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Easy No-Knead Maple Pumpkin Sourdough Bread Recipe

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This no-knead maple pumpkin sourdough bread is forgiving enough for a busy Tuesday and impressive enough for a holiday table. The combination of tangy sourdough, sweet maple, and earthy pumpkin creates a special flavor that makes you slow down and actually taste what you’re eating.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 100g (about ½ cup) active sourdough starter, bubbly and fed within the last 4-6 hours
  • 400g (about 3 cups) bread flour (preferably King Arthur Bread Flour)
  • 100g (about ¾ cup) whole wheat flour
  • 150g (about ⅔ cup) pumpkin puree (100% pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 80g (about ¼ cup) real maple syrup (Grade A dark amber preferred)
  • 200g (about ¾ cup) lukewarm water
  • 9g (about 1½ teaspoons) fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional but recommended)

Instructions

  1. Mix the Dough (8:00 AM): In a large mixing bowl, combine 100g active sourdough starter, 200g lukewarm water, 80g maple syrup, and 150g pumpkin puree. Whisk until the starter is mostly dissolved and the mixture looks like a thick, orange-tinted slurry. Add 400g bread flour, 100g whole wheat flour, 9g salt, and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until no dry flour remains. The dough will be shaggy, sticky, and ugly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest …
  2. Bulk Fermentation (8:30 AM to 1:30 PM): After the rest, perform a series of stretch and folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours. To do a stretch and fold, wet your hand, grab the dough from one side, stretch it up as high as it will go without tearing, and fold it over the top. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat three more times. Do this 4 times total. After the final fold, cover the bowl and let it sit at room temperature (70-72°F) for the remaining 3 hours. The dough should increas…
  3. Shape the Dough (1:30 PM): Lightly flour your work surface. Gently turn the dough out. Use a bench scraper to fold the edges toward the center, creating a round boule shape. Flip it seam-side down and use your hands to gently cup the dough and pull it toward you in a circular motion to create surface tension. Place the shaped dough seam-side up into a floured banneton or a bowl lined with a floured tea towel.
  4. Cold Retard (1:45 PM to Next Morning): Cover the shaped dough with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator overnight (8-12 hours). This cold fermentation deepens the flavor, makes the dough easier to score, and gives you a more open crumb.
  5. Preheat and Prepare (Next Morning, 7:30 AM): Place your Dutch oven in the oven and preheat to 475°F for at least 30 minutes. While the oven heats, take the dough out of the fridge. It should feel firm and slightly puffy. Don’t let it warm up.
  6. Score and Bake (8:00 AM): Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Place a piece of parchment paper over the dough, invert the banneton, and gently turn the dough out onto the parchment. Using a sharp lame or a razor blade, score the top with a single deep slash (about ½ inch deep) at a 45-degree angle. Slide the parchment with the dough into the hot Dutch oven. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
  7. Finish Baking (8:30 AM): Remove the lid and continue baking for 15-20 minutes, until the crust is deep amber and the internal temperature reaches 200-205°F. The bread should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Let it cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Notes

Don’t skip the autolyse (30-minute rest after mixing). Watch your water temperature: if kitchen is cold (under 68°F), use water around 80°F; if warm (over 75°F), use cool tap water. Trust the sticky dough—don’t add more flour. The cold retard is essential for flavor and easier scoring. Steam is everything; the Dutch oven creates a steamy environment. For variations, try adding toasted pecans, dark chocolate chips, or herbs. Store bread cut-side down at room temperature for up to 3 days; do not refrigerate. Slice and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: no-knead bread, sourdough bread, pumpkin bread, maple bread, fall baking, artisan bread, easy sourdough, pumpkin sourdough, maple pumpkin bread

Find it online: https://goldensimmer.com/easy-no-knead-maple-pumpkin-sourdough-bread-recipe/