Sourdough pumpkin cobbler is the perfect fall dessert or breakfast. Warm, spiced, organic pumpkin filling is topped with sweet sourdough biscuits. Top with ice cream to make this pumpkin dessert irresistible.

plate of sourdough pumpkin cobbler on a white plate with a spoon with a spoonful of cobbler and ice cream on the plate. A blue baking dish is in the background on a white and black towel

Pumpkin desserts are one of our favorites, especially during fall.

As the weather starts to cool down, I start to crave the flavors of warm, pumpkin-y spices, which are totally not limited to pumpkin, by the way. They also work well with apples, sweet potatoes, squash, and more.

This recipe hits all of those flavors, and it tastes so good. It is like a pumpkin pie, but with the crust on the top.

Plus, it incorporates my favorite: sourdough.

It’s a common misconception to think sourdough is only limited to breads and more savory dishes. Sourdough desserts are amazing, too! And this recipe could be eaten for breakfast, dessert, or both.

This recipe is a variation of my peach cobbler. You can use fresh, sweet peaches for summer and seasonal pumpkins for fall.

Is there anything better than fall desserts? Maybe if they are covered in ice cream. Yum.

Give me all the pumpkin and apple recipes.

overhead photo of sourdough pumpkin cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream in a baking dish. A teal bowl with brown sugar is in the background

Tips For Making Pumpkin Cobbler:

  • I use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet; you could also use a 9×13 baking dish. You may need to decrease the time of baking.
  • For a breakfast recipe, try decreasing the amount of sugar by half. Our family doesn’t like too much sugar for breakfast.
  • If you don’t have a biscuit cutter, you could use a wide mouth mason jar, cup, or lid.
  • If you are sensitive to gluten, try fermenting the grains for a full 24 hours.

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a wooden spoon taking out sourdough pumpkin cobbler topped with ice cream from a baking dish

Sourdough For Healthier Grains

If you are totally new to sourdough, make sure to check out my how to make and care for a sourdough starter. Find all my sourdough recipes here.

Sourdough recipes begin with a sourdough starter, which is a water-flour combination that has captured wild yeast in the air, and then is used to help grain products naturally rise. When baking with a sourdough starter, you usually combine the starter with grains, and then allow them to sit at room temperature to ferment.

Not only does this process make the finished product taste amazing, but it also has some health benefits.

During the fermentation process, phytic acid is broken down, which helps make the nutrients in grains more bioavailable, and improves the nutritional profile of wheat. It also increases some nutrients in the grain, like folate, and can increase the amount of antioxidants.

Fermenting grains can also make them easier to digest, and sourdough products may contain lower amounts of gluten. (source)

Those who have gluten sensitivity may be able to tolerate gluten that has been fermented for 24 hours.

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FAQ

baking dish with pumpkin custard topped with a sourdough biscuit topping topped with vanilla ice cream in a blue baking dish. A wooden spoon is resting on top of the baking dish

Can I make this in advance?

You may be able to make this a few days in advance. I would make each part separately, and assemble right before baking.

Then, when you’re ready to make it, bake the pumpkin filling first, cut the biscuits, place the biscuits on top, and bake again.

What pairs well with pumpkin cobbler?

Eat it on its own as a dessert, paired with some homemade ice cream.

Or eat it as a breakfast with some delicious coffee. There is just something totally satisfying about pairing strong coffee with a sweet breakfast treat.

How do you know a cobbler is done?

It should be bubbling, the pumpkin filling should be starting to turn golden brown around the edges, and the biscuits on top should be golden brown. You can insert a thermometer – when it reaches 200 degrees, it is ready.

sourdough pumpkin cobbler topped with a scoop of ice cream and a spoon on a white plate. A blue baking dish with more cobbler and ice cream in the background

Tools you may need:

Sourdough Pumpkin Cobbler Ingredients

Sourdough Biscuit Topping

  • Flour
  • Sourdough starter: Active and bubbly. Discard will actually work as well.
  • Butter
  • Honey: Or maple syrup
  • Baking soda
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Heavy cream
  • Brown sugar: Coconut sugar or rapadura are great alternatives, for a healthier version

Cobbler Filling

  • Pumpkin puree
  • Eggs
  • Brown sugar
  • Milk
  • Butter
  • Vanilla extract
  • Pumpkin spice
  • Salt

How To Make Sourdough Breakfast Cobbler

a white plate with sourdough pumpkin cobbler with a spoon with cobbler to the right. A scoop of ice cream is in the back of the cobbler. A baking dish with cobbler and ice cream in the background

Step 1: Mix The Sourdough The Night Before

  1. Stir together the flour, sourdough starter, melted butter, and honey.
  2. Let it sit out for 8-24 hours to reap the sourdough benefits.

Step 2: The Next Day Make The Pumpkin Cobbler

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Stir the cobbler filling ingredients together and bake in a seasoned 12″ cast iron skillet for 25 minutes.
  3. To the sourdough mixture from the night before, add: baking soda, baking powder, salt, cream, and brown sugar.
  4. Mix together and roll out on a lightly-floured surface.
  5. Cut the biscuits out with a biscuit cutter (or use what you have on hand, like a large lid), and press them on top of the partially-baked pumpkin mixture.
  6. Bake for an additional 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
  7. Allow to cool a bit and serve.
  8. Store, covered loosely, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Find more fall recipes straight from our farmhouse kitchen:

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Thank you!

Sourdough Pumpkin Cobbler

4.60 from 47 votes
Sourdough pumpkin cobbler is the perfect fall dessert or breakfast. Warm, spiced pumpkin filling is topped with sweet sourdough biscuits. Top with ice cream to make this pumpkin dessert irresistible.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Additional Time: 12 hours
Total: 13 hours
Servings: 8
a wooden spoon taking out sourdough pumpkin cobbler topped with ice cream from a baking dish

Video

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Ingredients 

Cobbler Topping

  • 2 cups all purpose flour, 280 g
  • 1/2 cup sourdough starter, bubbly and active (113 g)
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted, 77 g
  • 1/4 cup honey, 85g
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda, 6g
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder, 5 g
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3 g
  • 1/4 cup cream, 60 g
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, 55 g

Pumpkin Filling

  • 2 cups pumpkin puree, 460 g
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, 110g
  • 1/2 cup milk, of choice
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
  • ยผ teaspoon salt

Instructions 

  • The night before, stir together flour, sourdough starter, 1/3 cup melted butter, and 1/4 cup honey.
  • Let it sit out for 8-24 hours to reap the sourdough benefits.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Stir the cobbler filling ingredients together and bake in a seasoned 12" cast iron skillet for 25 minutes.
  • To the sourdough mixture from the night before, add: baking soda, baking powder, salt, cream, and brown sugar.
  • Mix together and roll out on a lightly-floured surface.
  • Cut the biscuits out with a biscuit cutter, and press them on top of the partially-baked pumpkin mixture.
  • Bake for an additional 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
  • Allow to cool a bit and serve. Serve with some homemade ice cream for a dessert, or with coffee and milk for breakfast.

Notes

  • I use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet; you could also use a 9ร—13 baking dish. You may need to decrease the time of baking.
  • For a breakfast recipe, try decreasing the amount of sugar by half. Our family doesnโ€™t like too much sugar for breakfast.
  • If you donโ€™t have a biscuit cutter, you could use a wide mouth mason jar, cup, or lid.
    If you are sensitive to gluten, try fermenting the grains for a full 24 hours.
  • Butter or coconut oil will work for this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 555mg | Potassium: 254mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 10168IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 3mg

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

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4.60 from 47 votes (41 ratings without comment)

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32 Comments

  1. Kim says:

    5 stars
    Took this dish to my parentโ€™s for Christmas instead of the traditional pumpkin pie. It was a hit and no one knew they were eating a healthier sourdough variety. Love your sourdough recipes.

  2. Christina says:

    Hi there, I was so excited to make this, but something went wrong with the topping. Recipe says 1/3 cup melted coconut oil and 1/4 cup honey which I mixed (I used a stand mixer) with the starter and flour. It became crumbles. Not enough liquid so I added a little water to make it into a dough and let it sit over night and then some, but it is just dry and hard. In instructions it says cup oil and cup honey so I’m wondering if there should be more liquid in it? I have baked sourdough bread and cinnamon rolls before successfully, and I really wanted to make this cobbler, so please help me out so I can go at it again another time. Thank you!

    1. Lindsey says:

      Christina, I tried this the other day. The topping that sits overnight was dry and crumbly for me as well, especially the next morning. I used what was called for (1/3 cup coconut oil and 1/4 cup honey). However, once I added the other ingredients (cream, sugar, etc) in the morning, it turned into a beautiful biscuit dough. I was a little worried before adding the cream because I doubted it would be enough liquid. I was wrong. I would suggest giving it another try and follow through with the cream and sugar the next day. The cobbler topping baked wonderfully and the whole dessert was delicious. I’ve had very bad luck in the past with my sourdough breads not turning out. I was very encouraged by this recipe. Delicious! Next time I might try adding a little more oil to help it crumble even more but that’s just me guessing. I actually had leftover biscuit dough and put them on a cookie sheet. Turned out like a cookie! I’m totally going to try adding chocolate chips and nuts as a cookie variation. Good luck! I would love to hear if you have success.

  3. Lindsey says:

    Presently I do not keep a sourdough starter. However, I do have milk kefir on hand. I’ve heard I can use the kefir as a substitute starter by replacing water or milk with kefir. In the pumpkin cobbler recipe I wasn’t sure exactly how to go about using the kefir as a substitute. Do you have any suggestions?

    1. Lindsey says:

      I ended up making a starter from 1 cup flour and 1 cup milk kefir. It sat one day and I fed it water and flour like you would a regular starter for two days. Then I made the pumpkin cobbler! Worked like a charm. Soooo excited to have success after many many failures with sourdough. I love the fact that I can make a quick sourdough starter with my kefir instead of keeping it fed and active continuously. Excited to try your bread recipe and other sourdough recipes!

  4. Emily says:

    Is there a way to make it without the sourdough starter? It looks delicious and we make our own bread just not with sourdough

    1. Lisa says:

      You can just replace the starter with equal parts flour and water and a little yogurt.

  5. Toni says:

    5 stars
    My kids really enjoyed it! Can’t wait to make it again!

  6. Laura says:

    5 stars
    This looks absolutely amazing! Making this tomorrow!

  7. Lauren Kelly says:

    5 stars
    I am the biggest pumpkin lover! I just found what I am making this weekend!!

  8. Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes says:

    Love it with the sourdough! Perfect for the fall weekends!

  9. Mary Goulddemong says:

    Looks delish…just need to make the starter first…..can hardly wait……

    1. Lisa says:

      Oh you’ll love it! This might be our favorite. ๐Ÿ™‚