Pumpkin Bread
By Janet Homme · Updated November 4, 2026
Pumpkin bread is the first thing I bake when the weather turns. It fills the house with cinnamon and nutmeg, it keeps well all week, and it works as breakfast, an afternoon snack or a simple dessert with a cup of coffee. This version is moist and tender with a soft, even crumb and a lightly crisp, sugared top.
The best part is how little it asks of you. There is no mixer and no creaming butter and sugar. You whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another, fold them together and let the oven do the rest. If you can stir, you can make this loaf.
A single can of pumpkin puree goes into the batter, so there are no awkward leftovers sitting in the fridge. A mix of oil and melted butter gives you the best of both: oil keeps the bread moist for days and butter brings a rich, bakery flavor.
Below I walk you through each step, explain why the ingredients matter, and share how to tell when the loaf is perfectly baked so it never turns out gummy in the middle. Let us get a loaf in the oven.
Why you will love this
- No mixer needed: Two bowls and a whisk are all it takes, so cleanup is quick.
- Stays moist for days: Oil and pumpkin keep the crumb soft long after baking day.
- Warm, balanced spice: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and a pinch of cloves taste like fall without overpowering the pumpkin.
- Uses the whole can: One standard can of puree goes in, so nothing is wasted.
- Freezer friendly: Bake two loaves and freeze one for a busy morning later.
What you will need
Everything here is a pantry staple, and most of it is probably in your kitchen already. Measure the flour carefully, because too much flour is the most common reason a quick bread turns out dry.
- All purpose flour (1 3/4 cups): Spoon it into the cup and level it off rather than scooping straight from the bag, which packs in extra flour.
- Baking soda and baking powder: Baking soda reacts with the brown sugar and pumpkin for lift, and a little baking powder gives a more even rise and a rounded top.
- Pure pumpkin puree (one 15 ounce can): Look for cans labeled pure pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling already has sugar and spice added and will throw off the recipe.
- Oil and butter: Neutral oil keeps the loaf moist, and melted butter adds flavor. Let the butter cool a few minutes so it does not scramble the eggs.
- Brown and white sugar: Brown sugar adds a gentle caramel note and moisture, while white sugar keeps the crumb light.
- Warm spices: Cinnamon leads, with nutmeg, ginger and cloves in the background. Fresh spices make a real difference, so replace any jar that has lost its smell.
Equipment: A 9 by 5 inch loaf pan, parchment paper, two mixing bowls, a whisk, a rubber spatula and a wooden skewer or toothpick for testing.
How to make it, step by step
Step 1: Prepare the pan and oven
Heat the oven to 350F with a rack in the center. Grease the loaf pan, then line it with a strip of parchment that hangs over the two long sides. Those overhanging edges work as handles, so you can lift the baked loaf out cleanly without it sticking or breaking.
Set the eggs and milk on the counter while you measure everything else. Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly and help the bread rise evenly.
Step 2: Whisk the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Whisk for a good thirty seconds so the leaveners and spices are spread through the flour.
This simple step means you will not bite into a bitter pocket of baking soda later, and it lets you mix the batter less once everything is combined, which keeps the loaf tender.
Step 3: Whisk the wet ingredients
In a large bowl whisk the pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and glossy with no streaks of egg.
Break up any lumps of brown sugar as you go. The batter base should look like a thick, bright orange custard.
Step 4: Fold it together
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold gently with a spatula, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, just until no dry flour remains. A few small lumps are fine.
Stop as soon as the flour disappears. Overmixing develops gluten and gives you a tough, dense loaf with tunnels running through it. If you want to add nuts or chocolate chips, fold them in now with a few final strokes.
Step 5: Fill the pan and top
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the coarse sugar evenly over the surface if you are using it. It bakes into a sweet, crackly crust that contrasts beautifully with the soft crumb underneath.
Tap the pan on the counter once or twice to release any large air bubbles.
Step 6: Bake until just done
Bake for 55 to 65 minutes. The loaf is ready when the top is domed and springs back when pressed lightly, the edges are pulling away from the pan, and a skewer pushed into the very center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
If the top is browning faster than the inside is setting, lay a loose sheet of foil over the pan for the last fifteen minutes. A crack down the center is normal and a sign of a good rise.
Step 7: Cool before slicing
Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then use the parchment handles to lift it onto a wire rack. Let it cool completely, about an hour, before you slice it.
It is tempting to cut into it warm, but the crumb is still setting and will seem gummy. Patience gives you clean, even slices.
Tips for the best pumpkin bread
- Measure the flour by spooning: Packed flour is the number one cause of dry, crumbly quick bread.
- Check your baking soda: If it has been open more than six months, test a pinch in vinegar. It should fizz right away.
- Do not skip the cooling time: The loaf finishes setting as it cools, so slicing too early makes it look underbaked.
- Use a light colored metal pan: Dark or glass pans bake faster around the edges, so start checking about ten minutes early if that is what you have.
- Make it a day ahead: Pumpkin bread tastes even better the next day, once the spices have had time to settle into the crumb.
Easy variations
Once you have the basic loaf down, it is easy to change it up. Fold in 3/4 cup of semisweet chocolate chips for a family favorite, or a cup of toasted chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch. A swirl of cream cheese filling down the center turns it into something closer to dessert.
For muffins, divide the batter among 12 lined muffin cups and bake for 20 to 24 minutes. For a mini loaf pan, start checking at 35 minutes. You can also replace up to half of the flour with white whole wheat flour for a slightly heartier loaf.
If you prefer a little less sweetness, reduce the granulated sugar to 1/4 cup. The bread will be a touch less tender but still moist thanks to the pumpkin and oil.
Storage and freezing
Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. In a warm kitchen, keep it in the fridge after the second day and let slices come to room temperature before eating.
To freeze, wrap the whole loaf or individual slices in plastic and then foil, and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight on the counter, or warm a frozen slice in the toaster for a quick breakfast.
A slice warmed for a few seconds and spread with salted butter is hard to beat on a cold morning.
What to serve it with
- A smear of softened butter or whipped cream cheese
- A hot cup of coffee or chai
- Greek yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup for a fuller breakfast
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream for an easy fall dessert
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Roast or steam a small sugar pumpkin until very soft, puree it smooth, then let it drain in a fine sieve for 30 minutes. Fresh puree holds more water than canned, and draining it keeps the bread from turning heavy. You will need about 1 3/4 cups.
It is usually underbaked or sliced while still warm. Test the very center of the loaf with a skewer, bake a few minutes longer if you see wet batter, and always let it cool completely before cutting.
A loaf that sinks was often taken out too early or made with old leaveners. Opening the oven door often in the first half of baking can also cause it to fall, so wait until at least 45 minutes before checking.
Yes. Replace the butter with more oil and use any unsweetened plant milk in place of regular milk. The loaf will be just as moist with a slightly milder flavor.
Absolutely. Double every ingredient, divide the batter between two loaf pans and bake them side by side on the center rack. You will use two cans of pumpkin, and the second loaf freezes beautifully.
Pumpkin Bread
A moist, tender pumpkin bread warmly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, stirred together in two bowls with no mixer needed.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup neutral oil, such as canola
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon coarse sugar for the top (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350F and grease and line a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan with parchment.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices together in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl whisk the pumpkin, eggs, oil, melted butter, both sugars, milk and vanilla until smooth.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until no dry flour remains.
- Scrape the batter into the pan, smooth the top and sprinkle with coarse sugar if using.
- Bake 55 to 65 minutes, until a skewer in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pan 15 minutes, then lift out and cool completely on a rack before slicing.
Notes
- Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced.
- Oil keeps the loaf moist for days while the butter adds flavor, so use both if you can.
- Ovens vary, so start checking at 50 minutes and tent with foil if the top browns too fast.