There’s nothing that says fall baking quite like a loaf of homemade pumpkin bread fresh from the oven. This recipe delivers everything you love — a soft, moist crumb, cozy spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and that unmistakable pumpkin flavor — but it’s the brown sugar streusel topping that truly puts it over the top. Sweet, buttery, and just a little crunchy, it adds the perfect finishing touch to every slice.
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🎃 The Ingredients
This pumpkin bread comes together with simple pantry staples and warm fall spices that create a perfectly moist, flavorful loaf with a hint of sweetness in every bite. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
📝 Notes & Variations
- Pumpkin Purée: Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. The texture and flavor are completely different.
- Oil vs. Butter: Vegetable oil keeps the bread extra moist for days, but you can swap half for melted butter if you prefer a richer flavor.
- Spices: The blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger gives that classic pumpkin spice warmth — adjust to taste or use 2–3 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice for convenience.
- Sugar: A mix of granulated and brown sugar adds both sweetness and depth. For a more caramel-like flavor, use all brown sugar.
- Milk: Whole milk gives a tender crumb, but you can substitute buttermilk or even a bit of sour cream for extra moisture.
- Topping: Don’t skip the brown sugar streusel — it adds a buttery crunch that takes this pumpkin bread from simple to bakery-worthy.
- Add-ins: Stir in a handful of chopped pecans, walnuts, or chocolate chips for extra texture and flavor.
- Mini Loaves or Muffins: This batter works beautifully for smaller portions — just reduce the baking time (mini loaves take about 25–30 minutes; muffins, 18–22 minutes).
Refer to the recipe card (with video) below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
💡 Tips & Tricks for Perfect Pumpkin Bread
- Don’t overmix the batter: Stir just until the dry ingredients disappear — overmixing can make the bread dense instead of tender.
- Measure flour correctly: Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off; scooping directly from the bag packs in too much flour.
- Use room temperature ingredients: Eggs, milk, and pumpkin mix more smoothly and help the bread rise evenly.
- Check for doneness early: Every oven is different — start checking around 50 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool before slicing: Let the bread rest in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Cutting too soon can make it gummy inside.
- Line your pan: A strip of parchment paper makes it easy to lift the loaf out cleanly — no sticking or crumbling.
👩🏼🍳 How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Bread
- Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients until fully combined.
- Step 2: In another large bowl, stir together the eggs, pumpkin purée, oil, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Step 3: Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Avoid overmix.
- Step 4: Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and then line it with parchment paper. Pour the batter over the paper.
- Step 5: Put together the streusel ingredients and then sprinkle over the top of the bread batter.
- Step 6: Bake at 350°F for 65 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let rest 10 minutes in the pan and then let cool on a baking rack.
Expert Tip
For the best texture, keep your streusel cold before sprinkling it over the batter. Chilling the mixture for 10–15 minutes helps the butter stay solid, so it melts slowly in the oven and creates those irresistible, crisp golden clusters instead of melting flat.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
This usually happens when the batter is overmixed or if too much flour is added. Stir just until the dry ingredients are combined, and measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off.
Yes! It actually tastes even better the next day as the spices deepen. Once cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or foil and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Absolutely. Wrap the cooled loaf (or individual slices) tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature before serving.
Use oil instead of butter and don’t overbake it. Also, store it tightly wrapped once cooled — a little trapped moisture keeps the crumb soft and tender.
Yes! Stir in up to 1 cup of chopped pecans, walnuts, or chocolate chips just before baking. They add great texture and flavor.
That’s actually a good sign! The crack forms as the bread rises and sets — it means the interior is moist and expanding properly.
You can, but make sure it’s well-drained and thick. Fresh purée can be more watery than canned, which may affect texture and baking time.
🍁 More Classic Pumpkin Recipes
Ready to make the best pumpkin bread in town? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Best Homemade Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Video
Equipment
- 1 loaf pan 9"x5"
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
For the Brown Sugar Streusel
- ⅓ cup all-purpose
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter chilled and cut into small cubes
- ½ cup pecans chopped (optional)
For the Pumpkin Bread
- Cooking spray or oil or softened butter
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 cup pumpkin purée not pumpkin pie filling
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- brown sugar streusel
Instructions
Make the Brown Sugar Streusel
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.⅓ cup all-purpose, ½ cup dark brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Add the cold, cubed butter and use a fork, pastry cutter, or your fingers to work it into the mixture.2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Mix in the chopped nuts (if using). Chill until ready to use.½ cup pecans
Make the Pumpkin Bread
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray the loaf pan with cooking spray (or grease with oil or softened butter). Line the pan with parchment paper.Cooking spray
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.1¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, 1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup dark brown sugar
- In a large bowl, mix together the lightly beaten eggs, pumpkin purée, oil, milk, and vanilla. Stir until smooth and completely blended.2 large eggs, 1 cup pumpkin purée, ½ cup vegetable oil, ¼ cup whole milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Generously top with the streusel mixture. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.brown sugar streusel
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Pumpkin: Use 100% pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. The texture and flavor are completely different.
- Oil: Using oil instead of butter keeps the bread extra moist and tender for days.
- Spices: Adjust the spice blend to your taste — or substitute 2–3 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice for convenience.
- Toppings: The brown sugar streusel adds a delicious crunch, but you can skip it for a classic smooth loaf or swap it for a sprinkle of raw sugar, chopped nuts, or chocolate chips.
- Storage: Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week. The flavor deepens as it rests.
- Freezer-Friendly: Freeze whole or sliced for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature before serving.
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