Warm your kitchen with the aroma of pumpkin spice by baking this healthy pumpkin bread, ideal for cool, cozy fall days.
Pumpkin Bread
This healthy pumpkin bread recipe is to make, made with homemade or canned pumpkin, topped with pepitas. So good!. Oh how I just love October, and all things cozy, warm and pumpkin! It’s also my birthday month so it’s extra special to me. If you want to go all out, top it with some Pumpkin Spiced Cream Cheese and serve it with a pumpkin spice latte if you want to go all out! If you have bananas, try this Pumpkin Banana Bread and if you prefer muffins, give these Pumpkin Nut Muffins a try!
Why This Pumpkin Bread Works
My daughter Madison is the biggest pumpkin bread lover in my home, so I love to make this for her for after school snacks. Here’s a few reasons to love this pumpkin bread recipe:
- Lighter – Most recipes use a ton of butter or oil, this recipe uses just a touch of oil.
- Easy – No fancy tools needed, just a hand mixer and a loaf pan.
- Cheaper than Starbucks! This whole bread will cost you about the same as buying a slice from the popular coffee chain. And I’m always looking for ways to save money.
- Make Ahead: Make it ahead for the week for the kids, and refrigerate or freeze it.
Ingredients
- Pumpkin Puree: Homemade or canned pumpkin puree will work.
- Flour: You’ll need unbleached all-purpose flour.
- Baking Soda helps the bread rise.
- Spices: Pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg
- Salt balances the sweetness and improves the texture.
- Oil: I used vegetable oil, but use whatever oil you have.
- Egg: You’ll need the egg whites from two large eggs.
- Vanilla Extract for flavor
- Pepitas: Sprinkle pepitas on top of the loaf.
How to Make Pumpkin Bread
Here’s the step-by-step instructions but see exact recipe in the recipe card below.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9-x-5-inch loaf pan with baking spray.
- Dry Ingredients: Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Wet Ingredients: Beat the oil, egg whites, pumpkin puree, and vanilla in a large bowl at medium speed until thick. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Combine: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and blend at low speed, ensuring you don’t over-mix.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the pan, top with pepitas, and bake on the center rack for 50 to 55 minutes. Check that it’s ready by inserting a toothpick in the center of the loaf.
- Serving: Let the pumpkin bread cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Variations
- What can I use instead of pumpkin puree in bread? If you can’t find canned pumpkin, make homemade pumpkin puree or you can even use pureed butternut squash.
- Nuts: If you don’t have pepitas, omit them or substitute walnuts or pecans.
- Spices: If you’re out of pumpkin pie spice but have the individual spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice), use them instead. I’d try ¾ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ginger, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp cloves, and ¼ tsp allspice to get two teaspoons.
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread: Mix ¾ cups of semisweet chocolate chips into the batter and omit pepitas.
- Pumpkin Muffins: Pour the batter into a muffin and bake for 22 to 30 minutes at 350°F. Check that they’re done with a toothpick.
How to Serve Pumpkin Bread
This moist bread is perfect to enjoy any time of day. It’s delicious toasted with some pumpkin butter for breakfast or as a snack or dessert with pumpkin cream cheese. For even more pumpkin flavor, pair it with a pumpkin-spiced latte. Mmm!
FAQS
Does pumpkin bread have any health benefits?
My recipe has only 103 calories and 19 grams of carbohydrates per slice. Plus, each serving contains a little protein and fiber. Pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, and since it’s low in calories, it gives the bread moisture without adding saturated fat. Of course, all things in moderation.
Why did my pumpkin bread come out gummy?
- Measure Precisely: A can of pumpkin has a little less than two cups of pumpkin, so don’t just throw the whole can into the batter. The bread could be gummy if you add too much or incorrectly measure the flour.
- Bake Longer: If your bread is gummy in the middle, you may need to bake it longer. Double check that it’s ready by using a toothpick inserted in the center.
Should I refrigerate pumpkin bread?
This easy pumpkin bread recipe is great for breakfast all week. It can stay at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days and then be refrigerated for the rest of the week.
Does homemade pumpkin bread freeze well?
If you want to freeze bread, slice it, wrap it in foil or plastic wrap, and store the pieces in a zip-locked bag in the freezer for up to three months. To eat, thaw it in the fridge or microwave straight from frozen until warm.
More Pumpkin Recipes
I have so many pumpkin recipes on my website, here’s a few you will love:
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
- No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Roll Cake
- Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal Cups
Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree, homemade pumpkin puree or canned
- 1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, or coconut oil
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- baking spray
- 2 tablespoons pepitas
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with baking spray.
- Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, pumpkin spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt with a wire whisk. Set aside.
- Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl mix oil, egg whites, pumpkin puree and vanilla; beat at medium speed until thick. Scrape down sides of the bowl.
- Add flour mixture (dry ingredients), then blend at low speed until just combined. Do not over mix.
- Pour batter into loaf pan, top with pepitas and bake on the center rack for 50-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the pan cool at least 20 minutes, bread should be room temperature before slicing.
