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You don’t need a mixer to make a delicious pumpkin bread. Grab two bowls, a whisk, and a spatula, and we’ll have it mixed in 15 minutes. This Best Pumpkin Bread Recipe bakes for about an hour and makes one loaf of moist pumpkin bread. The hardest part is waiting for it to finish.
I learned to make this pumpkin bread in third grade. Our church girls group baked it every year for our annual fall bake sale, a church fundraiser, in the kitchen of the old church on Lemon Street. All of our moms were in there, along with some of the elderly ladies from church. That room smelled like fall, pumpkin, and spice.
It’s the same recipe my mom kept making. I swapped a few ingredients just to improve the texture a bit. It’s the recipe we pull out and bake all fall season long. My daughter and granddaughter love baking a gluten-free version. If you’ve never made a quick bread before, this is the one I’d start you on.
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- Church bake sale recipe. This is the loaf our girls’ group sold every fall, and it hasn’t changed since.
- Moist with gentle spice. The cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice come through without taking over, and the light brown sugar keeps the loaf moist.
- No mixer needed. All you need is a bowl, a whisk, and a spatula.
- Freezes well. Wrap the whole loaf or freeze single slices for up to 3 months.
- Easy to make gluten-free. We bake it with King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour in place of the all-purpose flour, the same amount.
Moist Pumpkin Bread Ingredients
The most important part of putting together the dry ingredients is measuring the flour. Spoon the flour into the dry measuring cup. This keeps the flour in the right proportion to the wet ingredients, so the bread doesn’t turn out dry.
- Baking powder and baking soda: You need both. They work together to lift the loaf, so don’t skip one or swap one for the other.
- Salt: It keeps the sweetness in check so the spices stand out.
- Spices: Pumpkin pie spice builds the flavor, and a little extra cinnamon rounds it out.
- Canned pumpkin: Buy plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The filling is already sweetened and spiced, which throws off the loaf.
- White and light brown sugar: I like using both. The white sugar keeps the sweetness clean and the structure lighter, and the brown sugar adds moisture and a hint of caramel without taking over.
- Eggs: Set them out ahead of time so they’re at room temperature. They mix into the batter more evenly.
- Vegetable or canola oil: Either one works. Use whichever you have.
- Milk vs Water: I recommend milk. Some pumpkin bread recipes use water, but milk gives a softer, more tender crumb.
- Vanilla extract: It rounds out the pumpkin and spice.
How to Make Easy Pumpkin Bread
Step 1 | Preheat and Prep the Pan
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a loaf pan with baking spray, or grease it with butter and flour.
Step 2 | Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
Step 3 | Combine the Wet Ingredients
In another large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla extract.
Step 4 | Add Wet to Dry
Slowly add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir with a spatula, mixing just until combined.
Step 5 | Bake
Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 50 to 65 minutes, depending on your oven. Start checking the center with a toothpick at 50 minutes. The bread is done when the toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs.
Step 6 | Cool
Let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Moist Pumpkin Bread Recipe Variations
One of the best things about this recipe is how easy it is to make it your own! Here are some of my favorite ways to switch things up.
- Add some crunch. Fold in ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans for a little texture in every bite. We used nuts in the original church recipe.
- Make it chocolatey. Stir in a cup of chocolate chips for a sweeter twist that the kids will especially love.
- Mix in some fruit. Dried cranberries or raisins add a nice chewy texture and a pop of color throughout the loaf.
- Go for a swirl. Add a sweetened cream cheese mixture and swirl it through the batter before baking for a pumpkin cream cheese bread.
- Top it with streusel. A simple cinnamon streusel topping sprinkled over the batter before baking adds a little crunch and extra sweetness to every slice.
How to Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
We love making this bread gluten-free for my granddaughter, and we bake it with King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour in place of the all-purpose flour in the same amount. The gluten-free loaf is just as good as the regular one.
Check the label on your baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and canned pumpkin too, since brands vary. If you or someone you’re serving has celiac disease, check every label carefully before you start, because formulations change without notice.
Recipe Tips
- Check at 50 minutes. Ovens vary, so start testing with a toothpick at 50 minutes. It should come out mostly clean with a few crumbs.
- Stir just until combined. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry until everything is moistened, then stop. Overmixing can make the loaf tough.
- Prep the pan well. Spray the loaf pan with baking spray, or grease it with butter and flour, so the bread slides out easily.
- Cool it in stages. Let the loaf sit in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before you slice it.
How to Serve The Recipe for Pumpkin Bread
Slice it while it’s still warm and spread on softened butter or cinnamon honey butter, and let it melt right into the bread. A smear of cream cheese is great too, if you want that classic pumpkin and cream cheese pairing.
For breakfast, a slice goes well with your morning coffee or tea. For dessert, warm a slice slightly and top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Easy Pumpkin Bread Storage
Storage: Wrap the pumpkin bread tightly in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container or Ziploc bag, or double wrap it in foil. It keeps at room temperature for 3 to 4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Freezing Easy Pumpkin Bread
Freeze: Pumpkin bread freezes really well, for up to 3 months. Wrap the whole loaf in plastic wrap, then foil, and place it in a freezer bag. To freeze slices, wrap each one, or groups of 2 or 3, so you can thaw just what you need, and store them all in the same freezer bag. Date and label the bag. (I love these freezer labels!)
Thaw and Reheat: Thaw the loaf or slices in the refrigerator if you can, for best results. To warm a frozen slice, microwave it for about 20 seconds.
Other Delicious Recipes to Try
- Best Banana Bread
- Salted Dark Chocolate and Orange Cookies
- Easy Carrot Cake with Whipped Cream Icing
- Pecan Chewy Cake
- Apple Butter Cheesecake Tart
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Simple Pumpkin Bread Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1⅔ cups flour - spooned into a measuring cup
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs - room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees. Lightly spray a loaf pan with baking spray or butter and flour pan.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice
- Combine wet ingredients. In another large bowl whisk together pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla extract.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Slowly add the pumpkin mixture to the flour ingredients and stir together with a spatula until combined.
- Bake: Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 50 to 65 minutes, depending on your oven. Check the center with a toothpick at 50 minutes. The wooden pick should come out clean mostly clean with a few crumbs when done.
- Cool: Let cool in pan for about 10 minutes and then turn out to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Store at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
- Place in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
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Nutrition
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
This is the best pumpkin bread I have ever tasted! Love it and so did everyone else. The lower amount of oil is a plus for me. It is so amazingly moist and heavy. This one is a keeper.
Thank you, Miss Pat! I am so glad you enjoyed this. We started making this when I was a little girl with my church as a fundraiser.
Pumpkin bread is one of my favorite fall indulgences! This recipe was spot on, great spices and flavors, balanced and so moist!
I love a good pumpkin bread. You are making me want to run to the kitchen and start baking!
It so easy to whip on on a whim! Thank you so much Carlee! XOXO