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Cozy Pumpkin Sourdough Discard Bread with Easy Cinnamon Swirl

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This cozy pumpkin sourdough discard bread is the perfect fall bake—soft, tender, and swirled with cinnamon. It uses sourdough discard for flavor and pumpkin for moisture, coming together in under two hours.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (240g) pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1/2 cup (120g) sourdough discard (unfed, straight from the fridge)
  • 2 1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) warm milk (any kind)
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar (for glaze, optional)
  • 1–2 tablespoons milk (for glaze, optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (for glaze, optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the long sides.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin purée, sourdough discard, warm milk, melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined—do not overmix. A few lumps are fine.
  5. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon melted butter to form a thick paste.
  6. Spoon half the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Dollop half the cinnamon mixture on top and gently swirl with a butter knife. Add remaining batter, then remaining cinnamon mixture, and swirl again (figure-eight pattern).
  7. Bake for 50-60 minutes. At 30 minutes, tent with foil if top is browning too quickly. Bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (internal temp ~200°F / 93°C).
  8. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then lift out using parchment and transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing.
  9. For optional glaze: whisk together powdered sugar, 1-2 tablespoons milk, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over cooled bread.

Notes

Don’t overmix the batter—overmixing develops gluten and makes the bread tough. Use room temperature ingredients. Let the bread cool completely before slicing to avoid a gummy texture. Day-old bread is even better; toast leftover slices for a crispy exterior. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend with xanthan gum. For dairy-free, use melted coconut oil or vegan butter and oat or almond milk.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin sourdough discard bread, cinnamon swirl bread, fall baking, sourdough discard recipe, pumpkin bread

Find it online: https://bitesienna.com/cozy-pumpkin-sourdough-discard-bread-with-easy-cinnamon-swirl/