There’s something about this time of year that just begs for cozy baking. When the air turns crisp and the leaves crunch underfoot, my kitchen fills with the warm spices of pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and vanilla. If you’ve been craving a sweet bread that’s tender, moist, and full of pumpkin flavor, this sourdough discard pumpkin bread recipe with a buttery streusel topping and maple glaze is the perfect bake for you.
What makes this recipe extra special is that it’s a sourdough discard recipe. If you’re a sourdough-bread baker like me, you probably always have a jar of discard sitting around. Instead of tossing it, this pumpkin bread gives you a delicious way to use it up.
The sourdough starter discard adds a subtle tangy flavor and a depth of texture that elevates it beyond your typical pumpkin loaf. It’s a great way to put that jar in your fridge to good use and get a head start on fall baking. I am sure you and your family will love this sourdough discard pumpkin bread recipe! Also, be sure to try our sourdough pumpkin cream cheese muffins!
Why You’ll Love This Easy Sourdough Pumpkin Bread Recipe
- Moist crumbs every time. Thanks to the sourdough discard, yogurt, and pumpkin purée, the bread stays incredibly soft without being dense.
- Streusel topping for crunch. The added layer of texture from the buttery, crumbly topping makes each slice irresistible.
- Maple glaze finish. Just a drizzle of powdered sugar and maple syrup glaze takes this sweet bread over the top.
- Simple ingredients. You don’t need anything fancy—just pantry staples and a spoonful of discard.
- Great way to use sourdough starter discard. Instead of tossing it, you get a flavorful loaf that keeps well in both room temperature storage and freezer storage.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe uses simple ingredients divided into three parts: the batter, the streusel topping, and the maple glaze.
For the Pumpkin Bread:
- Pumpkin purée (1 ¼ cups): You can use canned or homemade pumpkin puree. Avoid pumpkin pie filling, since that has added sugar and spices already. The purée keeps the bread moist and adds that classic pumpkin flavor.
- Sourdough starter discard (½ cup): An unfed, inactive discard works perfectly. It doesn’t help with leavening here but adds tangy flavor and moist crumbs. You could also use a bubbly sourdough starter or classic fresh sourdough starter if that’s what you have on hand.
- Granulated sugar (½ cup) + light brown sugar (½ cup): This combination sweetens the bread and adds caramel notes. Dark brown sugar can be swapped in for deeper molasses flavor.
- Neutral oil (½ cup): Avocado oil, vegetable oil, or even melted butter or coconut oil all work. Each will give a slightly different flavor, but all help create a tender crumb.
- Large eggs (2): Bind everything together and give structure.
- Greek yogurt or sour cream (¼ cup): Adds moisture and creaminess while balancing the sweetness.
- Vanilla bean paste or extract (1 ½ teaspoons): Rounds out the pumpkin spice flavors.
Dry Ingredients:
- All-purpose flour (1 ¼ cups): The backbone of this easy, quick bread recipe. If you’re weighing with a kitchen scale, that’s about 150 grams.
- Pumpkin pie spice (1 ½ teaspoons): A warm spice blend that instantly makes this bread smell like fall. You can also use cinnamon plus nutmeg and cloves if you don’t have a mix.
- Baking powder (1 teaspoon)
- baking soda (1 teaspoon): These leavening agents give lift to the bread, ensuring it doesn’t sink in the center of the loaf.
- Salt (¼ teaspoon): Balances sweetness and enhances flavor.
For the Streusel Topping:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted cold butter, cubed
This mixture gets cut together with a fork or pastry cutter until coarse crumbs form. It bakes into a crunchy streusel topping that gives the loaf an added layer of texture.
For the Maple Glaze:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1–2 teaspoons milk (to thin as needed)
- pinch of cinnamon
Pit it for later!
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prep Your Pan and Oven
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a bread loaf pan and line it with a piece of parchment paper for easy removal. This prepared loaf pan ensures your bread doesn’t stick to the bottom of the bowl or sides.
2. Make the Streusel Topping
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Cut in the cold butter with a fork, bench scraper, or pastry cutter until coarse crumbs form. Chill while you prepare the batter.
3. Mix the Wet Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment), whisk together the pumpkin purée, sourdough starter discard, both sugars, neutral oil, large eggs, yogurt, and vanilla extract until smooth.
4. Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This keeps the dry ingredients evenly distributed before folding them into the wet mixture.
5. Bring the Batter Together
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Don’t overmix—over-stirring can make the bread dense. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to ensure everything is mixed.
6. Assemble and Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top of the batter with a spatula, then sprinkle the chilled streusel evenly on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 55–65 minutes.
Check doneness by inserting a cake tester or toothpick into the center of the loaf. If it comes out with just a few moist crumbs, it’s ready. If the top is browning too quickly, tent the loaf with aluminum foil during the last 15–20 minutes of baking.
7. Cool and Glaze
Let the bread loaf cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack. Whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and a splash of milk until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled bread before slicing into individual slices.
Tips for Best Results
- Check doneness early. Every oven is different, so start testing around the 55-minute mark.
- Protect the streusel. If it browns too fast, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
- Cool completely. If you glaze while hot, the icing will melt off the top of the loaf.
- Room temperature storage. Keep the loaf in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze.
Variations and Add-Ins
- Chocolate chips or chocolate chunks: Fold into the batter for a pumpkin-chocolate combo.
- Cream cheese swirl: Add dollops of sweetened cream cheese to the top of the batter before baking for a cheesecake vibe.
- Pumpkin seeds: Sprinkle over the streusel topping before baking for crunch.
- Mini loaf pans: Divide the batter into mini loaf pans and reduce baking time to 25–30 minutes. Perfect for gifting!
FAQs
Can I use active sourdough starter instead of discard?
Yes, an active starter or bubbly sourdough starter works fine. The bread won’t ferment like sourdough bread does, but you’ll still get a subtle tang.
What if I only have pumpkin pie filling?
Pumpkin pie filling already has sugar and spices added. You’ll need to reduce the sugar and spices in the recipe. For best results, stick with pure pumpkin purée.
Can I turn this into muffins?
Yes! Scoop the batter into a lined muffin tin, sprinkle streusel topping, and bake for 18–22 minutes. You’ll have sourdough pumpkin muffins with the same moist crumbs and streusel crunch.
How does this compare to sourdough banana bread?
Both are sweet bread recipes that use discard, but the warm spices and pumpkin flavor make this loaf perfect for fall.
Storage and Freezing
- Room temperature storage: Keep covered in an airtight container up to 3 days.
- Freezer storage: Wrap the entire loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap, then foil. Store up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
- Next time: Make two loaves and freeze one. It’s always nice to have a head start on fall baking!.
This easy sourdough discard pumpkin bread recipe is everything you want in a fall bake: moist crumbs, warm spices, a crunchy streusel topping, and a maple syrup glaze that ties it all together. Whether you slice it up for breakfast, enjoy it with an afternoon coffee, or tuck it into the freezer for later, it’s bound to become one of your favorite ways to use up sourdough starter discard.
If you try this recipe, let me know in the comments! And don’t forget to save the recipe card below for your next baking session 😉
Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread with Streusel Topping
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Cut in the cold butter with a fork, bench scraper, or pastry cutter until coarse crumbs form. Chill while you prepare the batter.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Cut in the cold butter with a fork, bench scraper, or pastry cutter until coarse crumbs form. Chill while you prepare the batter.
- In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment), whisk together the pumpkin purée, sourdough starter discard, both sugars, neutral oil, large eggs, yogurt, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This keeps the dry ingredients evenly distributed before folding them into the wet mixture.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Don’t overmix—over-stirring can make the bread dense. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to ensure everything is mixed.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top of the batter with a spatula, then sprinkle the chilled streusel evenly on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 55–65 minutes.Check doneness by inserting a cake tester or toothpick into the center of the loaf. If it comes out with just a few moist crumbs, it’s ready. If the top is browning too quickly, tent the loaf with aluminum foil during the last 15–20 minutes of baking.
- Let the bread loaf cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack. Whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and a splash of milk until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled bread before slicing into individual slices.
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