I bought way too many cans of pumpkin puree last October. Like, embarrassingly too many.
I told myself I’d make pumpkin soup, pumpkin pancakes, maybe even a pumpkin curry if I was feeling brave. Instead, three cans sat in my pantry until January, staring at me every time I opened the cabinet.
So one lazy Sunday, I finally cracked one open and turned it into the softest, most fragrant loaf of bread I’ve made in years. My kitchen smelled like cinnamon and brown sugar for hours, and my husband kept wandering in asking when it would be ready.
That loaf became my go-to pumpkin puree bread recipe, and I’ve made it more times than I can count since then.
Side Note: If you’ve got extra pumpkin puree sitting around from a can or from roasting your own, this recipe is the easiest way to use it up without overthinking anything.
This bread is moist, dense in the best way, and packed with warm spices. It’s the kind of thing you slice thick, slather with butter, and eat standing up at the kitchen counter before anyone else notices it’s out of the oven.
What I love most about this recipe is how forgiving it is. You don’t need a stand mixer, you don’t need to babysit a rising dough, and you don’t need any fancy technique. It’s a one bowl, whisk it together, pour it in a pan kind of recipe. Even on my most exhausted weeknights, this is one I can throw together without checking a recipe card twice.
It also happens to make your entire house smell incredible while it bakes, which honestly might be my favorite part of the whole process.
Let’s get into it.
What You’ll Need
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) | 1 ½ cups |
| All-purpose flour | 1 ¾ cups |
| Granulated sugar | 1 cup |
| Light brown sugar, packed | ½ cup |
| Vegetable oil | ½ cup |
| Large eggs | 2 |
| Baking soda | 1 tsp |
| Baking powder | ¼ tsp |
| Salt | 1 tsp |
| Ground cinnamon | 1 tsp |
| Ground nutmeg | ½ tsp |
| Ground cloves | ¼ tsp |
| Ground ginger | ¼ tsp |
| Water | ¼ cup |
Optional mix-ins: ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, ½ cup chocolate chips, or ½ cup dried cranberries.
Read this also: Brown Sugar Bourbon Glazed Ham: The Easiest Christmas Showstopper
Tools You’ll Need
- 9×5 inch loaf pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wire cooling rack
Pro Tips
- Don’t overmix the batter. Once the dry ingredients hit the wet ones, stir just until you don’t see flour streaks anymore. Overmixing builds gluten, and that’s what turns a soft loaf into a tough, chewy one.
- Use real pumpkin puree, not pie filling. Pie filling already has sugar and spices mixed in, and it’ll throw off the whole recipe. Check the can label twice if you have to.
- Grease the pan generously. This batter is dense and a little sticky once baked, so a light spray isn’t going to cut it. Butter the pan and dust it with flour, or line it with parchment paper for an easy release.
- Test doneness with a toothpick in the center, not the edges. The edges will look done well before the middle is fully baked. Insert a toothpick right in the thickest part and pull it out clean before calling it finished.
- Let it cool before slicing. I know it’s tempting to cut into it right away, but pumpkin bread firms up as it cools. Slicing too early gives you a gummy middle even when the bread is fully baked.
- Room temperature eggs blend in smoother. Cold eggs straight from the fridge can make your batter look slightly curdled. Just set them out for 15 minutes before you start, or place them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes if you forget.
- Tent the top with foil if it’s browning too fast. Because this loaf bakes for close to an hour, the top can get darker than you’d like before the center finishes cooking. Loosely cover it with foil around the 35 minute mark to keep the crust from over-browning.
How to Make Pumpkin Puree Bread
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease your loaf pan.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. That’s your flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Set this aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients in your large bowl. Combine the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and water until smooth.
- Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Add it in two or three batches, stirring gently after each addition. Stop as soon as the flour disappears.
- Add your mix-ins, if you’re using them. Fold them in with just a few strokes so they’re evenly distributed.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top with your spatula.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes. Check at the 50 minute mark since ovens vary quite a bit. You’re looking for a toothpick that comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Substitutions and Variations
| Original | Swap | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Vegetable oil | Melted coconut oil or applesauce | Applesauce cuts fat but adds a touch more moisture |
| All-purpose flour | 1:1 gluten-free flour blend | Texture will be slightly denser |
| Granulated + brown sugar | Coconut sugar | Slightly less sweet, more caramel flavor |
| Eggs | Flax eggs (1 tbsp flax + 3 tbsp water per egg) | Works well for an egg-free version |
| Walnuts | Pumpkin seeds | Keeps the crunch, more on theme too |
You can also turn this into muffins instead of a loaf. Just divide the batter into a lined muffin tin and bake at 350°F for 18 to 22 minutes instead.
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Make Ahead Tips
You can mix the dry ingredients up to 3 days ahead and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. When you’re ready to bake, just whisk the wet ingredients and combine.
The full loaf also freezes beautifully once baked, so this is a great one to double and stash away for busy weeks.
I like to bake two loaves on a weekend, keep one out for the week, and tuck the other straight into the freezer. That way there’s always a slice ready whenever a craving hits, without having to pull out the mixing bowls again.
Storage and Reheating
Room temperature: Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Refrigerator: Store for up to 1 week, wrapped well so it doesn’t dry out.
Freezer: Wrap individual slices or the whole loaf in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm slices in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds.
To reheat a slice, a few seconds in the microwave brings back that fresh-baked softness almost instantly.
Nutritional Snapshot
Per slice, based on 12 slices per loaf, without mix-ins:
- Calories: approximately 210
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fat: 8g
- Protein: 3g
- Sugar: 18g
These numbers will shift depending on any substitutions or mix-ins you use.
Meal Pairing Suggestions
This bread works well for breakfast alongside a hot cup of coffee or spiced chai. It also makes a great afternoon snack with a smear of cream cheese or butter.
For a full fall-inspired spread, serve it next to a bowl of butternut squash soup or a warm apple cider.
If you’re hosting a brunch, slice it thin and set it out on a platter next to a fruit salad and some scrambled eggs. It also holds up well as a dessert if you warm a slice and add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
Side Note: Leftover slices make a surprisingly good French toast if you’re ever feeling adventurous. Dip them in an egg and milk mixture and pan fry until golden.
FAQs Related to Pumpkin Puree Bread
1. Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned puree?
Yes. Roast and blend fresh pumpkin until completely smooth, then strain out any excess water so your batter doesn’t turn out too wet.
2. Why did my pumpkin bread sink in the middle?
This usually happens from underbaking or opening the oven door too early. Give it the full bake time and resist peeking until close to the end.
3. Can I make this recipe into two smaller loaves instead of one large one?
Yes, just reduce the bake time to around 35 to 40 minutes and check with a toothpick starting at the 30 minute mark.
4. Is pumpkin puree the same as pumpkin pie filling?
No. Pumpkin puree is just cooked, mashed pumpkin with nothing added. Pie filling already contains sugar, spices, and sometimes condensed milk.
5. Can I reduce the sugar in this recipe?
You can cut the total sugar by about a quarter without majorly affecting the texture, though the loaf will be noticeably less sweet.
6. How do I know when the bread has cooled enough to slice?
Give it a full hour on the wire rack. The pan will still feel slightly warm on the bottom, but the loaf itself should feel closer to room temperature before you cut in.
7. Can I double this recipe?
Yes, this recipe doubles well. Just split the batter between two loaf pans instead of trying to bake one giant loaf, since a single pan won’t cook evenly with double the batter.
Conclusion
This pumpkin puree bread is one of those recipes that turns a random Sunday into something that smells like a whole season. It’s simple enough for a first attempt but good enough that people will ask for the recipe.
Give it a try this week, and let me know in the comments how your loaf turned out. I’d also love to hear if you added any fun mix-ins or spices of your own.