Moist Pumpkin Bread Recipe
by Sommer Collier — on Oct 5, 2026 It’s pumpkin spice season, and I know you are here for it! My moist pumpkin bread recipe is always on my must-make list for fall, with the most pillowy-soft, tender texture and a lightly crisp crust. I make this easy quick bread with loads of warm pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, brown sugar, and butter (like, lots of butter) for an incredibly rich and indulgent flavor without being overly sweet. You can even get away with calling it a breakfast snack!
If you’re reading this, you likely are as obsessed as I am about all-things-pumpkin season. (I wear my badge with pride!) Pumpkin bread is one of those decadent fall treats I wait all year to enjoy… It’s not quite so sweet and indulgent as my buttermilk pumpkin cake, but still has an incredible flavor, tender, and almost cake-like crumb. Although you can eat pumpkin anytime, sometimes it just feels a little wrong if it’s not fall. And this simple classic moist pumpkin bread recipe is the perfect way to welcome autumn, in my humble opinion. It’s super straightforward to make with pantry staples, and it even makes two beautiful loaves, so you can enjoy one and give one to a friend. (Or freeze it!) It’s not too sweet and not too spiced, but it does have a lovely blend of fall baking spices to complement the pumpkin.
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
One Bowl Recipe – Aren’t these just the best? There’s no need to pull out the stand mixer in this recipe. Hooray! I simply add the ingredients into a large bowl one-by-one, and whisk everything together into a thick batter. It’s ready to pour into loaf pans in 10 minutes or less.
Change it Up, or Don’t – I think this bread it’s perfectly tantalizing as-is, however, you can add nuts or chips to it. Or slather on a layer of maple frosting from my pumpkin spice cake recipe. Don’t worry, I won’t be offended.
My Top Tips – My pumpkin bread recipe is definitely not complicated. But like any good baking recipe, there are some key points for it to be the best pumpkin bread you’ve ever had. I’m sharing with you my top no-fail tips to make a bread with a soft crumb, crisp top, and that slices beautifully!
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Flour – I use all-purpose flour. I haven’t tried it with a gluten free flour alternative, but if you give it a try I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
- Pumpkin puree – You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again, yes, there is a big difference between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling. The pie filling is very sweet with several other ingredients, so always use canned 100% pumpkin puree to ensure you have total control over the flavors.
- Eggs – I use large eggs that have come to room temperature. Cold eggs slow down the cooking process and can mess up the baking time. So I’ll usually set them on the counter just before preheating the oven and prepping.
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my recipes. That way I know exactly how much salt I’m adding to my dishes.
- Brown sugar – I prefer light brown sugar for baking. Both light and dark brown are sweet, but dark brown is almost too sweet with a deeply pronounced molasses flavor.
- Pumpkin pie spice AND ground nutmeg- You know them, you love them, you probably have jars in your spice rack ready to go.
- Leaveners – I use a combination of baking powder and baking soda… The baking powder gives the moist pumpkin bread it’s fluffiness while the baking soda creates a tight, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth crumb. Oh and of course there’s a pinch of salt in there, too.
- Vanilla extract – You need to use a quality vanilla extract here. And I don’t just mean to make pumpkin spice bread, I’m talking about ALL baking recipes. And I won’t budge on this. Although a bit on the expensive side, the flavor of a true vanilla extract is absolutely worth it.
How to Make
Find the full ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Prep Oven and Pans – I start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then I get out a large mixing bowl, and two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans. If you only have one pan that’s ok! Use half of the batter to make one pan at a time, and keep the remaining batter in the fridge. I use a bit of softened butter to grease the pans well, and set them aside.
Whisk Dry Ingredients – I add all of the dry ingredients into the large bowl: all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and ground nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Use a whisk to combine everything well and get out any baking powder and/or baking soda clumps.
Add Wet Ingredients and Combine – Next, I whisk in the canned pumpkin puree, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir the batter until all of the flour mixture is gone, but then stop. You might want to use a rubber spatula to do the final combining instead of a whisk… You don’t want to over mix the batter or your bread will be too dense.
Add to Pans and Bake – Then pour the batter evenly into your two greased baking pans. I place the two pans side-by-side on the middle rack of the oven, and set the timer for 45 minutes. When the timer is up, I stick a toothpick into the center of the pumpkin bread to see if it’s baked or needs a few more minutes. If any wet batter comes out on the toothpick, back into the oven it goes to bake for another 5-10 minutes depending on how raw the batter was. I don’t want to open the oven more than once, twice tops, otherwise the oven temperature gets wacky.
Once the bread is thoroughly baked I remove the pans from the oven and let them cool at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. Then I slide a butterknife around the edges of the pumpkin bread to loosen them from the pans, flip them over, and place the bread on a cooling rack.
Recipe Variations & Expert Tips
Add in extras – As I mentioned, I’m a big fan of my pumpkin bread au natural. But even I can admit that there are several mix-ins that taste delicious added to the batter! Try sweet goodies like mini chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or small chunks of dark chocolate. Nuts can also add a nice crunchy texture, so you might consider including chopped pecans or walnuts.
Don’t over mix – Whether or not you choose to make the bread with or without those little extras, be sure you are not over mixing the batter! Stir the main ingredients together first, combining the wet and dry ingredients only until there are no more streaks of flour. If you include mix-ins, gently fold them into the finished batter with a silicone spatula.
Don’t over bake – The key to making my moist pumpkin bread recipe is to keep a close eye on it as it bakes, test it for doneness on the early side of the suggested bake time, and get those loaves outta the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out of the center clean! Some moist crumbs should cling to the toothpick, and it shouldn’t feel dry or hard.
Use a serrated knife – With a crumb this moist and delicate you definitely don’t want to go hacking through the bread with any old knife. Instead, use a large and sharp serrated knife to make clean cuts. I suggest wiping the blade with a clean cloth after every slice so each piece of pumpkin bread looks as lovely as it tastes!
Storage Notes
This fabulous recipe makes 2 loaves, which means you can give one away or freeze one for later.
To store leftover pumpkin spice bread I first wait until the loaf has fully cooled, then cover it tightly in plastic wrap. It will keep fresh at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also store it in the fridge for up to a week. However, breads usually start to turn dry after a few days in the cold. So if you do plan on having the pumpkin bread for more than 3-4 days I recommend freezing it to keep it fresh.
Once the bread has fully cooled I wrap it in plastic. (Or if the pieces are small enough, I put them in a plastic freezer-safe ziploc bag or other container. )Then I add a layer of aluminum foil and pop it in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and it’ll be ready to come to room temperature on the counter. Or warm up the pumpkin bread slices in a toaster or microwave to get them pillowy soft and moist again.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, please don’t. Pumpkin pie filling is incredibly sweet and has a ton of spices. Not that I don’t love that for it, but you almost always want to only use 100% real pumpkin puree when you’re making anything other than a pie.
Sweet breads can be dry if the batter is over-mixed. Too much mixing makes the crumb tighter and crumbly. Another obvious reason could be that it was over baked… Follow my Expert Tips above on not over-baking!
Squishy bread usually means there was too much moisture, or that the bread didn’t bake for long enough before cooling. Definitely take the time to do the toothpick test to really check for doneness before pulling the loaf from the oven. There should not be a speck of raw batter on there!
Sure you can! For most of the ingredients you simply cut the quantities in half. However, the original recipe for moist pumpkin bread uses 3 eggs, not exactly ideal for halving. I suggest using one very large egg or two small eggs.
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More Fall Recipes
Moist Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups light brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice or 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ¾ tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, ¼ tsp ground clove
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 15 ounce can 100% pumpkin puree not pie mix
- 1 cup melted butter or light olive oil
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set out two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans. Butter or grease them well on all sides.
- Set out a large mixing bowl. Combine the flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well to make sure there are no clumps of baking powder or baking soda in the mix.
- Add the canned pumpkin purée, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir (or whisk) well until the batter is mostly smooth. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter evenly into the two prepared loaf pans. Place in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes. The bread is done when the center is domed and a toothpick inserted deep into the center comes out clean. Check at the 45 minute mark, but do not open the door more than you have to.
- Allow the bread loaves to cool in the pans for at least 15 minutes. Then loosen the edges with a butter knife and flip them out on a cooling rack.
- You can cut and serve the bread immediately, but it cuts much nicer, for smooth slices, if you allow it to cool to room temperature.
