Healthy Pumpkin Bread
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Published Oct 05, 2023, Updated Feb 08, 2024
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This healthy pumpkin bread is made with fiber-rich whole wheat flour, naturally sweetened with maple syrup and packed with warm spices. It’s moist, fluffy and makes for the perfect fall treat. Plus, it can easily be made vegan.
This healthy 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!
What Makes This Pumpkin Bread Healthy?
As I mentioned above this pumpkin bread recipe is relatively healthy in comparison to traditional recipes…
- I used fiber-rich whole wheat pastry flour instead of traditional all-purpose flour.
- I used coconut oil and applesauce instead of butter
- It’s naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup instead of refined sugar.
Ingredients Needed
- 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. My favorite brand is Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour.
- baking powder and baking soda – to help the bread rise.
- cinnamon – the perfect spice pairing for this bread.
- pumpkin pie spice – you can make homemade pumpkin pie spice with just cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg or use a store-bought spice blend.
- 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.
- eggs – gives the loaf structure.
- maple syrup – a natural sweetener that pairs perfectly with the spices and pumpkin.
- 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!
- cinnamon sugar topping – optional but highly recommend adding a coconut sugar and cinnamon mixture before baking to create a delicious, sweet crust!
How to Make
Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare your loaf pan by spraying it with cooking spray or lining it with parchment paper.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt.
Mix wet ingredients: In a medium bowl whisk together pumpkin, eggs, maple syrup, oil, applesauce and vanilla until smooth and combined.
Combine: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir well until just combined.
Make topping: In a small bowl mix together coconut sugar and cinnamon for the topping.
Bake: 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.
Substitutions & Notes
Flour – If you can’t find whole wheat pastry flour you can also use white whole wheat flour, 1 cup all-purpose and 3/4 cup regular whole wheat or 1 3/4 cup all-purpose. Lots of options!
Coconut oil – Melted butter or any neutral oil like olive oil or avocado oil will work as a substitute for the coconut oil.
Maple syrup – Feel free to swap the maple syrup with honey or agave.
Vegan – Swap 2 flax eggs for the regular eggs to make this loaf vegan. Just a note that if you use flax eggs the loaf might not rise as much.
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! 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 pumpkin 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.
Tips For Success
- Don’t over-mix: One of the key steps to achieving fluffy, tender bread is to avoid over-mixing the batter otherwise you’ll end up with pumpkin bread that is dense and gummy. Stir until just combined for the best texture. It’s okay if there are a few streaks of flour left.
- Line your loaf pan: Don’t forget to line your loaf pan with parchment paper for easy removal. I also recommend spraying the sides of the pan with cooking spray so the sides don’t stick to the pan.
- Don’t skip the topping: The cinnamon sugar topping is the best part, IMO! It results in a crispy, crunchy sweet topping that is simply irresistible!
- Test for doneness: Insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf to check if it’s done. If it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, the loaf is ready to come out of the oven.
- Let cool completely: I know it may be tempting to dig into this loaf right away, but trust me when I say you’ll want to let your loaf cool completely before slicing. The loaf continues to bake as it cools and if you cut it too soon it might seem undercooked or fall apart.
How to Serve Pumpkin Bread
This healthy 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
- warm up a slice and top with apple butter or pumpkin butter
- toast a slice and serve with a spread of butter and drizzle of honey on top
How to Store Leftovers
After allowing your 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.
If you freeze this loaf I recommend slicing it into individual pieces before freezing so you can easily pull one slice out at a time. To defrost, place the bread in the fridge overnight to thaw.
More Pumpkin Recipes
- Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
- Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
- Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal
- Soft Pumpkin Cookies
- Pumpkin Spice Donuts
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars
More Quick Bread Recipes
- Chocolate Banana Bread
- Vegan Apple Bread
- Zucchini Bread
- Vegan Banana Bread
- Healthy Lemon Loaf (Starbucks Copycat)
Be sure to check out the full collection of pumpkin recipes and all my quick bread recipes here on EBF.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Healthy Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup canned pumpkin or homemade pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Topping
- 2 Tablespoons coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- 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.
- In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt).
- Combine the wet ingredients (pumpkin, eggs, maple syrup, oil, applesauce and vanilla) 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 ¾ cup regular whole wheat or 1¾ cup all-purpose. For a gluten-free option, you could try a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend.
- Eggs: Flaxseed eggs can be used to replace the regular eggs to make this loaf vegan.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made it today – love it! I’m often looking for an afternoon treat that isn’t loaded with sugar. I used a regular egg too as I’m not vegan. I decided not to omit the sugar topping. Glad I didn’t – that crust was yum – and really not much extra sugar as I only used about a tablespoon.
I made this recipe today and it came out fantastic! I used a regular egg, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and no added sugar on top. The texture of the bread was great (not too dense), and the flavor of the pumpkin and spices really shines through without all the sugar overpowering it. This one is a keeper!
I appreciate the fact that so many people think the pumpkin bread recipe sounds great (which it does), but wish more people would write what it tasted like and adaptations for it they made. For me that would be more helpful, and encouraging me to try ip.
My go-to flour is often white whole wheat, but now I’m excited to try whole-wheat pastry flour! 🙂
Thank you for sharing these treats…and your life! Don’t you love the fall months? I hope you are having a blessed week.
Quinoa and pumpkin bread…two of my favorite things. Perfect fall food!
That quinoa recipe looks AMAZING! Definitely bookmarking and trying it soon!
I realize this is an odd question, but were there food vendors at the Montpelier races or is it all tailgate? What kind of food is available to buy?
I think there are a few vendors (food carts/trucks) with food but I’ve never purchased food because we always tailgate. Hope that helps.
Hi Brittany, I made the pumpkin gingerbread recipe Wednesday night and it was THE HIT of Thanksgiving! My husband’s family can’t stop thinking about it and want it for Christmas too! I’m making it again tomorrow, doubling it so I can share with a new mom to share a meal. I was also going to make a big hot dish but now that I see your quinoa salad, I might just do that too…Thank you!!!
Hooray. I’m so glad that the pumpkin bread turned out and that your family enjoyed it. Thank you so much for coming back to this post and giving your feedback. 🙂
I am glad you reposted this quinoa recipe. I love quinoa but think it is best as a salad and am always on the lookout for a good quinoa salad and a carb that can sit in the fridge for a couple of days so that I can have it for lunch or dinner to mix up my meal plan. I will definately try this one.