This fun, pumpkin-shaped, sourdough bread is sweet and spiced. It’s great for fall holidays and get-togethers. Not only is it whimsical, but it’s also delicious.

girl holding a pumpkin shaped sourdough loaf

Fall is here, the mornings are cool, and I’m officially craving all things fall. From soups to pumpkin spice lattes. The sweaters are starting to come out, and I’m here for it.

We’ve had multiple fall activities on the agenda: apple picking, barn sale, soccer games, and a fall festival.

I love to really embrace every season. So when our homeschool group had a fall meet up, I knew this pumpkin sourdough bread would be perfect to bring along. 

Not only is it a delicious bread, perfectly sweet with the warmth of pumpkin spice, but it’s super fun. Who could say no to a loaf of bread shaped like a pumpkin?

It was a big hit. This recipe would be perfect for any fall get together, or to grace your Thanksgiving table.

loaf of pumpkin sourdough bread sliced on a old cutting board on a white countertop

Tips:

  • Use food-grade cotton string for shaping. Twine is not a good option. Ask me how I know.
  • Make sure the sourdough starter is super active and bubbly before starting this recipe. Sourdough is what rises this bread since it doesn’t contain commercial yeast.
  • Add some extra fancy detail to the pumpkin shape by scoring the sections. 
  • To make a stem, add a small cinnamon stick or even a stick from the yard. Another layer of whimsy.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

Tools:

Large bowl

Food scale

Dutch oven

Parchment paper

Food grade cotton strings

Banneton (optional)

girl standing next to a pumpkin shaped loaf of sourdough bread laying on a white quartz counter. A vintage stove in is the background
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Ingredients:

Flour – All-purpose flour will do.

Active sourdough starter – This is starter that has been fed between 4-12 hours before baking and is super bubbly.

Water

Pumpkin puree – Canned or homemade

Salt – This is a necessary ingredient that adds so much flavor to the bread.

Sugar –  Sweetens this pumpkin sourdough bread a bit.

Pumpkin spice – That classic fall flavor we all love and expect come fall, providing a warm, spicy flavor.

FAQ:

pumpkin shaped sourdough bread on a white quartz countertop with a glass mug of coffee and a large bowl of eggs in the background

How do you shape a sourdough pumpkin?

Tying 8 pieces of string around the boule when baked will give you that pumpkin look. 

Find more description on exactly how to achieve this below.

overhead photo of a sliced loaf of pumpkin shaped bread on an antique cutting board

How To Make A Pumpkin Shaped Sourdough Bread

women wearing a red apron adding sourdough starter to a glass bowl on a kitchen scale on a white countertop

Place bowl on kitchen scale and tare. Add ingredients and combine until it comes together. Don’t knead the bread, you just want it to come together.

Cover and allow to autolyse for 30 minutes.

woman performing stretch and folds with sourdough bread dough in a glass bowl

Perform 4-6 stretch and folds in the first two hours about 20-30 minutes apart. This is when you take the dough in the bowl and grab the edge firmly. Pull up, stretch the dough upwards and then push the dough into the center. Turn the bowl about a quarter turn and do this process again. Repeat two more times.

Cover with a tight lid or plastic wrap and bulk ferment for 3-8 hours.

Shape into a ball and add to a banneton. Place in a plastic bag (I normally use a grocery bag) and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat a cast iron dutch oven to 500 degrees.

Cut 4 strings about 20” in length. Ideally you’ll have food-safe cotton string. Twine works, but beware – you’ll have a few strings sticking to your bread. 🤪

a woman placing a sourdough boule onto a piece of parchment paper with string lined up on the parchment

Arrange them in a criss cross pattern on top of a piece of parchment paper.

hands tying strings around a sourdough boule on parchment paper

Place the cold bread dough top side down on the strings.

4 pieces of string tied on a sourdough boule on parchment paper

Tie each string around the bread dough, so that you have 8 even sections.

Reduce the oven heat to 450 and bake for 20 minutes with the lid on and 20 minutes with the lid off.

Allow to cool completely before serving.

pumpkin shaped bread on parchment paper right out of the oven

We like to serve ours with goat cheese and homemade peach jam. Enjoy!

loaf of pumpkin sourdough bread shaped like a pumpkin on parchment paper on a white quartz countertop with a vintage stove in the background

Bakers Schedule:

The evening before: Feed starter.

8 AM: Create dough. Autolyse.

8:30-10:30 AM: Complete 4-6 stretch and folds.

10:30 AM: Shape into a ball and place in a greased bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Ferment.

9 PM: Shape and add to the banneton basket (optional). You can also place a tea towel in a basket. Place in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator overnight.

8 AM: Preheat oven.

9 AM: Remove the dough from the fridge and place onto strings. Tie and place into the dutch oven. Bake with a lid for 20 minutes, remove the lid and bake for another 20 minutes.

9:40 AM: Take the pumpkin sourdough bread out from the oven and allow to cool before slicing.

More Fun Sourdough Recipes:

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Thank you! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.

Sourdough Pumpkin Shaped Bread

4.66 from 86 votes
This fun, pumpkin-shaped, sourdough bread is sweet and spiced. It’s great for fall holidays and get-togethers. Not only is it whimsical, but it's also delicious.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Additional Time: 1 day
Total: 1 day 1 hour
Servings: 12

Video

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Ingredients 

  • 475 grams all-purpose flour
  • 100 grams active sourdough starter
  • 250 grams water
  • 100 grams pumpkin puree
  • 10 grams salt
  • 10 grams sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice

Instructions 

  • Place bowl on kitchen scale and tare. Add ingredients and combine until it comes together. Don’t knead the bread, you just want it to come together.
  • Cover and allow to autolyse for 30 minutes.
  • Perform 4-6 stretch and folds in the first two hours about 20-30 minutes apart. This is when you take the dough in the bowl and grab the edge firmly. Pull up, stretch the dough upwards and then push the dough into the center. Turn the bowl about a quarter turn and do this process again. Repeat two more times.
  • Cover with a tight lid or plastic wrap and bulk ferment for 3-8 hours.
  • Shape into a ball and add to a banneton. Place in a plastic bag (I normally use a grocery bag) and refrigerate overnight.
  • The next day, preheat a cast iron dutch oven to 500 degrees.
  • Cut 4 strings about 20” in length.
  • Arrange them in a criss cross pattern on top of a piece of parchment paper.
  • Place the cold bread dough top side down on the strings.
  • Tie each string around the bread dough, so that you have 8 even sections.
  • Reduce the oven heat to 450 and bake for 20 minutes with the lid on and 20 minutes with the lid off.
  • Allow to cool completely before serving.

Notes

  • Use food-grade cotton string for shaping. Twine is not a good option. Ask me how I know.
  • Make sure the sourdough starter is super active and bubbly before starting this recipe. Sourdough is what rises this bread since it doesn’t contain commercial yeast.
  • Add some extra fancy detail to the pumpkin shape by scoring the sections.
  • To make a stem, add a small cinnamon stick or even a stick from the yard. Another layer of whimsy.

Nutrition

Calories: 159kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 0.5g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 0.3mg | Sodium: 386mg | Potassium: 64mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1298IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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108 Comments

  1. Teri says:

    Can I use something other then a Dutch oven. I’m sorry if this is a repeat question. I’m not sure it’s going thru

  2. Michaela says:

    The cook times didn’t work for me, can you tell me what I’m doing wrong? Does the size of the Dutch oven vary the cook times? Mine is a larger oval shaped. For some reason, my breads keep coming out a little more brown than I would like.
    My pumpkin is pretty toasty looking! Lol

    1. Lisa says:

      Every oven is going to be a little different. I would just try to take it out sooner, as long as the inside is ready!

  3. Carolyn says:

    Have you ever tried this with 100% fresh milled flour? Wondering if any changes would need to be made if I tried it.

    1. Lisa says:

      I have not. I would use soft white wheat.

    2. Joy says:

      Yes! I just made this recipe with 100% freshly milled hard white wheat. I added a bit more water as I was mixing it, then followed the recipe:) It came out great! I’ll definitely be making this often.

  4. Britt says:

    Is it possible to add a cinnamon/sugar swirl to the inside? If so when would I add those ?

    1. Lisa says:

      You could maybe add a cinnamon sugar layer. I would pour half the batter in, sprinkle in the cinnamon sugar, and then top with the remaining batter.

  5. Elissa says:

    My bread dough was dense and nit very stretchable even after many extra stretches and folds. I followed the measurements exactly. I wish I had read the comments earlier because I would have tried adding water. I did the cold ferment in the fridge but it didn’t raise over night. I’m guessing the stretch and folds didn’t work because the dough was so stiff it was hard to do. Any suggestions for saving it?

  6. Kasey says:

    Really wanting to try this but don’t have a food scale, are there conversions somewhere to show the amounts in TSP/Cups, etc?

  7. Nancy Pressley says:

    Can you used bread flour instead of all purpose flour in this recipe? Thanks.

    1. Lisa says:

      Yes, that should work!

  8. Selwa Lukoskie says:

    Where do you get food grade cotton string that’s not twine? Every product seems to be labeled “twine” even if it’s 100% cotton… is that correct? Do you have a link to a product we can purchase online?

    1. Lisa says:

      I usually just get it from amazon. Something like this https://amzn.to/3GrCvvJ (affiliate link). Food grade cotton bakers twine.

  9. Breanna garay says:

    Thank you for this! Mine turned out sooo amazing! Wish I could leave a picture to show you.

    1. Lisa says:

      That would be awesome. So glad you enjoyed this recipe.

  10. Heather R. says:

    Hi! I am halfway through making this, currently in the long ferment stage. However, my dough is definitely way more dense and less stretchy than in the pics (and your video) when I went to stretch it. Any idea what might’ve caused that? Thanks in advance!

    1. Lisa says:

      It may need more stretching and folding to develop the gluten, or possibly a touch more water when making the dough.

    2. Sarah says:

      My dough is also very dense and not able to stretch at all. Followed measurements exactly.

      1. Lisa says:

        Usually it will get stretchier as you continue the stretch and folds and the gluten strands develop. Was this after the stretch and folds that it was dense?