Pumpkin Bread (1 Bowl!)

This pumpkin bread recipe is the best! It’s fast and easy, made with just one bowl and bakes up into moist, cozy-spiced slices.

A good pumpkin bread recipe is as essential to fall as a puffy jacket, and here’s our favorite one. The scent wafting through your kitchen transports you to an autumn paradise, and the loaf falls just so into deliciously cozy-spiced slices. It’s tender and moist, but not too fluffy or too dense. The best part? It’s simple to whip up: one bowl, no special equipment; just dump and stir! This quick bread never goes out of style. (Want more ideas? Try our 10 Pumpkin Bread Recipes.)

Ingredients in this pumpkin bread recipe

There are many ways to make a great pumpkin bread recipe, and every cook or chef has their own own secrets. This one is ultra moist, with the perfect sweet, cozy spiced flavor and soft, tender crumb. The best part is there’s no need for a mixer or waiting for butter to come to room temperature. You can mix it all up in one bowl! Here’s what’s in our best pumpkin bread recipe:

• Eggs
• Pumpkin puree: Use canned or homemade; the most consistent brand we’ve found is Libby’s (we’re not affiliated).
• Granulated sugar
• Neutral oil: Oil makes a moister quick bread than butter! This also allows the recipe to be made in a bowl with no stand mixer.
• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice (or ginger, allspice, and nutmeg): Individual spices make the boldest flavor, but you can also use pumpkin pie spice.
• Kosher salt
• Baking powder and baking soda
• All purpose flour

Tips for baking pumpkin bread

This pumpkin bread recipe is easier than most: no need for a stand mixer or two loaf pans. It’s straightforward and made in one bowl! There are a few things to keep in mind for baking success:

• Use an aluminum baking pan for best results (9 x 5-inch). Ceramic and glass pans don’t cook as evenly. Use aluminum if you can! This recipe is optimized for a 9 x 5 inch pan, and it bakes up to just the right tall loaf.
• Don’t overmix. Overmixing a quick bread leads to holes in the texture of the crumb. This is most important when mixing in the flour. Mix until just combined and there are no dry spots remaining.
• Let it cool fully before serving: and leftovers taste even better! This bread has an even more developed flavor once it is fully cooled: eating it after 2 hours is ideal. It tastes even better as leftovers the next day.

Top with a glaze (optional)

This pumpkin bread is delicious plain, but it’s even tastier with a glaze topping! This maple glaze is simple to whip up and has a sweet, maple-forward flavor. Here are a few notes:

• The maple glaze has a cozy, developed fall flavor. All you’ll need is powdered sugar, butter, maple syrup, salt and milk. It also calls for maple extract, which is optional but adds just the right pop of maple-forward flavor. It’s worth buying for fun, but the glaze tastes delicious without it.
• Want even simpler options? You can also use this 1-Minute Powdered Sugar Icing or Vanilla Glaze for topping.
• Keep in mind: butter is helpful for storage. One advantage of the maple glaze is that the butter helps to make for a more solidified glaze that holds up better over time.
• Want a solid glaze? Make double the glaze recipe below and glaze the cooled bread in the pan (so the glaze doesn’t run down the sides).

Variations and mix-ins

There are lots of ways to riff on this pumpkin bread recipe, as you well know! Here are a few ideas for adding to the top or inside this bread:

• Chocolate chips: Make chocolate chip pumpkin bread by folding in 1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips into the dough. Go to Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread.
• Nuts: Top the bread with ⅓ cup chopped pecans or walnuts. Toast the pecans or walnuts to bring out the flavor!
• Icing: Add ½ recipe of this Cream Cheese Frosting to the top of the bread.
• Drizzle: Drizzle this bread with Powdered Sugar Icing.
• Banana: Got bananas? Make Pumpkin Banana Bread instead.

Want more ideas? See all our favorite Pumpkin Bread Recipes!

Diet adaptations

Do you have a vegan or gluten-free diet? Don’t worry: you can still make pumpkin bread! Head to these recipes instead:

• Vegan: Go to Vegan Pumpkin Bread (a family fave!)
• Gluten Free: Go to Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread (uses oats instead of all purpose flour!)

Pumpkin bread storage

This pumpkin bread recipe tastes even better the next day, because it picks up moisture during storage. Here are a few tips for storage of this quick bread:

• Stores at room temperature for 4 days, wrapped tightly in aluminum foil.
• Stores refrigerated for 10 days. Cold temperatures can make it taste dryer, so bring to room temperature before serving.
• Stores frozen for up to 3 months. Slice the bread and freeze it in slices for up to 3 months.

More pumpkin recipes

When it’s pumpkin season, you’ve got to taste test them all! Here are a few tasty pumpkin recipes you might enjoy:

• Go for our Best Pumpkin Cookies or Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Try Pumpkin Bread Pudding or Pumpkin Ice Cream
• Make the best Perfect Pumpkin Cake
• Try Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread or Pumpkin Muffins instead
• Grab Pumpkin French Toast, Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal, or Pumpkin Pancakes
• Go savory with Pumpkin Chili

01

Best Pumpkin Cookies

02

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

03

Perfect Pumpkin Cake

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Pumpkin Bread (1 Bowl!)

This pumpkin bread recipe is…

Vegetarian. For vegan, go to Vegan Pumpkin Bread. For gluten-free, go to Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread

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