Pumpkin Brioche Recipe
This is a soft and tender pumpkin brioche, made with lots of butter, eggs and pumpkin puree. It's gently spiced and lightly sweetened.
Ingredients
- 60 g lukewarm milk
- 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast or active dried yeast
- 690 g all-purpose flour
- 170 g pure pumpkin puree
- 100 g soft brown sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 1 tbsp orange zest finely grated
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 280 g unsalted butter at room temperature, cubed
Egg wash
- 1 egg + 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Add the warm milk and stir in the yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. To this yeast mixture, add the flour, eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree, spices and salt.
- Turn the mixer on medium-low speed and combine it until a thick dough forms. Mix for around 5 minutes to begin developing the gluten.
- Add in the cubed butter. Incorporate each cube before the next addition.
- Turn the mixer on medium speed and keep it mixing until the sticky dough strengthens, comes together, and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. This will take around 20 minutes of mixing.
- Proper gluten development will allow you to stretch the dough so thin you can almost see through it. This is called the windowpane test. To test this, let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then grab a piece and stretch it.
- Pull the dough from the bowl onto a bench and form it into a smooth ball. Place the dough ball into a large oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for around 1.5- 2 hours until the dough doubles.
- Gently deflate the dough and reshape it into a ball. Cover with cling film and refrigerate it for 1-2 hours. This cooling period helps the butter to firm up, making the shaping process simpler.
Shaping
- Pull the cold dough from the bowl and tip it onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal portions, and line two loaf pans with parchment paper. The cold dough will feel clammy and stiff.
- Use a bench scraper or knife to divide a portion of the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll the pieces of dough into tight balls and squish the dough balls in a prepared pan, side by side in two rows.
- Let them rise in a warm, draft-free place until they double in size.
Baking
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
- Whisk an egg in a bowl with a tablespoon of water and use a pastry brush to brush the surface of the dough with egg wash.
- Bake the bread for approximately 30-35 minutes until a deep golden brown. If you have an instant-read thermometer, you can check for an internal temperature of 195°F / 90°C.
- Remove the brioche from the pans and let cool for 20 minutes before slicing.
Notes
This recipe is based off my classic French brioche.
Measurements - Both grams and US cup sizes are provided. Use the toggle on the recipe card to switch between the two.
Flour. This recipe works best with flour with around 11% protein. All-purpose flour protein levels can vary between brands, and the name of the flour itself can vary between countries. It’s best to check protein levels rather than just the name of the flour
Kneading by hand. Brioche bread can be made without a stand mixer. It can be kneaded by hand, although it may take longer and require more effort. It's a very sticky wet dough, so don't be tempted to add more flour, or it will ruin the texture.
Spices. The individual spices in the recipe can be subbed for 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice mix.
Storing. Brioche can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. Alternatively, it can be frozen for future use.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 317kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 7gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 228mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!