I could not recommend this braided pumpkin bread more. It’s soft and airy, and it’s so tasty. It’s the type of bread that tastes amazing without even adding any toppings. And, as a bonus, it tastes great with toppings as well!

Okay, I get it. It sounds quite weird. Vegetables in bread. If you search ‘pumpkin bread’, you come across spiced pumpkin loaves/cakes. Not the savoury type of bread. Not the type of bread that is made with yeast.

All I can do is guarantee you that this bread is a solid use of your pumpkin! And if you still have some pumpkin left, you can make this pumpkin soup for a double dose of pumpkin goodness. Soup and bread have never tasted so good!

If that all isn’t enough, let me convince you by letting you know that this bread looks absolutely spectacular. With a yellow crumb from the pumpkin and the cool braided look, this bread is a feast for the eyes and the mouth!

How to Make Braided Pumpkin Bread

Bread often feels like a mission to make, but it’s really only a spot of kneading, then leaving it to rise. You can do this!

This bread has an exceptionally soft texture, created but the butter, egg, and milk in the dough. I mean, if we’re adding weird ingredients like pumpkin to our bread, we have to go the whole hog!

Start by mixing together the white bread flour, salt, brown sugar, and instant yeast in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the mashed pumpkin, milk, butter, and water.

If (like me) you can’t get pureed pumpkin in the shops, just make your own! It’s dead easy. Boil about 2 slices worth of chopped pumpkin until soft, then mash using a fork or blend in a food processor. Don’t worry about having a few small lumps.

Now, pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture, and mix with a fork until a shaggy ball of dough forms.

Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for 5-10 minutes. Add just enough flour to prevent sticking. Once kneaded, the dough should be soft and stretchy. If you’re stuck on how to knead, you may find it useful to watch this video.

Place the ball of dough into a large, lightly-greased bowl then cover with a lightly dampened tea towel. Place in a warm place, and allow to rise for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Now, this is where it gets a bit complicated. Remove the risen dough from the bowl, and place it onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 3 pieces. Roll each piece (with your hands) into a long log shape. Now, squeeze the ends of the 3 pieces together, and braid them into a plait (as you would with hair!), then squeeze the loose ends together.

Place the plait onto a tray and allow it to rise, covered with a tea towel, for about 30 minutes before baking. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C.

Once the final rising is complete, brush the top of the bread with the beaten egg (for a shiny crust), then sprinkle the poppy seeds over it. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a dark brown crust forms.
Allow to cool on a wire rack, then enjoy!

Serving & Storing

As I mentioned above, this bread is tasty enough to devour without any toppings. And you get to show off that gorgeous yellow colour!

That being said, it’s also amazing with toppings. I loved it with some cheese, and my mom really enjoyed some jam on it.

Obviously, it’s best fresh. We barely gave it 15 minutes out of the oven! But it’s also good for a day or two after baking because it’s such a soft bread. A really great way of bringing it back to life is toasting it or making a toasted sandwich (my favourite!).

Print Recipe

Braided Pumpkin Bread

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Lunch

Serves: 10 minutes

Prep Time: 2 hours (including rising time) – Cooking Time: 20 minutes – Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

A soft bread that not only looks beautiful but tastes amazing as well!

Ingredients

• 4 cups white bread flour (+a little extra for kneading)
• 1½ tsp salt
• 1T brown sugar
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1½ cups mashed pumpkin*
• ⅓ cup milk, warmed slightly
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 3T water
• 1 egg, beaten (for brushing)
• Poppy seeds

Instructions

1

In a large bowl, mix together the white bread flour, salt, brown sugar, and instant yeast.

2

In a separate bowl, mix together the mashed pumpkin, milk, butter, and water.

3

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture, and mix with a fork until a shaggy ball of dough forms.

4

Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for 5-10 minutes. Add just enough flour to prevent sticking. Once kneaded, the dough should be soft and stretchy.

5

Place the dough into a large, lightly-greased bowl, and cover with a lightly dampened tea towel. Place in a warm place, and allow to rise for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.

6

Remove the risen dough from the bowl, and place it onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 3 pieces. Roll each piece (with your hands) into a long log shape. Squeeze the ends of the 3 pieces together, and braid them into a plait, then squeeze the loose ends together.

7

Place the plait onto a tray, covered with a tea towel, and allow it to rise for about 30 minutes before baking. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C.

8

Once the final rising is done, brush the top of the bread with the beaten egg, then sprinkle the poppy seeds over it. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a dark brown crust forms.

9

Allow to cool on a wire rack, then enjoy!

Notes

*To make the mashed pumpkin, just boil about 2 slices of pumpkin (cut into cubes) until soft. Mash using a fork (a few lumps are fine!) or process in a food processor for a smoother texture. You can use the mashed pumpkin still warm - yeast thrives with a bit of warmth!