Cranberry Pumpkin Sourdough Bread

Get ready for fall in bread form with this cranberry pumpkin sourdough bread.

This content contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Jump to recipe

Is your sourdough starter still going strong? I try to use mine once a week but sometimes I forget. Thankfully it still manages to come back to life. I think the most frequent thing I make with discard is sourdough crackers, using whatever herbs I have on hand. They are quite addicting!

But today I am sharing a recipe for that start post-discard when it’s really bubbly and alive – pumpkin sourdough bread! 

I always prefer making my own pumpkin puree. It is less thick than canned pumpkin however so I have to take that into consideration when making recipes. But as luck would have it, canned pumpkin is pretty scarce right now so homemade is the way to be!

That being said, if you are lucky enough to have canned pumpkin, I have added a note in the recipe itself. But as always with bread, add more water or flour until you get the right consistency. 

This recipe was modified from my rustic sourdough bread, a recipe I have modified several times over the years, mostly in the last 6 months. It started off as a couple hour rise followed by baking on a baking sheet – nothing fancy.

But over time I learned the tricks of overnight cold rises, banneton baskets, and baking in a dutch oven. The cold rise is actually my favorite, especially in cooler months when the outdoors serves as a second refrigerator when your actual fridge it stuffed.

The bread has better bubbles, a crustier exterior, and just overall resembles more of what I think of when I hear the word “sourdough”.

This sourdough bread was a little denser due to the pumpkin and cranberry addition but man did it pay off in the flavor department. Toasted with a bit of butter smeared over it. Mmm Mmm…

I should also point out that this is my first pumpkin recipe for the season. I have to admit I wasn’t quite ready for it, but now that I’ve ripped off the band-aid, feel free to scroll through the plentiful list of pumpkin recipes below from other bloggers posted today to kick off #PumpkinWeek!

Pumpkin season is here, and we are celebrating our love of pumpkin with #PumpkinWeek hosted by Terri from Love and Confections and Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures. All week-long 26 bloggers will be sharing over 80 pumpkin-filled recipes for all your Autumn celebrations, including breakfasts, baked goods, savory pumpkin recipes, desserts, and drinks.

Drink Recipes

• Hot Pumpkin Apple Cider by Palatable Pastime

Breakfast and Baked Goods

• Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Spice Amish Friendship Bread by For the Love of Food
• Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Bread by Big Bear’s Wife
• Cranberry Pumpkin Sourdough Bread by The Spiffy Cookie
• Disney’s Pumpkin Muffins by Simply Inspired Meals
• Easy Pumpkin Bread by Veggies First Then Dessert
• Easy Pumpkin Monkey Bread by Love & Confections
• Keto Pumpkin Bread by Keto Basic AF
• Pumpkin Cranberry Bread Recipe by Blogghetti
• Pumpkin Croissants by The Redhead Baker
• Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie by Our Sutton Place
• Pumpkin Snickerdoodles by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Pumpkin Spice Granola by The Mandatory Mooch
• Pumpkin-Apple Muffins by A Little Fish in the Kitchen
• Vegan Pumpkin Spiced Crepes by Happily Curated Chaos

Savory Recipes

• Fall Harvest Chowder by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Pumpkin Cheddar Grits with Bacon and Apples by Sweet Beginnings
• Pumpkin Chili by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Pumpkin Ravioli by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Spiced Pumpkin Hummus by Our Good Life
• Spicy Thai Curry Pumpkin Noodle Soup by Making Miracles

Dessert Recipes

• Candied Pumpkin Pie by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Easy Pumpkin Turnovers w/ a Chocolate Candy Drizzle by The Freshman Cook
• Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake by Shockingly Delicious
• Pumpkin Macarons by April Golightly
• Tikvenik – (Bulgarian Pumpkin Strudel) by Caroline’s Cooking

One year ago: Brutus Burgers

Four years ago: BBQ Mac & Cheese Pizza

Five years ago: Mexican Manwich Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Six years ago: Watermelon Mojito

Seven years ago: Healthier Buckeyes

Eight years ago: Fall Recipe Roundup

Nine years ago: Sausage Stuffed Pretzel Bites

CRANBERRY PUMPKIN SOURDOUGH BREAD

Print

Yield: 1 loaf Cooking Time: 40 Minutes 40 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup "fed" sourdough starter
• 3/4 cups homemade pumpkin puree (or 1/2 cup canned + 1/4 cup water)
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 Tbsp fresh chopped rosemary
• Zest from 1/2 orange
• 1 tsp active dry yeast*
• 1-1/2 tsp sugar
• 1-1/4 tsp salt
• 2-1/2 cups bread flour (or all-purpose)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, kneading to form a smooth dough (add more flour or water if necessary). Cover and allow to rise until it has doubled in size, about 90 minutes (or let rise in fridge overnight).
2. Gently shape into a round loaf. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet (or banneton basket). Cover and let rise until very puffy, about 1 hour. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 450 degrees with dutch oven** placed on bottom rack.
3. using a sharp knife, cut slashes on top of the loaf. Pick up all four corners of the parchment paper (transfer from banneton to parchment), and place inside the hot dutch oven. Close and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

Notes

*Don't have yeast? Use equal parts baking soda and lemon. Or skip it an rely on the yeast in your starter, but it will rise slower. **Don't have a dutch oven? Use baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see!
Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE