This Classic Pumpkin Bread is easy to make, perfectly spiced, and full of pumpkin flavor. You can enjoy this bread plain, add chocolate chips, or nuts!

A loaf of pumpkin bread sliced and laying out on a marble serving tray.

I’ve made it my goal to share as many classic recipes as possible with you this year. While I love fun desserts, you just can’t beat a classic. So today I’m sharing another favorite recipe of mine that is perfect for fall – this easy pumpkin bread!

One thing that I love about this bread is how simple it is to throw together. All you have to do is mix up your dry ingredients, then the wet ingredients, combine them, pour it into a pan, and bake it. This bread also stays incredibly moist for days, no dry pumpkin bread anywhere in sight!

Another great thing about this bread is that it’s incredibly versatile because you can add your favorite mix-ins. I love this bread plain, but it’s also delicious with some chopped nuts or even chocolate chips. My grandmother loves to chop up orange slice candies and add them to hers. It may sound strange, but it’s actually pretty delicious!

The ingredients needed to make pumpkin bread displayed in bowls and sitting on top of a rustic gray surface.

Recipe Ingredients

This pumpkin bread recipe uses simple pantry staples that you probably already have on hand. Let’s discuss each one:

  • All-Purpose Flour: The flour provides the structure for your bread. One important thing – make sure to spoon and level your flour. Too much flour can lead to a super dense loaf of bread.
  • Spices: I’ve tested this bread multiple ways and found that a blend of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves pair best with the pumpkin. 
  • Baking Powder, Baking Soda, & Salt: The baking powder and soda help the bread rise nice and tall while the salt enhances all of the flavors.
  • Pumpkin: The most important ingredient in this recipe! As always, make sure that you use pumpkin puree. The only ingredient in pumpkin puree will be pumpkin. 
  • Sugar: There’s a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar in this recipe. I typically use light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar works just fine too.
  • Oil: While the pumpkin does add moisture to this bread, there’s also some oil in it to help ensure that it stays moist. You can use either canola, vegetable, or melted coconut oil.
  • Buttermilk: This is my secret ingredient! The buttermilk adds moisture and helps to create a soft, tender bread.
  • Eggs & Vanilla: A couple of eggs help bind everything together and the vanilla adds additional flavor.
The wet ingredients mixed together in a glass mixing bowl.
The finished batter mixed together in a glass mixing bowl.

How To Make Pumpkin Bread

To make this bread, start by preheating your oven to 350°F (177°C) and preparing a 9×5 loaf pan. You can just spray your pan well with nonstick cooking spray, but I also like to line the pan with some parchment paper. Not only does it make it easier to clean the pan, but it’s also incredibly simple to lift the bread out of the pan too. You can see how I do this in the pictures below.

Then, whisk together your flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, sugar, oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla until fully combined.

Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix the two together. It’s best to only mix the two together until just combined, you may see a few lumps in your batter but this is okay! 

The batter being poured into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper.
An overhead view of pumpkin bread batter in a loaf pan.

Next, pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread it out into one even layer. Then, pop it into the oven and let it bake for about 50 to 60 minutes.

You will know the bread is done once a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. If your bread starts to brown too much before it’s finished baking, you can place a piece of foil over it until it’s done.

I also recommend letting the bread cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then use the overhang from the parchment paper to lift the bread out of the pan and remove it. It’s best to let this bread cool completely on a wire rack before slicing into it too.

A loaf of pumpkin bread cooling on a marble serving tray with cinnamon in a bowl in the background.

Recipe Variations

While this moist pumpkin bread is delicious just the way it is, there are a few ways that you can change it up:

  • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread: Add 1 cup (190 grams) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips to the batter.
  • Pumpkin Nut Bread: Add 3/4 cup (90 grams) of chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter.
  • Glazed Pumpkin Bread: Try the maple cinnamon glaze from my baked pumpkin donuts or the vanilla glaze from my pumpkin bundt cake on top of this bread. I do recommend letting the bread cool completely before you add a glaze.
  • Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread: It’s similar to this recipe, but with a few adjustments and a decadent cream cheese layer in the middle!

Storing & Freezing Instructions

You can store this bread in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. If you need to store it a day or two longer, then I recommend refrigerating it.

To freeze the whole loaf: I recommend wrapping it very tightly with plastic wrap and storing it in a large freezer bag or storage container. To thaw it, simply place it on the counter a few hours ahead of time and let it come to room temperature.

To freeze the slices: Wrap the slices tightly with plastic wrap and store them in a freezer bag. To thaw the slices, you can set them on the counter and let them come to room temperature or unwrap them and heat them in the microwave in 20 to 30 second increments until warmed through.

An overhead view of pumpkin bread that has been sliced showing the texture of the bread.

Baking Tips

  • To make it easier to remove your bread from the pan, I suggest lining it with some parchment paper. 
  • If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, you can use my homemade buttermilk here. My homemade substitute will make 1 cup, but you can scale it down to make less for this recipe.
  • When measuring your flour, make sure to use the spoon and level method. 
  • Be sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling for this pumpkin bread. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and has spices added to it.
  • If you love spices, feel free to increase the amount just a bit!
  • It’s best to mix your wet and dry ingredients together until just combined. Over mixing the batter can create a denser loaf of bread.

Video Tutorial

A loaf of pumpkin bread that has been sliced on a marble serving tray.

Pumpkin Bread

4.93 from 14 ratings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
This Classic Pumpkin Bread is easy to make, perfectly spiced, and full of pumpkin flavor. You can enjoy this bread plain, add chocolate chips, or nuts!
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Ingredients

Servings: 1 loaf
  • 1 and 2/3 cup (210 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 and 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup (250 grams) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) oil
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray, line the pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until well combined. Set aside. 
  • In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract until fully combined. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix them together until just combined.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it around into one even layer. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If needed, cover loosely with foil to prevent excess browning on top of the bread.
  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then carefully remove the bread from the pan using the overhang from the parchment paper, and return to the wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Storing Instructions: Bread may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. If you need to store it a day or two longer, then I recommend refrigerating it.
To freeze the whole loaf: Wrap the loaf tightly with plastic wrap and store it in a large freezer bag or storage container. To thaw it, place it on the counter a few hours ahead of time and let it come to room temperature.
To freeze individual slices: Wrap the slices tightly with plastic wrap and store them in a freezer bag. To thaw the slices, set them on the counter and let them come to room temperature or unwrap them and heat them in the microwave in 20 to 30 second increments until warmed through.
Pumpkin: Make sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling in this bread. 
Oil: Canola, vegetable, or melted coconut oil all work well in this bread. If you're using melted coconut oil, make sure that your other ingredients are at room temperature so it doesn't solidify when you mix everything together.
Buttermilk: If you don't have any buttermilk on hand, you can use my homemade buttermilk substitute here.
To add chocolate chips: Mix 1 cup (190 grams) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips into the batter.
To add nuts: Mix 3/4 cup (90 grams) of chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter.
Cuisine: American
Course: Breakfast
Author: Danielle Rye
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