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Easy Pumpkin Sourdough Bread with Crunchy Pepitas

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This pumpkin sourdough bread is perfectly balanced with tangy sourdough, sweet pumpkin, and crunchy pepitas in every bite. A beginner-friendly recipe that delivers consistent results and makes your house smell amazing.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 100g (about ½ cup) active sourdough starter
  • 200g (about ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons) pumpkin puree
  • 400g (about 3 cups) bread flour
  • 100g (about ¾ cup) whole wheat flour
  • 100g (about ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon) water, room temperature
  • 10g (about 1½ teaspoons) fine sea salt
  • 50g (about ¼ cup packed) brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 80g (about ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons) raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted
  • 2 tablespoons additional pepitas for topping

Instructions

  1. Feed your sourdough starter 8-12 hours before mixing: combine 50g each of bread flour and water, let sit at room temperature until bubbly, doubled, and passes the float test.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine 100g active starter, 200g pumpkin puree, 100g water, and 50g brown sugar. Whisk until starter is dissolved and mixture looks like a thick, orange milkshake.
  3. Add 400g bread flour and 100g whole wheat flour on top, then sprinkle 10g salt and 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice over the flour. Mix with hands or a dough whisk until no dry flour remains. Cover with a damp tea towel and let rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
  4. Wet your hands slightly. Grab a section of dough from one side, stretch it up, and fold it over the top. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. Do this four times, covering the bowl between each set. Let rest 30 minutes.
  5. Repeat the stretch and fold process (second set). Let rest another 30 minutes.
  6. Lightly toast 80g pepitas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until they start to pop and smell nutty. Let cool completely. Sprinkle over the dough and do one more set of stretch and folds to incorporate. Cover and let rest.
  7. Bulk fermentation: Let dough sit at room temperature, performing a set of stretch and folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours (4 sets total). Then let rest undisturbed until dough increases by about 50% and feels puffy and jiggly (4-6 hours total).
  8. Lightly flour your work surface. Turn dough out gently. Fold edges toward center to create a round boule shape. Flip seam side down. Cup hands around dough and drag toward you in small circular motions to create surface tension. Let rest on counter for 20 minutes uncovered.
  9. Flour your proofing basket or towel-lined bowl. Flip dough seam side up. Fold bottom edge up to center, top edge down, then sides in like an envelope. Flip seam side down and do a final tightening. Place seam side up in proofing basket. Cover and refrigerate overnight (8-12 hours).
  10. Place a baking sheet or Dutch oven in the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes. Carefully remove hot pan. Turn cold dough out onto parchment paper. Score the top with a sharp lame or knife, about ½ inch deep. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons pepitas on top, pressing gently.
  11. Slide parchment with dough onto hot baking sheet. If using a Dutch oven, place lid on. If using a baking sheet, invert an oven-safe metal bowl over the dough to trap steam. Reduce oven temperature to 450°F (230°C). Bake for 20 minutes with steam trap, then remove bowl or lid and bake for another 25-30 minutes until deep golden brown and internal temperature reaches 200°F (93°C). Bread should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
  12. Transfer bread to a cooling rack and cool completely for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Notes

Use canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) for consistent results. If using fresh pumpkin puree, drain it in a cheesecloth-lined strainer for at least 8 hours. The dough will be sticky; wet your hands before handling. Don’t skip the cold proof—it develops flavor and improves texture. Steam is essential for a good rise; use an inverted metal bowl if you don’t have a Dutch oven. Toast pepitas before adding for better flavor and crunch. Cool completely before slicing to avoid a gummy texture.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin sourdough bread, sourdough bread with pepitas, fall sourdough recipe, pumpkin bread, sourdough bread recipe, easy sourdough bread

Find it online: https://eliplate.com/easy-pumpkin-sourdough-bread-with-crunchy-pepitas/