Pumpkin Bread Recipe (Moist, Easy, One-Bowl)

You’ve been lied to—pumpkin bread isn’t just for fall. This pumpkin bread recipe is a year-round cheat code: moist, tender, and ridiculously easy. Save the $6 café slice and bake a whole loaf at home. If quick bakes are your thing, peek at our muffin recipes collection for more grab-and-go wins.

Why You’ll Love It

Engineered for moisture: Pumpkin purée and oil keep the crumb soft for days—no dry slices here.
Balanced spice: Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger for warm, spiced pumpkin bread without overpowering.
One bowl: Less mess, faster cleanup—your dishwasher will be thrilled.
Flexible: Chocolate chips, walnuts, pecans—your call.
Café quality at home: It’s an easy pumpkin loaf with bakery-worthy results.

Ingredients

Use room-temperature eggs and pumpkin for a smooth, even batter.

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon fine salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
2 large eggs (room temp)
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 ½ cups pumpkin purée (100% pumpkin, not pie filling)
½ cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
¼ cup water or orange juice
1 cup mix-ins: chocolate chips, walnuts, or pecans (optional)

Craving more pumpkin sweets? Try these cozy pumpkin cheesecake cookies next—or keep things lighter with our easy sugar-free desserts .

Instructions

Prep: Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line with a parchment sling for easy lifting.
Whisk dry: In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
Add wet to the same bowl: Whisk in eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin purée, oil, and water (or orange juice) until smooth.
Fold: Switch to a spatula and fold just until no dry streaks remain. A few small lumps are fine—this keeps your one-bowl pumpkin bread tender.
Mix-ins: Fold in chocolate chips or nuts, if using.
Bake: Pour into pan and smooth the top. Bake 60–70 minutes until a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool: Rest 20 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Tips & Variations

For a higher dome: Bake the first 10 minutes at 365°F, then lower to 350°F for the remaining time.
Chocolate swirl: Warm ¼ cup chocolate chips with 1 tsp oil, swirl into the batter before baking for a marbled bakery-style pumpkin bread.
Orange glaze: Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 2–3 tbsp orange juice; drizzle over cooled loaf.
Snack-board idea: Pair slices with baked apple fritters for a fall-ish brunch spread.

Substitutions

Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose blend.
Dairy-free: The loaf is naturally dairy-free; check your chocolate chips if adding.
Reduced sugar: Drop total sugar to 1 cup without hurting texture; flavor will be less sweet.
Whole grain: Swap up to 50% of the flour for whole wheat pastry flour for a nuttier taste.

Serving Suggestions

Toast slices and smear with salted butter or cream cheese.
Make it dessert: warm slice + vanilla ice cream + a dust of cinnamon.
Pack a lunchbox duo with a slice and a jar of overnight oats .

Storage & Freezing

Room temp: Wrap tightly or store airtight up to 4 days.
Freeze: Wrap the whole loaf or slices in plastic, then foil, up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp.
Revive: Warm slices at 300°F for 5–7 minutes for that fresh-baked feel.

Benefits of This Recipe

Crowd-pleaser: Brunch, snacks, potlucks—always a hit.
Practical: Uses pantry staples and that can of pumpkin you already have.
Better-for-you bonus: Pumpkin adds fiber and vitamin A.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Pumpkin pie filling ≠ purée: Pie filling has sugar and spices—use 100% pumpkin.
Overmixing: Stir just until combined for a soft crumb.
Underbaking: A clean toothpick (or a few moist crumbs) means it’s done; a gooey center needs more time.
Slicing hot: Let it cool fully for neat slices.

FAQs

Can I make this into muffins?

Yes. Divide into a lined 12-cup muffin tin and bake 20–25 minutes at 350°F, or until a toothpick tests clean.

Why is my loaf gummy in the middle?

It was likely underbaked or the batter had too much liquid. Confirm you used pumpkin purée (not pie filling) and extend the bake as needed.

Can I use fresh pumpkin purée?

Absolutely—just strain to match the thickness of canned. Watery purée leads to a dense loaf.

My loaf sank—what happened?

Opening the oven early or underbaking can cause collapse. Bake through and avoid peeking during the first 45 minutes.

More to Try

Conclusion

This pumpkin bread recipe is moist, quick, and foolproof—the kind of easy pumpkin loaf you’ll bake on repeat. One bowl, big flavor, and slices that stay tender for days. Bake it once and it becomes your anytime classic.