20 Amazing Pumpkin Bread Recipes Whether You Want Savory or Sweet (2024)

Your favorite autumn flavor is here to add to your brunch or dessert table (or just to snack on). We've gathered our best pumpkin bread recipes so you can find the perfect addition to the season. There's a pumpkin bread for the traditionalist who wants nothing but the classic, or frosted and slow cooker pumpkin breads for the more adventurous eater. Time to pull out the loaf pan!

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Surprise-Inside Chocolate Bread

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20 Amazing Pumpkin Bread Recipes Whether You Want Savory or Sweet (1)

Pumpkin bread inside chocolate bread? Yes, please! To make one of our favorite fancy pumpkin recipes, bake a batch of pumpkin bread on a sheet pan, then use pumpkin-shape cookie cutters to cut out slices. Bake the pumpkin bread slices in the batter for our chocolate bread, and voilà! You have homemade pumpkin bread hidden inside a decadent chocolate loaf.

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Pumpkin Pull-Apart Loaf

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20 Amazing Pumpkin Bread Recipes Whether You Want Savory or Sweet (2)

You won't need a knife to divvy up this homemade pumpkin bread. Just use your hands! For a fun fall brunch, serve this pumpkin pull-apart loaf with an addicting cinnamon glaze on top. Just make sure everyone's at the table before you bring out this pumpkin bread because they'll all be clamoring to try a slice (or two).

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Pumpkin-Cranberry Bread

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20 Amazing Pumpkin Bread Recipes Whether You Want Savory or Sweet (3)

If you've found yourself wondering what to make with pumpkin (whether it's canned or fresh), give one of our best fall bread recipes a try. After all, pumpkin and cranberry always rise to the occasion. This moist pumpkin bread bakes in the slow cooker for a no-fuss treat.

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Pumpkin Bread

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Learn how to make pumpkin bread if it's your first time, or get back to basics if you're a seasoned pumpkin bread baker with our tried-and-true classic pumpkin bread recipe. Either way, make extra to share because it disappears quickly. For a boost of sweetness and crunch, try adding a handful of raisins using the raisin-nut variation.

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Bourbon Pumpkin Bread with Spice Swirl

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20 Amazing Pumpkin Bread Recipes Whether You Want Savory or Sweet (5)

When it comes to giving your pumpkin bread even more fall flavor, bourbon is the answer. This recipe has a double dose: We added a splash to both the batter and the icing on top. Of course, that's not the only secret hidden in one of our best pumpkin treats. When you cut into it, you'll see it also has a swirl of sugar, pecans, and pumpkin pie spice in the center.

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Warm Pumpkin-Blueberry Bread

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20 Amazing Pumpkin Bread Recipes Whether You Want Savory or Sweet (6)

This biscuit-like loaf tops our list of easy pumpkin bread recipes. Simply mix the ingredients together and toss them in the slow cooker. After just a couple hours of "baking", you'll have moist bread that's studded with juicy blueberries.

The 7 Best Small Slow Cookers for Entertaining, Meal Prep, and More, According to Testing

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Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread

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20 Amazing Pumpkin Bread Recipes Whether You Want Savory or Sweet (7)

For a healthier pumpkin bread, we used whole wheat flour and plain yogurt in this easy recipe. Try increasing your ratio of whole wheat flour to all-purpose flour from what's called for in the recipe to make it even more wholesome. With just the right balance of sweetness, this is sure to become a family favorite.

15 Canned Pumpkin Recipes That Use the Whole Can

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Pumpkin Bread Trifle

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If you went a little pumpkin bread crazy and end up with a couple of extra loaves, you should definitely turn it into a showstopping trifle dessert. Layered with a bourbon-spiked sweet cream, this pumpkin bread makeover is an easy dessert perfect for the holiday table.

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Spiced Pumpkin Dinner Rolls

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20 Amazing Pumpkin Bread Recipes Whether You Want Savory or Sweet (9)

If you can't figure out how to incorporate squash into your dinner plans for tonight, this is the answer. Used canned pumpkin puree, along with a few pinches of cinnamon, to give these fluffy dinner rolls their fall flavor. The best part about this homemade pumpkin bread is that you can serve it with almost any fall meal.

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Slow Cooker Pumpkin-Blueberry Bread

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Yes, you can make delicious pumpkin bread in your slow cooker. We've added some fresh blueberries for a little sweet-tart flavor added. If you don't have access to fresh blueberries, stir frozen berries into the batter without thawing them.

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Pumpkin Spice Loaves

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20 Amazing Pumpkin Bread Recipes Whether You Want Savory or Sweet (11)

This recipe makes two pumpkin bread loaves. Keep one and share the other with a friend. Or keep both (we won't tell). After all, it's hard to resist this sweet and perfectly spiced treat. To make this bread more like dessert, serve with maple and nutmeg whipped cream.

Irresistible Pumpkin Desserts Starring Fall's Favorite Flavor

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Pumpkin Corn Bread

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20 Amazing Pumpkin Bread Recipes Whether You Want Savory or Sweet (12)

What's better than a warm, buttery side of skillet corn bread? The added sweetness and spice of pumpkin! Serve it hot (with some butter!) for maximum enjoyment, but you can also make it ahead of time, refrigerate for two days, then pop it back in the oven so it tastes fresh-baked.

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Apple Pumpkin Sunflower Bread

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Dress up classic pumpkin bread with chopped apples, sunflower seeds, and apple cider. To making slicing the finished bread easier, wrap in foil and store overnight before cutting. Serve the sliced fall bread with whipped butter.

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Pumpkin Gingerbread with Seedy Streusel

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Part cake, part pumpkin spice bread, this gingerbread recipe is topped with a crunchy streusel that's made with sesame seeds, crystallized ginger, and pepitas. As one BHG reviewer raves, "I loved the flavor and texture of this new twist on an old favorite pumpkin bread."

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Rosemary-Pumpkin Prosciutto Focaccia

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Focaccia is a fluffy yeast bread that's drizzled with olive oil and baked in a low pan so the top and sides become crisp. It's the perfect contrast of a chewy center and crunchy crust. In addition to the canned pumpkin in the dough, there's a sprinkling of salted pumpkin seeds on top.

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Honey-Glazed Pumpkin-Banana Bread

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20 Amazing Pumpkin Bread Recipes Whether You Want Savory or Sweet (16)

Banana pumpkin bread is the perfect mashup of sweet fruit and earthy pumpkin. What really makes this pumpkin recipe stand out is the chopped crystallized ginger that's sprinkled on top of the sweet honey glaze. It adds just a bit of spice to each bite.

Banana Bread

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Pumpkin-Pecan Bread

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If you need a make-ahead pumpkin bread recipe, this one can be stashed in the freezer for up to one month. Once baked and fully cooled, wrap the pumpkin bread in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe bag. When you're ready to serve, thaw it at room temperature for about four hours.

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Pumpkin Sourdough Discard Bread

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20 Amazing Pumpkin Bread Recipes Whether You Want Savory or Sweet (18)

If you've got leftover sourdough discard, put it to good use in this pumpkin spice bread. Balance the flavor with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, orange zest, and vanilla. A sprinkle of coarse sugar before baking ensures the crust is extra crisp and caramelized.

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Pumpkin Babka

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20 Amazing Pumpkin Bread Recipes Whether You Want Savory or Sweet (19)

Babka is a yeasted bread that's often braided with fillings like cinnamon or chocolate. Here, we're amping up the fall flavors with canned pumpkin in the dough and a toasted pecan topper.

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Pumpkin-Sage White Cheddar Biscuits

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It doesn't get much better than a plate of fluffy, buttery biscuits. A few ingredients help this pumpkin biscuit recipe stand out from the rest. A mix of butter and shortening in the dough increases the flakiness while fresh sage and white cheddar add savory flavor.

20 Amazing Pumpkin Bread Recipes Whether You Want Savory or Sweet (2024)

FAQs

Why does my pumpkin bread have no flavor? ›

Why does my pumpkin bread taste bland? Make sure to follow the recipe exactly. That means—don't leave out the salt, don't cut the amount of sugar, and use the specified amount of cinnamon.

What happens if you put too much pumpkin in pumpkin bread? ›

You might think you could overcome the lack of flavor by adding more pumpkin purée to your recipe, but you'd be mistaken: By the time you've added enough purée to taste it, your baked good would have a soggy texture on account of all that moisture.

Why did my pumpkin bread come out gummy? ›

If your pumpkin spice bread is gummy or undercooked in the center, it's typically because it either 1) needed more time to bake in the oven or 2) the batter was too wet, which led the bread to collapse in on itself a bit (this happens if you measure ingredients by volume, rather than by weight: it's easy to ...

Why is my pumpkin bread so dense? ›

Pumpkin bread can become dense if there is not enough hydration or wet ingredients in the recipe. Another cause is overcooking the bread which can cause it to dry out. Remember, it's always easy to keep cooking if it isn't done but impossible to take cooking time back.

How to intensify pumpkin flavor? ›

Cook It on the Stove

Briefly cooking your canned pumpkin purée on the stove can help improve both the flavor and texture. This method helps reduce excess moisture, which gives the pumpkin a superior texture. It also releases the natural pumpkin flavor and helps reduce the metallic taste from the can.

Why does my bread taste like nothing? ›

Salt adds flavor to bread. If none or too little is used in a recipe, the bread will lack the right flavor and taste "bland." If you reduce the amount of salt, try adding some dried herbs to increase the flavor. Too much yeast in bread will give bread an off-taste.

What not to do with pumpkin? ›

In fact, pumpkin flesh can be extremely dangerous to hedgehogs causing them to be severely ill just as they get ready to go into hibernation. Additionally, some pumpkins that could have been painted or have small plastic decorations added will be toxic and harmful to wildlife and not good for the environment.

What happens if you use too much baking soda in pumpkin bread? ›

It's important not to use too much baking soda in recipes, as it can result in a metallic, soapy flavor. It is much more powerful than baking powder – you only need about 1/4 teaspoon baking soda per cup of flour to leaven baked goods.

What are the side effects of too much pumpkin? ›

When taken by mouth: Pumpkin is likely safe when eaten in foods. It is possibly safe to take pumpkin seed or pumpkin seed oil in medicinal amounts. Side effects from pumpkin products are rare, but might include stomach discomfort, diarrhea, and nausea.

How to tell when pumpkin bread is done? ›

So, to know when pumpkin bread is done, look for the crack on the top of the bread, which is a tell-tale sign it's either done or close to being done. Then stick a skewer or toothpick into the center of the bread. If it comes out clean, it's ready to come out of the oven.

Why is my pumpkin bread not cooking in the middle? ›

Setting the Oven Temperature Is Too Hot

If your oven runs hot, your bread is likely to brown and bake up on the outside before the center has a chance to fully cook. Invest in a simple oven thermometer to help verify the temperature. Make sure you have other bread baking essentials in your kitchen, too.

Should pumpkin bread be stored in the fridge or on the counter? ›

Once bread is cool, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Store Pumpkin Bread at room temperature for up to five days. After three days, you may want to place the Pumpkin Bread in the refrigerator to prolong its life. Pumpkin Bread can keep in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

How can I make my bread lighter and fluffy? ›

Add Sugar

Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.

What is the best flour for bread? ›

While bread flour is the best option, it can sometimes be used if you don't have bread flour. “Check the protein content,” advises Chef Jürgen, since it can vary from brand to brand, and an all-purpose flour that contains protein on the higher end of the range, 12 to 13 percent, will produce a better outcome.

Can I rebake undercooked pumpkin bread? ›

It's not as easy as they make it sound to salvage undercooked pumpkin bread, but if you're lucky this handy trick will work. Heat the oven to 350 F, return the bread to the oven, and bake for another 10 to 20 minutes. This should cook the inside and will work even if the loaf has cooled a little.

Why does my pumpkin pie taste bland? ›

If the recipe doesn't use enough spice, or if the spices were old enough to have lost much of their flavour, or if the mixture isn't well balanced, then the pie is not going to taste right and could be quite bland.

What can I do with tasteless pumpkins? ›

  1. slice it up thinly and put it on pizza.
  2. dice it up and add it to couscous, rice, or pasta sauce (a cream-based sauce with paprika and garlic is nice, maybe sauteed sliced onions, spinach, bacon, chicken)
  3. make some pumpkin pie spice and use it and the pumpkin for baking: cupcakes, brownies, whatever.
Dec 4, 2014

Why doesnt pumpkin spice taste like pumpkin? ›

What Is Pumpkin Spice? Pumpkin spice, originally known as pumpkin pie spice, is typically made with a blend of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and occasionally allspice. It doesn't actually have any pumpkin flavor in it — however, it is used to flavor a pumpkin pie, which is likely how it got its name.

Why does my pumpkin soup taste bland? ›

If you think the soup is bland, try adding salt to make all the flavors pop. Use All The Spices Listed. I know it might seem like a long list, but they are all delicious and important for giving the soup a warm and spicy quality: Thyme, Cumin, Ginger, Poultry Seasoning and Cinnamon.

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