This classic gluten free pumpkin bread is an incredible celebration of fall! It's perfectly spiced, super moist, and deliciously fragrant.
We've been told it's the best gluten free pumpkin bread ever (even better than Starbucks pumpkin bread!), so you know it's a winner. Plus, you only need one bowl to whip up this sweet, tender, and fragrant bread — another score!
Why this is the best gluten free pumpkin bread
The brilliant color of the loaf comes from the pumpkin (of course), and the pumpkin pie spice. That’s just a simple, fall-like blend of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves and nutmeg.
This pumpkin bread recipe is only lightly sweet, and very satisfying. The spices make it smell like fall, and the pumpkin butter make for the perfect rich, fall taste and tender texture.
Serve it for breakfast, instead of those fake “pumpkin-flavored” cereals in the grocery store. I don’t even want to know what’s in those!
Are you ready to welcome cooler weather and all the flavors that make an appearance this time of year? Kick things off right by making this delicious pumpkin bread — it's gluten free, easy to make, and sure to please a crowd.
Ingredients for a gluten free pumpkin bread
This recipe for gluten free pumpkin bread is different from most because it doesn't use pumpkin puree — at least not directly.
Using pumpkin butter for gluten free pumpkin bread
“Pumpkin butter” isn’t a nut butter. It’s a reduced, spiced, and sweetened version of pumpkin puree. You can buy it during the fall and winter seasons (I like Trader Joe’s brand), or make your own homemade pumpkin butter with my recipe (<—-linked).
Since it’s been cooked down, it has more pumpkin flavor than pumpkin puree—which you’ll find has little pumpkin flavor. Plus, it has much less liquid. You cannot use pumpkin puree in its place in this recipe, or any other recipe that calls for pumpkin butter.
I make a big batch of sweet, super flavorful pumpkin butter toward the beginning of fall, and bake from it for weeks if not months. When I see it on the shelves, I also buy a couple jars. Remember, though, I’m doing a lot of recipe testing, so I need a lot of ingredients, so I can fail fail fail and live to try again another day!
The gluten free flour blend
My go-to gluten free flour for this recipe is Better Batter. It’s a favorite of mine and has been for a long time. You can buy it on its website and Amazon, but it’s also available at some local stores.
If you can’t grab some, you can make your own using my mock Better Batter recipe. It’s very close to the original recipe (the founder herself has told me), and it’ll do fine if you have the right ingredients on hand.
Just be sure not to add additional xanthan gum if you use an all purpose gluten free flour blend, like Better Batter, that already has it. Your bread will turn out tough and gummy!
More gf pumpkin bread ingredient notes
Here are the other ingredients you need to make this easy gluten free pumpkin bread.
- Cornstarch – I add this alongside my gluten free flour blend to create an easy cake flour. Of course, this isn't a recipe for cake, but the consistency is definitely more like cake and less like sandwich bread.
- Salt – It's a must for every sweet bread recipe because it balances out the flavors.
- Baking powder and baking soda – Unlike non-sweet breads, this gf pumpkin bread relies on baking powder and baking soda for its rise, rather than yeast.
- Pumpkin pie spice – This is the magic touch that highlights the flavor of the pumpkin and has you going, “yeah, it's fall.”
- Sugar – There's granulated sugar in this recipe, but it's not a lot, so you're going to get a moist, sweet cake that's not cloying.
- Light brown sugar – Yes, it adds sweetness, but also a bit of richness and depth of flavor.
- Butter – The butter moistens the dry ingredients and tenderizes the loaf.
- Eggs – They help with structure and also contribute to the flavor.
- Buttermilk – It's got acid which tenderizes the crumb, and adds lots of richness and moisture.
- Cinnamon-sugar – This is an optional topping, but I highly recommend you try it at least once.
What’s the batter like for this gluten free quick bread?
Even though the word “bread” is in the name of the recipe, this is a quick bread, not a sandwich bread. Quick bread is like a muffin or cake, but baked in a loaf pan.
It tends to be less sweet than a full-blown cake, which is what makes it more like a muffin. But the crumb is cake-like.
I don’t want to over-explain things that might seem obvious. But then I get a comment on a quick bread saying that someone was “very disappointed” in the recipe and their inability to make a sandwich on it…
The batter for this pumpkin bread is really very thick. It should be smooth and uniform before you transfer it to the loaf pan and bake it, but that can be a bit challenging since it’s so thick.
If you have a stand mixer, that’s the easiest way to get a smooth batter. Just use the paddle attachment and beat just until smooth.
I usually start out thinking I’ll be able to mix the batter with a spoon, get a bit frustrated and take out the hand mixer. The batter tends to climb up the beaters, but it’s easy to scrape off. And by that point, you’re really done mixing.
Tips for making the best gluten free pumpkin bread
Here are some tips for helping you achieve the best gluten free pumpkin bread.
Measure gluten free flour by weight
When measuring your gluten free flour blend, be sure to measure by weight rather than volume. When you scoop flour from a bag, you might accidentally compact it in your measuring cup.
This means once you’ve mixed everything together, your proportions will be off because you’ve got too much flour. If you don’t realize it, you may end up with a drier, more crumbly bread.
Use room temperature ingredients
Using room temperature ingredients makes it easier to mix your pumpkin bread batter. It also discourages the clumps that can form when you mix cold ingredients, like butter, with dry ones.
Mix well for the perfect rise
Because there's no yeast in this gluten free pumpkin bread recipe to help with rise, it's important that you thoroughly mix your ingredients. You want to make sure that when you're done, you're left with a smooth, uniform consistency that will give you perfect texture as it bakes.
Dusting the top with cinnamon sugar is a good idea
Dusting the top of the bread with cinnamon sugar before baking adds some extra sweetness to a bread that doesn’t begin with a ton of sugar. Plus, it creates a thin, crackly layer that adds visual and textural interest.
Adding a simple dusting of cinnamon sugar on this simpler recipe is a simple way to add texture, fragrance, and flavor. As a testament to how optional the topping is, though, I’ve made this recipe every year since 2013 without the dusting. But I doubt I’ll go back!
Give your gf pumpkin bread time to cool down
This recipe will give you an incredibly moist gluten free pumpkin bread, but you have to give the finished product time to cool down to reap the rewards.
If you slice your bread when it’s still hot, it’ll release steam, i.e. precious moisture. Your bread won’t dry out, but it will get crumbly as you slice it.
Gluten free pumpkin bread ingredient substitutions
I love that this healthy gluten free pumpkin bread uses all-natural ingredients. But if you can’t have milk, eggs, or corn, check out the substitutions below to tailor this gluten free pumpkin bread recipe to your dietary needs.
Gluten free, dairy free pumpkin bread
Replacing the dairy in this recipe means replacing the butter and the buttermilk. In place of butter, I recommend using vegan butter, and my favorite brands are Melt and Miyoko’s Kitchen.
If you can’t find one of those, or you can’t have coconut (both of those brands of vegan butter are coconut oil-based), maybe try one of the newer Country Crock brand “plant butter” sticks. They have one derived from avocado oil and one from olive oil. I haven’t tried them myself, though, so please report back if you do try them!
Gluten free, egg free pumpkin bread
There are two eggs in this recipe. You can try replacing each of them with one “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel).
Gluten free, vegan pumpkin bread
If you’d like to make a vegan version of this recipe, just use both the dairy free and egg free substitutions above, along with sugars that aren't made with bone char, and you’re good to go.
Gluten free, corn free pumpkin bread
If you can’t have corn, try using arrowroot. Even potato starch should work fine.
Gluten free, refined sugar free pumpkin bread
For a gf pumpkin bread that's free of refined sugar, you'll need to swap out the granulated and brown sugars in this recipe. Swerve has alternatives for both, or maybe you've got a brand that you prefer.
I don't recommend swapping out these granulated sugars for anything liquid, like honey, maple syrup, or molasses. That will throw off the dry-to-wet-ingredient proportions and leave you with soggy bread.
(Don't worry about refined sugar in my homemade pumpkin butter recipe because there is none — I use maple syrup instead.)
Gluten free pumpkin bread recipe with canned pumpkin
If you’ve already got canned pumpkin puree on hand, you might not want to run out for pumpkin butter or spend the time making your own. Don’t worry, I completely understand.
While you can’t use your canned pumpkin for this recipe due to its moisture content, I do have a quick and easy gluten free pumpkin muffin recipe you can try instead.
It uses pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin butter, so you can use what you have. It’s also gluten free and just as delicious as my pumpkin bread — and as an extra bonus, there’s no slicing or portioning required!
GF pumpkin bread variations
If you’re craving a little something extra, try adding in some pieces that hold their shape in the oven. Love chocolate? Turn my base into a gluten free pumpkin chocolate chip bread recipe with the addition of chocolate chips.
Other tasty mix-ins to consider include pecans, walnuts, and raisins. Looking for an extra bit of snap? Throw some roasted pumpkin seeds on top of your bread before baking.
Serving gluten free pumpkin bread
Personally, I think this delicious pumpkin bread is perfect just the way it is. But if you’d like to try something different, there are tons of toppings you can try.
For an extra touch of moisture, spread some butter, honey, or whipped cream on top of a slice.
If you’d like a bit more sweetness and substance, try a nut butter (almond tastes amazing!) or some Nutella (even better!)
Having your gluten free pumpkin bread for dessert? You can’t go wrong with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or your favorite dairy-free alternative.
Storing gluten free pumpkin bread
In my house, this gf pumpkin bread never lasts long. On the rare occasion it does (or I make an extra loaf), I find that it stores wonderfully in an airtight container after its cooled.
It stays good for about five days at room temperature (and about a week in the fridge), and incredibly, it retains its moisture wonderfully.
Can I freeze gluten free pumpkin bread?
If you’d like to freeze your gluten free pump bread, you’ve got a couple of options. First, you can freeze an entire loaf. Just let it cool completely, wrap it in plastic, and then put the loaf in a zip-top bag.
For added convenience, try slicing your bread first. From there, you’ll follow the same storage procedure, except to add some parchment paper between each slice to make them easier to separate.
Either way, your frozen pumpkin bread will last up to six months in the freezer. When you’re ready to enjoy, just leave a slice or an entire loaf on the counter until fully defrosted.
FAQs
Is pumpkin gluten free?
Yes, pumpkin is gluten free.
Even commercially available pumpkin butter should be gluten free, but you always want to double-check product labels just to be sure.
Is this a flourless pumpkin bread recipe?
No, by my definition, this is not a flourless pumpkin bread recipe. That's because I use a gluten free flour blend and cornstarch. While these gluten free flours aren't traditional flours made with wheat, I still consider them flours.
Can I use canned pumpkin puree to make this gf pumpkin bread recipe?
No, you can't use canned pumpkin to make this particular gluten free pumpkin loaf.
For starters, you're not going to enjoy the same deep, rich flavor because canned pumpkin isn't spiced.
There's also the problem that canned pumpkin has a higher moisture content than my pumpkin butter, so the texture of the bread will be totally off.
Can I use pumpkin pie filling to make this gluten free pumpkin bread recipe?
While pumpkin pie filling does have many of the same spices that I use in my pumpkin butter recipe, it still doesn't have the same consistency — so that's a no for this ingredient too.
Can I make a gluten free pumpkin bread mix in advance?
If you want to cut down on preparation time in the future, you can definitely put together a gluten free pumpkin bread mix ahead of time.
Just combine all the dry ingredients and store in an airtight container. When you’re ready to make bread, simply add the wet ingredients, mix, and bake.
Can I double this recipe for gluten free pumpkin bread?
You can absolutely double this recipe for even more gluten free pumpkin bread mix, and I actually encourage it, because once you have a bite of this moist, flavorful bread, you'll be glad that there's a whole other loaf waiting in the wings.
However, when making a double batch, be sure to use two loaf pans rather than pour all of it into one bigger pan. This will ensure thorough cooking, rather than a gloppy mess because the heat couldn't fully penetrate through all that batter.
Can I make this pumpkin bread in a bread machine?
I've personally never made this gluten free pumpkin recipe in a bread maker, and I'm honestly not keen on suggesting that you try. Remember, it takes a lot of trial and error to get these recipes just perfect, and the more you deviate from my instructions, the more likely you'll end up with something that isn't quite the same.
If you must try making this gluten free pumpkin bread in a bread machine, make sure yours has a quick bread setting. This is the one that accounts for a recipe using baking soda and baking powder rather than yeast.
Does this recipe make a healthy gluten free pumpkin bread?
Healthy is a relative term, but if you ask me, yes, I think this is a rather healthy pumpkin bread. We use whole, natural ingredients and not a lot of sugar. Is it as healthy as snacking on celery sticks and hummus? No, but I suppose it is healthier than a rich chocolate cake with decadent frosting.
What pan should I use to make moist gluten free pumpkin bread?
My go-to for this gluten free pumpkin bread recipe is a standard 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan.
However, when I’ve needed more than one loaf, I’ve also used an 8-inch x 4-inch metal pan, and the bread’s always come out perfectly. Just watch the baking time, as it may take a few more minutes to bake all the way through in a smaller pan.
Why is my gluten free pumpkin bread crumbling so much?
The last step of this gluten free pumpkin bread recipe is to let your bread cool completely, and it’s vital that you follow this step to keep your baked good from turning into a crumbly mess.
Assuming you followed all my other directions and used the right ingredients, just give your gf pumpkin bread a little more time to cool down if it’s crumbling when you slice it.
Why is my gluten free pumpkin bread dry?
You have to be very careful when measuring out dry ingredients; otherwise, they’ll soak up the moisture from your recipe and give you a drier result.
If your pumpkin bread is dry, it’s likely that you measured out your flour blend by volume (cups) rather than weight (grams).
When you measure by volume, you risk packing the flour into your measuring cup, adding way more than you need to the recipe.
Why is my gluten free pumpkin loaf gummy?
If you pull your pumpkin bread from the oven to find that it's somewhat mushy, you've probably added too much liquid to the mix.
This will definitely happen if you deviate from the recipe and use pumpkin puree or pumpkin pie filling, but it can also happen if you're just not careful with your buttermilk or get a heavy-handed with pumpkin butter.
Seriously, if you want the best gluten free pumpkin bread, follow my instructions carefully, and use weight measurements whenever possible.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups (280 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; click thru for appropriate blends)
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- ¼ cup (36 g) cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice See Recipe Notes
- ⅔ cup (133 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) packed light brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- ⅔ cup (5 ⅓ fluid ounces) buttermilk at room temperature (See Recipe Notes)
- 5 ounces pumpkin butter homemade or store bought, at room temperature
- Cinnamon-sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and line a standard 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and sugars, and whisk to combine well, breaking up any lumps in the brown sugar.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the butter, eggs, buttermilk and pumpkin butter, and mix until smooth and uniform in color.
- The batter will be very thick. You can try using a handheld mixer to ensure a smooth, even batter. It will climb up the beater blades, so just keep scraping it down and carry on.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, pressing it into all corners of the pan so there aren’t any gaps in the baked bread.
- With wet fingers and/or a wet spatula, smooth the top of the batter into an even layer and score it about 3/4-inch deep along the length, down the center of the bread using a sharp knife at a 45° angle.
- Dust the top generously with a layer of the (optional) cinnamon sugar mixture, and score again down the center if necessary to reestablish the scoring.
- Place the loaf pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the top is domed and lightly golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with no more than a few moist crumbs attached (nothing gooey at all!) (45 to 55 minutes).
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve once cool.
Notes
Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups (280 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; click thru for appropriate blends)
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- ¼ cup (36 g) cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice See Recipe Notes
- ⅔ cup (133 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) packed light brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- ⅔ cup (5 ⅓ fluid ounces) buttermilk at room temperature (See Recipe Notes)
- 5 ounces pumpkin butter homemade or store bought, at room temperature
- Cinnamon-sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and line a standard 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and sugars, and whisk to combine well, breaking up any lumps in the brown sugar.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the butter, eggs, buttermilk and pumpkin butter, and mix until smooth and uniform in color.
- The batter will be very thick. You can try using a handheld mixer to ensure a smooth, even batter. It will climb up the beater blades, so just keep scraping it down and carry on.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, pressing it into all corners of the pan so there aren’t any gaps in the baked bread.
- With wet fingers and/or a wet spatula, smooth the top of the batter into an even layer and score it about 3/4-inch deep along the length, down the center of the bread using a sharp knife at a 45° angle.
- Dust the top generously with a layer of the (optional) cinnamon sugar mixture, and score again down the center if necessary to reestablish the scoring.
- Place the loaf pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the top is domed and lightly golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with no more than a few moist crumbs attached (nothing gooey at all!) (45 to 55 minutes).
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve once cool.
Jane says
Hi, I am wondering if the pumpkin butter is measured in fluid ounces or weight ounces?
Nicole Hunn says
Weight ounces are expressed simply as ounces and liquid as “fluid ounces.”
Darlene Scott says
This gf pumpkin loaf is AMAZING! It’s moist, doesn’t crumble and is so tasty and satisfying. I wouldn’t do anything more to it. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Love all your gf recipes.
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so glad you love it as much as we do, Darlene! Thank you for sharing that.
Nancy says
I can’t wait to try this pumpkin bread. I just made the pumpkin coffee cake and if I didn’t make it myself and know it was gluten free I wouldn’t have believed it was!! Thanks so much for all these amazing recipes! I’m wondering if the pumpkin butter can be frozen?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Nancy, I’m so glad you enjoyed the pumpkin coffee cake! That’s a great question about pumpkin butter, and yes! It can be frozen. I recommend freezing it in 4- or 5-ounce portions, specific to whatever recipe you expect to use it in. That way you won’t have to defrost all of it just to use some of it. I wouldn’t refreeze it after it’s been frozen and defrosted. I’ll add that info to the post on pumpkin butter!
Nancy says
Great. I want to make the pumpkin oatmeal cookies yet then I think I’ll take a pumpkin break. Lol. I made the pumpkin bread but I don’t think I baked it quite long enough. The toothpick came out clean but when I cut a slice it seemed underbaked along the bottom. It still tasted amazing!
Kimberly C Walker says
I have made this pumpkin bread many times. Has always turned out wonderful and my family loves it !
Nicole Hunn says
So glad you’ve enjoyed it, Kimberly!
Karin says
Can I substitute milk with some vinegar for Buttermilk?
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid that’s not a proper buttermilk replacement, no. But you can easily take the full volume of buttermilk called for in any recipe and substitute, by volume: half plain whole milk yogurt and half milk by volume, or one third sour cream or plain Greek-style yogurt with two-thirds milk. That will give you the right thickness and the right acidity for buttermilk.
Dana says
I’ve just made my third batch of this recipe! It’s wonderful! I’ve made it plain, with mini chocolate chips and pecans and with fresh cranberries and walnuts. I made it in my stand mixer starting with the butter and eggs. I just beat the heck out of it til the butter was in tiny lumps floating in the egg. Then I added the rest of the wet ingredients and added the dry ingredients at the end and ran the mixer on low just til it was all barely incorporated. It’s a really nice loaf and exactly what I’m after this time of year. Thanks Nicole
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so glad, Dana, that it hits the spot for you and your family! Your additions sound delicious. :)
Lina says
Can I prep the batter and put it in the fridge overnight, then bake it in the morning? Thank you!
Nicole Hunn says
I would not recommend that, no, Lina. You never want to let something with chemical leaveners like baking powder and baking soda sit for a long time before baking.
Susan Bergin says
Just made this pumpkin loaf today and all I can say is….I am making a 2nd one tomorrow! This is a beautifully easy and moist loaf and yes for sure use cinnamon/sugar over the top. I used the milk/plain yogurt combo in lieu of buttermilk. Thanks for this wonderful and so tasty loaf….even my somewhat picky son said “this is a keeper”
Nicole Hunn says
So glad you agree about the cinnamon-sugar on top, Susan! Once you know, you know. And that’s amazing that it was a win with your son. As much as I try to take the pickiest family member’s tastes in stride, if I’m being honest—I’m always playing to that person, hoping to impress. ?
Dana says
Looks gorgeous Nicole. As soon as our weather drops below 90 I’m making it! I love baking with pumpkin butter and buttermilk!
Kim says
What could I use to substitute white sugar?
Nicole Hunn says
This is a sweet recipe, Kim, made with refined sugar. I think you might need a Paleo recipe, instead?
Bonnie Norton says
I used homemade vanilla kefir instead of buttermilk. I also added a little Rum extract and baked in muffin tins. My whole family couldn’t believe they were GF! I spread a little pumpkin-spice honey butter on mine and was in heaven!
Stefanie Hale says
I made this last night and both of kids had it for snack and breakfast this morning! Absolutely delicious!!! Thanks for the recipe :)
Nicki Schroder ツ says
I made this tonight and it’s awesome!
Dana Schwartz says
Yet another clue that you have spies… This morning as my daughter ate the last slice of banana bread, she says, mom why don’t we make pumpkin bread next? And now your recipe arrives, so thank you, Nicole, and your ability to read the minds of Gfers like us :) Can’t wait to make this!
-Dana
Doreen J says
Nicole, I can’t wait to try this! I made your pumpkin butter this morning while baking a batch of your cheesecake cookies. As soon as I tasted those cookies I ordered two of your cookbooks! I am trying to limit the amount of gluten in my diet and your site and recipes are just what I need to help me get started! Thanks so much.
Anneke says
Haven’t even had time to read the blog post, but am so excited!! Love, love, love pumpkin bread and will try to find time to whip this up later today! After I actually read the recipe and directions, of course . . .
Jennifer Sasse says
Love pumpkin!!! love bread!!! love pumpkin bread!!! thank you so much!
WTFPinterest.com says
I have been very sick in bed with a nasty flu. This morning I am feeling decidedly more human, saw this recipe, and now my house smells like Autumn instead of Hospital, due to the pumpkin butter cooking on the stove in anticipation of baking this pumpkin bread. Thanks, Nicole!
OXO
Allison