Once we even get a hint of Fall in the air, I'm ready for pumkpin bread! This Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread is a tasty treat that is delicious for dessert or a sweet afternoon snack. The sourdough flavor and the dark chocolate help balance some of the sweetness of the bread.
If you're looking for other pumpkin recipes, check out these Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls, and this Pumpkin and Carrot Soup.
If you're looking for other sourdough discard recipes, check out this Sourdough Discard Garlic Pull Apart Bread and this Sourdough Discard Zucchini Bread.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- There is no rise time needed for this recipe! The batter comes together in about 15 minutes before baking.
- The chocolate chunks and trubinado sugar on top add great texture.
- Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread freezes well, so you can always make a batch to store for later!
- This recipe is a great way to use up some of your sourdough discard for a delicious treat!
Ingredients
There are a few key ingredients you'll need to bring this recipe together.
- All-purpose flour: This is the base of our bread and helps make a fluffy final loaf.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves give this pumpkin bread its classic flavor.
- Baking soda: Even though we're using sourdough discard, we still need to use a leavening agent to make the bread rise predictably. In this case, we're using baking soda.
- Pumpkin purée: I like to use Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin. You can also make your own homemade pumpkin purée!
- Sourdough discard: The sourdough discard should be unfed and at room temperature for this recipe. This recipe is designed for a sourdough starter that uses a 1:1:1 ratio (when you feed your starter, it's with 1 part starter, 1 part flour, 1 part water). If your starter uses a different ratio, you may need to adjust some of the ingredients.
- Dark chocolate: I like to use Lindt 70% Dark Chocolate bars and coarsely chop them. You can also use chocolate chips if you prefer. I highly recommend dark chocolate, but this will also work with milk chocolate (which is sweeter).
- Turbinado sugar: A little turbinado sugar on the top gives a great crunch! I like to use Sugar in the Raw.
See full recipe below for detailed directions.
Substitutions & Variations
This is a very adaptable recipe and below are a few easy substitutions and variations you can try.
- Make this without sourdough discard - If you want a version of this recipe that does not use sourdough discard, check out my Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread.
- Use chocolate chips - I personally love the chocolate chunks, but you can make this with chocolate chips instead! This will also work with milk chocolate rather than dark chocolate (it will be sweeter).
- Use canned or homemade pumpkin purée - Canned pumpkin purée is easy and very consistent (every can is the same). Homemade pumpkin purée is fresh and delicious (and not hard to make!). Both work well for this recipe. If you're using homemade pumpkin purée, be aware of the water content. If there is more water in your pumpkin purée, you'll be adding more liquid to this recipe, which may impact baking time.
I have not tested this recipe with other variations, but if you do, let us know how it turns out in the comments! I always love to hear how you're adapting these recipes and use those as ideas for future recipes as well!
How to make Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread
This is a supremely easy recipe with no rise time, so you'll be enjoying a delicious treat in under 2 hours!
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the granulated and dark brown sugars, pumpkin purée, sourdough discard, vegetable oil and egg. Whisk until smooth.
Coarsely chop the chocolate.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks, reserving at least 2 Tablespoons of chocolate chunks for topping.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle the top with turbinado sugar and the remaining chocolate chunks.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool before slicing.
Expert Baking Tips
- Make sure there are no lumps in the flour mixture. When mixing the flour and spices together, it's a great time to whisk out any lumps!
- Mix together the wet ingredients thoroughly. Give it a good whisk and the ingredients will all come together smoothly!
- Coarsely chop the chocolate - a little irregularity in the sizes gives really great texture!
- The parchment paper in the baking pan helps make it easier to take the loaf out of the pan.
- Bake the bread until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Then let it cool before slicing.
What is sourdough discard?
Sourdough discard is what is left over after you feed your sourdough starter.
Sourdough discard is not as active as sourdough starter, so you still need to use a leavening agent to make sure the dough rises predictably. In this case, this recipe uses baking soda. Don't worry, the bread will still have that sourdough flavor!
If you're new to working with sourdough starter, check out these in-depth guides on how to feed sourdough starter and how to use sourdough discard.
Equipment
You can make this Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread with a few mixing bowls, a whisk, a spatula (I love these GIR Spoonulas) and a 9x5-inch loaf pan. I also highly recommend using parchment paper to line the pan to make it easier to remove the final loaf after baking.
Storage
Room Temperature Storage: Store this bread in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for 3-4 days. You can reheat the bread in the microwave for about 30 seconds to make it warm and soft again.
Freezer Storage: Once the bread has cooled fully, store in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You can freeze individual slices or the full loaf. When you're ready to eat it, let the loaf thaw in the refrigerator overnight. You can reheat individual slices in the microwave for about 30 seconds to make them warm and soft again.
Recipe FAQ
You can use either chocolate chunks or chocolate chips for this recipe. If you'd rather leave out the chocolate completely, you can!
This recipe is designed to be made with sourdough discard. If you'd like to try a version without discard, check out my recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread.
You can use storebought (I like to use Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin) or homemade pumpkin purée for this recipe. Just keep an eye on the water content! If your pumpkin purée has more liquid, you'll likely need to add some baking time.
Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light or dark brown sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- ¾ cup (about 200 grams) sourdough discard unfed, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg room temperature
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chunks or chips
- 1-2 teaspoons turbinado sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the granulated and brown sugars, pumpkin purée, sourdough discard, vegetable oil, and egg. Whisk until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks, reserving at least 2 Tablespoons of chocolate chunks for topping. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle the top with turbinado sugar and the remaining chocolate chunks.
- Bake for 60 minutes, then tent loosely with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 10-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then remove the loaf from the pan (you can lift it up with the parchment paper) and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Hanna says
I made this last night and...*chefs kiss*
will be making it again and again! thank you for the recipe
Jennifer Lucas says
Just made mini ones . Thank you
Colette says
I absolutely NEED this in my life!