Sourdough Brown Sugar Pumpkin Bread: A Recipe from the Farm

Last Updated on December 4, 2023 by TheFarmChicken

This sourdough loaf is full of fall flavor. The pumpkin, brown sugar, and cinnamon blend together; an almost caramel like pumpkin taste. I am not a pumpkin spice lover, but this bread is a tasty balance of sweet pumpkin with a little cinnamon spice! I hope you love this Sourdough Brown Sugar Pumpkin Bread: A Recipe from the Farm. Another sourdough recipe to add to your collection!

I was hesitant if I would even like sourdough pumpkin bread. I had some baked pumpkin left over from one of the pumpkins I grew. So, I decided to give it a try and I am glad I did! This recipe makes one loaf of bread but could be easily doubled if you want to make two loaves.

This is a bread made from homegrown pumpkin that fills the house with pumpkin and cinnamon aroma. The perfect cozy treat or addition to breakfast on a cool fall morning on the farm or anywhere for that matter! Excellent with a cup of coffee too.

This post may contain Amazon affiliate links or other affiliate links. This is no additional cost to you. Read our full disclosure here.

Do you have a sourdough starter?

If not, you can learn all about it here! Sourdough is a healthy addition to baked goods and leaves you with an unmatched flavor. Check out Learning Sourdough with Agnes to get started!

The Ingredients:

Pumpkin:

The best way to get pumpkin is to make your own pumpkin puree. Either buy or plant a pie pumpkin during pumpkin season. Then, cook or stew it and puree the orange pumpkin flesh. So much flavor using pumpkin puree from scratch vs canned. Here is a YouTube video all about baking a pumpkin to use in baking. You can also read about it here. I talked all about it before I shared my pumpkin pie recipe. You can use fresh pumpkin puree, leftover pumpkin puree that you have frozen or if you are in a pinch canned pumpkin.

Note: Because of the pumpkin this recipe tends to be a higher hydration dough. It is still easy enough to work with, but you may need to adjust your flour based on how wet your pumpkin puree is. We talk more on this below!

Brown Sugar:

I wanted another element that would go with the pumpkin flavor besides pumpkin pie spice, so I decided to try brown sugar and I’m so happy with the result. Brown sugar is made by adding molasses to white sugar. That rich sweetness is the perfect addition to this bread; so much that it needed its own spot in the title. It also adds so much to the swirl. It turns almost into caramel in some spots. Yum!

Cinnamon:

A staple spice to the pumpkin, cinnamon, is often paired with pumpkin and for good reason. They go well together. I think cinnamon is far superior to the other “pumpkin spices”, so we left the others out. Less is more sometimes.

Flour:

I use Dakota Maid Bread Flour for this recipe. Any high-quality all-purpose flour or bread flour should work too. You want flour with a higher protein content for this recipe as well as other sourdough recipes!

Buttermilk:

Another ingredient that is adding flavor to this recipe is buttermilk. Not only the flavor but also contributes to this bread’s soft texture.

Salt:

Since this is more of a sweet bread than a savory I went low on the addition of salt.

The Cinnamon Brown Sugar Swirl

To add more interest I add a cinnamon, brown sugar swirl during the last fold of making this bread. A little more sweetness and flavor to finish off this sourdough bread well.

Baking Three Ways:

You can bake this recipe three ways. A round loaf or boule, in a loaf pan, or to look like a pumpkin. Let’s look at how to do all three:

Boule or round loaf:

For this method you will place the shaped bread loaf into a banneton and do the long ferment in the fridge before taking it out the next morning, transferring to parchment paper and baking in a Dutch oven.

Baking in a loaf pan:

For this method, place the shaped loaf seam side down into a lightly greased loaf pan. Proof in a bag overnight and then bake in a 400 degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and baked through.

A pumpkin shaped round loaf with a cinnamon stick stem:

This is a festive way to serve this bread and would be a decorative addition to your Thanksgiving table.

You will need:

• Cooking Twine
• Cinnamon stick (The pumpkins “stem”)
• Scissors

• You need 4 long pieces of twine. In the center of them tie a knot. Take the dough out of the fridge and place the twine on top of the bread with the knot in the center.
• Then spread the pieces of string evenly to create 8 parts of the pumpkin. When they are properly positioned place a piece of parchment paper on top of the loaf and flip the dough over.
• Gently remove the banneton and dust the loaf with flour.
• Place the strings where needed and taking 2 strings opposite of each other tie a knot at the top of the loaf. Repeat with the remaining strings and cut off any excess string on the top of the loaf.
• Make any designs in the dough you would like with a bread lame and bake the loaf in a Dutch oven per the recipe’s directions below.
• Remove from oven and let cool slightly before removing the strings and let cool completely before cutting. Add the cinnamon stick to the top for the “stem” and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions:

• Fresh with some butter and a cup of your favorite coffee.
• Toasted with butter.
• Made into French toast for a fall spin on a common breakfast food.

Pin for Later:

Sourdough Brown Sugar Pumpkin Bread: A Recipe from the Farm

• 200 grams active sourdough starter
• 45 grams room temperature water, distilled or filtered
• 75 grams brown sugar
• 390 grams*** bread flour
• 160 grams pumpkin purée
• 60 grams buttermilk
• 15 grams canola oil or vegetable oil
• 5 grams kosher salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Swirl:

• 3 T brown sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

• First start by measuring and combining in a large mixing bowl or a bowl of a stand mixer, the water, active starter, and the sugar. Mix this by hand or with a spoon till you form a slurry.
• Next, add the rest of the ingredients, except the salt and swirl ingredients. Mix until just combined and you have a shaggy dough. Cover and let rest/autolyze for 30 minutes. After the bread dough is done resting, add the salt and knead for 4-5 minutes.
• Then transfer the dough to a large bowl that is greased and let rest for another 30 minutes before performing your first set of stretch and folds.

To perform a stretch and fold: 

• Start by taking on side of the dough and stetching upwards, pull it to stretch it but make sure not to rip the dough. Fold that side into the center and then repeat with all four sides. Once you have done each side flip your dough over and you have completed a stretch and fold.
• After the first stretch and fold let the dough rest for another 30 minutes then complete another stretch and fold. Repeating this until you have done 4 stretch and folds.
• After the last stretch and fold let rest for another 30 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and do your first shape.

Shaping the Dough:

• Take and pull the dough out to be a rectangular shape. Fold the dough into thirds and then roll it into a ball. Next, with your hands cupped create tension in the loaf by pulling it towards you. Be careful not to tear the dough. When it is taught you have completed your shape.
• Cover and let rest on the work surface for 15 minutes before doing the last shape.
• As you pull the bread out flat for the second shape, layer your brown sugar and cinnamon and then finish the final shape. NOTE: On the second shape, be careful not to rip the dough and cause the swirl to come through.
• Place upside down in your banneton and seal/pinch the seam with your fingers.
• Next place in a plastic bag and let sit on the counter for 1 hour before moving it to the fridge for 7-9 hours. This is the bulk fermentation.

The Next Day/ Bake Day:

• At 7 hours of fermentation in the fridge preheat the Dutch oven in the oven to 450 degrees.
• When you are ready to bake the bread take it out of the fridge flip it over onto parchment paper. Then score the top of the loaf and place it in the Dutch oven and into the oven for 25 minutes reducing the heat to 425 degrees. When the 25 minutes is over, take the lid off and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove to a wire rack to cool before slicing. Enjoy!

***Note***

If you have watery pumpkin puree, use 390 grams of flour. If it seems like your pumpkin is very thick go with 360 grams of flour. You can play with this number depending on the liquidity of your pumpkin puree.

Shop this Post:

• Banneton
• Bread Lame
• Dutch Oven – Smithey Brand and Our Favorite Cast Iron
• Bench Scraper
• Cooking Twine – You want to make sure you use the food grade and cooking twine.
• Gram Scale

I hope you enjoy baking this Sourdough Brown Sugar Pumpkin Bread: A Recipe from the Farm. Let me know below if you have any questions or comments. Thanks for stopping by!

Mariah N | TheFarmChicken

Other Pumpkin Recipes:

Fresh Pumpkin Pie from Scratch: A Recipe from the Farm

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised.
Psalms 113:3