Easy pumpkin bread recipe makes 2 loaves of moist homemade pumpkin bread. No mixer needed! This simple recipe includes directions for freezing the pumpkin bread and making your own pumpkin spice blend.
I love a good quick bread recipe! Zucchini bread, banana bread, I love them all!
This moist pumpkin bread recipe is so easy to make! It’s a one-bowl recipe that doesn’t require a mixer or any special ingredients or equipment.
And, most importantly, it tastes great! The pumpkin bread is moist without being greasy, and it’s nicely spiced. I like to serve thick slices of this pumpkin bread slathered with butter or spread with cream cheese for tasty fall treat.
How to make pumpkin bread
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make pumpkin bread. The full recipe with ingredients is given below.
I recommend mixing the bread by hand rather than using a mixer. It’s easy, and it helps to avoid overmixing the batter.
Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and oil together.
Step 2: Add the eggs and whisk in until combined.
Step 3: Whisk in the pumpkin puree until combined.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients and whisk in just until combined. Don’t overmix. Overmixing will give you dense or heavy loaves.
Step 5: Pour the batter into the prepared pans.
Step 6: Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Recipe Tips!
- Oil: A similar neutral oil like canola oil or olive oil can be used in place of the vegetable oil.
- Pumpkin purée: Be sure to buy pumpkin purée not pumpkin pie mix or pumpkin pie filling.
- Flour: To properly measure the flour, either weigh it or stir to break it up, lightly spoon into measuring cup, and then level.
- Mixing the batter: I recommend mixing the bread by hand rather than using an electric mixer or a stand mixer. This is an easy recipe to mix by hand, and mixing by hand helps to avoid overmixing the batter.
- Greasing the bread pans: I like to use a cooking spray with flour in it like Baker’s Joy.
Pumpkin bread variations
I recommend using up to 1 cup of add-ins. Stir them in after step 6, if using.
- Nuts: Chopped pecans or chopped walnuts work well. You can find my pumpkin nut bread recipe here.
- Chocolate chips: You can find my pumpkin chocolate chip bread recipe here.
- Other types of chips: You can change it up and use cinnamon chips, caramel chips, or white chocolate chips.
- Cinnamon sugar: Here you can find my recipe for cinnamon sugar pumpkin bread.
- Chocolate: I also have a recipe for chocolate marble pumpkin bread.
How to freeze pumpkin bread
Pumpkin bread freezes well, so if you don’t want to eat both loaves at once, you can freeze one for later.
Simply make the pumpkin bread as-directed. Once it has completely cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in a resealable freezer bag.
The bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw overnight in the fridge.
Storage
Any leftover pumpkin bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. It can also be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
More pumpkin recipes!
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Easy Pumpkin Bread
Equipment
- 2 8×4-inch loaf pan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 15 oz can pumpkin purée
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F. Grease and flour two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans.
- In a large bowl, whisk oil and sugar together. Mixture will look like wet sand.
- Whisk in eggs until well-combined.
- Add the pumpkin puree and whisk until well-combined.
- Whisk in the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until just combined. Overmixing the bread will cause it to be tough.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
- Bake for 40-60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Let the loaves cool in the pans for 10 minutes, and then remove to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Video
Notes
- Oil: Or a similar neutral oil like canola oil or olive oil.
- Pumpkin purée: Be sure to buy pumpkin purée not pumpkin pie mix or pumpkin pie filling.
- Flour: To properly measure the flour, either weigh it or stir to break it up, lightly spoon into measuring cup, and then level.
- Greasing the pans: I like to use a cooking spray with flour in it like Baker’s Joy.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Originally published 10/15/18.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Joyce Marie Plackey says
Absolutely LOVE this pumpkin bread! So easy to make and bake. I wanted to try this with GF flour for a friend. Will it work?
Kate says
I think so! I would recommend trying a 1:1 gluten free flour blend.
kar kuz says
i use every time i have a hankering for pumpkin bread. easy and delish
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you like it!
Michelle says
SO EASY AND SO DELICIOUS – THANK YOU!!!
Just one small note: #5 in the directions accidentally mentions “salt” twice
Kate says
Thanks so much! I’ll have to fix that!
Virginia says
I left a review last night, but I had to really come back to rate it. I give your recipe a 5* because it is wonderful. The texture is great although I left it in the oven a little longer. This is a very easy recipe to follow and it tastes great.
Thanks
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad that you liked it!
Chenney says
I’ve made this so many times since I found the recipe! Add a cup of chocolate cups for a dessert bread. Walnuts or pecans are fabulous too!
Kate says
Thank you! I like to add in nuts and/or chocolate chips, too! =)
Donna says
I have canned pumpkin pie mix – can I use this and just eliminate adding the spices?
Kate says
I would guess that that would work, but without having tried it, I can’t say for certain.
Bonnie says
Kate, I have been looking for my mom’s pumpkin bread recipe for about a dozen years. It somehow was lost and she is long past. Every Fall season I have a yearning for her pumpkin bread, and for her. But every recipe I tried – wasn’t her special taste and texture.
This is almost exactly her recipe.
I took my first bite and felt like I was a four year old once again, and she was near me wearing an apron and a somewhat drab dress. I was young and she was beautiful!
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Madison Nesbitt says
Loved it! I used self rising flour and added 1 1/2 table spoons of cinnamon and this is the best bread I’ve ever ate! My husband even thanked me and said he’s glad his wife can cook so well.
Kate says
Thank you! And thanks for sharing your tip about using the self-rising flour!
Virginia says
I just baked this delicious recipe with a few modifications. I used only one cup sugar, I used homemade pumpkin purée and I added coconut because I’m a coconut freek. It came out very good.
Thanks very much for the recipe. I’ll be making this pumpkin bread very often.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that it turned out well! I bet the coconut was a great addition to the bread!
Ivy says
I can’t believe how easy this was! It came together so fast, with minimal effort (and bowls!). It turned out fantastic. Most definitely making this again!
Kate says
Thanks! I’m so glad that you liked the pumpkin bread! =)
Cathy says
I made this and it was delicious.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad you liked it!
Feances says
Fave pumpkin bread recipe of all time. Whole family goes berserk over it. Thank you.
Kate says
You are so welcome! Thanks!
Cathy says
I made it yesterday, and it was delicious.
Kate says
Thanks! Glad you liked it!
Kat says
I only have one loaf pan, so I put all the batter in the one pan, and it’s turned out great both times I’ve done it. I also didn’t have baking soda until now, so I used more baking power w/ conversions. This time I’ll try it with the correct amount of baking powder and soda
Kate says
Thank you!
Mac Ward says
Hello, Can I make this into muffins? Would I just need to change the cooking time?
Kate says
Hi! I have a pumpkin muffin recipe. You can omit the chocolate chips if you prefer.
Vicki Swanson says
Everyone loved this bread better than any other I’ve made before! Great taste….
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad that you liked the bread! Thanks for commenting. =)
Isadora says
Unfortunately, I only have pumpkin pie mix. Should I wait until I can get pumpkin puree? What will happen if I were to use the pumpkin pie mix?
Kate says
The difficulty with using pumpkin pie mix is that it has already been sweetened and flavored, so it’s hard to know how much sugar/spice you would need to adjust in the recipe because of the sugar/spice in the mix.
Yvette says
Made this today came out perfect n delicious
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad! =)
Jamie says
This was my first time making any type of bread, and it turned out fantastic! Since it was just for my husband & me, I only made half of the recipe (1 loaf), and we both loved it–super tasty & cooked just right. He has bragged to so many people about how I make the best pumpkin bread, so thank you for helping me trick everyone into thinking I know what I’m doing :)
Kate says
Yay!!! That’s awesome! Thanks for coming back to comment! I love to hear things like this. =)
Kay says
I’ve made this twice so far (I even halved the recipe the first time I made it) and I love it so much. I would never have thought it was this easy to make amazing bread. Thank you! Trying it with walnuts mixed in next!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked the bread and that you found the recipe easy to make. =) Thanks for commenting!
Susie Cota says
This pumpkin bread is amazing with butter. The first time I made it, I was all out of pumpkin spice and substituted with ginger and cinnamon. It was delish. Definitely part of my Thanksgiving dinner this year. Thanks for sharing! ♡
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked the pumpkin bread. =)