This easy pumpkin bread recipe has a soft, moist crumb with a wonderful pumpkin flavor, spiced with warm cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. It’s quick to pull together (no mixer required!) with ingredients from your pantry, and it makes two loaves, which is perfect for sharing.
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The Best Pumpkin Bread Recipe
This pumpkin bread is a sweet bread or a dessert bread made with pumpkin puree, and it’s similar in consistency to banana bread but has all of the cozy flavors of Pumpkin Pie and smells just like Autumn. I honestly think it’s better than the famous Starbucks pumpkin bread.
Want to know a secret? This recipe is based on our popular Pumpkin Cake and easy Pumpkin Cupcakes. Several readers shared that they had converted the base to make pumpkin bread and added more spices to it, so I tested it and sure enough – it became an instant hit. We slather it with a bit of our irresistible Honey Butter for a delicious Fall-flavored snack, dessert, or even breakfast.
Pumpkin Bread Ingredients
It’s easy to whip up this delicious pumpkin bread with just a few pantry staples. No fancy equipment is needed, just a couple of mixing bowls and a whisk, and don’t forget the loaf pans! This makes two (8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″) loaves.
- Baking Staples – all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt give the pumpkin bread a soft crumb.
- Spices – cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and vanilla gives the pumpkin bread the fall smell and taste we love. We think it’s perfectly balanced, but for a more heavily spiced bread, add a tsp of pumpkin pie spice.
- Eggs – room temperature, this helps the bread rise in the oven
- Oil – use neutral extra light olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil
- Pumpkin puree – Double-check you are getting pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie mix. You can also use a well-drained homemade pumpkin puree.
- Optional Mix-Ins – add 1 cup of add-ins such as chocolate chips, nuts, dried cranberries, or chopped dates.
Pro Tip
Don’t swap the oil for butter here, because the oil is what helps keep that amazingly soft and moist crumb. It also stays softer after refrigeration with oil.
How to Make Pumpkin Bread
This recipe couldn’t be easier. Simply mix the dry ingredients, mix the wet ingredients, and then combine them and bake.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a second bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, oil, and eggs
- Combine and Bake: Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients, and then transfer to 2 buttered/ floured loaf pans, and bake.
Natashas Pro Tip
To get a light and airy crumb, be sure not to over-mix the batter, or else the bread could become tough. Mix until the ingredients are combined, but it’s okay to have a few lumps.
How to Serve Pumpkin Bread
This sweet bread pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee, warm with butter, but here are some fun ways to keep this pumpkin bread exciting:
- Homemade Honey Butter
- Salted butter with a shake of pumpkin pie spice
- Glaze (see Maple-Glazed Cinnamon Rolls)
- Almond butter or peanut butter
- Cream cheese or whipped cream cheese
Make-Ahead
Similar to our other fan-favorite quick bread recipes, like our Banana Bread, Cranberry Bread, Cornbread, and Zucchini Bread, this pumpkin bread keeps really well:
- To store: Cover the bread in an airtight container or with plastic wrap, and it will stay moist for 3-5 days on the counter or refrigerator.
- Freezing: Wrap the loaf or slices in plastic wrap and foil or in a freezer zip bag for up to 3 months.
- To thaw: Place loaf in the refrigerator overnight, or thaw at room temperature for a few hours then unwrap to serve.
This easy pumpkin bread recipe comes together quickly and tastes amazing. It makes two loaves—perfect for gifting or freezing. The moist crumb pairs nicely with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate in the fall and all year long. We know this will become one of your go-to treats.
Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda, sifted to eliminate lumps
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves, optional
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, optional
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup extra light olive oil, (or vegetable or corn oil)
- 15 oz pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Butter and lightly dust with flour, two 8 1/2"x4 1/2" bread pans.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, and 1/2 tsp salt.
- In a second medium mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: 3 room temp eggs, 1 cup oil, pumpkin puree and vanilla.
- Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients then whisk together until smooth. Divide evenly between 2 prepared bread pans and bake at 350˚F for 45-55 minutes*, or until a toothpick comes out clean (my oven took 50 min). Let cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to fully cool.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Our Top Pumpkin Recipes
If you love all things pumpkin during the cozy Fall months, try these next:
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Roll
- Easy Pumpkin Waffles
- Pull-Apart Pumpkin Bread
- Mini Pumpkin Pies
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Pumpkin Soup
- Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Oh my. I thought I had cransins but didn’t – so, I decided to chop dried apricots. DONTDO IT!
Even though I soaked the fruit before dusting with flour they remain too chewy. But- the bread was still lovely.
Can I add fresh cranberries to the pumpkin bread
Hi Barbara! I haven’t tested that. Some of my viewers have reported using dried cranberries and walnuts with good results. I think it could work to use fresh cranberries too. Toss them through some flour before to help them not sink.
Hi Natasha! I love your recipe and have used it several times over the last several months. My neighbor grew some “Sweet Meat” squashes and roasted and puréed one and gave it to me, so I used that instead of pumpkin. And it worked! I also added walnuts and chocolate chips. I gifted loaves to my surrounding neighbors. Everyone liked it. Thanks again!
Great to hear that it worked and that it was a huge hit!
I gave a couple slices to my mail lady and she requested that I make her a loaf for her retirement! 😊
Aww, that’s so nice of you! It sounds like she loved it!
Thank you for this recipe Natasha. I’ve made it quite a few times this holiday season and everyone enjoyed it.
A friend requested sweet potato bread. Would I simply replace the pumpkin with equal amounts of mashed sweet potatoes?
Thank you! 😊
Hi Amy! I haven’t tested sweet potato in this, but I think it can work. Let us know if you test it.
I halved this recipe from a leftover can of pumpkin–for the eggs, I used one full, and one white–and it was the SOFTEST, FLUFFIEST bread I’ve ever had 😍
Such an easy recipe. Moist and flavorful and it freezes well.
I’m so glad you love it, Tammy! I too love recipes that can freeze well.
I have given this fabulous pumpkin bread to almost every person on my gift list this year!! It is the best ever!! So moist and delicious!! Turns out great every time
Wow! I’m sure they appreciated it!
Delicious and very moist. I especially like it with walnuts
I’m happy you love it, Janean! Thank you for your kind review.
Can I sub monk fruit for sugar and if so do you know how much?
Hi Denise! I have not tested that, but one of my viewers reported using monk fruit sweetener as well as almond flour and had good results. I’m not sure how much she used.
Can I make this into muffins? How long would I bake them ?
Hi there! Yes, you can reference my Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe here.
Can I use brown sugar instead of (or replacing part of the) granulated sugar?
Hi Cathy! Yes, you can use brown sugar but it can make the bread slightly more dense and moist.
This was so easy and so delicious! Will definitely be making this again. I’d like to try adding a mashed banana. Should I take out some of the pumpkin purée or can I just add in the banana?
Hi Izzy, I haven’t tired that mix myself, but this is very smilar to banana bread, If you try it out, I’d love to know how you like it.
Omg, this pumpkin is soooo good….very light & moist it wowed everyone! Can’t wait to make again, thank you!
I’m happy that you enjoyed it!
Have made this so many times and it’s perfect each time. Even substitute 1:1 gluten free flour and it’s great!
That’s so wonderful, Adrienne!
Can I use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour. And brown sugar instead of regular sugar
Your recipes is easy and delicious.
Thank you.
Hi Leonora, I haven’t tried those substituiosn, but looking through my comments, I see people have tried substiuting for whole Wheat. Here’s what one of my readers wrote: “Other subs I made, white whole wheat flour for the all purpose and coconut sugar for the white sugar. Still turned out delicate and delicious!” I hope this helps.
This is my go-to pumpkin bread recipe! Everyone loves it. I have to bake the loaves for an hour to get them fully baked. I usually make the recipe as is, but I sometimes sub about 1/4-1/3c of the oil with extra pumpkin puree and it turns out great as well. Sometimes I’ll add chocolate chips, chopped pecans or chopped walnuts. And sometimes I swap the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice. Never disappoints…unless I don’t bake the loaves long enough.
Thank you for sharing that with us, Shannon! I’m so happy you loved this recipe.