This easy pumpkin bread recipe has a soft, moist crumb with a wonderful pumpkin flavor and spiced with warm cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. It’s quick to pull together with ingredients from your pantry, and it makes two loaves, which is perfect for sharing.
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Similar to our other fan-favorite quick bread recipes, like our Banana Bread, Cranberry Bread, and Zucchini Bread, this pumpkin bread keeps really well, but we’d be surprised if it went uneaten long enough to store because it’s that good.
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.
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.
This is a favorite, fail-proof recipe. So, these are just some of the reasons we love it:
- Perfectly spiced Fall flavor and moist crumb
- A short list of ingredients
- 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
- Fast prep in just 10 minutes
- Customizable. Check out our tips for making this recipe into chocolate chip pumpkin bread—yum!
Variations
Besides the amazing texture and taste, the best part of this pumpkin bread recipe is that it is customizable. Just like the famous Starbucks pumpkin bread recipe, you could also top the bread with pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or mix about a cup of extras into the batter. Try some of these additions and toppings:
- Chocolate chips – semisweet or milk chocolate
- Raisins – white or brown
- Cranberries – dried, fresh, or frozen
- Nuts – chopped pecans, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, or hazelnuts
- Streusel topping like in our Berry Crumb Cake
- Spices – substitute the spices with pumpkin pie spice
- Vanilla – 1 teaspoon added to the wet ingredients
- Maple glaze from our Cinnamon Roll recipe after the bread cools
Ingredients for Pumpkin Bread
It’s easy to whip up this delicious pumpkin bread with just a few pantry staples, so there’s no need to wait. Let’s get cooking! (I mean baking!).
- Flour – all-purpose give this easy quick bread recipe a great crumb
- Sugar – sweetens the bread and holds moisture. Mix into the dry ingredients.
- Baking soda and baking powder – the leavening agent in most quick breads.
- Spices – cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg 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.
- Salt – balances the sweetness
- Eggs – room temperature, this helps the bread rise in the oven
- Oil – use extra light olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil so the flavor won’t overpower the bread.
- Pumpkin puree – Double-check you are getting pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie mix. If using homemade pumpkin puree, be sure it is well-drained so the bread isn’t too wet.
- Optional additions – Vanilla is one of our favorite optional additions (as in the photo below). It’s not in our original recipe, but you can add a tsp to the batter if you’d like, and you can find more of our favorite additions, like chocolate chips, nuts, or pumpkin pie spice above.
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.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
- In a second bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, oil, and eggs
- Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients, and then transfer to 2 buttered/ floured loaf pans, and bake.
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.
Common Questions
We’ve used both homemade pumpkin puree and canned puree for this recipe. You can use any brand of pumpkin puree, but just be sure it’s not pumpkin pie mix (it has additional seasoning). We’ve also tried Libby’s and organic canned puree with great results.
You can use a single loaf pan and cut the recipe in half and bake as directed.
This pumpkin bread recipe works great in any metal, glass or stone loaf pan, but the bake time may change. To check if the bread is done, insert a clean toothpick into the center, if it comes out clean, then the bread is done. If it becomes too brown on the top before the middle is cooked, tent the pan with foil.
You can use a larger pan such as a bundt pan, but check the bread as it bakes since the baking time will change.
How to Serve Pumpkin Bread
This sweet bread pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee, but we’ve also been known to heat it up for a few seconds in the microwave and top with:
- Homemade Honey Butter
- Salted butter with a shake of pumpkin pie spice
- Cream cheese
- Almond butter
Make-Ahead
- To store: Cover the bread in an airtight container or with plastic wrap, then it will stay moist for 3-5 days on the counter or refrigerator.
- Freezing: Wrap 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.
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
Pumpkin Bread Recipe
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
- 1/2 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
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 1/2 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, and pumpkin puree.
- 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
Can I add walnuts or pecans to this recipe? If so, how much do you recommend? Thanks!
Hi Jennifer. Yes, you can. Add to your preference just be watchful to not overwhelm the batter and weigh it down too much.
Hi Natasha. Would it be okay to use 1/2 oil and 1/2 unsweetened applesauce? I’m afraid a whole cup of oil would not end well for my waistline if you know what I mean. I do try to keep calories down where I can.
Hi Wendy, i haven’t tried that, but here’s what one of my readers wrote: “I did 1/2 the oil and used 1/2 cup of applesauce to further reduce calories- moist, delicious and perfect!!!” I hope that helps.
I have Celiac Disease, so I made this gluten free.
It is wonderful!
Moist and delicious.
I will definitely make this again!!
Great to hear that it worked and you loved it!
Did you just substitute Gf 1:1 flour, or did you add anything else?
This pumpkin bread recipe is amazing! Super quick to put together and came out super delicious. I only had one bread pan so I used an 8×8 pan for the rest and it worked perfectly. Definitely recommended!
That’s just awesome – I’m so glad it worked out in a 8×8! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Kaelin!
I have glass bread pans. I’ve heard tell glass usually takes a lot longer to bake with. Would the bake time change drastically given the kind of pans I’m using? Also, could coconut oil be used to substitute for the olive oil?
Hi Mel! Check out this article from King Arthur Baking about the differences of baking in metal, glass, or stone. I hope that helps. Coconut oil should be fine to use if you prefer that.
I assumed this recipe was for standard size loaf pans (I have 3, all different brands but the same size and significantly larger than the size of the pan noted in the recipe). My bad, I should have measured my pans, but suggest you add a note in the recipe about this being for smaller than standard size pans. Perhaps intended for the disposable aluminum pans?
Hi Valerie, step #1 mentions the exact size pan we use: “”Preheat oven to 350˚F. Butter and lightly dust with flour, two 8 1/2″x4 1/2″ bread pans.”
It shows vanilla extract in the picture but doesn’t have it listed in Ingredients or instruction. How much do you use?
Hi Teresa, sorry about that – the vanilla extract was not supposed to be in the photo – it’s not necessary for the recipe but you could add a teaspoon of vanilla to the liquid ingredients if you want to and it will only make it better.
Finally a pumpkin recipe with out pumpkin spice.We all loved it your the best💕
Thanks, Miriam. Great to hear that you loved it!
My sister makes this all the time and I love it. And so does my dad. He takes it to work when ever he leaves, of course if we have it ready.
Hi Lily! That’s great. I’m glad the recipe is enjoyed.
Hello! I was wondering if it would be okay to use almond flour instead of all-purpose flour?
Hi Shari, I have not personally tried making a GF version of this but someone else in the comments shared this. ” for those wondering if you can make this gluten-free, I swapped the flour out for a paleo flour blend of tapioca flour, almond flour, and coconut flour. Cup for cup. I also reduced the sugar to 3/4 cup and used maple sugar instead of white. I added 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice and reduced the cinnamon to 1 tsp. I think adding just a dash/pinch of salt next time will enhance the flavors even more, but overall it turned out great!”
I reduced the amount of sugar in the recipe by about 50%. And for that I use almost all brown sugar. And I add a little clove also. Both of these enhance the taste.
Thank you for sharing, Pat!
This bread recipe is so quick and easy to make. I added the following ingredients to your recipe and it was out of this world good…1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 tsp. of cloves, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp salt and 1 cup of thinly diced apples.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Deb! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
OMG – this is absolutely DELICIOUS! I am making another batch this weekend because the first two loaves are GONE (a lucky few of my students and my friends LOVED it!). I am sharing this recipe with everyone because it is just unreal how EASY it is and turns out this great! Thanks so much!!
You’re very welcome, Lisa! So glad you love the recipe.
Great recipe! I just added a little pumpkin pie spice and it was perfect. Thanks for the recipe.
So glad you loved it, Judy!
Can I use stevia sugar as substitute? If so how much should I use?
My family is diabetic…
I baked it following this recipe. Fantastic pumpkin bread❤️😍!
Thanks, LF
Hi Lisa, I haven’t tried using stevia to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes!
This is easy and fabulous!! I did 1/2 the oil and used 1/2 cup of applesauce to further reduce calories- moist, delicious and perfect!!!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Denise! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I have just made this bread and it’s amazing. Thanks the fabulous recipe
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Marimar!
This recipe was a bit bland and not sweet enough. I might try again with a little more sugar and more spice- perhaps some nutmeg and cloves.
HI Laurie, we are baking the same thing tonight and putting some of the batter into mini loaf pans. You can definitely make it sweeter – we prefer our dessert not overly sweet – and add more spice if desired.
Thank you for the recipe, I have been experimenting with different recipes. Why I didn’t go to you first is beyond me. I am offering a pumpkin bread for a $25.00 donation. I am putting together Christmas care packages for 21 clients who are in a drug in a (work with a poor community) rehabilitation home.
The cost for 21 care packages is $500. Can you believe that?
Again, thank you.
Hi Rose! You’re very welcome! Great work, that’s amazing.
My 11 year old made this today. We used butter instead of oil. It’s good but pretty bland. Will definitely add more spices and a little salt next time to kick the flavor up a notch.