Sweetened only with maple syrup, this delicious healthy pumpkin bread is low in sugar, vegan and made with fiber-rich whole wheat flour!
Pumpkin bread is one thing that I absolutely love making during the fall months! It’s loaded with pumpkin flavor, warm spices and tastes so good with a cup of hot coffee on a crisp fall morning. Pair it with my pumpkin spice latte for the ultimate fall experience.
That said, most pumpkin breads are far from being a health food. They’re loaded with sugar and lack fiber, so I set out to create a pumpkin bread recipe that’s lower in sugar and made with a higher-fiber flour, but still tasty and satisfying. And I finally nailed it!
Here’s What You Need
This recipe calls for whole wheat pastry flour, which offers a lighter texture than regular whole wheat, only 1/4 cup of maple syrup for the whole batch and if you use a flaxseed egg, it’s vegan too.
whole wheat pastry flour – whole wheat pastry flour works better than regular whole wheat flour if you’re looking for the light and fluffy bread that regular all-purpose flour provides, but still want the nutrients of whole wheat flour. If you can’t find whole wheat pastry flour you can also use white whole wheat flour, 1 cup all-purpose and 2/3 cup regular whole wheat or 1 2/3 cup all-purpose. Lots of options!
baking powder and baking soda – just to help the bread rise.
cinnamon – the perfect spice pairing for this bread.
sea salt – to bring all of the flavors together.
pumpkin puree – use canned pumpkin or make your own pumpkin puree. If you use canned pumpkin from the store, make sure the ingredient list is just pumpkin – don’t accidentally buy pumpkin pie filling! It’s loaded with added sugar.
maple syrup – a natural sweetener to add just a touch of sweetness to this bread. If you like a sweeter bread, you can use 1/2 cup maple syrup instead of 1/4 cup.
vanilla extract – a delicious flavor enhancer.
coconut oil – helps bind the wet and dry ingredients together and add some richness.
unsweetened applesauce – keeps this bread moist without adding extra oil!
flaxseed egg – to make a flax egg mix together one tablespoon ground flaxseed with three tablespoons of water and set aside to allow the mixture to gelatinize. If you don’t need this bread to be vegan, a regular egg also works! You can also try a chia egg.
cinnamon sugar topping – optional but highly recommend adding a coconut sugar and cinnamon mixture before baking to create a delicious, sweet crust!
Gluten-Free and Grain-Free Options
You can try using a gluten-free flour blend in place of the whole wheat pastry flour. I haven’t tested it myself, but Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour would be a good option. The bread might not rise as much, but I’m sure it will still taste delicious!
I also have a couple grain-free pumpkin options for you! These flourless pumpkin muffins are made with almond butter and SO amazing. Or this quinoa flour pumpkin bread with chocolate chips is another delicious, hearty option.
Optional Mix-ins
I didn’t add any extra mix-ins to this recipe because I love the texture and flavor without but if you want to take this bread to the next level, feel free! Here are some ideas:
chocolate chips – an obvious first choice! I recommend adding Lily’s chocolate chips to keep the sugar and carbs down while still adding decadent chocolate flavor.
chopped nuts – if you like nuts in your quick breads, add a handful to this batter! I recommend walnuts or pecans, but any nut will do.
How to Serve Pumpkin Bread
This pumpkin bread is arguably delicious for any part of the day! I would eat this for breakfast, a mid-day snack or even dessert! I love putting a slice in our toaster oven to reheat and topping it with a little nut butter. Here are more ideas:
toast the pumpkin bread and spread on coconut butter or traditional butter
cream cheese – plain, vanilla or cinnamon cream cheese would be delicious spread on top a slice of this pumpkin bread
toast a slice and serve with a spread of butter and drizzle of honey on top
How to Store Leftovers
After allowing the pumpkin bread to cool completely, store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, store in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for 1-2 months.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 1 regular sized loaf pan (8.5 inch) by spraying it with cooking spray or lining it with parchment paper.
Whisk together ground flaxseed with water in a small bowl with a fork and let it sit for a few minutes until an gel like consistency forms.
In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt).
Combine the wet ingredients (pumpkin, maple syrup, vanilla, oil, applesauce and flax egg) in a medium-sized mixing bowl and blend well.
Add the liquid mixture to the dry and stir well until just combined.
In a small bowl mix coconut sugar and cinnamon for the topping.
Pour batter into the loaf pan and top with coconut sugar cinnamon topping and place on the center rack of oven. Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Allow to cool before removing from pan.
Bread should keep at room temperature for at least 3 days. For longer storage, keep in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for 1-2 months.
Video
Notes
Whole wheat pastry flour: If you can’t find whole wheat pastry flour you can also use white whole wheat flour, 1 cup all-purpose and â…” cup regular whole wheat or 1 â…” cup all-purpose. For a gluten-free option, you could try a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend.
Maple syrup: For a sweeter pumpkin bread, feel free to use ½ cup maple syrup.
Flax egg: A regular egg can be used in place of the flax egg if you don’t need the recipe to be vegan.
I really wanted to like this bread since I love so many of your recipes, but I was disappointed! It’s very dense since it didn’t rise at all in the oven. I followed the recipe exactly and it’s not very sweet at all and just too dense and dry for my liking. Oh well!
I am so sorry to hear that this recipe did not turn out as you had hoped, Joanna. It could be that the batter may have been over mixed since it was so dense. Did you use a mixer or did you hand blend everything?
Hi Brooke – I would not recommend almond flour. If you are trying to make this bread gluten-free, you can try using a gluten-free flour blend in place of the whole wheat pastry flour. I haven’t tested it myself, but Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour would be a good option. The bread might not rise as much, but I’m sure it will still taste delicious!
Just made this~ Perfection! I used 1 cup all purpose flour and 2/3 cup whole wheat flour and subbed olive oil for coconut oil~ absolutely delicious! Moist, not too sweet and lots of cozy spices.
Best healthy pumpkin bread recipe yet! Thank you!
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I really wanted to like this bread since I love so many of your recipes, but I was disappointed! It’s very dense since it didn’t rise at all in the oven. I followed the recipe exactly and it’s not very sweet at all and just too dense and dry for my liking. Oh well!
I am so sorry to hear that this recipe did not turn out as you had hoped, Joanna. It could be that the batter may have been over mixed since it was so dense. Did you use a mixer or did you hand blend everything?
Good Evening,
Just curious if you feel almond flour would be ok to substitute?
Thanks!!
Hi Brooke – I would not recommend almond flour. If you are trying to make this bread gluten-free, you can try using a gluten-free flour blend in place of the whole wheat pastry flour. I haven’t tested it myself, but Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour would be a good option. The bread might not rise as much, but I’m sure it will still taste delicious!
Just made this~ Perfection! I used 1 cup all purpose flour and 2/3 cup whole wheat flour and subbed olive oil for coconut oil~ absolutely delicious! Moist, not too sweet and lots of cozy spices.
Best healthy pumpkin bread recipe yet! Thank you!
Yay! I’m so happy to hear this, Wendy. Thank you for leaving a review and star rating, it means so much to me.
Sounds delicious! I make something similar with mashed banana in place of the pumpkin.
This is delicious! I used a regular egg as we did not need it to be vegan. It was just what we needed to hit the spot.
Woo!! So pumped to hear you enjoyed this pumpkin bread, Liz! Thanks for the review. I really appreciate the feedback!