Spiced Sourdough Pumpkin Bread

This sourdough pumpkin bread is an easy sourdough discard recipe that turns out a super moist and perfectly spiced loaf of pumpkin bread!

There’s something magical about a slice of perfectly spiced pumpkin bread, but adding sourdough? That’s when it becomes truly amazing! This is a one-bowl recipe that delivers the moistest, most flavorful pumpkin bread you’ll ever taste—and my picky eaters love it.

Using sourdough discard adds an incredible depth of flavor and tender texture that just gets better the next day. It’s the perfect way to use up that discard you have on hand and bake two delicious loaves of pure fall comfort.

I’m just another gal obsessed with my bubbly sourdough starter that I use in this delicious recipe…. I use it in my kitchen almost every day for things like sourdough bread, easy sourdough pancakes, English muffins, waffles, buttery soft sourdough dinner rolls, and Sourdough Apple Fritter Doughnuts… And so much more! You can learn more about my homemade sourdough starter, and how to make it here!

Key Ingredients

Sourdough Discard: This is the star of the show! Using sourdough discard not only adds a wonderful, subtle tangy flavor to the bread but also helps create an incredibly tender and moist crumb. No need to feed it—this is the perfect way to use up that discard you have hanging around.

Pumpkin Puree: Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The pie filling has added sugar and spices that will throw off the carefully balanced flavors in this recipe. Pure pumpkin is what gives this bread its rich moisture and beautiful color.

The Spice Blend (Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, & Ginger): This classic combination is what makes this bread taste like fall in a loaf pan. Don’t be shy with the spices! They’re what give this pumpkin bread its signature warmth and cozy flavor.

Avocado Oil: The secret to an extra-moist texture! Avocado oil has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point, which makes it perfect for baking. It ensures your pumpkin bread stays tender and delicious for days.

Stir in Options

You can stir in one of these or… If you’re like me use both! 1 cup Chocolate Chips (My kids LOVE this recipe without chocolate chips but they REALLY love it with them!) Or try 1 cup chopped pecans! (I’m a nut lover and love to add chopped pecans!)

A Quick Walkthrough

Making this pumpkin bread is incredibly simple, but a couple of key steps make all the difference. We’ll start by bringing our sourdough discard to room temperature—this helps it mix seamlessly and gives you the best texture. Once you’ve got all your ingredients in one bowl, you’ll mix everything together.

At this point, you have a choice: if you’re in a hurry, you can just add your baking soda and powder and get it in the oven. But if you have a few hours to spare, letting the batter “sour” on the counter for a while will deepen that delicious sourdough flavor. After that, it’s just a matter of dividing the batter between your well-buttered loaf pans and letting your oven do the rest… The key is to watch for that toothpick to come out clean—that’s your signal for a perfectly baked loaf!

The perfectly done internal temperature for moist and tender sourdough pumpkin bread is between 200°F. Using an instant read thermometer can help you know exactly when it’s done… Under 200 degrees F and the center will be doughy, and above 205 degrees F will be dry. Make sure to insert your instant read thermometer into the very center of the loaf.

How To Store Leftover Sourdough Pumpkin Bread

This bread is even better the day after it’s baked! If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, You can keep them fresh in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to one week!

To Freeze: Wrap completely cooled pumpkin bread in plastic wrap and then put it into a zip lock bag. Remove excess air and seal. Freeze up to 2 months!

Use pumpkin puree instead of pumpkin pie filling – the pie filling has sugar and spices that will throw this recipe off.

How to Serve Sourdough Pumpkin Bread

I love to serve this sourdough pumpkin bread sliced thick with butter melting into each piece! But it’s also delicious (maybe even better) the next day for breakfast with eggs or a big glass of milk!

This delicious bread makes an excellent snack, dessert, or breakfast dish! It’s also a great way to use up that extra pumpkin puree or sourdough discard!

I really want to know what YOU think… Please review the recipe card!

Moist Sourdough Pumpkin Bread

Perfectly spiced sourdough pumpkin bread is MOIST and delicious! This bread is even better the day after it's baked! Makes 2 loaves.

4.95 from 18 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack, Sourdough

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 24 servings

Calories: 274kcal

Author: Juliea Huffaker

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Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup sourdough discard
• 1 cup avocado oil or olive oil
• 16 ounces pumpkin puree 1 16 ounce can
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 3.5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour or fresh ground einkorn flour
• 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Instructions

• 1. If your sourdough starter is in the refrigerator, then take it out and let it come up to room temperature for best results.
• 2. In a large bowl combine the wet and dry ingredients, except the baking soda and baking powder: 1 cup sourdough discard, pumpkin, sugar, and 3.5 cups unbleached flour, spices, salt, eggs, 1/2 cup milk and 1 cup avocado oil. Then, Mix well.
• If you want this to be more sourdough, then this is the point that you let the mixture set on the counter covered with a towel for about 4 hours so that the grain is soured. Then, Add the baking powder and baking soda.
• *Alternatively, you can mix baking powder and soda into flour, then just add all ingredients to the large mixing bowl and blend with a hand blender till everything is well incorporated.
• 3. Generously butter two 8 inch loaf pans, making sure to get all the inner corners really well.
• 4. Divide batter evenly between the two loaf pans.
• 5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and move the oven rack to the center position.
• 6. Place filled loaf pans into the preheated oven and set the timer for 50 minutes.
• 7. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Pumpkin loaves are done when the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The best way to ensure your bread is perfectly done is with a thermometer! The ideal internal temperature is 200°F. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of the loaf—anything over 205°F and you risk a dry loaf.
• 8. Let bread cool for at least 10 minutes, and Enjoy! (It's even better the next day!)

Notes

Mix baking soda into dry ingredients before adding to the bowl to ensure it is evenly distributed throughout the bread!

Use pumpkin puree instead of pumpkin pie filling – the pie filling has sugar and spices that will throw this recipe off.

Bring Ingredients to Room Temp: For the best results, let your sourdough discard, eggs, and milk come to room temperature before you start. This helps all the ingredients combine smoothly and gives you a better final texture.

Don’t Overmix: When you combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix them just until they are well-incorporated. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, which will make your bread tough and dense instead of soft and tender.

Sourdough: If you want a more distinct sourdough flavor, take the time to let the batter ferment for four hours as noted in the recipe. This extra time allows the wild yeast to work its magic and adds a wonderful depth of flavor. If you’re in a hurry, the “quick” method works beautifully too!

Grease Your Pans Well: Generously buttering your loaf pans is key to preventing the bread from sticking. Make sure to get all the corners and sides really well so your beautiful loaves come out clean and intact.

The Toothpick Test: Every oven is a little different, so don’t rely solely on the timer. The best way to know when your pumpkin bread is done is to insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean with no wet batter, it’s ready to go.

It’s tempting to slice into a warm loaf right out of the oven, but for the best results, let the bread cool for at least 10 minutes. This allows it to set up properly and ensures it won’t crumble when you slice it. It’s truly even better the next day once the flavors have had time to meld!

Nutrition

Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 218mg | Potassium: 79mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 2990IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg