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
Hi Natasha
Love your recipes. Can I use apple sauce instead of oil for the pumpkin bread?
Hi Sherri! I know it’s used as a popular substitute for oil in most recipes but I have not tested it myself for this one to know how it affects the texture. If you do, I’d suggest starting out substituting just half the amount of oil before the full amount. The oil provides good texture and moisture in this recipe.
I used half oil and half apple sauce and it was great. (I also added 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and 1 teaspoon vanilla)
Hey! I was just wondering, is it okay if I add a teaspoon of ground nutmeg and cloves or will that mess it up?
Hi Faiza, nutmeg and cloves have a fairly strong flavor. I would advise starting with 1/4 teaspoon of each and then going up from there if you still feel it isn’t enough.
Sounds good! Also can I use the 16 serving slice recipe to make one loaf or does it have to be two separate loafs?
You can experiment with different size pans. If you’re using one pan, be sure find one that fits the batter well so that you don’t over fill your pan. You’ll need to adjust the baking time as needed.
Thank you for this recipe! I Can I ask why a room temp egg?? I keep eggs in fridge. Curious how a room temp egg changes the receipe.
Hi Dianne. Using room temperature eggs helps your ingredients combine more cohesively.
I reduced the oil to ⅔ cup, & added 1 tsp vanilla & 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice. These turned out great & will make nice holiday gifts. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
I also greatly enjoyed reading your cookbook, the accessible style & clear directions make it useful even for beginning cooks 🙂
Thank you so much, Trish!
This is a fantastic recipe! I did add 1/2 tsp nutmeg like my mom used to do. I find myself searching more and more for your recipes and just ordered your cookbook.
Thank you so much, Tammy for ordering the cookbook. I appreciate it greatly!
Can this recipe be doubled? Have you actually tried it?
I love this recipe and made it multiple times last year!
Now friends are asking if I will make it again and I need to streamline the process! 🙂
Thank you!
Yes it can be. Just be sure to use a bowl large enough to be able to incorporate all of the ingredients well without over mixing the batter.
I made these with 1 cup of maple syrup instead of sugar and a little less oil (to compensate for the liquid sweetener) and I did 24 muffins for 20 minutes at 350 and they turned out perfect!! I’ve made the loaves before exactly following the recipe and they are soooo good!! So I decided to try to make them into muffins and they were great! Thanks for the recipe 🎃
Hi Kati! Thank you so much for sharing that. So glad you loved the recipe.
Hi! Would this recipe still work in mini pans for Christmas gifts?
Yes, it should. You’ll have to watch them in the oven since they will bake faster.
OMG SOOO GOOD! I used a bunt cake pan, checking it last 5 min for the clean toothpick test. I set it in a pot with ice to cool quickly and left it in for a few hours covered. Is that a tip? Idk?? But it was the best bread I ever made. THANK YOU!!!!
Hi JJ! That’s great. Thanks for sharing. So glad you loved it.
This recipe was so good. The texture was soft and light. Simply perfect.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Eva!
Great recipe! I like things extra spicy, and my wife likes things crunchy, so I added a little pumpkin spice and a handful of chopped pecans, and it turned out really excellent. Thank you!
Sounds great! Those are good additions to the recipe, thanks for sharing.
For gifts, I would like to use the small disposable aluminum pans that measure 6x3x2. How long would it take to back in these smaller pans?
Hi Nancy! Without testing it myself, I can’t give the exact instructions. You’ll need to watch them in the oven for doneness.
Love this! So easy and turned out delicious, moist, and slices beautifully. Made it with duck eggs instead of chicken and avocado oil plus raw cane sugar.
Great to hear that the substitions that you used worked well!
Made this bread last week and was quite surprised at how moist it was. We ate one and froze one for Christmas. Highly recommend.
Hi Sharon! That’s wonderful. So glad it was enjoyed.
I love this pumpkin bread! You are right, it is easy and I like that it used a whole can of pumpkin. My husband loves it as to the grands and I’ve given it to and made it for many friends. Thanks. I enjoy your recipes.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Kathy!
Hi I 1/2d the recipe. It came out amazing! Thank you for an easy recipe🩷
Hi Julie, I’m so happy you loved the pumpkin bread. Thank you for the lovely review.
This was okay. I followed the recipe exactly. The flavor was good but it had a very delicate texture. So delicate, in fact, it was hard to pick up without it falling apart. I would have preferred something a bit “sturdier.” Too much oil in my opinion. I brought the two loaves to Thanksgiving dinner and ended up bringing a loaf and a half back home as leftovers.
HI Steve, you definitely want to let it cool to room temperature first or it will be more likely to fall apart.
Hi, if I add a teaspoon of homemade pumpkin spice, should I reduce the 2 tsp cinnamon in the original recipe? Thank you.
Hi Jay! I think that would work fine to reduce it.
Just moved into an apartment and one of the places that I visited had a sale on canned pumpkin.
I used this recipe as a baseline guide but had to sub the sugar for 1/2 cup of honey and the olive oil for coconut oil.
This was an absolute BANGER for Thanksgiving!
Congratulations on the new apartment Myk! I hope you’re settling nicely for the holiday. Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipe review, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Happy Thanksgiving.
Hi Natasha, if I add a teaspoon of homemade pumpkin pie spice, can I add either chocolate chips or nuts and raisins too or don’t these go well with a spicy cake? Thank you. 🙂
I Joseph! I think either one of those would compliment it great!
Oooh thank you so much for your prompt reply. I thought chocolate can’t be mixed with cinnamon or allspice. Yesterday I pureed my first ever baked pumpkin and toasted its seeds following your recipe as in my country we don’t get tinned pumpkins. So thank you for that as I’ve been wanting to bake a pumpkin bread since forever. I really enjoyed doing it. Now the pumpkin puree is in the freezer waiting to be turned into this delicious cake. Also, thank you so much for giving us metric weights in grams. I really appreciate it! 🙂