Classic Pumpkin Bread

This easy pumpkin bread recipe makes a soft and fluffy loaf of pumpkin bread with a crumbly crunchy streusel topping and maple glaze.

A few weeks ago, I asked my newsletter readers what fall recipes they’d like to see this year.

The number one request was for pumpkin bread (an excellent choice), so I’m here today with the recipe for my very favorite pumpkin bread.

This is a classic recipe. It’s the one I grew up with, and over the years, I’ve found that when people tell me they have an old family recipe for pumpkin bread, written in their grandmother’s handwriting on a well-used recipe card, it’s usually this one.

And there’s a reason this recipe’s a classic. It makes some really good, really easy pumpkin bread.

The batter comes together in about 5 minutes, and you get a perfectly soft and fluffy loaf that bakes up beautifully and makes your kitchen smell like fall.

An Upgraded Classic

And because I think that even the classics can be improved upon, I’ve added my favorite brown sugar streusel and a maple glaze to the bread.

This gives the top of the loaf a completely irresistible crumbly crunch that makes a sweet and simple slice of pumpkin bread feel like a decadent treat.

Ingredient Notes

• Cool room-temperature butter: You’ll need softened butter for the crumble topping, but if your kitchen is warm, be careful not to let the butter get too soft or it will be difficult to work with. You should just be able to press an indentation into it with a little force. It should not be greasy or at all melty. The recipe is written using salted butter, but if all you have is unsalted, add a generous pinch of salt along with the flour and sugar.
• Pumpkin puree: This recipe will use about half a can of pumpkin puree. Not sure what to do with the leftovers? Check out my post What to Do With Leftover Pumpkin Puree (I recommend a batch of Pumpkin Pancakes).
• Spices: The recipe calls for a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger, but if you have pumpkin pie spice, you can replace the spices with 1½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.

How to Make Classic Pumpkin Bread

1. Make the streusel by combining flour, brown sugar, and butter. Use clean hands or a fork to mix the ingredients until they clump into crumbs and no dry flour or sugar is left at the bottom of the bowl.

Place the streusel in the freezer while you make the bread (chilled streusel will give you prettier, more defined streusel crumbs after baking).

2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. In a second bowl, combine pumpkin puree, eggs, vegetable oil, milk, and granulated sugar. Whisk until well-combined.

3. Pour flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir until just combined. There should be no dry flour left in the bowl, but don’t overmix or your bread can become tough.

4. Transfer batter to a greased baking dish lined with a parchment paper sling. The parchment paper sling will allow you to lift the bread out of the pan without disturbing any of the streusel on top.

5. Remove streusel from the freezer and sprinkle it over the batter. If the streusel pieces are too large, gently break them up. If they’re too small, smash them together in your hand to form larger crumbs.

6. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.

7. Whisk together powdered sugar, extract of choice, and milk and drizzle glaze over the warm bread. Allow at least 20 minutes for the glaze to set and the bread to cool before cutting and serving.

Pumpkin Bread Variations

• Classic pumpkin bread: If you don’t want the extra sweetness, you can skip the glaze and streusel and bake the bread without any added toppings.
• Cinnamon sugar: Combine 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Sprinkle over batter just before baking.
• Vanilla or maple glaze: Double the glaze in the recipe below and spread it over the bread while it’s still warm.
• Mini pumpkin bread: For a mini loaf of pumpkin bread, go check out my small-batch version of this bread.

FAQ

I love this bread! Can I double the recipe?

Go for it. To change the recipe yield, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.

If doubling the recipe, you can use a single 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree to make 2 loaves of bread. You will be slightly shy of the 2 cups a double batch would call for, but your bread will still come out beautifully.

Can you freeze pumpkin bread?

Absolutely! Pumpkin bread freezes well. Wrap slices individually in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. To eat, defrost unwrapped at room temperature for 15 minutes.

What’s the best way to store pumpkin bread?

Store pumpkin bread tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze slices.

More Fall Favorites

Dutch Apple Pie
Cinnamon Sugar Baked Pumpkin Donuts
Cinnamon Apple Crumb Muffins
White Hot Chocolate

Recipe Notes

• Streusel can make checking for doneness a little challenging. If you’re not sure your bread is ready to come out of the oven, give the top a little press with your finger. When the bread is done, it will spring back when lightly pressed. If it stays sunken in, it’s not ready. Give it more time in the oven.

Classic Pumpkin Bread

This easy pumpkin bread recipe makes a soft and fluffy loaf of pumpkin bread with a crumbly crunchy streusel topping and maple glaze.

5 from 8 votes

Print Pin

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Cooling Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Servings (Hover or Click to Change Yield): 10 slices

Calories: 432kcal

Author: Tracy

Equipment

• 9x5-inch loaf pan
• Parchment paper

Ingredients

Streusel (optional)

• ▢ ½ cup (65g) all-purpose flour
• ▢ ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons (75g) packed brown sugar
• ▢ 4 tablespoons (56g) salted butter cut into 1-inch cubes and softened to cool room temperature*

Classic Pumpkin Bread

• ▢ 1¾ cups (228g) all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon *
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
• ▢ 1½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 cup (244g) pumpkin puree
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ ½ cup vegetable oil
• ▢ ⅓ cup milk any percentage

Glaze (optional)

• ▢ ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon maple or vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 tablespoon milk or cream plus more as needed

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line it with a parchment paper sling. Set aside.

Streusel

• In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and butter. Use clean hands or a fork to mix the ingredients until they clump into crumbs and no dry flour or sugar is left at the bottom of the bowl.
• Place the streusel in the freezer while you make the bread.

Pumpkin Bread

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, vegetable oil, and milk. Whisk until well-combined.
• Pour flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir until just combined.
• Transfer batter to prepared baking dish. Remove streusel from the freezer and sprinkle it over the batter. If the streusel pieces are too large, gently break them up. If they're too small, smash them together in your hand to form larger crumbs.
• Bake for about 60 to 70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
• Allow to cool in the baking pan until cool enough to handle and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Glaze

• In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, extract of choice, and milk. If needed, add milk by the ¼ teaspoon until the glaze reaches your desired consistency.
• Drizzle glaze over the warm bread and allow at least 20 minutes for the glaze to set and the bread to cool before cutting and serving.
• Enjoy!

Notes

*If using unsalted butter, add a generous pinch of salt along with the flour and sugar.

*You can replace the spices with 1½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.

Streusel can make checking for doneness a little challenging. If you’re not sure your bread is ready to come out of the oven, give the top a little press with your finger. When the bread is done, it will spring back when lightly pressed. If it stays sunken in, it’s not ready. Give it more time in the oven.

Store bread tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days. 

Other Topping Ideas

• Cinnamon sugar: Combine 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon. Sprinkle over batter just before baking.
• Vanilla or maple glaze: Double the glaze in the recipe above and spread it over the bread while it’s still warm.

Did you make this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag @BakingMischief or hashtag it #BakingMischief.

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