Say hello to the healthy pumpkin bread of your dreams (and mine too!) for day 4 of Pumpkin Week.
You know I consider myself the muffin queen, but a few years back as I was going through my recipes I realized I had been slacking in the bread department. I’ve since made TONS of delicious quick breads for you, and this fall-inspired bread might just be one of my favs that’s healthy enough to enjoy for breakfast, yet still indulgent enough to feel like a treat. You know how I do.
Please allow me to re-introduce you to this HEALTHY PUMPKIN BREAD. TOPPED WITH A MAPLE GLAZE.
All caps necessary.
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Healthy pumpkin bread ingredients
Truthfully, this easy, healthy pumpkin bread recipe could be one of my favorite pumpkin recipes of all time (besides my soft pumpkin cookies and healthy pumpkin pie.) It’s moist, infused with maple flavor, tender, packed with cozy spices and so delicious that it’s bound to become a forever family favorite. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Pumpkin Puree: my favorite part about this pumpkin bread is that it uses an entire (15 ounce) can of pumpkin puree. Most pumpkin bread recipes call for 1 cup of puree, but with this recipe you don’t have to worry about having leftover pumpkin! Feel free to make your own pumpkin puree using this tutorial too.
- Butter: most of the time I’m using coconut oil in recipes, so I thought, why not use butter for moisture and texture? If you use butter, I highly suggest browning the butter for a toasty, nutty flavor that adds amazing depth to this pumpkin bread. If you don’t want to use butter, you can also use melted and cooled coconut oil, or even olive oil!
- Pure maple syrup: my favorite natural unrefined sweetener to use. If you don’t feel like using pure maple syrup, honey will also work well.
- Eggs: you’ll need two eggs for fluffy texture in the bread.
- Vanilla: the one and only vanilla extract.
- Whole wheat pastry flour: this is one of my favorite whole grain flours to use because it keeps baked goods soft instead of dense. If you don’t have whole wheat pastry flour, you can use white whole wheat flour OR feel free to sub 1 cup all purpose flour and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour.
- Baking soda: to help the bread rise!
- Pumpkin spices: I prefer to use my own blend of pumpkin spices instead of using pumpkin pie spice. This pumpkin bread uses cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice.
The addictive maple glaze
Not only is the maple glaze for the homemade pumpkin bread easy to make, but you’ll find yourself wanting to put it on just about anything and everything. Of course, the glaze is completely optional but I find that it adds a little uniqueness to the bread. All you’ll need is powdered sugar, pure maple syrup and almond milk. Yum.
What makes this pumpkin bread healthy?
- It’s a great source of whole grains. We’re using whole wheat pastry flour instead of regular, white refined flour for the perfect boost of fiber and whole grains.
- It’s packed with vitamins and fiber. Because we’re using a whole can of pumpkin in this healthy pumpkin bread recipe you’re getting a delicious source of vitamin A, vitamin C and antioxidants.
- It’s naturally sweetened. We’re just using a bit of pure maple syrup instead of refined sugars to naturally sweeten this bread. Feel free to use my paleo powdered sugar for the glaze, too!
- It’s easily dairy free. While I love the moisture that good old butter adds to this pumpkin bread, feel free to use coconut oil or vegan butter to keep the bread dairy free.
Tips for making this healthy pumpkin bread
- Follow the recipe. The best way to ensure the success of this easy, healthy pumpkin bread is to follow the recipe and use the exact ingredients as written (unless I note specific substitutes).
- Make sure your eggs are at room temperature. If your eggs are too cold you risk the butter coagulating. To bring your eggs to room temp, simply place them in a bowl of warm water for 3-5 minutes before you use them.
- Do not overmix the batter. If you overmix batter you’ll end up with a bread that’s more dense and gummy instead of fluffy and soft.
- Use fresh baking soda. If your baking soda is older than 3 months, I suggest grabbing a new one for best baking results.
- Line your loaf pan. I recommend lining your loaf pan with parchment paper AND spraying it with nonstick cooking spray so that your pumpkin bread comes out easily.
How to make pumpkin bread into muffins
I know I’m going to get questions on if this healthy pumpkin bread can be made into muffins and the answer is YES.
- Divide the pumpkin bread batter evenly between 12 greased muffin cups.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until a tester comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Don’t forget that delicious maple glaze!
How to store & freeze healthy pumpkin bread
- To store: this bread will last for a few days on the counter, but after that, I suggest wrapping it up and keeping it in the fridge.
- To freeze: let the pumpkin bread completely cool and wrap it tightly with aluminum foil. Then, place it in a freezer-friendly bag and pop it into the freezer. Bread will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Just look at that texture! I can’t stop staring at it. Or frankly baking this bread. I find that somehow it continues to get better as the days go on. My recommendation? Top a slice with peanut butter or almond butter and a sprinkle of sea salt for the ultimate 3pm afternoon snack!
More pumpkin recipes to try
- Mini Paleo Pumpkin Pies with Gingerbread Cookie Crust
- Baked Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cups
- Healthy Marbled Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins
- The Best Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls You’ll Ever Eat
- Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes
Get all of my pumpkin recipes here!
If you make this healthy pumpkin bread, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below to let us know how you liked it. You can also use the hashtag #ambitiouskitchen on Instagram!
Healthy Pumpkin Bread with Maple Glaze
Ingredients
- For the wet ingredients:
- ⅓ cup (75g) butter
- 1 (15 ounce) (425g) can pumpkin puree
- ½ cup (156g) pure maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the dry ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cup (198g) whole wheat pastry flour (or white whole wheat flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon*
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- For the glaze:
- ½ cup (57g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk (any milk will work), if necessary to thin glaze
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Line an 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Add butter to a saucepan and place over medium heat. The butter will begin to crackle and then foam. Make sure you whisk constantly during this process. After a couple of minutes, the butter will begin to brown and turn a nice golden amber color on the bottom of the saucepan. Continue to whisk and remove from heat as soon as the butter begins to brown and give off a nutty aroma. Immediately transfer the butter to a medium bowl to prevent burning. Set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes or until cool enough to touch.
- Add pumpkin puree, pure maple syrup, eggs and vanilla to a large bowl. Whisk together until smooth. Whisk in browned butter.
- In a separate large bowl, stir together whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice until well combined. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top with a spatula. Bake for 50-65 minutes until a tester comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Allow bread to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove bread from pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once bread is completely cool, make the maple glaze: In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, pure maple syrup and almond milk (only if necessary to thin the glaze). Pour over the pumpkin bread, then cut into slices and serve!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on September 19th, 2019, republished on September 30th, 2020, republished with new photos on September 29th, 2022, and republished on October 23rd 2024.
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
Can you do a glaze that doesn’t use refined sugar? Not sure if you have any ideas? Thank you!
Feel free to try my Paleo Powdered Sugar in the glaze, which uses coconut sugar!
I made this today and on one hand the texture of the bread is superb and glaze is fantastic, but the actual bread is very bland. I didn’t expect it to be extremely sweet or anything but I wanted a hint of the brown butter and maple, and definitely wanted that Fall, PSL, pumpkin pie spice type flavor. I followed the recipe exactly and I can’t taste the spices almost at all, it mainly tastes like flour and pumpkin. Not terrible but not what I was hoping for.
I am wondering, if doubling this recipe will ruin anything. I’ve done it in the past!
It shouldn’t! Just be sure to use two loaf pans.
Such good flavor and baked perfectly! Obsessed with all your baking recipes so far!
Love that! Hope you keep finding new ones to try!
Dense and not much flavor, it fell a bunch as it cooled. Not gonna make again
So strange! I’ve never run into this issue – did you weigh your ingredients?
yes I always weigh, and I wish your recipe didnt switch back and forth between weight and cup
A little taste of fall in every bite! So yummy!
That one teaspoon of baking soda wasn’t enough to lift. It’s dense 🙁
Try 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda next time if you want a fluffier loaf! I love a denser pumpkin bread 🙂
CRUSHED IT! I am obsessed with this recipe. It was so soft and tender. I used white whole wheat flour. The taste was incredible and the fact it uses a whole can of pumpkin just makes me so happy! This will be a staple in our house this fall. I did the glaze on top and sprinkled some sprouted pumpkin seeds on top too. Thank you!!!
So happy to hear that! The perfect fall baking recipe 🙂
This was an excellent recipe. Very easy to make. I used coconut oil instead of butter (1-to-1 substitution) as I didn’t have any butter on hand and didn’t feel like going to the store. I always love everything from your website, Monique!
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed, and I hope you keep finding new favorite recipes here!
Absolutely delicious! So easy, so yummy, enjoyed by the whole family. Thanks!
The perfect snack or treat!
Hello. Any idea what the calories are without the glaze? Thank you!
Hi! About 164.
Absolutely delicious! Made this for Thanksgiving and it was a big hit. I added more maple syrup for batter and used whole wheat flour. I was able to make 10 mini breads. Came out so moist and the perfect amount of spices to compliment the pumpkin. Definitely will be making again!
So happy to hear that! Love the idea of making mini breads 🙂
I just baked the pumpkin bread. I added cranberries and walnuts. I recommend oven at 375. Bake for 70 – 90 minutes. But bread is good .
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
This is my go to Pumpkin Bread. Love it. I do have a question. What would you change for cooking high altitude? I’m in Denver?
So happy to hear that! This is a great resource for high-altitude baking 🙂
Another winner! U r my go-to when I want to bake something yummy and wholesome 🙂 I made them into muffins w half having chocolate chips- so good and even yummier the next day!
I didn’t have whole wheat flour so I used 1c all purpose flour plus 1/2c oat flour and 1/4c flax seed. They baked for 25 mins and I can’t get over how good they are and that there is a whole can of pumpkin in it lol. Thanks so much 💖
I’m glad those swaps worked out well! Perfect snack 🙂
I grind my own wheat flour, so I used half fresh milled red wheat and half all purpose flour. I was very pleased with how it turned out. I love that it’s not too sweet, even with the extra glaze I put on it.
I’m glad that worked out well! Such a great fall treat 🙂
Hi! I always LOVE your recipes!!
What is your recommended flour substitute(s) to make this bread gluten free?
Thank you!
So happy to hear that! I think a 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour should work here. Let me know if you try it! Otherwise, try this pumpkin bread 🙂
How may I substitute almond flour for whole wheat?
I wouldn’t recommend it! Sorry!
I want to try this recipe but I am gluten free. Do you think this will work with gf flour?
Yes, a 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour should work!
Could I add flaxseed to this? If so how would I do it?
Are you looking to add whole flax seeds or flaxseed meal? A couple of tablespoons of whole flax seeds should alter the texture much, but flaxseed meal will add another dry ingredient so you may need more of a wet ingredient to get the same consistency in the batter.
This is just as delicious as described. Suitable for breakfast, snack, or dessert. Definitely brown the butter! I use einkorn flour each time I make this and it always turns out beautifully. Cheers!
Absolutely!!
Tried today with whole wheat pastry flour. Used frozen cranberries with pepitas on top and some cinnamon sugar. Accidentally halved the maple syrup. Would this affect texture? Its moist but very bottom seems denser than the rest of the bread. I tested it and it tested done. Would make again but would like to figure out what happened…
Hmm halving the syrup may have affected the texture, then make sure to use the spoon-and-level method to measure the flour and be sure to not overmix the batter!
Making this for the second time as I type this! Love it. I found that I have to bake it the full 65 mins for the bottom to be baked enough. Even a tad longer. I used one egg and one flax egg both times and worked out fine! In Canada, our cans are a little less than 15 oz…. So I had a little less pumpkin puree than recipe called for but everything was fine there!
I’m glad it still works out well!!
This turned out so terribly dense and didn’t think it tasted much like pumpkin. Very disappointing
So sorry to hear that! Did you use the spoon-and-level method for measuring flour? And any chance the batter got over-mixed?
I made this recipe using maple syrup. It was very heavy. If I make it again I will use honey and a an extra egg or two.
So strange! This should not be heavy at all. Did it bake up properly or did it seem overly dense?
Oh my gosh – this recipe ROCKS! So yummy! Easy to make too! Been on repeat this autumn in my kitchen!
So glad you love it!!
I made the loaf with Gluten Free King Arthur flour. The crust was a little rubbery before it cooled, but once it did, it was amazing. The loaf was deliciously moist. I will be making this again and again!
I’m glad it still worked out well!