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Best Sourdough Pumpkin Bread with Brown Butter Walnut Swirl

sourdough pumpkin bread - featured image
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This tangy, sweet, and nutty pumpkin bread uses sourdough discard for a tender crumb and features a brown butter walnut swirl that makes every slice feel special. It’s the perfect fall quick bread for breakfast, brunch, or a cozy snack.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
  • 1 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup sourdough discard (unfed, straight from the fridge)
  • 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cloves)

Instructions

  1. Brown the butter: In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the 1/2 cup butter. Swirl the pan occasionally. It will foam, then turn golden, then develop brown specks at the bottom. This takes about 5-7 minutes. Watch closely — it goes from brown to burnt fast. Once it smells nutty and looks amber, pour it into a heatproof bowl to stop cooking. Let it cool slightly.
  2. Toast the walnuts: In the same skillet (no need to wash it), add the chopped walnuts. Toast over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Don’t walk away — they burn quickly. Set aside to cool.
  3. Make the swirl mixture: In a small bowl, combine the cooled brown butter, toasted walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Stir until it forms a thick, pasty mixture. Set aside.
  4. Preheat and prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the long sides for easy lifting. Lightly grease the parchment.
  5. Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard, pumpkin puree, oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and well combined. It will look a bit like thick orange pudding.
  6. Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Make sure there are no lumps.
  7. Combine wet and dry: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. A few streaks of flour are okay — overmixing will make the bread tough. The batter will be thick and slightly fluffy.
  8. Layer the batter and swirl: Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it even. Drop spoonfuls of the brown butter walnut mixture over the batter, then swirl gently with a knife or skewer. Pour the remaining batter on top, spread it even, and add the rest of the swirl mixture on top. Swirl again — don’t overdo it, or the swirl will disappear into the batter.
  9. Bake: Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake for 55-65 minutes. Start checking at 50 minutes. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). If the top is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil after 40 minutes.
  10. Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then lift it out using the parchment overhang and transfer to a cooling rack. Let it cool completely before slicing — at least 1 hour. I know it’s hard, but warm bread will crumble. Trust me, I learned the hard way.

Notes

Let the sourdough discard sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before using for best results. The bread is even better the next day as flavors meld. For a dairy-free version, use coconut oil instead of butter for the swirl. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. To freeze, wrap tightly and store for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: sourdough pumpkin bread, brown butter walnut swirl, sourdough discard recipe, fall quick bread, pumpkin bread with sourdough

Find it online: https://spoonette.com/best-sourdough-pumpkin-bread-with-brown-butter-walnut-swirl/