Pumpkin Bread

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Quick Summary

This is the BEST Pumpkin Bread Recipe, a fall favorite! The bread is moist, perfectly spiced, and has a sweet sugary topping. It is easy to make and your house will smell amazing while it’s baking!

slices of pumpkin bread.

I LOVE baking quick breads, hello, banana bread, lemon zucchini bread, chocolate banana bread, just to name a few.

During the fall months, I love making Pumpkin Bread. I love my pumpkin chocolate chip bread recipe, but sometimes you just want classic pumpkin loaf and this one is the BEST!

The bread is super moist and bursting with warm spices. The crunchy, sugary top is addicting and will have you coming back for another slice.

Enjoy the bread for breakfast, brunch, a sweet snack, or even dessert. It is a great bread for Halloween, Thanksgiving, fall parties, or EVERY day!

Bonus, it freezes well too! I love keeping a loaf in the freezer for emergencies…when company stops by or when I am craving pumpkin!

slices of pumpkin bread with knife.

Bread Ingredients

  • Flour– use all-purpose flour.
  • Baking soda– check the date to make sure it’s fresh.
  • Salt– to enhance the flavors of the bread.
  • Spices– cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves! The perfect fall combo! If you want to substitute pumpkin spice, you can, but I like using the individual spices because I think the flavors stand out more in the bread. If you are going to use pumpkin spice, use 1 tablespoon in place of the spices.
  • Pumpkin use pumpkin puree, 100% pure pumpkin. It is usually located in the baking aisle. Libby’s is a popular brand. You will need 1 cup, a 15 oz can will be enough.
  • Sugar– brown sugar and granulated sugar
  • Eggs– at room temperature
  • Butter– melted and slightly cooled
  • Oil– you can use vegetable, canola, or even melted coconut oil
  • Buttermilk– to make the bread super moist.
  • Vanilla extract– my favorite!
  • Turbinado sugar– for sprinkling on bread

How to Make Pumpkin Bread

This is quick bread is very easy to make and your house will smell like fall! It’s a win-win!

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan generously with nonstick cooking spray or butter. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, melted butter, oil, 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. Sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar.
  • Place the loaf pan in the oven and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, depending on your oven. 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. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Use a butter knife to loosen the bread in the pan. Turn over and carefully remove the bread from the pan.
  • Let the bread cool completely on the cooling rack. When cool, slice with a serrated knife.
Pumpkin Bread slices on wire cooling rack.

Can You add Chocolate Chips?

Of course, you can add chocolate chips! Pumpkin chocolate chip bread is a THING. People go crazy for anything pumpkin chocolate chip (like these cookies) and I understand why, it is SO good!

Pumpkin and chocolate are a match made in heaven. If you want to add chocolate chips, stir in 1 cup of semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips after you add the dry ingredients.

You can also stir in a cup of chopped pecans, walnuts, dried cranberries, or raisins.

How to Store & Freeze

I think this pumpkin bread is even better the second day. Sure, you have to enjoy a fresh slice of bread, but try to save some for the next day. All of the flavors set in and the bread gets even moister. It is worth the wait and a great recipe that you can make in advance for parties or breakfast the next day.

To store the bread, wrap the cooled bread in plastic wrap and keep on the counter for up to four days.

This bread also freezes beautifully. Wrap the cooled bread in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Defrost before slicing. You can also keep slices of the pumpkin bread in the freezer. To reheat, just pop in the toaster and slather with butter, that part is optional but SO good:)

Can You Double the Recipe?

YES! You are going to love this recipe so much that I know you are going to want two loaves. One loaf for you and one loaf for a friend…or two loaves for you, I won’t tell anyone:) You can easily double this recipe. You will need two loaf pans. Bake both loaves at the same time, on the middle rack in the oven.

You can also make mini loaves or muffins, just reduce the baking time!

pumpkin bread slices on cooling rack with towel.

More Pumpkin Bread Recipes:

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Pumpkin Bread

This is the BEST pumpkin bread recipe! It is easy to make, super moist, and perfectly spiced. It will become a staple in your house every fall season.
4.61 from 41 votes

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan generously with nonstick cooking spray or butter. Set aside.
  • 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 pumpkin, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, melted butter, oil, 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. Sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar.
  • Place the loaf pan in the oven and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, depending on your oven. 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. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Use a butter knife to loosen the bread in the pan. Turn over and carefully remove the bread from the pan. Let the bread cool completely on the cooling rack. When cool, slice with a serrated knife.

Notes

I think the bread is even better the second day. The bread will keep on the counter, wrapped or covered, for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the bread. 

Nutrition

Calories: 189kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 27mg, Sodium: 203mg, Potassium: 80mg, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 865IU, Vitamin C: 0.9mg, Calcium: 22mg, Iron: 1.2mg
Keywords pumpkin bread

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Maria

I'm Maria and my husband is Josh. We share a love of cooking, baking, and entertaining. We enjoy creating recipes that are simple, fresh, and family friendly. We love sitting around the table with good food, good conversation, and good friends and family! Our kitchen is always open!
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  1. Fun fact – applesauce can be used in place of some of the water or oil to keep it moist and not change the flavor 🙂

  2. 5 stars
    I just made this pumpkin bread today and it was SO good! I added a half cup of chopped pecans. I’d definitely make this again 🙂 Thanks for posting.

  3. 5 stars
    I try this recipe at home, Our all family members love it. It is a very good experience for us. We all love it to cook this recipe again & again.

  4. 5 stars
    Would love your best pumpkin pancake recipe!! 

    We live this bread . . . And pancakes are only a 15 min wait.  But the pumpkin is so heavy it makes things fall flat. What’s your best solution and recipe for a autumn breakfast with pumpkin to die for?

  5. Love pumpkin in any shape or form! This recipe looks like the balanced type of pumpkin bread and I am going to try it ASAP. Happy fall!

  6. I have this in the oven now! I’m always trying new pumpkin bread recipes and I know this will rank way up there…..it looks and smells so good.

  7. 4 stars
    That looks delicious. However, I don’t use nutmeg (too strong for me) in my cooking. Will the flavour change a lot if I choose not to use it?

    1. Pumpkin flavors usually have nutmeg. If you don’t like it, you can leave it out and use more cinnamon and/or ginger.

  8. 5 stars
    This was awesome!!!! My kids and family are obsessed with pumpkin…this was a no fail recipe!  Sometimes with brads it can be tricky but this was easy and amazingly delicious… My son said it’s like pumpkin pie only a bread! 

    1. I make mine vegan because of food allergies in my family. I sub out the butter for Earth Balance Buttery sticks (they have regular and soy-free), and I used 1/2 c. applesauce for the eggs. I had to cook it a little longer because it was very moist, but it really depends on your oven. You can also use aquafaba (chickpea brine — about 1/3 cup), flax eggs (2 Tbsp ground flax plus 4-6 Tbsp warm water), or an egg replacer (I like using Bob’s Red Mill, but Ener-G works well, too).  Hope that helps! 

  9. 5 stars
    Great recipe.  Used 1/2 cup of avocado oil instead of butter/oil combo since hubby is lactose in tolerant, and omitted the sugar sprinkled on top. Still turned out great, thanks for sharing 

  10. Hi Maria! Quick question – is there a reason you prefer to use a 9×5 baking pan for your banana bread (by the way, I made a loaf over the weekend and wow. I’m pretty sure I’ve found my go-to banana bread recipe. Thanks!) but a smaller baking pan for your pumpkin bread? Thank you!

  11. If I already have pumpkin spice, would the combined amount be
    2 and 1/4 teaspoons instead of the separate individual spices?

    1. I would do a tablespoon because I don’t think the spices are as strong in pumpkin spice, but if you are nervous you can do less. I like spices:)

  12. 5 stars
    This was delicious and a big hit at work! I added chocolate chips but otherwise followed the recipe exactly, which was pretty quick and straightforward. Thanks for another awesome recipe!! 🙂

  13. In New Zealand we don’t have canned pumpkin. Can I just convert this listed amount to pumpkin I roast/cook and mash up myself?

  14. Taste great. But the bread didn’t rise. It’s less then 2” thick. Not sure what I may have done wrong.

  15. My family loooved this, even the ones who swear they don’t like pumpkin! We will be making this for years to come. I ran apples through the food processor with about a tsp of coconut oil in place of vegetable oil (would work better if cooked but I was in a pinch). Only had zulka sugar so I added a tsp of maple syrup for a little extra richness. So, so, so good!

  16. Just made this for a warm cozy breakfast! So delicious perfect for this season. Excited to try the other pumpkin recipes 🙂

  17. I just made this on Friday and it’s wonderful…and used fresh pumpkin that I baked that morning for fall baking! The next day when some of our granddaughters came over, they dove into the pumpkin bread and just about finished it off…guess I should have made two loaves! Time to make more! Thank you for sharing the recipe!!

    1. I haven’t tried it. The brown sugar keeps the bread moist. I am sure honey will be be good, but maybe not the exact same texture. Let me know if you try it!

  18. My pumpkin bread always has an after taste of baking soda. I follow the recipe exactly plz advise me ❤️Marie

  19. Has anyone made this recipe with less sugar and or oil/butter? I sometimes find recipes to be a little too sweet. Thanks!

  20. 1 star
    Bread never rose and it was more like pumpkin bars. I wondered about no baking powder and only baking soda. All other pumpkin bread recipes have baking powder too. I don’t recommend this recipe

  21. 4 stars
    The second loaf I made, I added a third egg and 1/2 t easpoon of baking powder. Looked more like a loaf. It was not sugary sweet. I gave the second loaf to the neighbor the nurse working in the emergency room at the local hospital.

  22. 4 stars
    I made this recipe to the letter the first time and it came out perfect. This time I added a cup of chocolate chips and, after letting it rest for about an hour, I went to cut into it and it was completely gooey and unbaked in the middle! I guess the chocolate chips added too much moisture? The other recipe on this website the actually includes chocolate chips also lists baking time as 60 minutes at 350º so I’m not sure what went wrong. Putting it back in the oven to hopefully fix the problem…..

  23. 5 stars
    Just baked two loaves of this bread and they turned out beautifully, the taste is exceptional! Thank you for providing this recipe Maria!

  24. I made it today, the grandaughters came by, we had supper then bed time. Those little darlings snuck down during the night and ate half of the bread!!! It was SO good. I added some pecans also

  25. 5 stars
    So.. I was distracted while making this loaf and after it was in the oven, I was cleaning up and looked for the egg shells to throw away. Annnddd no shells. I forgot to add the eggs. So I freaked a bit but it was too late to add them so I baked as required and hoped for the best.
    Amazingly? The bread is perfect. Moist, spicy and not crumbly at all! So I guess it can be made eggless for those with egg allergies!

  26. I plan on trying this very soon. I try to wait until October 1st and instead, get in a lot of apple baking in September. This bread recipe might be too tempting.
    I made your blueberry banana bread this past week. I was able to get three small loaves for gifting from that one recipe. I almost always bake in smaller loaf pans so I can gift one and keep one. Given the flour amounts listed, I am guessing I might e able to get three loaves from the pumpkin recipe. I might just have to sprinkle the top with fall jimmies. I love putting sprinkles on whatever I can…adds a fun cheerfulness.
    Thanks for sharing!

    1. I try to wait until October, but I never can. I love pumpkin too much! I hope you love this bread. TI will have to try sprinkles next time:)

    1. Yes, a 9×5 pan will work too! Check it early, baking times vary with different pans and ovens! I am so glad you love the chocolate banana bread. This is a good one too!

  27. I can’t wait to bake this ….but I can’t find on the recipe how you prepare the pumpkin….do you steam it before hand !

  28. 5 stars
    This bread was delicious! I added 3/4 cup golden raisins tossed in the flour mixture so they would not sink and folded in 1 cup chopped walnuts. Was really moist and spices were just right.

    1. Oops, so sorry, this is like my 3rd or 4th time making this wonderful bread, I should know this. Thank you.

    1. You want to use pumpkin puree from the can which is 100% pure pumpkin and NOT pumpkin pie filling in a can that has added sugar.

  29. 5 stars
    I made your standard pumpkin bread, in a 9×9″ pan changing out the sugars for Truvia, as I cannot have sugar. Perfect! I usually do not like to rate something I make that I changed, but this was the only way I could have it and maybe I’ll have others who need to change out the sugars.
    I love your site and your recipes, so good!

  30. 5 stars
    This pumpkin bread is so delicious and makes the house smell amazing while it’s baking! I subbed Cup 4 Cup flour to make it gluten free and it worked great!