Pumpkin Shaped Sourdough Bread
This pumpkin shaped sourdough bread is made with real pumpkin puree, so it’s pumpkin on the outside and the inside, with a soft, golden-orange crumb and a crackly crust. A little kitchen twine does all the shaping work.
After my skeleton loaf went up, so many of you asked for a pumpkin version, and I had a secret: I’d already made one and just hadn’t posted it yet. So here it is. This isn’t just a regular loaf tied up to look cute. The pumpkin goes right into the dough, which gives the crumb that warm autumn color and a subtle, cozy flavor that’s perfect with butter, soup, or a holiday spread.
The shaping looks impressive, but it’s really just twine tied around the loaf before it goes into the oven. As the bread rises, the twine pinches it into those classic pumpkin ridges. And like everything I post here, I made this loaf, photographed it, and ate it before I ever wrote a word of this post.
What You’ll Need
Ingredients
- Active sourdough starter. Bubbly, doubled, and domed, ideally used within a few hours of peak rise.
- Pumpkin puree. Plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling already has sugar and spices in it, which will throw off your dough.
- Bread flour. I use King Arthur. Bread flour gives you more structure, which helps the loaf hold its pumpkin ridges. All-purpose works in a pinch.
- Water. The pumpkin adds moisture too, so this dough uses less water than my regular loaf.
- Fine sea salt. Essential for flavor and for controlling fermentation.
- Rice flour. For dusting your banneton and the top of the loaf. Regular flour soaks into the dough and sticks.
- A pumpkin “stem.” (Cinnamon stick). Optional, but it completes the look.
Equipment
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Kitchen twine: The secret to the pumpkin shape. Use plain, unwaxed cotton twine that’s safe for the oven.
HexClad stainless steel mixing bowls: A true staple in my kitchen, and big enough to give sourdough room to rise during bulk ferment.
Danish dough whisk: The best tool for mixing a sticky sourdough without it clinging to everything.
Bowl scraper: Pumpkin dough is extra sticky. This gets every bit out of the bowl and helps with your stretch and folds.
Bread scoring blade (lame): A sharp blade is the difference between crisp little teeth and dragged, messy lines. If you have a craft kit, an Exacto blade works great for detail cuts too, or use the sharpest knife you have.
Small sifter: For an even layer of rice flour over the stencil. Shaking flour straight from the bag gives you clumps and blurry edges.
Rice flour: Same one I use for dusting my bannetons.
Parchment paper bread slings: Score right on the sling, then lower the whole thing into your Dutch oven without touching your design.
Dutch oven: For that crackly crust and big oven spring.
Oven mitts: Always.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Real pumpkin in every bite. Pumpkin puree in the dough gives you a golden-orange crumb, not just a pumpkin shape.
- Easy shaping trick. Kitchen twine creates the ridges for you. No sculpting skills needed.
- A showstopper centerpiece. Perfect for Halloween, Friendsgiving, or Thanksgiving dinner.
- Make ahead friendly. The dough can cold proof in the fridge for up to 48 hours, so you can bake it whenever it fits your schedule.
- Great leftovers. It makes amazing toast and grilled cheese, and it freezes well too.
- Grams and cups included. Weigh it if you have a scale, measure it if you don’t.
How to Shape a Pumpkin Sourdough Loaf
Step 1: Make and cold proof the dough
Mix, stretch and fold, and bulk ferment your dough, then shape it into a tight round and cold proof it in the fridge overnight. Full recipe in the card below.
Step 2: Preheat
About 45 minutes before baking, put your Dutch oven in the oven with the lid on and preheat to 450°F.
Step 3: Prep your twine
Cut 4 long pieces of kitchen twine and lightly flour them with rice flour or soak in olive oil for a few minutes so they don’t stick to the dough.
Step 4: Turn out the loaf
Lay the twine in a star pattern on your parchment sling, crossing in the center. Turn your cold loaf out of the banneton onto the center of the star.
Step 5: Tie the pumpkin
Bring each piece of twine up over the top of the loaf and tie it loosely in the center, creating 8 sections. Keep the twine snug but not tight, since the bread needs room to rise and fill out each section.
Step 6: Dust and score
Dust the top with rice flour. If you’d like, make a small, shallow score in each section for extra detail.
Step 7: Bake
Lower the loaf into the hot Dutch oven using the parchment sling. Bake covered for the first half, then uncover and bake until deep golden brown.
Step 8: Remove the twine and add the stem
Let the loaf cool for a few minutes, then carefully snip and pull out the twine. Press your stem into the center.
Step 9: Cool completely
Let the loaf cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. The inside is still finishing as it cools.
Tips for Success
- Use plain pumpkin puree, not pie filling. Pie filling has added sugar and spices that change how your dough ferments.
- Expect a stickier dough. Pumpkin adds moisture and makes the dough tackier than a regular loaf. That’s normal. Wet hands and a bowl scraper are your best friends here.
- Shape tight before cold proofing. A tight round holds its shape better once the twine goes on.
- Tie the twine loosely. If it’s too tight, it can cut into the loaf as it rises. You want it to guide the shape, not squeeze it.
- Flour the twine. Rice flour on the twine keeps it from sticking, so it pulls out cleanly after baking.
- Use oven-safe twine. Plain, unwaxed cotton twine only. Skip anything synthetic or dyed.
- Watch your kitchen temperature, not just the clock. My kitchen sits around 75°F. In a cooler kitchen, your dough will need more time to bulk ferment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make sourdough bread shaped like a pumpkin?
Tie kitchen twine around a cold, shaped loaf in a star pattern to create 8 sections, then bake. As the bread rises, the twine pinches it into pumpkin ridges.
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?
No. Pie filling has added sugar and spices that change how the dough ferments. Use plain pumpkin puree.
Does pumpkin sourdough taste like pumpkin?
It has a subtle, warm pumpkin flavor and a golden-orange crumb. It isn’t sweet, so it works for both sweet and savory toppings.
Can I make pumpkin sourdough ahead of time?
Yes. The shaped dough can cold proof in the fridge for up to 48 hours. You can also freeze the baked loaf, well wrapped, and refresh it in a warm oven.
What can I use for the pumpkin stem?
A cinnamon stick is the most common choice, and it smells amazing.
If you make a pumpkin loaf, tag me @thattablefortwo, I’d love to see it!
Bread · Snack · Appetizer
Pumpkin Shaped Sourdough Bread
A pumpkin shaped sourdough bread made with real pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice, with a golden-orange crumb and crackly crust. Kitchen twine does the shaping.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
Extras
Instructions
- Feed your starter. The night before, feed it at a 1:1:1 ratio of starter to flour to water. Let it sit at room temperature until doubled and bubbly, usually 6 to 12 hours depending on your kitchen’s temperature.
- Mix the dough. In a large bowl, combine the active starter, lukewarm water, and pumpkin puree with a Danish dough whisk until mostly smooth. Add the flour, salt, and pumpkin pie spice, and mix until no dry patches remain. The dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and fold. Do 4 rounds of stretch and folds, about 30 minutes apart. With wet hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat on all sides.
- Bulk ferment. Cover and let the dough rise until puffy and about 50% larger, roughly 6 to 8 hours depending on your kitchen’s warmth.
- Shape. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape it into a tight round by folding the edges toward the center, then flip it seam-side down and drag it gently toward you to build surface tension.
- Cold proof. Dust a banneton or lined bowl generously with rice flour. Place the loaf seam-side up inside, cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 48 hours.
- Preheat. About 45 minutes before baking, place your Dutch oven, lid on, in the oven and preheat to 450°F.
- Tie the pumpkin. Lay 4 long pieces of rice-floured twine in a star pattern on a parchment sling. Turn the cold loaf out onto the center, bring each piece of twine up over the top, and tie loosely in the center to create 8 sections. Dust the top with rice flour.
- Bake. Lower the loaf into the hot Dutch oven using the sling. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until deep golden brown.
- Finish and cool. Let the loaf cool for a few minutes, then snip and remove the twine and press a cinnamon stick into the center for the stem. Cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.
Notes
- Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which has added sugar and spices.
- No need to drain the pumpkin. The water amount already accounts for its moisture. Sticky dough is normal. Pumpkin makes this dough a little tackier than a regular loaf. Wet hands and a bowl scraper help.
- Spice level: 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice gives a gentle, warm flavor. Add a little more if you want it to stand out.
- Want two loaves? Double everything and divide the dough in half before shaping.
- Freezing: Wrap the cooled loaf well and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw at room temperature and refresh in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.