Easy Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread (Same-Day Quick Bread)

This sourdough discard pumpkin bread is a moist, warmly spiced quick bread that turns leftover starter into the perfect fall loaf. It's topped with sweet and salty candied pepitas and mixed in about 10 minutes, with no rise needed.

If you have more discard to use up, try my Sourdough Pumpkin Coffee Cake or Sourdough Banana Bread next.

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Tossing a whole cup of discard every time I feed my starter pains me, so I'm always hunting for new ways to use it up. I was inspired to make this loaf after seeing King Arthur's version, and it quickly became one of my go-to fall bakes. If you're new to baking with discard, you don't need an active, bubbly starter. Unfed discard works perfectly here. Just let it come to room temperature first.

This is a quick bread, which means it rises with baking soda and baking powder instead of yeast. No proofing, no waiting. The discard isn't doing the heavy lifting. It adds a little extra lift and a mild sourdough tang, and that tang is what makes this loaf taste different from a regular pumpkin bread.

The first time I made it, it still felt like summer in my part of the world, but one slice had me ready for fall. It's moist with a tender crumb, bursting with warm spice, and crunchy on top from the pepitas. I love a slice with my morning coffee and a good book.

Ingredient Notes

1. All-purpose flour
2. Baking soda and baking powder: These do the rising, not the starter, so make sure they're fresh. Old leaveners won't give you a good rise.
3. Salt
4. Pumpkin pie spice: A blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and allspice. No blend on hand? Mix any combination of those spices.
5. Large eggs: Room temperature eggs blend more evenly into the batter.
6. Coconut oil: Keeps the bread moist. Any mild-flavored oil works too.
7. Sugar
8. Unfed sourdough starter: Use discard straight from your jar, at room temperature. Don't have a starter yet? Here's my easy sourdough starter recipe.
9. Vanilla extract
10. Canned pumpkin puree: Use pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. I've grabbed the filling by mistake before, and it already has sugar and spices in it, so the bread turns out too sweet. I prefer canned over fresh because it's more consistent, and fresh pumpkin can make the bread too wet.
11. Candied pepita topping
12. Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
13. Honey
14. Coconut oil: Or any mild-flavored oil.

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Preparation: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, then spray it with baking spray. Alternatively, you could butter and flour the pan.
2. Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin spice. Whisk the ingredients together until they are well incorporated. Set this bowl aside.
3. Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, crack in the three large eggs. Whisk them well. To the same bowl, add the coconut oil, sugar, unfed sourdough starter, and vanilla extract. Stir the ingredients together until they are well combined.
4. Combine: Add the canned pumpkin puree to the wet ingredients. Mix until the puree is fully incorporated. Make sure to use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are combined.
5. Candied Pepitas: Next, prepare the candied pepitas. You can do this in one of two ways. Either heat the pepitas, honey, and coconut oil in a small skillet until well combined, or use a microwave to melt the honey and combine the ingredients easier. If using a microwave, heat the ingredients for 10 seconds.
6. Batter: Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top of the batter using the back of a spoon or a spatula. Sprinkle the candied pepitas over the top of the batter.
7. Bake: Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven. Bake it for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. If the top of the loaf starts to brown too quickly, cover it lightly with foil after about 45 minutes of baking. For smaller pans, the baking time should be reduced to about 25-30 minutes.
8. Cool: Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 20 minutes. After this time, remove the loaf from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Ensure the loaf is completely cool before slicing.
9. Storage: Store the cooled loaf at room temperature for several days. Wrap it tightly in plastic to keep it fresh. If you wish to store the loaf for a longer period, you can freeze it.

Recipe Tips

• Don't overmix: Stop stirring as soon as the flour disappears. Overmixing makes the loaf dense instead of tender.
• Watch the top: If the top browns too fast, tent it loosely with foil after about 45 minutes. The pepitas can go from golden to too dark quickly.
• Start checking early: Ovens vary, so start testing around 50 minutes. A clean toothpick and a center that springs back mean it's done.
• Make mini loaves: This batter fills 4 mini loaf pans. Bake them 25 to 30 minutes. They make lovely holiday gifts.
• Slice it cool: Warm pumpkin bread is gummy and crumbles. Waiting until it's completely cool gives you clean slices.
• Storage and freezing: Yes, you can leave pumpkin bread out. Wrap it tightly in plastic and keep it at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. To freeze, wrap it in plastic and then foil for up to 3 months, and thaw at room temperature.

Storing/Freezing

1. Storing: Store the bread at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. Make sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
2. Freezing: To freeze the bread, cool it completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To defrost, let it sit at room temperature.

How to use discarded sourdough starter to make a quick bread?

A sourdough baking question often asked is,  "How can I use that "discarded" starter instead of throwing it away?"

A great way to use up sourdough starter is in a quick bread!

A very short baking reminder: a quick bread is made with baking powder and/or baking soda instead of yeast. Since you aren't using yeast and waiting for it to proof, it is quick!

For this particular recipe, we are using baking soda (and powder) that helps to raise the batter while baking in the oven. The sourdough discard helps to give it a little extra lift and also a lovely mild sourdough tang.

Serving Suggestions

I love this with a cup of coffee for breakfast or an afternoon snack. If I'm on the road, I make that coffee with one of my favorite travel coffee makers. For a fall brunch spread, serve it alongside Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts. Baking for someone who's vegan? Make my vegan pumpkin bread instead.

More recipes like this

• Sourdough Discard Apple Cake
• Sourdough Discard Challah Buns
• Blueberry Pie with Sourdough Crust
• Pumpkin Spice Donuts

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5 from 22 votes

Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread Recipe is a delicious and easy way to use up sourdough starter in subtly sweet and spicy pumpkin bread. Topped with sweet and salty pepitas, this just may be the most perfect fall bread idea!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 1 9x5-inch loaf

Calories: 2894kcal

Author: Lora

Equipment

• loaf pan

Ingredients

PUMPKIN BREAD

• ▢ 1 ⅔ cups all purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 3 teaspoons pumpkin spice
• ▢ 3 large eggs room temperature
• ▢ ⅔ cup coconut oil (or your favorite mild flavored oil)
• ▢ 1 cup sugar
• ▢ 1 cup unfed sourdough starter room temperature
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 cup canned pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling

CANDIED PEPITA TOPPING

• ▢ ⅓ cup pepitas pumpkin seeds
• ▢ 1 teaspoon honey
• ▢ ½ teaspoon coconut oil or any mild flavored oil

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with baking spray (or butter and flour the pan).
• Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk to combine the ingredients and set aside. In a separate large bowl, combine the eggs and whisk well. Add the oil, sugar, starter and vanilla. Stir until it is all combined. Add the pumpkin and mix until incorporated. Use a spatula to get all the ingredients from the side of the bowl and combine them.
• As soon as you prep batter, prep the candied pepitas (pumpkin seeds). There are two ways to make it: you could heat up the pumpkin seeds with the honey and oil in a small skillet until it is combined, OR if you have a microwave, microwave it for 10 seconds to melt the honey and help it combine easier.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan. Smooth the top and sprinkle the candied pepitas (pumpkin seeds) over the top (INSTRUCTIONS HOW TO CANDY THEM IS ABOVE).
• Bake for 55-65 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean (every oven is different. We baked ours for about 65 minutes). If getting too brown, cover lightly with foil after 45 minutes. For the smaller pans bake for about 25-30 minutes.
• Cool for 20 minutes, then slide out of pan and transfer to a cool rack. Cool completely before slicing.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

Notes

• Pumpkin: Use pure canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. Fresh pumpkin can be too wet and won't give the same results.
• Storage: Wrap tightly in plastic and keep at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
• Freezing: Wrap in plastic, then foil, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 2894kcal | Carbohydrates: 391g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 150g | Saturated Fat: 123g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 2016mg | Potassium: 782mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 215g | Vitamin A: 38145IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 317mg | Iron: 15mg

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