Celebrate “Game Day” with this simple, season-inspired homemade bread. Serve it with Pumpkin Spice Honey Butter. Score!

Ingredients

Sponge

1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
½ cup bread flour
½ cup warm water (110°F – 115°F)

Dough

1 (12-ounce) bottle pumpkin ale or lager, room temperature
2 tablespoons honey
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 cups white whole wheat flour
2 – 2 ¼ cups bread flour

Pumpkin Spice Honey Butter (optional)

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the sponge ingredients. Cover; let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
2. Mix in ale, honey, salt, and whole wheat flour to sponge. Stir in enough bread flour to form a soft dough. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled.
3. Gently deflate dough and transfer to a well-floured surface. With floured hands, smooth dough and shape into a round loaf. Place loaf on parchment (this will make transferring to Dutch oven easier). Cover; let rise 30 minutes.
4. While dough is rising, pre-heat oven and Dutch oven* to 425°F.
5. Carefully remove heated Dutch oven. Using a sharp knife score the bread making ¼” slashes. Transfer loaf to Dutch oven; cover with lid and return to oven.
6. Bake 40 – 45 minutes or until internal temperature registers 200°F – 210°F. Allow to cool before slicing.
7. For the Pumpkin Spice Honey Butter: whisk together ingredients until well combined. If desired, serve Pumpkin Ale Bread with Pumpkin Spice Honey Butter.

* Don’t have a Dutch oven? Bake the bread on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.   

Test Kitchen Tip: While the bread is rising, set aside a stick of butter so it will be at room temperature when it’s time to make the Pumpkin Spice Honey Butter.

Yield: 22 servings.

NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING (1 SLICE, 51g): 120 calories, 5 calories from fat, 0g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 160mg sodium, 24g total carbohydrate, 2g dietary fiber, 2g sugars, 4g protein, 31mcg folate, 0mg vitamin C, 1mg iron.

PUMPKIN SPICE HONEY BUTTER NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING (1 TEASPOON, 5g):  30 calories, 25 calories from fat, 3g total fat, 2g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 10mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, 1g total carbohydrate, 0g dietary fiber, 1g sugars, 0g protein, 0mcg folate, 0mg vitamin C, 0mg iron.