This is my family’s favorite pumpkin bread recipe. Incredibly soft, moist, and full of pumpkin flavor. It never lasts long.
We tested this easy homemade pumpkin bread multiple times to get just the right texture. Melted butter adds richness, brown sugar adds caramel flavor, and pumpkin puree keeps every slice perfectly moist.
No mixer required. All you need is a bowl and a whisk, and the result is comparable to bread from a bakery or coffee shop. Serve the thick slices plain, warm with a little butter, or slathered with my favorite, honey butter.
main ingredients
Pumpkin: Use pure pumpkin puree for this bread. 365 from Libby’s or Whole Foods are reliable store-bought options. If you can roast pumpkin, you can make your own pumpkin puree. Introducing the recipe for pumpkin puree. Butter: I use unsalted butter and add salt to the dough. If you have salted butter, you may need to reduce the amount of salt (see tips below the recipe). Eggs: Add structure and moisture. Just like the pumpkin chocolate chip bread, I use 3 eggs. Vanilla: I love the combination of vanilla and pumpkin spice, so this quick bread is loaded with vanilla. Sugar: Use both granulated and brown sugar for the best flavor and texture. Flour: All-purpose flour is best. Baking powder and baking soda: Both are needed to give this bread a good thickness. When measuring, keep the teaspoon horizontal to add the correct amount. Pumpkin spice and salt: I use a homemade pumpkin spice blend that calls for cinnamon, ginger, and cloves (plus optional allspice and nutmeg). You can also use your favorite commercially available jars.
See the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to make the best pumpkin bread
Tip 1: Use melted butter. This pumpkin bread is best served with melted butter. It also goes great with spices and pumpkin. I’m being generous so I use 10 tablespoons (I know!), but trust me, I use 10 tablespoons. Once you try this bread, you’ll understand why. I also use melted butter in my favorite banana bread, and I think it adds the best flavor, just like in this fall-inspired quick bread.
Tip 2: Mix the dough by hand. Make the dough for this pumpkin bread just like you would make muffins or apple bread. Whisk the dry ingredients until well mixed (it is very important to mix the baking powder and soda into the flour). Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Finally, use a spatula to mix the two ingredients (wet and dry) together.
Tip 3: Butter and flour your loaf pan. You can also use parchment paper, but it often folds back towards the bread during baking, and you don’t want to get in the way of the high domed top. So I ditch that and instead do it the old fashioned way, buttering the pan and dusting it with flour.
Spread butter (or spray) on the bottom and sides of the loaf pan, making sure to cover the edges. Add a generous spoonful of flour and tilt the pan to evenly coat the inside. Finally, tap off any excess flour to create a thin, even layer to prevent the bread from sticking.
Tip 4: Bake at 350°F. The bread rises nicely at 350°F, doesn’t burn too much on the outside, and stays soft and moist in the center. I bake my bread in a 9×5-inch pan with an 8-cup capacity, and I recommend you do the same. Smaller loaf pans may have problems with overflowing batter.
See more of my favorite pumpkin recipes
our favorite pumpkin bread
preparation
15 minutes
cook
60 minutes
total
1 hour 15 minutes
My family loves this pumpkin bread recipe and will be making it every fall from now on. It’s soft, moist, spiced, and packed with real pumpkin flavor.
1 loaf makes 10 slices
will be needed
10 tablespoons (140g) unsalted butter, melted
2 cups all-purpose flour (scoop and flatten with a spoon) (260g)
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt, reduce to 3/4 teaspoon if salt sensitive
2 teaspoons pumpkin spice (see Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice)
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (150g) light brown sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla essence
3 large eggs
1 can (15 oz) of 100% pure pumpkin like Libby’s or 1 3/4 cups (425 g) of homemade pumpkin puree
direction
1Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Place butter and flour in a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan (8-cup capacity). Place the baking sheet in the oven.
2Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin spice until evenly mixed.
3Mix wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and melted butter. If you see large lumps of brown sugar, break them up. Next, add the eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin puree and mix until smooth and well combined.
4Combine: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three additions. Stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until no streaks of flour are visible.
5Bake: Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth top. Bake the bread for 55-70 minutes, gently rotating the bread after 40 minutes to ensure even baking. Pumpkin bread is very moist, so test a few spots with a toothpick toward the end of baking. If it comes out wet, leave it for another 5-10 minutes.
6Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove the bread and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely before slicing.
Adam and Joan’s Tips
Storage: Store pumpkin bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. It can be refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, wrap whole bread or individual slices in plastic wrap and seal in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature, then warm slices in the oven or toaster before serving. Salted Butter: If you have salted butter, reduce the salt to 1/2 teaspoon fine salt. The nutritional information listed is an estimate.
Nutritional information per serving
Serving size
1 out of 10
/
calorie
368
/
total fat
13.4g
/
saturated fat
7.8g
/
cholesterol
86.3mg
/
sodium
358.4mg
/
carbohydrates
58.4g
/
dietary fiber
2g
/
Total sugar content
36.2g
/
protein
5.1g
author:
We are Adam and Joan. We are a couple who have been cooking since 2009 and have a passion for sharing delicious and trusted recipes. What is our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and cook fresh, flavorful meals with confidence.
