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Pumpkin Pecan Sourdough Bread

Selena Jones
If you're looking for a new sourdough flavor to try this fall, pumpkin pecan sourdough bread is a great place to start. It combines pumpkin purée with pecans for a loaf that's full of seasonal flavor and texture. Enjoy a slice toasted with butter, serve it alongside a cozy fall meal, or add it to your fall baking rotation when you want something a little different from a classic sourdough loaf.
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Prep Time 4 hours
Cook Time 50 minutes
Bulk Fermentation & Cold Proofing 10 hours
Total Time 1 day 2 hours 50 minutes
Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 10 Slices
Calories 286 kcal

Equipment

  • Measuring cups
  • Silicone spatula
  • Food scale - for accuracy
  • Danish dough whisk - This whisk is much easier to use if you are mixing your ingredients by hand.
  • Stand Mixer
  • Large bowls
  • Banneton basket
  • Dutch oven
  • Parchment paper

Ingredients
  

To Feed Your Starter

  • ½ cup Whole wheat flour
  • ½ cup All-purpose or bread flour
  • 1 cup Warm water

For the Dough

  • 4 cups + 2 tbsp All-purpose or bread flour (511g)
  • 1⅔ tsp Salt (10g)
  • ½ cup Active sourdough starter (112g)
  • 1¼ cup + 1 tbsp Warm water (307g)
  • ¼ cup +1 tbsp Pumpkin purée (77g)
  • 1 tbsp Granulated sugar or brown sugar (optional) (12g)

Inclusions

  • 1 cup Chopped pecans (110g)
  • ½ tbsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ tsp Nutmeg

Instructions
 

1. Feed Your Starter (Before bed)

  • Feed your starter 4 - 6 hours before you need it. The key to your starter rising quickly is using warm water. If you plan on making the dough in the morning, feed your starter room temperature water before bed and it should be ready to use in the morning.
    • Tip: After you feed your starter, make sure it is the consistency of thick pancake batter.

2. Mix the Dough (First thing in the morning)

  • In a large bowl, mix the flour (511g) and salt (10g) together and set aside.
  • In your stand mixer, add your warm water (307g) and active sourdough (112g) and whisk together. Next add your pumpkin purée (77g) and whisk again.
  • Add all of the dry ingredients to the stand mixer and mix using the dough hook attachment for 3 - 5 minutes.
  • Once the dough has come together, let your dough rest for 45 minutes.

3. Stretch & Folds with Pecans

  • To build strength in your dough without kneading, do three rounds of 4 - 5 stretch and folds about 30 minutes apart.
  • During your last stretch and fold add your chopped pecans and cinnamon (1/2 tablespoon), pumpkin pie spice (1 teaspoon), and nutmeg (1/2 teaspoon). By allowing your inclusions to be incorporated into the bulk fermentation, everything is going to be evenly distributed into the dough.
    • Tip - If you need to do more than 5 stretch and folds in any of your three rounds to create more shape that's okay. If each round is a little more than 30 minutes apart that's okay too. Nothing in the sourdough process has to be exact in order for it to turn out. These are just guidelines if you need them.

4. Bulk Fermentation (During the day)

  • Once the pecans and spices are folded into the dough, let it bulk ferment overnight for 8 hours or until it's doubled in size. If you find it difficult to determine whether your dough has doubled in size I recommend taking your dough's temperature and letting it ferment based on the bulk fermentation chart linked above.

5. Final Shape & Chill Overnight

  • After your dough has doubled in size, pour the dough onto a floured surface and begin the final shape.
  • There are many ways to shape your dough, however I recommend doing the envelope method since it's the easiest. Stretch the dough into a rectangle shape. Then fold the top of the rectangle down creating an upside down triangle.
  • Fold the sides of the rectangle towards the center making them overlap each other. It should create a "seam" down the middle.
  • Then roll the dough into a burrito from bottom to top to create tension. You'll notice some of the seams stick out at the ends. Push them back inside the dough burrito and pinch the ends closed.
  • Place the dough seam-side down into a banneton basket and cover with a plastic bag.
  • Let the dough proof in the fridge overnight or for 12 - 16 hours.

6. Final Proof (The next morning)

  • If you can let your loaf rest for 30 minutes to an hour before baking. Letting your loaf rest on parchment paper on top of your oven while it preheats helps warm things up.
  • This relaxes the gluten and helps hold it's shape.

7. Score & Bake

  • Preheat your oven and your dutch oven to 425 degrees.
  • Spread flour on a piece of parchment paper and place your loaf seam-side down.
  • Score your loaf with one score down the middle.
  • Place in your dutch oven and bake for 25 minutes with the lid on and 25 minutes with the lid off.
  • Allow the loaf to completely cool for a minimum of 3 hours to avoid giving the inside of the bread a gummy texture.

Notes

Storage

This pumpkin pecan sourdough bread can be stored in the fridge (sliced) for up to 5 days, and stored in the freezer (sliced) for up to one month.

Tips

  • This recipe does not make a sweet bread. If you want your sourdough to have a touch of sweetness, and a tablespoon of granulated sugar or brown sugar to the wet ingredients.
  • Add your pecans to the last stretch and fold so they are evenly distributed through the dough.
  • If you're having trouble knowing if your dough is done bulk fermenting/doubling in size, take your dough's temperature 30 minutes after the last stretch and fold. This chart will show you how long you should ferment your dough based on its temperature.
Keyword fall recipes, fall sourdough bread recipes, pumpkin pecan sourdough bread, sourdough bread