This is the best pumpkin bread recipe and it's easy to make (no mixer required)! This pumpkin bread is dense & moist with a perfect crumb, loaded with fall spices and just the right amount of sweetness. Use fresh or canned pumpkin!
In a small bowl, mix together flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together pumpkin puree and melted butter.
Add brown sugar and granulated sugar and stir until combined and there are no lumps.
Add eggs and vanilla and stir to combine.
Add dry ingredients and stir until batter is smooth.
If desired, add mix-ins like chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, walnuts, etc. and stir until evenly distributed.
Pour batter in to prepared loaf pan and use a spatula to smooth out the top.
Bake in preheated oven for 60-65 minutes, or until a cake tested inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Let pumpkin bread cool in the loaf pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before removing it, or overnight.
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Notes
How to store pumpkin bread:
Store pumpkin bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Note: The crust gets softer after it has been chilled in the refrigerator.
FreezeFreeze either an entire loaf or individual slices by letting the pumpkin bread cool completely. Then, wrap the loaf/slices in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.Homemade Pumpkin Pie SpiceUse this recipe to make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice! Or, to make only 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice combine:
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cloves
½ tsp allspice
Ingredient Substitutions
Pumpkin puree. This recipe calls for 1 ½ cups of pumpkin puree, which equals one, 15 oz can of pumpkin puree. If you have fresh homemade puree, feel free to use that as well! Just be sure you have drained the water out of it so that it's thick and isn't runny.
Salted Butter. Unsalted butter, Coconut oil, canola oil or ghee can be used in place of butter with great results.
Brown Sugar. Both light and dark brown sugar work perfectly in this recipe. If you want a more molasses taste, use dark.
Granulated sugar. Any white granulated sugar works great in this recipe. I use organic cane sugar.
All-purpose flour. Bread flour and pastry flour also work well in this pumpkin bread recipe! You can use an all-purpose gluten-free baking flour for a gluten-free version as well.