This easy pumpkin bread is so moist and loaded with chopped pecans and toasted pumpkin seeds. It’s truly the BEST pumpkin bread recipe!
Looking for more pumpkin dessert recipes? Try our rich pumpkin creme brulee or creamy pumpkin cheesecake.
The Best Pumpkin Bread
It’s that time of year when everyone goes pumpkin spice crazy. Being a fan of pumpkin myself, I don’t mind all the pumpkin madness. This pumpkin bread recipe is exceptionally delicious because I make the pumpkin purée myself. This pumpkin bread recipe was a huge hit for my family. They all really loved that it had so many nuts and seeds. Pair this hearty pumpkin bread with a hot cup of coffee or even a glass of milk and you’ve got a fabulous start to your morning!
Looking for more pumpkin inspiration? Try my EASY pumpkin cake. It’s literally everything you want in a pumpkin roll, but way faster to make!
Ingredients for pumpkin bread
- Pumpkin puree– obviously homemade is always better, but you can always just buy store-bought pumpkin puree too. Just make sure it’s not mixed with any other flavorings.
- Dry ingredients + spices– you will need basics like flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Wet ingredients– besides the pumpkin puree you will need eggs and butter as well.
- Toppings– This pumpkin bread recipe is full of toasted pumpkin seeds and crunchy pecans. I like to also add some on top for an additional crunch.
How to make pumpkin bread
pumpkin puree
- In order to make your own homemade pumpkin puree you want to start off by cutting the pumpkin in half and scraping out all the insides. Then bake them in the oven sliced side down. This should take about 45 minutes.
- Then remove all the skins and place the soft baked pumpkin in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
Combine the dry ingredients
- As for any bread or cake recipe, you want to combine all the dry ingredients (besides sugar) before adding them into the batter. See the recipe card below for details of measurements.
- Make sure to reserve some of the flour mixture and coat the nuts and seeds in it. This will help keep them from sinking to the bottom.
Mix the dry and the wet together
- Now mix the flour mixture with the butter, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, and eggs. You can do this by hand or for a speedier process I like to mix everything with an electric mixer.
Fill pans and bake
- Make sure your loaf pans are lined with parchment paper and greased (or buttered) before pouring the pumpkin batter in. You will need 2 loaf pans for this recipe. Now you can bake the pumpkin bread as instructed in the recipe card.
How long does pumpkin bread keep?
Once your pumpkin loaf is baked and cooled, you can keep it out on the counter at room temperature for up to 3 days. OR you can refrigerate it for up to 1 week.
Can I freeze pumpkin bread?
Yes, you can! Make sure the bread is completely cooled down before you freeze it. Tightly wrap the loaves in plastic wrap and place it in a gallon-sized ziplock bag. Keep it frozen for up to 2 months.
More FALL recipes to enjoy!
Best Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pumpkin for homemade puree (or 1 cup store-bought pumpkin puree)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds (toasted)
- 1/2 cup pecans (toasted and chopped)
- 3/4 cups unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup extra seeds and nuts for topping optional
Instructions
Make the pumpkin puree
- Slice the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Place onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.
- Once it's baked, peel off the skin and cut the pumpkin into large pieces. Blend in a food processor until the pumpkin resembles a purée.
Combine dry ingredients
- In a large bowl combine, flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Toss reserved flour with nuts and seeds
- Reserve 1/4 cup and combine it with the toasted pecans and pumpkin seeds.
Mix in remaining ingredients
- In a separate bowl, blend the softened butter with a handheld electric mixer. Then add the brown sugar and eggs.
- Place 1 cup of the pumpkin purée into the bowl and blend it in.
Fold in dry ingredients + nuts and seeds
- Using a spatula, fold in the flour mixture. Then fold in the flour-coated nuts and seeds.
- Spray 2 loaf pans with non-stick spray and line them with parchment paper.
Pour into loaf pans and bake
- Evenly divide the batter between the 2 loaf pans. Sprinkle a little bit of the extra pumpkin seeds and chopped pecans on top.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean after piercing the middle of the loaf.
Notes
Tip
If you don't have time to make your own pumpkin puree, you can just use store-bought instead.How to store pumpkin bread
Keep the baked bread at room temperature for 3 days (covered) and up to 1 week in the fridge. Also covered or in an airtight container.How to freeze it
Wrap the cooled loaves in plastic wrap, then place them in freezer ziplock bags and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted on Oct 17, 2016, we’ve tweaked it a bit since then.
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