This pumpkin shaped bread is a soft, golden loaf made with real pumpkin puree and fresh rosemary, tied with kitchen twine to give it its pumpkin shape. It is the kind of bake that makes everyone stop and ask, “Did you really make that?”
Pumpkin Shaped Bread: A Showstopping Autumn Loaf with Rosemary
This is the time of the year when pumpkins start piling up on my kitchen counter. With some many shapes and colours to choose from, I use some for cooking and keep others for decorating my windowsill.
This pumpkin shaped bread looks like it came from an artisan bakery, but the trick behind it is surprisingly simple: a few pieces of oiled kitchen twine, tied around a proved loaf before it goes into a hot Dutch oven. As the bread rises in the oven, the twine pinches it into eight plump segments, and out comes a loaf that looks just like a pumpkin.
Inside, the crumb is soft, moist and a beautiful pale yellow, with the gentle savoury note of fresh rosemary. The pumpkin puree replaces most of the water in the dough, so the bread stays tender for days. It is completely vegan, made with everyday store-cupboard ingredients, and perfect for a Halloween table, Bonfire Night, Thanksgiving or a cosy autumn weekend.
What Is Pumpkin Shaped Bread?
Pumpkin shaped bread is a round yeasted loaf that is tied with string before baking so it bakes into the shape of a pumpkin. The twine creates deep grooves that mimic the ribs of a real pumpkin, and a simple stalk on top completes the look.
The shaping works with any round bread dough, but using pumpkin in the dough itself makes sense of the idea: you get the colour, the flavour and a lovely soft texture. This version is a savoury rosemary pumpkin bread, so it works as well alongside a bowl of soup as it does on a sharing board.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is a real showstopper. Pumpkin shaped bread always gets a reaction, yet the shaping takes less than five minutes.
- Soft, moist crumb. Pumpkin puree keeps the loaf tender and helps it stay fresh for longer than a plain white loaf.
- Naturally vegan. No eggs, butter or milk, just flour, pumpkin, yeast, olive oil and rosemary.
- Great for using up pumpkin. A good way to use the flesh from a culinary pumpkin or squash after Halloween carving.
- Crisp, bakery-style crust. Baking in a preheated Dutch oven with a few ice cubes creates steam for a lovely crumb amd golden crust.
- Made by hand or machine. Knead it by hand or let a stand mixer do the work.
How I Use My Kenwood Cooking Chef XL for This Recipe
I make this pumpkin shaped bread in my Kenwood Cooking Chef XL, cooking the pumpkin in the machine’s steaming basket as well as kneading and proving the dough in the mixing bowl.
The induction plate provides precise temperature control from 20°C to 200°C (68°F to 392°F) as well as rapid heating. Super versatile, it allows for more delicate low-heat tasks like proving dough as well as high-heat functions like steaming.
If you are thinking about getting one, check out my special reader offer here.
Other Bread Recipes To Try
- Focaccia Bread with Rosemary
- Grape Focaccia with Rosemary
- Pull Apart Bread Roll Wreath
- Seeded Wholemeal Bread
- Slow Cooker Bread
Watch How To Make Pumpkin Shaped Bread
If you have never tied a loaf before, the video shows exactly how to lay the twine and knot it so you get eight even segments every time.
Ingredient Notes
- Pumpkin: Use a culinary pumpkin or a dense winter squash such as Crown Prince, kabocha or butternut squash. Carving pumpkins are watery and less flavourful. You need 375g of pumpkin. Find more ideas on my pumpkin recipes page.
- Bread flour: Strong white bread flour has more protein than plain flour, giving the dough the structure it needs to hold its pumpkin shape.
- Fast-action dried yeast: Mix it straight into the flour; there is no need to activate it first. Keep it away from the salt until you start mixing.
- Fresh rosemary: Chop the leaves finely so they spread evenly through the dough. Thyme or sage also work well with pumpkin.
- Olive oil: Adds flavour and keeps the crumb soft.
- Tepid water: Pumpkin varies in how much moisture it holds, so add water a tablespoon at a time. You may not need all 100ml.
- Ice cubes: Placed in the Dutch oven, they create steam for a better rise and a crisp crust.
- Food-safe kitchen twine: Use plain cotton twine that has not been dyed or treated, and oil it well so it does not stick to the bread.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Steam and Mash the Pumpkin
Remove the stalk of the pumpkin and reserve to decorate the bread later on.
Peel, deseed and dice the pumpkin, then steam it for 10 to 12 minutes until completely soft. Drain off any excess water and mash to a smooth puree. Leave it to cool until lukewarm, as hot pumpkin can kill the yeast.
Step 2: Make and Knead the Dough
Put the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl, keeping the yeast and salt apart, then stir together. Add the pumpkin puree, rosemary and olive oil. Knead for 5 to 8 minutes in a stand mixer, or 10 minutes by hand, adding water a tablespoon at a time until you have a soft, smooth dough.
Step 3: First Rise
Cover the bowl and leave the dough in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours, until doubled in size.
Step 4: Stretch, Fold and Shape
Deflate the dough and tip it onto a lightly floured surface. Stretch each side up and fold it over the centre, then flip the dough so the smooth side is on top. Rotate it in small circles on the work surface, tucking the edges underneath, until you have a tight, firm ball. This surface tension is what gives your pumpkin shaped bread its plump, defined segments.
Step 5: Second Prove in a Proving Basket
Dust a round proving basket generously with flour and place the dough in it, smooth side down. Cover and leave to prove for 30 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 230°C (fan 210°C) with the Dutch oven and its lid inside for at least 30 minutes.
Step 6: Tie the Twine to Create the Pumpkin Shape
Cut four 40cm pieces of kitchen twine and coat them in oil. Lay them across the dough in the basket like the spokes of a wheel, so they cross in the centre and divide the dough into eight segments. Place a sheet of baking paper on top and turn everything upside down. Bring the opposite ends of each piece of twine up and tie them in the centre of the loaf. They should fit snugly, but not too tight, as the bread will expand in the oven.
Step 7: Score and Bake in a Dutch Oven
Dust the top with a little flour and score a decorative pattern if you like. Lift the loaf on its baking paper into the hot Dutch oven and tuck the ice cubes between the paper and the side of the pot. Bake with the lid on for 20 to 30 minutes, then uncovered for another 10 to 15 minutes until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped underneath. Remove the twine and leave to cool on a wire rack.
Top Tips for the Best Pumpkin Shaped Bread
- Cool the puree properly. Warm puree is fine; hot puree will kill the yeast and stop your dough rising.
- Go easy on the water. Every pumpkin is different. Add water slowly and stop once the dough is soft and just slightly tacky.
- Build good tension when shaping. A tight ball holds the twine marks better and gives deeper, more pumpkin-like ridges.
- Oil the twine well. This stops it sticking and tearing the crust when you remove it.
- Don’t tie too tightly. Leave a little give so the loaf can expand in the oven without the twine cutting into it.
- Preheat the Dutch oven thoroughly. A properly hot pot gives the best oven spring and crust.
- Add a stalk. Save the stalk of the pumpkin. Once the bread is ready to be served put the stalk on top of the bread or push a cinnamon stick or a short piece of rosemary stem into the centre to finish the pumpkin look.
How to Serve Pumpkin Shaped Bread
Pumpkin shaped bread makes a striking centrepiece for an autumn table. Here are a few of my favourite ways to serve it:
- With soup: Tear it into chunks and serve alongside an easy pumpkin soup with Chinese five-spice or a hearty pumpkin, spinach and chickpea soup.
- For Halloween: Pair it with Halloween pumpkin hummus and a pot of Halloween pumpkin chilli for a spooky sharing spread.
- On a sharing board: Serve it with cheeses (or vegan alternatives), chutney, olives and good olive oil for dipping.
- Simply toasted: A thick slice of toasted rosemary pumpkin bread with butter is hard to beat.
- As a snack: Sprinkle some roasted pumpkin seeds over a dip to serve alongside, so nothing from the pumpkin goes to waste.
Storage and Make Ahead
Storing: Keep your pumpkin shaped bread wrapped in a clean tea towel or in a bread bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. Avoid the fridge, as it makes bread go stale faster.
Freezing: Once completely cool, freeze the loaf whole or sliced, wrapped well, for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature, then refresh in a hot oven for 5 minutes to crisp the crust.
Make ahead: You can steam and puree the pumpkin up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Bring it back to room temperature before adding it to the dough.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Use about 375g of tinned pumpkin puree in place of the fresh pumpkin. Tinned puree has also some moisture, so hold back the water and add it only if the dough feels stiff.
A Dutch oven gives the best crust, but you can bake the loaf on a preheated baking tray instead. Put a roasting tin on the shelf below and pour in a cup of boiling water as the bread goes in to create steam, then bake for roughly the same time.
The ice cubes melt and create steam inside the Dutch oven. Steam keeps the surface of the dough soft for longer, so it rises more, and then helps create a crisp crust.
You can use a sharp knife, bread scorer or scissors to cut eight deep slashes from the centre outwards instead, but the shape will be less defined. The twine gives the classic rounded segments.
Yes, it is completely vegan. It contains no eggs, dairy or honey.
No you can make any bread pumpkin shaped, from sourdough to a simple white bread.
I hope you enjoy this pumpkin shaped bread as much as I do. If you do make it, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Make sure to save this recipe for later and share it with friends and family!
Pumpkin Shaped Bread
Equipment
Disclaimer: the equipment list above includes affiliate links to products I use and like.
Watch How To Make This Recipe
Ingredients
- 375 g pumpkin
- 500 g bread flour
- 7 g fast-action dried yeast
- 5 g sugar
- 8 g salt
- 2 Tbsp freshly chopped rosemary leaves
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- Up to 100 ml [6 to 7 Tbsp] of tepid water
- 4 ice cubes
EXTRAS
- Flour for dusting
- Vegetable oil for the twine
- Food-safe kitchen twine
Instructions
- Remove the stalk of the pumpkin and reserve to decorate the bread later on.
- Peel, deseed and dice the pumpkin.375 g pumpkin
- Steam the pumpkin either in the Kenwood Cooking Chef XL or in a steamer basket placed over a pan of simmering water for 10 to 12 minutes or until completely soft.
- When the pumpkin is cooked, mash to a puree with a potato masher. Drain off if there is too much excess water, then leave to cool until lukewarm, as hot pumpkin can kill the yeast.
- Add the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Keep the yeast and salt on opposite sides of the bowl before mixing (salt can inhibit the yeast if they come into direct contact). Stir the dry ingredients together.500 g bread flour, 7 g fast-action dried yeast, 5 g sugar, 8 g salt
- Stand mixer: Fit the dough hook and set to medium-low speed. Add the pumpkin puree, rosemary leaves, and olive oil and mix for 5 to 8 minutes. If the dough feels too stiff, add some water a tablespoon at a time until a soft dough ball forms.By hand: Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, then add the pumpkin puree, rosemary leaves, and olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon and then knead with your hands for 10 minutes until a soft dough ball forms. If the dough feels too stiff, add some water a tablespoon at a time.2 Tbsp freshly chopped rosemary leaves, 2 Tbsp olive oil, Up to 100 ml [6 to 7 Tbsp] of tepid water
- Cover the bowl and leave the dough to rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size (about 1 to 1½ hours). If you are using the Kenwood Cooking Chef XL, use the splashguard to cover the bowl and warm the bowl to 30°C with the Cooking Chef induction plate.
- When the dough has doubled in size, deflate it with your fist. Gather the dough into a ball and tip it onto a lightly floured surface.Flour for dusting
- Stretch and fold the dough: gently lift one edge of the dough up and stretch it. Fold that stretched piece over the top centre of the dough. Repeat the process for all four sides of the dough ball.
- Flip the dough upside down so that the smooth surface is at the top. Move the dough ball in a small circular motion tucking the outer edges underneath it as you turn it to build tension on the surface of the dough until you have a tight, firm dough ball.
- Dust a round proving basket with flour. Place the ball of dough smooth side down into the prepared basket.
- Cover the basket with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes until the dough has doubled in size.
- While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 230°C / 450°F (Fan 210°C / 410°F). Place a round Dutch oven with its lid inside to heat up for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare the twine: Cut four pieces of food-safe kitchen twine (about 40cm / 16 inches each). Place them in a glass and drizzle some vegetable oil over them. Oiling the kitchen twine prevents it from sticking to the bread while baking.Vegetable oil for the twine, Food-safe kitchen twine
- When the dough is ready, remove the cling film and lay the four oiled pieces of twine over the dough to divide it into eight even slices. Place a large piece of baking paper over the dough and turn everything upside down.
- Bring the opposite ends of each piece of twine together and tie them at the top centre of the loaf. They should fit snugly around the loaf, but not too tight, as the bread will expand in the oven. Trim any excess twine with kitchen scissors.
- Dust the top of the loaf with a little more flour, then score the decorative pattern of your choice.
- Carefully lift the baking paper and bread and place inside the preheated Dutch oven. Place the 4 ice cubes between the baking paper and the side of the Dutch oven.4 ice cubes
- Place the lid on the Dutch oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until the crust is golden and sounds hollow when tapped underneath.
- When done, remove the bread from the Dutch oven, remove the twine and leave the bread to cool on a wire rack. Place the reserved pumpkin stalk on top of the bread just before serving.
Nutritional Information
Find this recipe online:
https://theflexitarian.co.uk/recipe-items/pumpkin-shaped-bread/
I cannot wait to see your posts!
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