Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread is a classic way to kick off fall baking. This recipe does not include any mix-ins in the bread (no chocolate chunks, raisins, nuts, etc.), it has the perfect amount of pumpkin flavor and it's is topped with a vanilla glaze. It's a moist, light, and flavor-packed dessert or sweet afternoon snack!
If you'd like a version that includes chocolate, try my Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Bread!
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10/10 recipe! Was looking for a good discard recipe and this is incredible. Will be making this all fall for my friends and family. Thank you for this gem of a recipe!
- Grace
Why you'll love this recipe
- This easy recipe takes just 15 minutes to mix together the batter; most of the time is spent baking!
- Quickbreads are meant to be easy! You might also like my Sourdough Discard Zucchini Bread and Sourdough Discard Gingerbread Loaf.
- Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread has a great fall flavor and the glaze adds just enough extra sweetness without being over-the-top.
- Looking for other pumpkin recipes? Try my Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls and Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bagels.
- This recipe uses sourdough discard, but you can easily modify to use active sourdough starter, if you prefer.
- You can easily modify this recipe to include your favorite add-ins, such as chocolate chips, nuts, raisins, and more.
Ingredients
As long as you have pumpkin purée and sourdough discard, you are well on your way to making this recipe!
- Spices: You'll need ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves to give this pumpkin bread a quintessential fall flavor.
- Pumpkin purée: You can use store-bought (I like to use Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin) or homemade pumpkin purée.
- Sourdough discard: The sourdough discard should be unfed and at room temperature for this recipe. This recipe is designed to be made with discard from a sourdough starter with a 1:1 ratio (when you feed your starter, it's with 1 part flour and 1 part water). If your starter uses a different ratio, you may need to adjust some of the ingredients in this recipe.
- Learn more about how to make a sourdough starter.
See full recipe below for detailed directions.
Substitutions & Variations
This is a very adaptable recipe; below are a few easy substitutions and variations you can try.
- Use pumpkin pie spice - If you'd rather use a mix instead of the individual spices, use 1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice in place of the ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.
- Add chocolate chunks - Add ¾ cup of chocolate chunks or chocolate chips to the batter as you're mixing. Try my recipe for Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread, too!
- Add walnuts: Add ½ cup chopped walnuts to the batter after mixing in the dry ingredients. This will also work with other nuts (almonds, pecans, etc.)
- Add raisins: Add ½ cup raisins to the batter after you mix in the dry ingredients.
- Omit the glaze - If you want a less sweet version, you can omit the vanilla glaze. It's still delicious without it!
How to Make Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread
This is an easy recipe that requires no rise time and comes together in a few simple steps. The full recipe with detailed directions is at the bottom of this post.
- Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Step 2: In a large bowl, combine the granulated and dark brown sugars, pumpkin purée, sourdough discard, vegetable oil, and egg. Whisk until smooth.
- Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
- Step 4: Pour the batter into a 9x5-inch loaf pan that has been greased and lined with parchment paper.
- Step 5: Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let the loaf cool fully before adding the glaze.
- Step 6: In a small bowl, whisk together the glaze. Pour over the cooled loaf, then slice and serve.
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!
- The parchment paper in the baking pan helps make it easier to take the loaf out of the pan. You can skip this if you prefer, but make sure to grease the pan well.
- Let the loaf cool fully before adding the glaze. If you pour the glaze before the loaf has cooled, it will completely melt off of the bread.
- Make the glaze thicker than you think. You can always add more milk to thin the glaze, but it's much harder to add more sugar to thicken it. If it's too thin, it will run right off your loaf!
- Looking for other pumpkin recipes? Try this Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Pull Apart Bread and these Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Muffins.
Storage
Room Temperature Storage: Store this pumpkin bread in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Freezer Storage: Once the loaf 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 FAQs
Sourdough discard is what is left over after you feed your sourdough starter. You can either literally discard it (throw it away or compost it), or you can use it in sourdough discard recipes like this one.
If you are new to working with sourdough starter, check out these in-depth guides on how to feed sourdough starter, how to use sourdough discard, and tips for struggling sourdough starter.
You can use either store-bought or homemade pumpkin purée for this recipe. For storebought, I like to use Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin.
Yes, if you'd rather use Pumpkin Pie Spice instead of the listed spices, you can. To do so, use 1 Tablespoon of Pumpkin Pie Spice in place of the ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.
More Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Recipes
If you tried this Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I'd love to hear from you! Happy Baking!
Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread
Equipment
- 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan
Ingredients
For the Bread
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons 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 dark brown sugar packed
- 1 cup pumpkin purée room temperature
- 200 grams (about ¾ cup) sourdough discard unfed, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg room temperature
For the Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoons milk non-dairy or regular dairy
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8½ x 4½-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.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 60-65 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 for at least an hour.
- Once the bread is cooled, make the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk. Pour the glaze over the loaf to coat, then slice and enjoy!
Megan says
This recipe was so delicious. I've baked it a couple of times already and everyone raved about it. I would recommend it!
JA says
Very moist but lacks in spice. I added nuts and raisins which gave it a nice texture and added taste. Very easy to make
Olena Lanska says
It has a very good flavor but didnt rise much. i suppose it wasnt meant to rise. This was first time making pumpkin bread, i usually go with banana, but its fall and all lol
I made cream cheese frosting on top, i'll try glaze next time