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This classic pumpkin bread recipe is loaded with warm spices and full of delicious pumpkin flavor. This recipe makes two loaves and freezes beautifully, so you can enjoy one loaf now and freeze the second for later or share it with a friend.
Okay, let’s chat about this pumpkin bread. There is nothing that signifies fall for me more than this recipe. I’ve been making it for years — long before my blog, and it shows up countless times in my kitchen throughout the season.
It’s sweet, spicy and incredibly moist. I know, I know, moist is not my favorite word either, but there is really no way to adequately describe this Pumpkin Bread recipe without mentioning that word.
I have fed this bread to so many people and every one of them has declared that this recipe is the best Pumpkin Bread they have ever tasted.
This particular recipe gets better with time, so whip it up a day or so in advance before you plan on eating it or giving it away. The batter can be assembled in 20 minutes and makes 2 loaves, perfect for freezing for later or sharing with a loved one.
What readers are saying
“This is my favorite pumpkin bread recipe. I make a crumb topping for it and it’s out of this world!…The only “change” I make is I use dark brown sugar and granulated sugar and I add some extra cinnamon. Awesome!” -Paula
“I am obsessed with this recipe…I love how it tastes, how easy it is to put together, how it doesn’t take all the butter in my house to make, and also just how much everyone I share it with loves it.” -Molly
“This is my go to recipe for pumpkin bread. My family requests this every holiday, and all through the winter months. It’s so moist and taste delicious! I highly recommend.” –Laura
Jamie’s testing notes & tips
- This pumpkin bread does take about an hour to bake, but you can easily whip the batter up while your oven is preheating. You can use an electric mixer, but I often skip it and just use a whisk and spatula instead.
- This recipe is the perfect base for your family’s favorite mix-ins. We make it as written multiple times each year, but also love adding everything from chocolate chips to a streusel topping. Scroll down to “recipe variations” for some of our favorites.
- Enjoy this bread plain or toasted, add a spread of butter or cream cheese, or get a little adventurous and fry it up in a pan and make Pumpkin Bread French Toast! You can even use it to make pumpkin trifle for Thanksgiving.
A note from Jamie
2026 update: I’ve been making this pumpkin bread recipe since before I even started blogging, but I first shared the recipe here in 2011. It has been a seasonal favorite every year since. I have updated the post and photos over time to include more helpful tips and tricks, but the recipe itself remains the same. I know you’re gonna love it!
Ingredient notes
⬇️ For the full recipe, including ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below!
- Pure pumpkin puree: Make sure to buy pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Canned pumpkin pie filling is not the same thing; it has a bunch of added ingredients that we don’t need in our Pumpkin Bread.
- Large eggs: These help bind the bread, add moisture, and provide a lot of leavening power to help the loaves rise.
- Vegetable oil: Just like when we make carrot cake, oil is key to keeping the bread moist. This is because it is liquid at room temperature. If you don’t like vegetable oil, you can use any neutral-flavored oil you prefer.
- Water: Adds extra moisture to the batter without throwing off the flavor.
- Vanilla: Extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Granulated sugar: For just the right amount of sweetness in the bread.
- All-purpose flour: Make sure you know how to correctly measure flour before you start baking so your pumpkin bread turns out perfect every time.
- Baking soda: For leavening.
- Kosher salt: To round out the flavors. I have also used fine sea salt with success.
- Pumpkin pie spice: This mix contains all of the warm spices that complement the pumpkin. I like to make my homemade pumpkin pie spice, but a store-bought mix will work just fine.
While you’re at the store, grab a few extra cans because I can guarantee you’ll want to use them in Pumpkin Cheesecake, Pumpkin Bundt Cake, Pumpkin Crunch Cake, and more.
Storage and freezing
Wrap the cooled loaves of pumpkin bread tightly in foil and store at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
If you’d like to freeze the bread, you can either freeze it whole or as individual slices.
To freeze the whole loaves, wrap the bread well in plastic wrap and then wrap them tightly in heavy-duty foil. To freeze slices, cut nice, thick slices and wrap them each in plastic wrap. Pop them in a zip-top freezer bag.
Freeze the bread for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, take the whole loaves out of the freezer and let them thaw on the counter overnight, or grab as many slices as you like and microwave them for 30-60 seconds to thaw and warm them through.
Pumpkin Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- ⅔ cup water
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
Video
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour (2) 8.5 x 4 x 2.5 inch loaf pans.
- In a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, combine pumpkin, eggs, oil, water, vanilla and sugar until well blended. This can also be done by hand with a whisk if you do not have or do not wish to use an electric mixer.1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin puree, 4 large eggs, 1 cup vegetable oil, 2/3 cup water, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice until combined.3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
- Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Divide the batter between the prepared pans.
- Bake in preheated oven for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans for about 20 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Ingredients
- If you choose to use homemade pumpkin puree, keep in mind that the bread will not be as orange, since homemade puree is typically lighter in color than canned pumpkin.
- If you do not have pumpkin pie spice, you can use ground cinnamon instead.
Variations
- This bread is a fantastic base for all sorts of additions. Get creative by adding in chopped nuts, chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or whatever else sounds good to you.
Yield
- Makes (2) 8.5×4-inch loaves
Storage
- Store well wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Bread can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Recipe variations
This bread is perfect as it is, but it is also a great base for adding extra flavors! Some of my favorite variations that I’ve made over the years include:
- Add chocolate chips to make Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread. If you’re not into chocolate, chopped nuts or dried cranberries also make great add-ins.
- Make a cream cheese filling to create Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread.
- Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Bread with Maple Glaze adds a sweet streusel and a seasonal glaze to this already great recipe.
- Swap the oil for brown butter to make Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread.
- Divide the batter into muffin tins and add some pumpkin seeds on top for delicious Pumpkin Muffins!
Hi Jamie,
I just tried this recipe last night and it turned out AMAZING! I too substituted the oil for butter and apple sauce. Added some walnuts on top! DELISH! Thank you :)
Alexandra-
Thank you so much! I’m so happy that you were so pleased with the recipe. Have a wonderful day!
-Jamie
This is the best pumpkin bread that I have ever tasted. I made it twice for the family and it lasted only a short time.
Brian-
That’s awesome to hear! Looks like you’ll have to make more :)! Have a great day!
-Jamie
Great texture (esp considering the fact I used 1/2 white whole wheat and 1/2 AP and only 2 cups of sugar) and although I did enjoy it for my liking it needs a little more kick. I think I’ll be adding more ginger and nutmeg next time.
Melissa-
Thank you so much! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe! Have a fantastic day and thank you for following MBA!
-Jamie
Read all your comments before tying this gem. Instead of regular flour though, I used Non-GMO verified, whole wheat unbleached flour. I cut the sugar by 1/2 cup because my tastes like “not too sweet” stuff. I also added chunks of drained, canned pineapple and chopped walnuts. Thanks also for the tip about 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 applesauce. This is truly a great recipe and it lends itself alterations without taking away that delicious smell and taste of pumpkin bread.
Marsha-
Thank you so much! Your addition of pineapple and walnuts sounds fantastic! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe. Have a great day!
-Jamie
never again. outside inch or so cooked fine. inside completely raw, even after 60-70 min. and it totally caved in, both loaves!
Janie-
I am sorry you had an issue with the recipe. I can’t even begin to problem solve your issues because nothing like this has every happened when I’ve made it 20+ times.
-Jamie
I almost had the same experience, but when I noticed it was still raw inside (i used a wooden skewer rather than a toothpick to check) I left it in the oven longer. It ended up taking about 80 minutes to cook both loaves, and I draped foil over them for the last 20 minutes or so to keep the top from over browning, but they did turn out perfectly! Maybe try cooking longer? It could be our ovens!
I have had terrible luck baking with Trader joe’s canned pumpkin. It doesn’t bake with the same consistency as the traditional Libby’s brand.
This exact thing happened to me and I figured out my baking soda was old. I tried a new box and the bread turned out perfectly. An open box of baking soda only remains potent for about 6 months. Hope this helps.
Just put this in the oven. Starting to smell like heaven. I ate quite a bit of the dough. Delicious. I know its unhealthy, but I can’t help myself!! Haha!! :) I am thinking of making cream cheese icing….
Michele-
It’s my absolute favorite fall recipe – I hope you enjoy it! Have a great weekend and thanks so much for stopping by!
-Jamie
I just made this last night. I used 1/2c oil and 1/2c applesauce instead of 1c oil, orange juice instead of water and 1 cup sugar (instead of 2 1/2 cups) — I also added a few chocolate chips and walnuts. The result was plenty sweet and with a perfect texture (I made 24 standard muffins)!
Anita-
Sounds great! The orange juice substitution is a fantastic idea. Thank you so much for stopping in to let us know your experience with the recipe. Have a wonderful day!
-Jamie
Ok….. so this has been my go to recipe for the past two years. However I’ve made it twice this week and it hasn’t turned out well. It seems like way too much flour and when it is done it’s dryer with a lack of flavor. I’m going crazy trying to figure out why! I’ve bought all new ingredients and have made it twice with the same results! Help!!!! This is my favorite recipe and I can’t get it right this week!!!!
Cyndi-
That is so odd. I’ve already made it several times, and everything seems to be just fine. I’m sorry I am not more of a help.
-Jamie
I use buttermilk in place of liquid, add, an extra tsp cinn. 1 tsp baking powder and it came out light and flavorful.
Diane-
That’s great to hear! Thank you so much for stopping in to share! Have a fantastic day and thank you for following MBA!
-Jamie
Are you leaving out the 2/3 cup water??
Baking can be effected by the weather. I know that sounds weird, but humidity can effect your baking. Start with 2 cups of flour, then as the rest in in 1/2 cup measurements till the batter is the consistency you are use to seeing. You can also try half white and half brown sugar. Brown sugar can make the bread more dense, but it helps with moisture since it is a wetter sugar. Also using buttermilk or sour cream can make cake/bread more most. I also noticed this year my pumpkin bread was more bland. I ended up making my own pumpkin pie spice mix (bought fresh ingredients from savory Spice) instead of using bottled and found the bread had more flavor. Maybe the success are off this year? Hope this helps!
That should say maybe the spices are off this year. Sorry for all the typos. That’s what i get for writing on my phone! :D
Are you accidentally packing the flour? If so, you could be getting almost 1/4-1/2 cup more than you’re bargaining for :)
Looks heavenly! Can’t wait to try the recipe!!
Can I substitute buttermilk, sour cream, or milk for the water?
Thank you :)
Have a beautiful day
Lily-
I have not attempted the recipe using any of those substitutions, so I cannot attest to the final product. If you give it a whirl, I’d love to know the outcome!
-Jamie
you can double the pumpkin amount and skip on the water for a more pumpkin-y bread. comes out moist and perfect
I used buttermilk instead of water and it came out fabulous – so very moist.