This one comes out cozy-spiced, tender, and moist, with a texture not too fluffy or too dense. It’s simple to whip up: one bowl, no special equipment; just dump and stir! Top it with a sweet maple glaze to take it over the top. It’s the quick bread to make in fall!
Pumpkin puree: Use canned or homemade; the most consistent brand we’ve found is Libby’s (we’re not affiliated). Eggs: These bind the bread together. For egg-free, go to our Vegan Pumpkin Bread. Granulated sugar: You can substitute the solid sweetener of your choice; we don’t recommend using maple syrup here. Neutral oil: Oil makes a moister quick bread than butter; it also allows the recipe to be made in a bowl with no stand mixer. Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice (or ginger, allspice, and nutmeg): Individual spices make the boldest flavor, but you can also use pumpkin pie spice. All purpose flour: You can substitute up to ¼ of the flour with whole wheat flour. For a gluten-free option, go to our Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread.
Use an aluminum baking pan for best results (9 x 5-inch). Ceramic and glass pans don’t cook as evenly. This recipe is optimized for a 9 x 5 inch pan, but also works in a 8 x 4 inch pan. Don’t overmix. Overmixing a quick bread can lead to holes in the texture of the crumb. Let it cool fully before serving. This bread has an even more developed flavor once it is fully cooled: eating it after 2 hours is ideal.
Using maple glaze adds a pop of maple-forward flavor. It’s easy to find at the grocery store and it’s worth buying. However, the glaze tastes delicious without it! Butter is helpful for storage. One advantage of the maple glaze is that the butter helps to make for a more solidified glaze that holds up better over time. Use our even simpler variations. You can also use this 1-Minute Powdered Sugar Icing or Vanilla Glaze for topping.
Chocolate chips: Fold in 1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips before baking; go to Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread. Nuts: Top the bread with ⅓ cup chopped pecans or walnuts. Toast the pecans or walnuts to bring out the flavor. Cream cheese frosting: Top with a half recipe of this Cream Cheese Frosting. Drizzle: Drizzle this bread with Powdered Sugar Icing. Banana: Make Pumpkin Banana Bread instead.
Stores at room temperature for 4 days, wrapped tightly in aluminum foil. Stores refrigerated for 10 days. Cold temperatures can make it taste dryer, so bring to room temperature before serving. Stores frozen for up to 3 months. Slice the bread and freeze it in slices for up to 3 months.
Try classics like pumpkin cookies, pumpkin muffins, or pumpkin cake. Mix up pumpkin bread pudding, pumpkin pudding, or pumpkin ice cream. Start the day with pumpkin French toast, pumpkin baked oatmeal, or pumpkin pancakes. Go savory with pumpkin chili or pumpkin risotto.
5 from 6 reviews
3 eggs 1 cup pumpkin puree 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar ¾ cup neutral oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 tablespoon cinnamon 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon allspice, and ½ teaspoon nutmeg) ¾ teaspoon kosher salt 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 ½ cups [210 g] all-purpose flour
For the glaze (optional*)
½ cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon melted butter 2 tablespoons maple syrup 1 pinch salt 3 drops maple extract (optional) 1 tablespoon milk, plus more if needed
