Autumn Harvest Bread Bowls

Amazing bread bowls that are way easier than they look!

A festive way to serve soups, stews or chili!

It’s that time of year when we all start to feel a little chill in the air.  Something about the crisp, cool weather makes me crave a nice, hot bowl of soup or stew.  Or maybe even some spicy chili.  These bread bowls are a fun way to serve up your favorite fall soups, stews and chili.  They’re really easy to make, but look like you spent all day.

What a great theme for a party!

You can use your favorite bread recipe of dough recipe or you can use mine below.  (To make it even easier, you could also use the frozen bread dough, thawed!)

Start with a baseball size ball of dough.  Form it perfectly round and set it onto a parchment lined baking sheet that has been sprinkled lightly with cornmeal.

Press a pretzel nugget (I like to use the Snyder’s Pretzel Nuggets) about half way down into the top of the dough ball.  This will become the pumpkin stem.

pumpkin shaped bowl2-

Now, using you kitchen shears, clip about 1/2” deep all the way around the dough ball.  See photo below.

pumpkin shaped bowl-

Put it a warm place and cover.  Allow the bread bowl to rise until double.  Meanwhile, make an egg wash by using a fork to beat a whole egg + 1 T. water.  Brush very lightly onto the outside of the bread bowl.  This will give it a nice glossy sheen when the bread bowl is baked.

brush bowl with egg wash-

Preheat oven to 425°.  Bake for approximately 25 minutes.  (You may want to cover the bowl with foil after about 15 minutes.  This will prevent over-browning.)  Remove bread bowls from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

When cool, use a bread knife to slice the top of the bowl off.  Cut the inside (leaving about ½’ border around the sides and bottom.)

cut top off bread bowl

Slice off the top and hollow it out.

hollow pumpkin bread bowl

Here’s my bread recipe:

1 pkgs. yeast

1 c. warm water

2 T. sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 c. milk, scalded and cooled

2 t. salt

2T. shortening

6 c. flour (approximately)

Dissolve yeast in warm water.  Add sugar, egg, milk, salt, shortening and half of the flour.  Mix well.  Add enough of the remaining flour to make the dough easy to handle.  Knead 10 minutes (or if using bread mixer, add only enough flour to clean the sides of the mixing bowl.  Mix on high 6 minutes.)

Let the dough rise until double.  Punch down and divide the dough into 8 or 10 equal pieces and shape into pumpkins as described above.  Allow to rise until double.  Carefully brush with an egg wash (see instructions above.)

Bake the bread bowls for 25 minutes at 425o.  (Cover with foil part way through baking time to prevent over-browning.)

When cool, slice off the top of the bowl and hollow out.  Leave about 1/2″ border all around bowl for stability.

Fill with your favorite thick soup, stew or chili!  (You can save the pieces of bread from the inside to serve with your soup or stew!)

soup in bread bowl-

4 thoughts on “Autumn Harvest Bread Bowls”

    1. Thanks Aurelie! We’re happy to hear that! We always have something new to share! Bookmark us and check back with us often!

  1. Absolutely beautiful and something I can do! Will be making these “bowls” throughout the winter and fall. Great way to serve soup!!! Thank you for making me look like “Martha”!

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