I love how simple and comforting homemade bread can be—it’s like giving someone a warm hug. Here’s a recipe that’s just perfect for a cozy morning.
For the bread:
- 1 c active, bubbly sourdough starter
- 1/2 c water
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
- 1 T. Cinnamon
- 1/2 c maple syrup
- 1 stick softened butter
- 1 T. Salt
- 7-8 c organic flour
For the swirl:
- 1/4 c butter
- 1/2 c flour
- 1/2 c brown sugar
- 2 T. Cinnamon
- 2 t. Vanilla
- 1/4 c pumpkin puree
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine all the bread ingredients. Mix on medium speed for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. You’ll know it’s ready when it has that beautiful elasticity. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 6-8 hours, or overnight.
Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured surface and divide it into two equal parts. Roll each piece out into a rectangle.
For the filling, mix together all the cinnamon swirl ingredients. Spread half of the mixture over each rectangle of dough, then roll them up tightly, just like you would for cinnamon rolls. Place each roll seam-side down into two greased bread pans. Cover them with a damp kitchen towel and let them rise again until they’ve doubled in size.
Preheat your oven to 400°F. When the dough is ready, bake the loaves for 35-45 minutes. If you want to be absolutely sure they’re done—because we all know that swirl can make it tricky—use a thermometer to check the internal temperature. You’re looking for 190°F.
Let the bread cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.