Best Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Name: Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 2 large eggs; 1 ¼ cup pumpkin puree (264 g); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2/3 cup mild-flavored oil ((melted butter, melted ghee, melted coconut oil, or avocado oil)); 1 tablespoon milk (water, or orange juice); 1 cup brown sugar (139g); ½ cup organic cane sugar (112 g); 1 teaspoon double acting baking powder; 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice; ½ teaspoon ginger powder; 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt; 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour or King Arthur GF Measure for Measure; 2 cups max of optional mix-ins; ¾ cup all-purpose flour or King Arthur GF Measure for Measure flour; ¼ cup white sugar (45 g); ¼ cup brown sugar (33g); 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice; Pinch of salt; ¼ cup melted salted butter or dairy-free butter

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This classic pumpkin bread recipe is really easy, incredibly delicious, and even comes with a decadent streusel option!

01 Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe

02 Pumpkin Bread Ingredients

03 How to make pumpkin bread?

04 Classic Pumpkin Bread Tips and Tricks

05 Pumpkin Bread Frequently Asked Questions

a loaf of pumpkin bread on a cutting board next to a knife

Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe

If there’s one thing I love, it’s the flavors of fall …specifically pumpkin spice! It’s just so warming, so delicious — my very favorite. This recipe was developed and created by Brittany Angell, our go-to baking queen. Recipes like this are in her wheelhouse, and we are so excited to be working with her! This recipe is top-notch (whether or not you top it with the streusel). Get creative and make it your own with mix-ins or keep it as is — either way is absolutely delicious.

Pumpkin Bread Ingredients

You’ll need a handful of ingredients for the pumpkin bread itself, and, if you choose, several ingredients for the optional streusel. Here’s the whole list:

all of the ingredients for classic pumpkin bread in different sized bowls on a marble surface

For the Pumpkin Bread

Eggs – to start, you’ll need 2 large eggs.
Pumpkin Puree – in addition to the eggs, you’ll also need 1¼ cup of pumpkin puree. Be sure that the pumpkin puree you buy is pure pumpkin, and not pumpkin pie “filling.”
Vanilla Extract – 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract adds delicious flavor to the bread.
Oil, Butter, or Ghee – you’ll also need ⅔ cup of either melted butter, melted ghee, melted coconut oil (all of which have completely cooled to room temperature so they don’t cook the eggs in the mixing bowl!), or avocado oil.
Milk, Water, or Orange Juice – to add some moisture to the batter, you’ll need 1 tablespoon of milk, water or orange juice.
Brown Sugar – 1 cup of brown sugar adds a really delicious, caramel-y sweetness to the bread.
Cane Sugar – a ½ cup of organic cane sugar will further sweeten the pumpkin bread.
Baking Powder – 1 teaspoon of double acting baking powder will head into the dry mix too.
Pumpkin Pie Spice – 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice adds a ton of really yummy, pumpkin-y flavor!
Ginger Powder – a ½ teaspoon of ginger powder gives the bread a nice hint of spice.
Salt – as with all baked goods, salt is a must! 1 teaspoon of pink himalayan salt works best for this recipe.
Flour – you’ll need 1½ cups of all-purpose flour (or King Arthur’s gluten-free all-purpose if you’re GF) too.
Mix-Ins (optional) – the bread is great with just the ingredients above, but if you’d like to kick things up a notch, feel free to use up to 2 cups max of mix-ins. Chocolate chips, chopped pecans, chopped walnuts, minced candied ginger, dried cranberries, and pumpkin seeds would all be delicious.

For the Streusel

Flour – the first thing you’ll need for the streusel is ¾ cup of all-purpose flour (or King Arthur’s gluten-free all-purpose).
White Sugar – a ¼ cup of white sugar goes into the streusel also.
Brown Sugar – a ¼ cup of brown sugar deepens the flavor of the streusel.
Pumpkin Pie Spice – to add a punch of that classic fall flavor, you’ll need 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
Salt – a pinch of salt will counter the sweetness just a tad.
Melted Butter – a ¼ cup of melted salted butter holds the crumble together a bit.

How to make pumpkin bread?

You’ve got your ingredients, and now it’s time to get to baking! Here’s how you’ll bring this classic pumpkin loaf together:

Preheat the oven + line the loaf pan – first, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
Make the streusel (optional) – if you’re making the streusel, you’ll want to get that done first. To do that, mix together the flour, sugar, salt and pumpkin spice in a small bowl. Then, pour in the butter, and stir with a fork until clumps form. Set aside.
Make the batter – combine all of the wet ingredients in a large bowl and mix. Once mixed, add the sugars, baking powder, spices, salt and all purpose flour to the bowl, and mix just until the batter is smooth. If adding any flavor mix-ins, stir them in.
Bake – pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and top with the streusel (if using). Cover the loaf pan with tinfoil for the first 15 minutes of baking, and then bake an additional hour uncovered, for a total of 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.

a bowl of pumpkin bread streusel ingredients

pumpkin bread batter in a large mixing bowl

a loaf of pumpkin bread (unbaked) in a parchment paper lined loaf pan

a loaf of pumpkin bread in a parchment paper lined loaf pan

Classic Pumpkin Bread Tips and Tricks

To make sure that your bread turns out perfectly, follow these tips and tricks straight from the baking queen (Brittany) herself:

Use the right pan – for best results, use an 8.5×4.5 loaf pan OR a 9×5 loaf pan. THIS is the pan we use most often.
Use exact measurements – to ensure that all measurements are as exact as possible, use the gram (weight) measurements rather than the cup (volume) measurements.
Add more ginger – if you’d like a little bit more of a kick, use 1 teaspoon of ginger rather than a ½ teaspoon.
Use the right sugar – for the best results, use organic cane sugar in the pumpkin bread.
Use the right amount of salt – if you’re using table salt rather than Himalayan Pink Salt, decrease the amount to a ½ teaspoon.
Use any cup for cup flour blend – any gluten-free cup for cup flour blend should work as long as the gram measurements are used.
Make it dairy-free – to make this recipe dairy-free, use dairy-free butter for the streusel.

Strawberry shortcake - Vanilla sheet cake topped with whipped cream and strawberries on parchment paper on a marble slab.

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Pumpkin Bread Frequently Asked Questions

Q How long does simple pumpkin bread take to make?

The process is actually pretty quick! The actual hands-on time shouldn’t be any longer than about 15 minutes (the amount of time it takes you to measure and mix). The bread will bake in the oven for 50 minutes max.

Q Why did my simple pumpkin bread recipe not rise?

We asked Brittany, the baking expert, and her answer was so helpful. She notes that if you followed the recipe exactly but your pumpkin bread still didn’t rise, it could be that your batter sat out for too long before being popped into the oven. Baking powder begins to activate as soon as it comes into contact with liquid, so if your batter was fully mixed and sat out for a little while, the baking powder may have done its thing in the mixing bowl rather than the oven.

Q Why is my best pumpkin bread dry?

The most likely cause of your pumpkin bread being too dry is if you used too much flour — this is why Brittany recommends using gram measurements when baking. Using gram measurements (vs. cup measurements) ensures that you have the EXACT right amount of flour.

Q Why does my pumpkin bread sink in the middle?

This could be for a similar reason as the pumpkin bread not rising issue. Essentially, the leavening agent (baking powder, in this case) wasn’t able to do its job (cause the bread to rise). This could be because your baking powder has expired or, again, your fully mixed batter sat for too long before baking.

Q Why does my easy pumpkin bread recipe crack on top?

This is actually really normal (and to be expected with most quick breads), so don’t be alarmed if/when your recipe cracks on top! The reasoning here is because the loaf partially bakes and sets before the interior is done, and as the loaf rises, it breaks the top. If it really bothers you, though, top your bread with the streusel so that the cracked top is hidden!

Q How do you know when pumpkin bread is done?

Your pumpkin bread will be ready to come out of the oven when a toothpick stuck into the bread comes out cleanly!

Q What goes with a classic pumpkin bread recipe?

Enjoy a slice of pumpkin bread next to a glass of hot tea or coffee for a really warm and cozy experience. I also love enjoying a slice of pumpkin bread next to my normal savory breakfast (eggs and sausage). Crumbling a piece over a bowl of yogurt is also an excellent idea!

Q How long does pumpkin bread last?

For best results, store your bread in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days!

Q Can you ever freeze pumpkin bread?

You can! Slice your already-baked pumpkin bread, layer the pieces in parchment paper (so they don’t stick to each other), and freeze. When you’re ready for more pumpkin bread, thaw one piece at a time, if desired. You’ll want to enjoy your frozen pumpkin bread within about 3 months of freezing.