The BEST Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe
A family recipe, this Easy Pumpkin Bread is soft, sweet, and perfectly spiced. Made with healthy fats and lower in sugar than most pumpkin bread recipes, it’s easy to make for the perfect fall breakfast, snack, or dessert!
The BEST Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Originally my grandma’s recipe, this pumpkin bread is the best in the world! It’s a bold statement, but it’s true. Not even the Starbucks version can compete.
For as long as I can remember my grandma has made this bread for friends and family at every holiday. Needless to say, it’s well-known in her neighborhood and a favorite treat for our whole family.
It’s been handed down to my mom and now to me! Admittedly, I’ve made a few tweaks over the years, reducing the amount of sugar and using real oil to make it a little healthier. But I promise it’s every bit as delicious as the original. Even my mom’s discerning, all-knowing pumpkin bread palate approves!
Ingredients
Below is an overview of the ingredients and instructions for this healthy pumpkin bread recipe. Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details!
- Flour – All-purpose flour forms the base of the bread, but you can substitute a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour if you need this recipe to be gluten-free.
- Sugar – I use regular granulated sugar, but monk fruit sweetener will also work if you want to keep your bread sugar-free.
- Baking Soda – This helps the bread rise!
- Spices – Ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt add extra warmth. Feel free to substitute pumpkin pie spice if preferred.
- Pumpkin Puree – This creates the bold pumpkin flavor we love. Make sure to use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling!
- Eggs – These act as binders, helping the bread hold its shape.
- Neutral Oil – Light olive oil, avocado oil, or melted refined coconut oil all work well. Canola oil or vegetable oil will also work.
- Mix-Ins – Feel free to include chocolate chips, chopped pecans, or walnuts for extra flavor.
- Streusel Topping – Combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cold butter in a bowl to create a crumbly streusel-like topping.
How to Make This Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe
- Prepare. Preheat your oven, and generously grease seven small loaf pans or two large loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray. The smaller loaves make for great gifts!
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, and spices.
- Whisk the wet ingredients. In a second medium-sized bowl, whisk the pumpkin, eggs, oil, and water until smooth.
- Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients, and gently mix just until a smooth batter forms. Fold in any mix-ins, distributing them evenly.
- Transfer. Pour the batter into the prepared pans, and sprinkle the streusel on top, if using.
- Bake. Transfer the pans to the oven, and bake until the bread has risen and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool. Allow your homemade pumpkin bread loaves to cool in the pan slightly. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Common Questions
Wrapped with plastic wrap and transferred to a sealable bag, leftover pumpkin bread will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 4 or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Yes! Allow the bread to cool completely. Then, wrap the bread with plastic wrap, transfer it to a sealable bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to eat.
Sure! Prepare the batter as usual, then scoop it into greased muffin pans, filling each cavity ⅔ of the way full. Just be sure to keep a close eye on the oven, and adjust the baking time as needed.
More Quick Bread Recipes
The BEST Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
- 3 1/3 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup neutral oil (see notes)
- 2/3 cup water
- Optional Mix Ins – chocolate chips, chopped pecans, walnuts
- Optional Streusel Topping (see notes)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Generously spray 7- small (6″x3″) loaf pans or 2 large (9″x5″) loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.3 1/3 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, and water until combined.15 ounce can pumpkin puree, 4 eggs, 1 cup neutral oil, 2/3 cup water
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix until a smooth batter forms. If desired, gently mix in the chocolate chips or nuts.Optional Mix Ins – chocolate chips, chopped pecans, walnuts
- Pour the batter evenly into the greased pans. If desired, add the optional streusel topping.Optional Streusel Topping (see notes)
- Bake the smaller loaves for 40 minutes and the larger loaves for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Allow the loaves to cool for 20-30 minutes in the pans then remove and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Wrap the cooled loaves in plastic wrap and place in a Ziploc bag to store in the fridge for up to 1 week or store at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Video
Notes
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
Nutrition
Did you enjoy this Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe? We’d love it if you left a rating and review to let us know, and don’t forget to tag us in your recreations on Instagram!
This is our favorite pumpkin bread recipe with or without the streusel topping!
Sounds amazing! It would be perfect for our #InheritanceRecipes, feel free to submit.
Thanks Margot for the invite to share this wonderful recipe 🙂
Delicious! Sammi, you definitely did the right thing cutting the sugar to 2 cups. I probably would “healthify” it even further by cutting it back another 1/4 to 1/2 cup, but then, I’m pretty hard core! 😀 And I’m with you on the vegetable oil. That stuff is deadly. I sometimes use an organic cold-pressed canola, but non-organic canola is bad. And I’m not afraid of organic butter!
Is there anything better than organic butter? YUMMO! I hope you enjoy this recipe, Jean 🙂 Let me know if you think it is sweet enough with less sugar. Fall blessings!
You know how much I love family recipes, Sammi, and I really like how you have adapted this one to make it healthier. Your Grandma’s Pumpkin Bread looks so delicious and I love how versatile it is as well. Thank you for sharing with us at the Hearth and Soul Link Party!
April, we are cut from the same cloth 🙂 I agree, family recipes are incredibly special. Thanks for stopping by and for the kind words.
Yum – that sounds amazing! 🙂 Thank you for sharing with us at the #HomeMattersParty
Thanks for sharing your grandmother’s pumpkin bread recipe at Snickerdoodle. It looks delicious. Pinning.
This looks absolutely amazing!! Thanks for sharing at Sunday Fitness & Food…Pinned 🙂
Oh, yum! This recipe looks amazing. I think I will try it this weekend. Pinned and sharing! Thanks for sharing on Family Joy Blog Link-Up Party this week. Hope you will join us again on Sunday at 12 EST!
Can I just tell you how much I love this recipe?!? I made it using coconut oil and it is amazing. My new favorite for sure. Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂
This looks amazing!
Thanks, Crystal! I hope you are able to enjoy this sweet bread during these crisp fall days 🙂
I love recipes that get passed down!
How clever of you to bring it up to date without altering the flavor!
Great recipe
Thanks
Michelle
I like to think I am clever, Michelle. lol Thank you for the kind words! I know my grandmother would be proud of this slightly “healthified” recipe just as much as her original. Blessings to you!
Your special family recipe looks so good and moist! I’ve pinned it, tweeted it and printed it so I can try it with my family. Thanks for sharing!
Oh you are too sweet, Teresa! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I am so excited for you to try this recipe!! Happy Fall!
I love pumpkin bread, this looks amazing! My grandmother makes some great treats, hopefully she will hand them down to me and I’ll try to do them justice!
This looks so good, Sammi. And of course the old recipes are always the best ones. Thanks for sharing!
I couldn’t agree more, JoAnne! Old recipes can’t be beat. I hope you enjoy this one 🙂 Take care!
I do love pumpkin. Could I slather some cream cheese frosting on top or does that turn it into cake?
Is cream cheese ever a bad idea? #never 😉 You can definitely frost this bread, it is super versatile and lends well to additions. Enjoy!!
I’m pretty sure pumpkin bread is my love language! This looks delicious 🙂 and I agree, I would have reduced the sugar too- 3 cups is a LOT!
Is there anything better in the fall?? Or anytime of the year? 😉 Seeing as pumpkin bread is your language, I know you will love this recipe! Thanks for stopping by, Bethany 🙂
I’d never even heard of pumpkin bread until I moved to California last year and now I love it… even though I think I’ve only had the Starbucks variety. I love that your recipe’s been handed down from your grandmother 🙂
Kat!! What?? I am SO glad you have had pumpkin bread now. Goodness, would I even be who I am today without pumpkin bread?? I just don’t know. 😉 If you love the Starbucks version, you will LOVE this recipe. Thanks for stopping by and leaving your sweet comment. Happy Fall!
I know, it’s diabolical! I guess I just wasn’t frequenting the right Sydney cafes 🙂