This easy pumpkin bread recipe is my go-to quick bread in the fall. It’s the best with warm spices, a slightly sweet taste and always turns out soft, tender and moist.
I love pumpkin recipes this time of year including these pumpkin muffins with a cake mix, pumpkin spice cupcakes and this pumpkin roll!
Table of Contents
Easy Pumpkin Bread
The best pumpkin bread is moist, tender, and bursting with the warm flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It’s a classic seasonal recipe and has the perfect balance of sweetness with a tender crumb!
Even though we make easy quick bread recipes year-round including Banana Bread and zucchini bread, a slice of warm pumpkin bread is a favorite in the fall plus it will your kitchen with the most delightful aroma as it bakes.
Pumpkin Bread Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Pumpkin: You can either use canned pumpkin or make your own homemade pumpkin puree. If using canned, make sure to buy 100% pure pumpkin puree and not the pumpkin pie filling for the best pumpkin flavor.
- Oil: Using vegetable oil instead of butter creates a more moist and tender texture.
- Pumpkin spice: Gives the bread the perfect fall flavor. Buy it premade, or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice by mixing a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.
- Baking staples: Standard ingredients such as all-purpose flour, eggs, sugar, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
How to Make Pumpkin Bread
- Mix dry ingredients. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin spice in a medium-sized bowl.
- Mix wet ingredients. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin, eggs, sugar, vanilla, oil and water. Slowly add dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir just until combined.
- Bake. Pour the batter in a greased 9×5″ loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 60-65 minutes, or until a tooth pick comes out clean.
- Let cool. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes and then remove onto a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Tips and Variations
- Use the spoon and level technique to accurately measure the flour without a scale. Adding too much or too little flour can cause the bread to become dry or dense.
- Add in 1/2 cup chocolate chips for chocolate chip pumpkin bread, mashed bananas for pumpkin banana bread or a creamy cheesecake layer in the middle for pumpkin cream cheese bread. Walnuts or pecans add nice crunch!
- Line the loaf pan with parchment paper and leave about 2-3 inches of overhang on the sides for easy removal.
- Sprinkle a crumble topping on top of the batter right before baking or add a powdered sugar glaze or maple glaze after it has cooled.
Other fall recipes we love include this apple pull-apart bread, caramel apple monkey bread and my sweet cornbread.
More Pumpkin Recipes to Try
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Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5" loaf pan.
- Dry ingredients. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together 1 3/4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 Tablespoon pumpkin spice. Set aside.
- Wet ingredients. In a large bowl, mix together 1 cup pumpkin puree, 2 eggs, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 1/4 cup water.
- Combine. Slowly add flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix just until combined.
- Bake. Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool. Allow bread to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes and then remove onto a cooling rack. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
The top will be lightly browned and a toothpick should come out clean from the center of the loaf. If there is still batter on the toothpick, let the pumpkin bread bake for a few more minutes and then retest.
Yes, this recipe works great for pumpkin muffins too. Prepare batter as directed, then pour into muffin tins and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
It will stay fresh in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
Yes! Make sure it has cooled completely, then wrap in plastic wrap or foil. Place the wrapped loaf in a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. I like to add a freezer label on top with the name and date made, so that I know when to use the bread by. Thaw still wrapped overnight in the refrigerator.
Categorized as: American, Bread, Freezer-Friendly, Kid-Friendly, Nut-Free, Quick Bread, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
AT HOME MY HUSBAND MAKES 2 LOVE IT ALSO WITH NUTS.DELICIOUS TKS
I love this! So glad you all enjoy the pumpkin bread!
My kitchen smelled amazing ! Absolutely delicious pumpkin bread, i added the chocolate chips & it was perfect !
So glad you enjoyed it :)
Great pumpkin bread recipe – moist and delicious 😋
This comes out moist and tender! Loved it!
I’m so glad you loved it!
My husband and daughter gobbled this up so quick! They loved this! I will definitely be making this again!
This couldn’t look any more perfect!
I’d love my slice with a pat of butter, too!
What a great way to start my day; I will definitely be making this over the weekend! Looks delicious!