This Easy Pumpkin Bread recipe is made in a single bowl in about 20 minutes. It makes two loaves of pumpkin bread, so it’s absolutely perfect for freezing or gifting!
When the Pumpkin Craving Hits, You Listen
When the Pumpkin Craving Hits, You ListenI made it almost to the end of September before the craving hit. It had been an unusually hot and humid month, followed by days of dreary, rainy skies. But finally, that day in late September, it happened. The sun was shining, the leaves were rustling. The air was crisp and refreshing. No air conditioning or heat was needed, just windows flung open to let in the breeze.
It was on this day as I was putting my son down for his afternoon nap that I was struck by an absurd desire for pumpkin bread. All my plans to spend my precious nap time hours organizing the new baby’s room flew out the window and were replaced by plans to bake up a moist, spicy loaf of my favorite easy pumpkin bread.
The Best Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Typically, I’m not a pumpkin flavor fanatic. I don’t drink pumpkin spice lattes, I consider pumpkin donuts far inferior to cider donuts and Chinese Doughnuts, and pumpkin pie registers as a solid “meh” amidst my list of favorites.
Pumpkin bread, however, is the exception. Even my pumpkin-indifferent self cannot resist the charms of this autumn loaf.
I’ve tried several pumpkin bread recipes over the years–some studded with nuts or chocolate chips, others piled high with crumb toppings or swirled with cream cheese.
Still, this easy pumpkin bread is the one I come back to every fall. It’s an old family recipe and one of the simplest recipes I’ve found.
You can have this bread whipped up and into the oven in under 20 minutes, with only one bowl to wash afterward. It doesn’t get any easier (or more rewarding) than that! Plus, it’s so incredibly moist, tender, and perfectly spiced. I just can’t have fall without this pumpkin bread!
How to Make Easy Pumpkin Bread
- Start by grabbing a big bowl and whisking together all of your dry ingredients–your flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and spices. I include a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- NOTE: The original recipe only calls for cinnamon and nutmeg, but I’ve found I like my pumpkin bread to be a little less nutmeg-y and a little more gingery. Feel free to adjust the spices based on your own taste buds!
- Add the oil, eggs, water, and pumpkin puree to your dry mixture. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to gently stir the mixture together until no white streaks remain.
- Divide the batter evenly between two greased loaf pans. Pop them in the oven and bake for about an hour. THAT’S IT! Now you just wait for your house to start smelling amazing.
What do you eat pumpkin bread with?
My absolute favorite way to enjoy this pumpkin bread is to eat it warm (who has the will power to wait for fresh pumpkin bread to cool??) with a smear of salted butter. HEAVEN. I also love it with a thin layer of whipped cream cheese.
If you’re serving this for brunch, you could pair it with Crustless Quiche Lorraine, Bacon Egg Muffins, or double down on the Autumn love with a Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Pumpkin Bread Variations
This is an easy pumpkin bread recipe to experiment with! Here are a few of our favorite additions:
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread: Simply stir in 1-1 1/2 cups semi sweet or milk chocolate chips before pouring the batter into the pans.
- Pumpkin Bread with Nuts: I love adding walnuts or pecans to pumpkin bread. You can either stir them into the batter (about 1 cup for two loaves), or just gently spread coarsely chopped nuts over the top of the loaves before baking. This creates a lovely craggly crust!
- Cranberry Pumpkin Bread: Stir in 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries to the prepared batter before transferring to pans.
- Frosted Pumpkin Bread: Add a layer of cream cheese frosting to the top after the loaves have cooled. Here is my favorite cream cheese frosting recipe.
Can you freeze pumpkin bread?
Absolutely! Pumpkin bread freezes wonderfully, and this recipe is perfect for freezing because it makes two loaves!
To freeze, allow the bread to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in saran wrap. Place the loaf in a zip lock bag, and store for up to 3 months.
To thaw, place the bread on the counter at room temperature for several hours or overnight.
I love freezing the second loaf of bread. It’s such a treat to pull out a loaf during a busy week!
However, this year, with a pregnant momma and hungry 3 year old boy in the house, we plowed through two loaves before they could even think about spoiling! I’m not sure if I should be proud or ashamed, but I do know this: my belly is very, very happy.
More Pumpkin Recipes to Try This Fall
We absolutely love this Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake, and this Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll is a staple on our Thanksgiving table. These Pumpkin Dirt Pudding Graveyard Parfaits make a great Halloween treat. If you need more inspiration, you can also check out this huge collection of Leftover Pumpkin Puree Recipes!
Easy Pumpkin Bread {One Bowl Recipe}
Yield: 2 loaves
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
This easy pumpkin bread recipe is super moist, subtly spiced, and made in a single bowl! It yields two loaves so it's perfect for freezing or gifting!
Ingredients
- 3 1/3 cups all purpose flour
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1 /2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 9 inch bread pans. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the oil, eggs, water, and pumpkin puree. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to gently stir the mixture together until no white streaks remain. At this point, you can stir in any mix-ins, like chocolate chips or chopped nuts, if desired.
- Divide the batter evenly between two loaves. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing and cooling completely on a wire rack. Bread can be served warm, but be sure to cool completely before wrapping and storing and/or freezing.
Notes
To freeze: wrap securely in saran wrap then place in a ziplock freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature. Bread should keep for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24Serving Size: 1 slice
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 257Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 295mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 1gSugar: 25gProtein: 3g
Please note nutritional information for my recipes is calculated by a third party service and provided as a courtesy to my readers. For the most accurate calculation, I always recommend running the numbers yourself with the specific products you use.
