Sourdough Pumpkin Cobbler with Easy Crumble Topping

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This sourdough discard pumpkin cobbler will satisfy all of your fall-flavor cravings. It’s perfect with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert or a cup of coffee for breakfast.

It’s not fall around our house until the sourdough pumpkin cobbler comes out of the oven.

We live in North Carolina, so the weather doesn’t really cool off until much later in winter. But the wind picks up, the sunlight shifts to golden hues, and our favorite sourdough recipes shift from sourdough peach cobbler and lemon bars to warm and cozy flavors.

This simple, fall-flavored cobbler is our favorite pumpkin dessert. It’s like a sourdough pumpkin pie but without the time and effort of rolling pie dough.

The warm spices and pumpkin filling pair perfectly with ice cream for a fall dessert. I also like to pair it with coffee for a cozy breakfast on a cool fall morning.

Also, the added sourdough discard elevates the cobbler topping with a touch of tang. If you don’t have a starter, check out my sourdough starter tutorial and starter Q&A on YouTube. You’ll have a homemade starter ready for pumpkin cobbler in no time!

About This Recipe

This recipe is an adaptation of Farmhouse on Boone’s pumpkin cobbler. I’ve simplified the topping so that it is a quick crumble method. I also adjusted the instructions so that it is a no-wait discard recipe.

It’s perfect for any pumpkin lover who is short on time but needs a pumpkin dessert asap.

Why You’ll Love Sourdough Pumpkin Cobbler

• Fall flavors – Pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and maple syrup are the perfect flavors to welcome the fall season. Really, this is a autumn in a cast iron skillet.
• Simple Ingredients – This sourdough pumpkin cobbler uses simple, pantry staple ingredients.
• Easy crumble topping – This recipe features an easy crumble topping to keep it simple. You don’t have to worry about rolling and cutting the topping or making a pie crust. And you don’t need any fancy equipment like a hand mixer or stand mixer.
• Use extra starter – Sourdough discard is a staple ingredient in our house. I love to use up for fall treats like sourdough pumpkin cobbler or a chocolate chip skillet cookie.

Tips for Making Sourdough Pumpkin Cobbler

• Adjust the baking time for your baking dish: I use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet. But if you don’t have a cast iron skillet, no worries! You can use a regular 9″x13″ baking dish. However, you will probably need to decrease the baking time.
• Don’t sweat the starter: You can use active and bubbly starter or inactive discard. Either will work just fine. Learn the difference between active starter, inactive, and discard on my YouTube channel.
• Don’t overbake the filling – The filling bakes twice, so it’s okay if the center isn’t totally set after the first bake. It will finish baking once you add the cobbler topping and return it to the oven.
• Season your cast iron skillet – Use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet so the pumpkin filling doesn’t stick. Check out my cast iron care guide for seasoning tips.

Do You Need to Long-Ferment the Dough?

This is a no-wait recipe, so you do not need to long-ferment the dough. However, if you want to reap the health benefits of sourdough and make the grains more digestible, you can long-ferment the cobbler topping dough.

Check with your healthcare professional to ensure this is optimal for your dietary needs.

How to Long-Ferment Sourdough Pumpkin Cobbler Topping

1. Mix together the flour, starter, melted butter, and honey.
2. Cover the flour mixture with a lid, plastic wrap, or beeswax wrap. Allow to sit at room temperature for 8-12 hours. Or you can keep the dough in the fridge for up to 3 days.
3. After the dough has fermented, add the remaining cobbler topping ingredients. Mix thoroughly. The dough can be stiff when long-fermented. Mixing in the other ingredients can take a little work, but it will eventually combine.
4. Continue the remainder of the recipe as usual.

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Tools You Will Need

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• Cast iron skillet – I use a 12″ cast iron skillet. If you are in the market for a new skillet, check out my cast iron skillet size guide. A 9″x 13″ glass baking dish or a pie dish will also work.
• Bowls – Grab two mixing bowls: one for the cobbler topping and a separate bowl for the pumpkin filling.
• Spoon or whisk – Luckily, sourdough pumpkin cobbler is a low-maintenance recipe that doesn’t require fancy equipment like a stand mixer. You’ll just need a spoon or whisk to stir the ingredients together.
• Kitchen scale – If you prefer weighing the ingredients, grab your kitchen scale.
• Measuring cups and spoons – This is a forgiving recipe, so if you don’t have a kitchen scale, I’ve also included the cup measurements.

Ingredients You Will Need

Cobbler Ingredients

• Sourdough starter – Use active or inactive sourdough starter. If you don’t have a starter yet, grab my free sourdough stater eBook!
• Flour – Regular all-purpose flour will do.
• Butter – Make sure the butter is melted but not hot. Coconut oil is a good substitute.
• Honey – Honey adds sweetness without overdoing it.
• Baking soda and baking powder – This recipe relies on baking soda and baking powder for leavening. So that’s why you can use inactive starter.
• Salt – A dash of salt brings out the other flavors.
• Heavy cream – Whole milk or half and half have also worked well in my experience.
• Brown sugar – I like dark brown sugar because it has a deeper flavor.

Pumpkin Filling Ingredients

• Pumpkin puree – You can use either canned pumpkin puree or homemade pumpkin puree. Just make sure it isn’t canned pumpkin pie filling.
• Eggs – Eggs bind the ingredients together and make the mixture custard-like. Reconstituted freeze-dried eggs work great in this recipe.
• Brown sugar – I prefer dark brown sugar, but light brown sugar will also work.
• Milk – I use whole milk, but use whatever you have on one hand.
• Vanilla – Pour from the heart! An extra splash of vanilla won’t hurt.
• Pumpkin spice – Make sure your spices aren’t expired. Since I only use pumpkin spice a few times a year, it’s easy to overlook the expiration date.
• Salt – I use coarse kosher salt for just about everything, but any salt you have will get the job done.

How to Make Sourdough Pumpkin Cobbler

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Add all the cobbler topping ingredients to a large mixing bowl, except the baking powder and baking soda. Mix until thoroughly combined. The texture of the dough should be similar to that of a soft cookie dough. Set aside.

Combine all of the pumpkin filling ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well.

Pour pumpkin mixture into a well-seasoned cast iron skillet (12”-15” skillets work best). Bake for 25 minutes.

When the filling is just about finished, add the baking soda and baking powder to the dough mixture. Mix well. I find that a quick mix with my hands combines it best.

When the filling is done, remove it from the oven and top with the cobbler mixture. I like to break off small pieces of the dough and place them on top to resemble a crumble.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the cobbler topping is golden brown.

How To Serve Sourdough Pumpkin Cobbler

With Vanilla Ice Cream

For dessert, I serve our pumpkin cobbler with vanilla ice cream drizzled with homemade molasses syrup. If you have an ice cream maker, this is my favorite homemade vanilla ice cream recipe.

• 1 1/3 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 teaspoons vanilla

In a medium bowl, mix the whole milk and sugar together. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.

Mix in the heavy cream and vanilla.

Pour the ingredients into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Note: this recipe came with our Kumio ice cream maker (affiliate link). It’s the best ice cream maker we’ve used. You just add the ingredients, hit go, and you have homemade ice cream in 45 minutes!

With Coffee

Sourdough pumpkin cobbler and a cup of coffee is one of my favorite fall breakfasts. It’s warm, cozy, and delicious. If you want a little nutrition boost with your coffee, check out my egg yolk coffee recipe.

How To Store Leftover Sourdough Pumpkin Cobbler

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.

I’ve also had success freezing leftover sourdough pumpkin cobbler. I just put it in an airtight container and popped it in the freezer. A month later, I reheated it, and it was perfect!

More Recipes You Will Love

• The Best Sourdough Discard Crepes – Quick Recipe
• Homemade Sourdough Cinnamon Toast Crunch Recipe
• Homemade Sourdough Pop Tarts with Strawberry Jam
• Sourdough Burger Buns Recipe – Soft and Fluffy!
• Sourdough Donuts with Chocolate and Vanilla Glaze
• Sourdough Fried Green Tomatoes with Breadcrumbs

If you tried this sourdough pumpkin cobbler and loved it, leave a comment or review!