Sourdough Pumpkin Bread

Slices of sourdough pumpkin quick bread on a white board next to a checkered towel.

4.45 from 9 votes

Moist Sourdough Pumpkin Bread topped with a buttery cinnamon streusel that adds a sweet and nutty crunch that pairs so well with the warm flavors of the pumpkin and spices in the bread.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 10

Total Time1 25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Emily Christensen

Equipment

9x5 inch loaf pan

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Bread

57 grams butter 4 Tablespoons, room temperature
100 grams granulated sugar ½ cup
110 grams brown sugar ½ cup
1 large egg 50 grams, room temperature
5 grams vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
305 grams pumpkin purée 1¼ cups, room temperature
120 grams sourdough discard ½ cup, room temperature
60 grams milk ¼ cup, room temperature
5 grams baking soda 1 teaspoon
3 grams salt ½ teaspoon
2 grams cinnamon 1 teaspoon
2 grams pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon
210 grams all-purpose flour 1 ½ cup

For the Cinnamon Streusel

28 grams butter cold, 2 Tablespoons
35 grams all-purpose flour ¼ cup
55 grams brown sugar ¼ cup
2 grams cinnamon 1 teaspoon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉ degrees Fahrenheit.
Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
57 grams butter, 100 grams granulated sugar, 110 grams brown sugar
Add in the large egg, vanilla extract, sourdough discard, and pumpkin puree and beat until combined. Then mix in the milk.
1 large egg, 5 grams vanilla extract, 305 grams pumpkin purée, 120 grams sourdough discard, 60 grams milk
Combine baking soda, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and flour together. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
5 grams baking soda, 3 grams salt, 2 grams cinnamon, 2 grams pumpkin pie spice, 210 grams all-purpose flour
Prepare the streusel topping by dicing the cold butter and placing it in a small bowl. Add the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon to the bowl and using a pastry cutter or your fingers incorporate the ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs.
28 grams butter, 35 grams all-purpose flour, 55 grams brown sugar, 2 grams cinnamon
Pour the batter into a greased 9x5-inch metal loaf pan and top with the streusel topping.
Bake at 350°F for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the temperature reaches 200°F. If the top is getting too dark tent it with aluminum foil. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Notes

Make sure to use pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling.
Do not overmix the batter or the bread can become tough.
For a chocolate chip version add about 1 cup of chocolate chips to the batter and leave off the cinnamon streusel.
Use a metal loaf pan for this recipe. Glass pans take longer to heat up, which means the quick bread will need more time to bake — and that can cause the streusel topping to burn. If you’re using a glass pan, tent the top with foil during the last 15–20 minutes of baking to prevent over-browning.
Use room temperature ingredients to ensure the wet ingredients combine easily.

The following changes were made to the recipe on 10/22/25 to improve texture and reduce moisture

75 grams butter to 57 grams
2 eggs to 1 egg
368 grams pumpkin puree to 305 grams

Nutrition