Pumpkin star bread is a delightful, visually stunning loaf made with layers of pumpkin-spiced dough twisted into a star shape. It's both a treat for the eyes and the taste buds, perfect for fall and holiday gatherings.

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Want to make a loaf of holiday bread that will WOW everyone? Try this beautiful (and EASY!) Pumpkin Star Bread! These fancy looking loaves seem hard to make but in reality they’re really quite simple. Let me show you how it’s done.

A pumpkin braided bread on a white plate.

Pumpkin Star Bread starts with a very risen bread dough that is light, fluffy, and a dream to work with. Then it’s layered with pumpkin and spices before being easily cut and folded into this fabulous star bread.

Ingredients for a recipe for pumpkin pancakes on a marble table.

What do you need to make Pumpkin Star Bread

Everything for this bread is easily found in any major grocery store. You shouldn’t need to run around to any specialty stores or order anything special online.

warm water (not to exceed 110 degrees)
instant dry yeast
salt
eggs
honey or agave
butter
all-purpose flour
pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
brown sugar
butter
ginger
cinnamon
salt
coarse sugar can be just granulated white sugar
parchment paper
sharp knife
baking sheet
plastic wrap
mixing bowl

A pumpkin pie on a table with a slice of pie.

Is Star Bread Easy to make?

Absolutely. Anyone can make this bread. It may not look perfect the first time around but it is doable. And the more you make it, the easier it gets.

So if you’re planning on making this for friends and family or say for a potluck, then it’s best to make 1-2 times before your big debut. Don’t make it for the first time and expect it to be perfect. It does take a little practice.

The best piece of advice to make this bread?

Don’t hurry the rising process. bread doughs really do need plenty of time to work out really well. To achieve this I like to let the bread dough rise in a square container with straight sides so I can see when it’s doubled. Then I give it the poke test.

Another way to see if it’s been left to raise long enough is to poke it. If you’re finger sinks in the dough easily and leaves a big dent in it then it’s ready to move on from rising.

A braided bread with a flower in the middle.

Step By Step Photos for Making the Star

This is exactly how you make the star bread pattern. 3 layers with filling between them, the top layer is left plain. Mark the center and cut 16 pieces. Twist two together all the way around the star and then cover and let it rise.

A piece of dough on a marble surface. — first circle

A piece of pizza dough on a marble surface. — first circle

Got Leftovers?

This bread doesn’t store well. Well, it does store just fine, it doesn’t take great after a day in a bag. You can wrap it up well it will keep just fine for about 24 hours after baking.

For best results try to bake it the day you want to enjoy it.

Pumpkin Star Bread

5 from 46 votes

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Cook Time: 30

inactive time: 3

Servings: Servings

Calories: 452kcal

Author: Laura

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Ingredients

Ingredients for dough:

3/4 c warm water not to exceed 110 degrees
2 1/4 tsp instant dry yeast
2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1/4 cup honey or agave
3/4 cup melted butter
3 1/2 cups flour

Ingredients for filling –

1/4 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
2 TBSP brown sugar
2 tsp unsalted butter
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt

Ingredients for the Topping –

1 egg
1 T. water
1 TBSP coarse sugar

Instructions

to make the brioche dough: whisk combine the water, yeast, salt, honey, eggs and melted butter
add in the flour and use a long wooden spoon and stir to combine until it forms a ball of dough
turn it out onto a clean counter and knead until a soft silky flexible dough is achieved, use a little flour on the counter if you need it but don't over flour it
place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature until the dough is doubled in size, do not hurry this part of the process, dough with a lot of eggs and butter take a long time to rise
to make the filling – Combine the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, butter, ginger, cinnamon and salt in a saucepan
cook over medium heat until thick and dark about 5-10, store in the fridge until ready to assemble
line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside
To assemble – press the air out of the dough
divide the dough into four equal size pieces
cover your work surface in a light dusting of flour
roll one quarter of the dough into a circle about 10 inches in diameter the circle it doesn’t need to have perfect edges
lay it on the parchment lined baking sheet
spread about one tablespoon’s worth of filling across the surface of the dough stopping about ½ of an inch from the edge
repeat with 2 of the remaining pieces of dough and filling, stacking them on top of each other to make 3 circles of dough and filling
roll the final piece of dough out and lay it on top of the other circles in the stack
using a 3 inch circle cookie cutter, gently press into the center of the circle of dough to provide guidelines, Remove the cutter and set to the side (Do not actually cut the dough with the cutter, simply set it in place and press to create a slight indent)
cut with a chef’s knife or a bench scraper, while keeping the very center intact, begin cutting the dough into 16 pieces – cutting at the edge of the circle in the center and all the way through the layers
once all your sections are cut, it’s time to twist them together. Take two sections and gently twist them twice to expose the layers and pinch the very ends together to ensure the edges stay together to create the star points.
repeat seven more times for each of the star points, adjust as needed to make a star with even points
cover the star with plastic wrap and let it rise for an hour
preheat the oven to 400° F
to make the topping: combine the egg and tablespoon of water in a small bowl
use a pastry brush to coat the entire surface of the brioche star.
sprinkle the course sugar across the top of the star, concentrating in the center of the star
bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until a deep golden brown in the center of the star. Allow to cool before removing from the pan and parchment.