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Easy Brown Butter Pumpkin Sourdough Bread Recipe

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This brown butter pumpkin sourdough bread is tender, fragrant, and has a mild tang that lets cozy fall spices shine. It’s a forgiving recipe that yields a soft, almost cake-like crumb with a shatteringly crisp crust.

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter (for browning)
  • 100g (about ½ cup) active sourdough starter, fed and bubbly
  • 150g (about ⅔ cup) 100% pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 400g (about 3 cups) bread flour (King Arthur recommended)
  • 50g (about ⅓ cup) whole wheat flour
  • 100g (about ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon) water, room temperature
  • 50g (about ¼ cup packed) brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 9g (about 1½ teaspoons) fine sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or homemade blend: 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ginger, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp cloves, ¼ tsp allspice)
  • 2 tablespoons pepitas (pumpkin seeds) for topping (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon rolled oats for topping (optional)

Instructions

  1. Brown the butter: Place ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Melt completely, then swirl occasionally. After 3-4 minutes, the butter will foam and brown specks will form. Once it smells nutty and turns deep amber (about 5-6 minutes total), remove from heat immediately. Pour into a heat-safe bowl and let cool to room temperature (about 20 minutes).
  2. Mix the dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled brown butter, pumpkin puree, water, and brown sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add active starter and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together bread flour, whole wheat flour, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and stir until no dry flour remains. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
  3. Stretch and folds: Over the next 2 hours, perform 4 sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes. Wet your hand slightly. Grab one side of dough, stretch it up, and fold over the center. Rotate bowl 90° and repeat 4 times per set. After the last set, cover and let rest for the remainder of bulk fermentation.
  4. Bulk fermentation: Let dough rise at room temperature (70-75°F) for 6-8 hours, or until increased by about 50% and looks bubbly and domed. The dough should feel puffy and jiggly with small bubbles visible.
  5. Shape the dough: Lightly flour your work surface. Turn dough out gently. Using a bench scraper, fold edges toward center to form a rough round. Let rest seam-side down for 20 minutes. Flip dough over and shape into a tight boule by pulling dough toward you in a circular motion with cupped hands. Place seam-side up in a floured banneton or towel-lined bowl.
  6. Cold proof: Cover shaped dough with plastic wrap or a reusable cover. Refrigerate for 12-16 hours to develop flavor and make scoring easier.
  7. Bake: Place Dutch oven in oven and preheat to 475°F (245°C) for at least 30 minutes. Remove dough from fridge. Flip onto parchment paper. Score the top with a sharp knife or lame (¼ to ½ inch deep at a 45° angle). Brush off excess flour if desired. Sprinkle with pepitas or oats if using. Carefully place parchment and dough into hot Dutch oven, cover, and bake for 25 minutes. Remove lid and bake for another 20-25 minutes until deep golden brown (internal temperature 200-205°F). Cool completely on…

Notes

Watch the butter carefully as it browns—it goes from perfect to burnt in about 15 seconds. Don’t skip the autolyse; it helps develop gluten naturally. Trust your senses over the clock for fermentation times. Score with confidence using a sharp blade. Let the bread cool completely before slicing to avoid a gummy texture. For a dairy-free version, use vegan butter. For gluten-free, substitute flours with a 1-to-1 gluten-free blend and bake in a loaf pan.

Nutrition

Keywords: brown butter, pumpkin, sourdough bread, fall baking, artisan bread, sourdough recipe, pumpkin bread, homemade bread

Find it online: https://ariaappetite.com/easy-brown-butter-pumpkin-sourdough-bread-recipe/