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This Sourdough Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler is going to be your new favorite fall dessert. It looks like a pumpkin pecan cake, but when you scoop into it, you find a delicious hot caramel sauce on the bottom that makes this ooey, gooey cobbler so delicious. Serve with a scoop of your favorite ice cream for the best fall dessert.
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Huge hit in my family! My dad even compared it to a 5 star restaurant’s dessert that they get for their anniversary dinner! – Victoria
This pumpkin dessert truly has the best fall flavors. The cobbler has a cake like texture that is filled with pumpkin and warm spices and topped with pecans. As it bakes, the sugars and water cook down making a rich, silky caramel sauce on bottom similar to a lava cake. It is the ultimate fall dessert and is so easy to make!
For more fall recipes, don’t miss Sourdough Apple Cake, Caramel Apple Sourdough Cheesecake Bars, Sourdough Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies, or Sourdough Pumpkin Pancakes.
Why you will love this recipe
- This recipe is a cake like cobbler that has crunch from the pecans and a sticky, sweet, caramely syrup on the bottom. Pair it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate fall dessert!
- This Sourdough Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler is really easy to make and doesn’t require any fancy tools. It comes together in just under 1 hour!
- The flavors of the cobbler combine everything you love with pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and a moist cake all in one.
- This recipe is a great way to use up sourdough discard so nothing goes to waste.
Important Ingredients & Substitutions
- Sugars – Both White granulated sugar and brown sugar is used in this recipe.
- Cinnamon – I like to add additional cinnamon along with the pumpkin spice.
- Pumpkin pie seasoning – This seasoning blend contains spices such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Pumpkin puree – I used canned pumpkin puree, or you can use homemade if you’d like. Just be sure to use plain puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Sourdough discard – The discard adds moisture and the signature sourdough tang.
- Butter- Salted or unsalted will work.
- Vanilla – The vanilla enhances the flavor of the pumpkin and pumpkin spice.
- Pecans– Adds a delicious crunch! You can use chopped or whole pecans.
- Hot water – The hot water poured on top is needed to make the delicious caramel sauce. Using hot water will ensure the sugars dissolve. If you like a lot of sauce use 1 1/2 cups or for less liquid use just 1 cup.
See all the ingredients and amounts in the recipe card below.
How to make the Sourdough Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler
Step 1: In a large bowl mix together the wet ingredients. Mix the pumpkin puree, sourdough discard, melted butter, and vanilla.
Step 2: Next, stir in the dry ingredients. Add in the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and spices.
Step 3: Spread the batter in an 8” greased casserole dish.
Step 4: In a separate medium bowl, stir together the sugar, brown sugar, and pecans.
Step 5: Sprinkle the mixture on top of the batter in the pan and then pour hot water over top with out stirring.
Step 6: Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 40-45 mins or until the middle is set and the edges are golden brown. Top with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- If you like a lot of caramel sauce, use 1 1/2 cups, or for less liquid, use just 1 cup.
- When you add the hot water on top, do not mix. It will turn into the caramel sauce as it bakes.
How to store the Sourdough Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler
To store the sourdough pumpkin cobbler, let it cool and then either cover with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator, where it will stay fresh for 4-5 days. To serve warm, you can reheat it in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through. Alternatively, you can place it back in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes until warm, then enjoy!
Recipe FAQ
Yes!
Although sourdough discard can no longer naturally leaven bread, it can still be used for fermentation benefits! The beneficial yeast are still present and can break down the phytic acid and gluten, making it easier to digest. If you would like to long ferment this recipe, all you need to do is mix the batter together and add to the baking dish. Before adding the pecan mixture, cover and let it sit in the fridge for 12-24 hours. When you are ready to bake, remove it from the fridge, mix the pecan mixture and add on top. Then follow the remaining instructions to add hot water and bake.
Sourdough discard is a sourdough starter that is no longer active and bubbly. A live starter is a fermented culture of flour and water. It is used to naturally leaven bread and other baked goods. It is made from live good bacteria and yeast in the surrounding area and as the microorganisms eat the flour, they release carbon dioxide, which produces the bubbles. You can use the discard, or “leftovers”, to make yummy sourdough discard recipes, like this Pumpkin cobbler or other recipes like sourdough chocolate chip cookies!
Yes, either an active starter or discard will work great for this Sourdough Pumpkin Cobbler recipe.
More sourdough Fall recipes
Soft Sourdough Bread Recipes
Sourdough Garlic Bread (Ready in 20 minutes!)
Sourdough Discard Recipes
Cranberry Orange Sourdough Scones
Fall Sourdough Recipes
Sourdough Apple Pie Pull-Apart Bread with a Vanilla Glaze
Sourdough Breakfast Recipes
Sourdough Sticky Buns
Tried this Sourdough Pumpkin Cobbler or another recipe from the site? I’d love to hear about it! Drop a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments—can’t wait to see what you’re baking!
Sourdough Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler
Equipment
Ingredients
Sourdough Pumpkin Cobbler
- 125 grams pumpkin puree, ½ cup
- 75 grams sourdough discard, ⅓ cup
- 57 grams butter, melted, ¼ cup
- 10 grams vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons
- 140 grams flour, 1 cup
- 9 grams baking powder, 2 teaspoons
- 3 grams salt, ½ teaspoon
- 150 grams granulated sugar, ¾ cup
- 2 grams cinnamon, 1 teaspoon
- 2 grams pumpkin pie seasoning, 1 teaspoon
Topping:
- 100 grams granulated sugar, ½ cup
- 110 grams brown sugar, ½ cup
- 110 grams pecans, chopped or whole, 1 cup
- 240 grams hot water, 1 cup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ degrees
- In a large bowl mix together pumpkin puree, sourdough discard, melted butter, and vanilla. 125 grams pumpkin puree, 75 grams sourdough discard, 57 grams butter, melted, 10 grams vanilla extract
- Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and spices.140 grams flour, 9 grams baking powder, 3 grams salt, 150 grams granulated sugar, 2 grams cinnamon, 2 grams pumpkin pie seasoning
- Spread into an 8” greased casserole dish.
- In a separate bowl stir sugar, brown sugar, and pecans.100 grams granulated sugar, 110 grams brown sugar, 110 grams pecans, chopped or whole
- Spread over top the pumpkin batter.
- Pour hot water over top without stirring and bake for 40-45 mins or until middle is set. 240 grams hot water
- To serve top with ice cream and enjoy!
Notes
- If you prefer more hot caramel on the bottom, use 1 1/2 cup water instead of 1 cup.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. To reheat, add to the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through. Or, place it back in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes until warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Huge hit in my family! My dad even compared it to a 5 star restaurant’s dessert that they get for their anniversary dinner!
Wow happy to hear it! Thanks for sharing
Quick, easy and delicious 😋
Thanks so much, Michelle! So glad you like the recipe.
Made this for my husband for his birthday! We gobbled it up so fast! Highly recommend doubling this! Its better than pumpkin pie! I swapped out the sugars in the dough part with maple syrup and date sugar and I also swapped out the sugars in the caramel sauce part with coconut sugar. It worked out perfect! Thank you so much for all your amazing recipes!
Could I use honey in the dough batter instead of sugar??
I haven’t tried it to know for sure. It will likely change the consistency of the batter.
can you freeze?
I’ve never froze it before. I’m not sure the texture would be the same when thawed. If you try it let me know how it goes.