Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread
Published on October 08, 2025
Quick Summary
This Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread is made with rich, nutty brown butter in both the bread and the glaze for double the flavor! It’s moist, warmly spiced, and topped with a silky brown butter maple glaze—an easy, cozy fall recipe you’ll want to make again and again.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItBrown Butter Makes This Pumpkin Bread Recipe Extra Special
I’ve made a lot of pumpkin bread over the years (classic, chocolate chip, pumpkin banana, etc.), and this Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread is definitely a favorite. It’s the kind of recipe that makes you do a little happy dance in the kitchen. Moist, perfectly spiced, and topped with a brown butter maple glaze that takes it over the top.
What sets this pumpkin bread apart? Brown butter. It’s in the batter and the glaze, adding deep, toasty, nutty flavor that balances the sweetness and brings serious cozy vibes. One bite, and you’ll understand why I keep coming back to this loaf all fall long.
It’s perfect for crisp weekend mornings, holiday brunches, or as an afternoon pick-me-up with a cup of coffee. I love serving it when we have friends over, and it also makes a beautiful homemade gift, wrap up a slice or two (or a loaf) for a neighbor, teacher, or anyone who could use a little fall comfort.
Whether you’re baking ahead for Thanksgiving or just craving something warm and spiced on a quiet Sunday, this bread is always a good idea.
Ingredients (with Helpful Notes)
For the Bread:
- Unsalted Butter: Browning the butter creates a deep, nutty flavor. Don’t skip this step, it’s what makes the bread extra special.
- All-purpose Flour, Baking Soda & Salt: The essentials for the bread. Spoon and level when measuring the flour!
- Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves give this loaf classic pumpkin spice flavor. You can use 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice in place of the nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, but make sure you still include the cinnamon!
- Pumpkin Puree: Use pure canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar: The mix of sugars adds moisture and rich sweetness.
- Buttermilk: Adds tang and helps keep the bread soft and tender.
- Vanilla Extract: Always go with pure vanilla for the best flavor.
For the Glaze:
- Browned Butter – Again! Because more brown butter = more flavor.
- Maple Syrup – Use pure maple syrup for the best taste.
- Powdered Sugar – Sifts easily into the glaze for a smooth texture.
- Sea Salt – Just a pinch to enhance the sweetness and bring everything together.
Tips for Making the Best Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread
- Use room temperature ingredients. This helps everything mix together more smoothly and evenly, which means a better texture and rise in your final loaf. Let the eggs and buttermilk sit out for about 30 minutes before baking.
- Brown the butter slowly. It should be golden and smell nutty. Stir often to avoid burning.
- Don’t over mix. Once you add the dry ingredients, stir just until combined to keep the bread tender.
- Check your loaf early. Start checking at 55 minutes. Every oven is a little different.
- Cool completely before glazing. The glaze will melt if the bread is still warm.
- Let the glaze set. It firms up after about 10 minutes for the perfect finishing touch.
Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
For the bread:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the glaze:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
- 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan generously with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, smells nutty, and browns. This will take about 5 minutes. Scrape the browned butter into a large mixing bowl and let cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the browned butter, pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Don’t over mix the batter.
- Pour the pumpkin batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth with a spatula.
- Place the loaf pan in the oven and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, tine will vary depending on your oven. If the top starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover with aluminum foil. The loaf is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the pan from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- While the bread is cooling, make the glaze. Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, smells nutty, and browns. This will take about 5 minutes. Scrape the browned butter into a large mixing bowl and let cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the browned butter, confectioner’s sugar, maple syrup, and salt until the glaze is smooth.
- Pour the glaze over the cooled bread. Let it set for 10 minutes. Cut into slices and enjoy!
Notes
- Room Temperature: Store tightly wrapped or in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: Keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze slices or the whole loaf wrapped in plastic and foil for up to 3 months. If you know you are going to freeze the loaf, I like to wait and add the glaze after it has thawed.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
Leave a comment below and share a photo on Instagram. Tag @twopeasandpod and hashtag it with #twopeasandtheirpod
