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My Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe is one of my absolute favorite fall desserts. I’ve been making variations of this bread for years and my family loves every single one! This version has a crunchy cinnamon sugar topping – it’s the perfect breakfast or snack during pumpkin season!
BEST Pumpkin Bread Recipe EVER
I will never forget the first time I had pumpkin bread: I was a kid, probably around 10 years old. Someone gifted us a version of bread baked in a jar and we were equal parts intrigued and delighted because it was so good.
After that taste I started making my own pumpkin bread every year and this is my favorite recipe! It’s soft and moist and perfectly spiced with pumpkin pie spices. I make all sorts of versions this recipe, but this classic pumpkin bread recipe is my favorite: it’s topped with cinnamon sugar. The crunchy topping is the perfect complement to the pumpkin flavor of the bread!
If you want a pumpkin recipe that’s not pumpkin pie make this bread!
Ingredients Needed
- Pumpkin: I love using LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
- Oil: Vegetable or canola, may substitute coconut (in liquid form)
- Eggs: Be sure to buy large eggs
- Sugar: This recipe uses both granulated sugar and packed brown sugar to keep the bread nice and moist.
- Baking Soda: This is what helps the bread rise, along with the buttermilk.
- Pumpkin Spices: I love the combo of spices – you can also substitute pumpkin pie spice.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk might sound like a strange ingredient, but I love it. I used it in my banana bread also – and it creates the perfect rise. Don’t have buttermilk? You can make your own – learn how to make buttermilk here.
- Flour: I always use all-purpose flour but you can also use 1:1 Gluten Free All Purpose.
How do you make pumpkin bread?
- Add your pumpkin, oil, eggs and sugar to a large bowl and stir. One bowl no mixer needed!
- Stir in the pumpkin pie spices, baking soda and salt.
- Add the buttermilk and flour then stir until thick.
- Place in pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
Variations
Once your ingredients are mixed you can decide if you want plain pumpkin bread or you can make pumpkin chocolate chip bread or add some other fun mix-ins. (I love adding chopped peanut butter cups!)
For this recipe, I mixed up some cinnamon sugar and topped the batter with it. It adds a nice crunchy top to the bread!
You could also make pumpkin nut bread or even add blueberries!
Tip From Dorothy
Expert Tips
- This recipe is SO easy because you don’t need a mixer! It’s a stir-and-bake recipe, so it gets into the oven quick. (It’s why I love making my pumpkin bread recipe with oil: it stirs up fast!)
- Do the toothpick trick in the crack of the bread to make sure the bread is done baking.
- Pan Size: You can use an 8×4-inch or 9×5-inch baking pan. It will dome more in the smaller pan and be a bit flatter in the larger pan.
- Why did my pumpkin bread fall? Chances are, your bread fell after baking because it wasn’t baked enough. Make sure you do the toothpick test in the crack of the bread and that only a few crumbs stick to the toothpick.
FAQ
You can use an 8×4 or 9×5-inch loaf pan for this bread, either one works.
For this recipe you may substitute 1:1 Gluten Free All Purpose Flour (i.e. Bobs Red Mill) in equal amount for the all purpose flour.
Store this loosely covered on the counter for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for 4 days.
Yes – freeze it well wrapped in plastic wrap or freeze slices in baggies for easy grab and go!
Don’t over bake it – that will dry it out. Using brown sugar in the batter will help, as will using the buttermilk to keep it nice and soft.
Easy Pumpkin Bread
Recipe Video
Ingredients
Bread:
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (79ml) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (244g) LIBBY'S® 100% Pumpkin Puree
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅓ cup (79ml) buttermilk
- 2 cups (248g) all-purpose flour
Topping:
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×5-inch or 8×4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
- Stir granulated sugar and brown sugar with oil and pumpkin. Stir in the eggs, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking soda. Stir until combined. Stir in buttermilk and flour.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Combine cinnamon and sugar for topping; sprinkle over bread.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes. If you want it totally done (no gooey center), test it by inserting a toothpick just partway into the top center of the bread. If this comes out clean, it’s done. If you like a gooier center, remove it when testing it with at toothpick that way comes out with a little stuck to the top.
- Cool before removing from pan. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze for up to one month.
This bread was delicious. The only thing I would do differently next time would be to add another 1/2 tsp of pumpkin spice and a little more sugar topping. So simple to make. My family enjoys it slightly toasted with butter in the morning. Will definitely make again and again.
The best
I was looking for a pumpkin bread recipe that didn’t have lots of oil. This was a great choice. It was easy and delicious.
This bread is so easy and turned out perfectly!
Years ago Libby had a recipe on the can of Pumpkin Bread! Even though you show some now, they are not the one you shared back then! It seems that there were four different spices including a 1/4 tsp of cloves! Please share that old recipe again on your can! None can ever compare with that favored recipe! Thank you….
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