cutest loaf you'll make all season. With its beautiful golden crust and rustic pumpkin shape, it makes a gorgeous addition to an autumn breakfast, dinner, or Thanksgiving table.
The best part? Creating that impressive pumpkin shape is much easier than it looks! You can make one beautiful centerpiece loaf or divide the dough into smaller pumpkin-shaped sourdough buns. Add your favorite nuts for a little crunch, or make your own pumpkin purée for an extra homemade touch.
Why you will love this recipe
- Perfect for fall baking. The adorable pumpkin shape makes this sourdough bread a beautiful seasonal centerpiece for cozy autumn meals, gatherings, and Thanksgiving.
- Make a loaf or individual buns. Shape the dough into one large pumpkin or make several mini pumpkin-shaped sourdough buns for serving and sharing.
- Simple, everyday ingredients. You don't need any fancy specialty flour-just a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flour, along with your sourdough starter and a few basic ingredients.
Ingredients
Sourdough starter: You'll need an active, bubbly sourdough starter to help the bread rise and give it that classic sourdough flavor. If you don't have one yet, follow my guide on how to make a sourdough starter from scratch. You can also use a whole wheat sourdough starter in this recipe for a slightly nuttier flavor and a little extra fiber.
Flour: A combination of all-purpose or bread flour and whole wheat flour gives this bread the best of both worlds. Bread flour keeps the crumb soft and light, while whole wheat flour adds more flavor and a slightly rustic texture. No specialty bread flour is needed!
Pumpkin purée: Pumpkin purée gives the dough its beautiful warm color, subtle pumpkin flavor, and extra moisture. You can use homemade pumpkin purée or canned pumpkin purée just make sure you're using pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling.
How to make a pumpkin-shaped sourdough bread
Always start with an active and fed starter. Once your starter is ready, mix it with the water and pumpkin purée. Then add the flour and mix everything together until you have a shaggy dough. Don't worry if it doesn't look perfectly smooth at this point. It will come together as the dough rests and you work with it.
Let the dough rest for a little while, then add the salt. I like to work it into the dough with slightly wet hands. After that, you can start your stretch and folds. Simply grab one side of the dough, gently stretch it upward, and fold it over itself. Turn the bowl and repeat. Do this a few times around the bowl, then let the dough rest before repeating the process. You'll notice that the dough becomes smoother and stronger each time.
Once you've finished the stretch and folds, leave the dough to bulk ferment. This is one of those times when I recommend watching your dough rather than watching the clock. How quickly it rises will depend a lot on how warm your kitchen is and how active your starter is. You're looking for dough that has noticeably increased in size and feels light and airy, with some bubbles visible around the edges.
When the dough is ready, gently turn it out onto your work surface and shape it into a round loaf. Try not to press out all of those lovely bubbles you worked so hard to create. Let it rest for a few minutes if needed, then give it its final shape and place it into a floured proofing basket. Cover the dough and place it in the refrigerator for the cold proof. I love doing this overnight because the dough is ready to bake the next morning.
Now comes the fun part, turning your sourdough into a pumpkin! Take the cold dough out of the refrigerator and carefully turn it onto a piece of parchment paper. Arrange pieces of food-safe kitchen twine around the loaf so they cross underneath and create even sections around the dough. Tie them loosely because the bread still needs room to expand while it bakes. Then score the top of your loaf before placing it into your preheated oven
Bake the bread until it has risen beautifully and the crust is golden brown and crispy. Once it comes out of the oven, let it cool before carefully cutting away the pieces of twine. I know it's tempting to slice into warm sourdough right away, but giving it time to cool really does make a difference to the crumb. For the finishing touch, you can place a cinnamon stick in the center to make a little pumpkin stem. And that's it.
Our tips for the best results
- Use an active, bubbly sourdough starter. For the best rise and a light, airy crumb, make sure your starter is at or near its peak before mixing the dough.
- Use pure pumpkin purée. Canned or homemade pumpkin purée both work well, but avoid pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and spices.
- Watch the dough, not just the clock. Fermentation time can vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the strength of your starter. Look for a dough that has risen, feels airy, and shows signs of fermentation before shaping.
- Don't add too much flour while shaping. A lightly floured work surface will prevent sticking, but excess flour can make it harder to create good surface tension when shaping your sourdough into a round loaf.
- Use food-safe cotton kitchen twine. Lightly coat the twine with oil before placing it around the dough. This makes the string much easier to remove from your pumpkin-shaped sourdough after baking. Don't tie the twine tightly around the dough, the loaf needs room to expand as it proofs and bakes. Evenly spaced strings will also give your bread a more symmetrical pumpkin shape.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! Divide the dough into equal portions before shaping, then shape each piece into a small round bun. Use food-safe kitchen twine to create the pumpkin sections. Keep in mind that smaller buns will bake faster than one large loaf, so start checking them earlier.
Absolutely. Canned pumpkin purée works perfectly and makes this recipe especially easy. Make sure you use 100% pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and spices.
Use food-safe, heatproof cotton kitchen string or butcher's twine. Lightly coating the string with oil can make it easier to remove after baking. Avoid tying it too tightly because the sourdough needs room to expand in the oven. King Arthur recommends leaving noticeable slack around the dough.
The dough may have been over-proofed or too warm and difficult to handle. A cold-proofed loaf is generally easier to shape and score because the chilled dough is firmer. Also, make sure your strings are evenly spaced so the pumpkin develops uniform sections as it bakes.
Storage
This pumpkin-shaped sourdough bread is best enjoyed fresh, when the crust is nice and crispy, and the inside is still soft. If you have any leftovers, let the bread cool completely before storing it.
Keep the bread at room temperature in a bread bag or wrapped in a clean kitchen towel. It will stay fresh for about 2 to 3 days. I don’t recommend storing sourdough bread in the refrigerator, as it tends to dry out much faster.
If your bread starts to lose some of its crispiness, simply warm it in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for a few minutes. It will taste almost as good as when it first came out of the oven.
You can also freeze the bread for up to 3 months. I like to slice it before freezing and place the slices in a freezer-safe bag. This way, you can take out just a slice or two whenever you feel like having some.
More amazing recipes with pumpkin purée
Pumpkin-shaped sourdough bread
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter fed and active
- 1/3 cup water you might need more or less depending on your flour
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 3/4 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice mix
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the water, pumpkin puree, honey and sourdough starter to a large bowl and mix until combined.
- Add the flour and pumpkin spices and mix until it comes together and you have a smooth mixture.
- Cover your bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Stretch and folds
- Sprinkle the salt on top of the dough.
- Pull in all four corners of the dough and press them into the center.
- Repeat this step 3 more times every 30-60 minutes.
- Cover your bowl again and let it bulk ferment at room temperature for 4 hours.
Shape the dough
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface.
- To give the dough the right tension, you want to flatten it and press it into a rectangle.
- Gently fold the top and bottom to the center, place the seam down, and gently pull it towards you.
- Place it in a floured banneton with the seam up and let it bulk ferment in the fridge overnight, but at least 8 hours.
- Take 5 pieces of string large enough to wrap the boulle.
- Place the strings on your counter and place the dough seam op on top of the strings.
- Tie the strings loosely on the bottom and score the bread.
- Preheat your oven to 400 °F (200 °C), and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Place the bread seam-side down in the center of the tray, then score the bread with your favorite pattern.
- Place your baking tray in the center of the oven and bake for 50 minutes.
- Transfer the bread to a cooling rack and let it cool completely before removing the strings. For a shiny crust, you can brush a little bit of melted butter over the crust while the bread is still hot.
