Classic gluten free pumpkin bread, made simply with just the right spices in one bowl. A moist, tender celebration of fall!
One bowl of batter is all that stands between you and this purely classic gluten free pumpkin bread. Set your wet ingredients out to come to room temperature, measure out the dry, mix—and bake.
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.
The batter for this pumpkin bread is very thick, but wet. It reminds me of the old-style gluten free yeast bread doughs, the kind you “shape” in a loaf-style with wet hands. I, for one, am not nostalgic for that ritual, but it does make me think that you might be able to shape this loaf to bake outside a loaf pan. Just a thought!
There’s another recipe for pumpkin bread on page 196 of my first cookbook, and that was the one I always made. You puree prunes for the batter and it has a more complex flavor. This one is a simple, classic pumpkin bread, made with basic ingredients, and it’s in the oven before you know it.
Have you ever made or purchased pumpkin butter? It has more flavor and less moisture than pure packed canned pumpkin, so it’s perfect for baking. I generally make my own (recipe here), but I do purchase it from time to time at Trader Joe’s. It’s also delicious spread on some toast.
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 is in those!
HELLO! I’m Nicole! I make gluten-free food enjoyable & affordable. If they can make it with gluten, we can make it without. That’s a promise!
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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!
Hi Nicole! Thank you for creating this recipe. I have just started the gluten free baking journey due to a health condition & all purpose GF does sit well with my stomach. I have saw some GF recipes online using coconut flour & psyllium husks to make bread. I was wondering if I could use these for this recipe. If so,could you share with me on the quantity needed and if there would be a difference in the steps? Thank you!
PLEASE, PLEASE put in an actual (type-in-what-you’re-looking-for) search bar!!
I have a search function on my blog, J’Marinde. It is prominently located at the very top of the blog, as indicated by a magnifying glass, the universal symbol for such a bar. 🔍
Thank you for developing these recipes. I work at a food bank and pass them along to our demonstration chef!
Hi, I was wondering if you have experimented with creating your own GF flour mix? Also have you tried substituting xanthan gum with anything? e.g. ground flaxseed or chia seed, or anything else?
And lastly, will buckwheat flour be a suitable high protein replacement for oat flour?
I found the DIY GF flour blog, a bit hasty with the questions sorry
[…] Pumpkin bread. […]
I made this last night and both of kids had it for snack and breakfast this morning! Absolutely delicious!!! Thanks for the recipe :)
I made this tonight and it’s awesome!
I have fructose malabsorption and therefore cannot have apple anything. Is there a way to make the pumpkin butter without apple cider/juice? Would plain water or maybe coconut water work?
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
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.
Nicole, is the pumpkin butter a necessity or can an equivalent amount of canned pumpkin be used instead?
Yes, Linda, it is a necessity in this recipe. The recipe in my cookbook for pumpkin bread uses simple puree, if you’d prefer to use that one.
Thanks Nicole! Your lovely recipes are always so welcome in my household! I’ve found ways to make them dairy and soy free for our household issues with quite a high success rate too!
I just want to use pureed pumpkin instead of pumpkin butter- what’s the amount to use to substitute? and what about the sugar- sub suggestions? thanks! your site is my favorite!
You can’t use pumpkin puree instead of pumpkin butter in this recipe, as it has considerably more moisture, GF in Maine. I haven’t tested this recipe with any substitutions, so feel free to experiment!
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 . . .
:)
Love pumpkin!!! love bread!!! love pumpkin bread!!! thank you so much!
Pleasure, Jennifer! :)
xoxo Nicole
Darn! My mouth was watering until I read the ingredient list and saw sour cream or yogurt. Bummer being Gluten and Diary intolerant.
Me too. I just use plain coconut yogurt in most recipes that call for yogurt. I haven’t made this particular recipe, but it seems to have worked for me in other recipes.
I understand that there is Greek-style coconut yogurt now. Or you could just strain regular coconut yogurt.
One more dumb question. I have not done a lot of gf/df baking except for peanut butter cookies. What does xanthan gum do for the baking process and what would happen if you baked something without it?
It will be crumbly and most likely fall apart.
Thanks, Carol.
I’ve made quite a few of Nicole’s recipes dairy-free with a lot of success. I imagine they turn out a little different than hers, but still very tasty!
Thanks Donia, Linda and Nicole. I am kind of new into the Dairy Free cooking. I use almond milk in place of milk but I did not know what to do in place of sour cream or yogurt. I did not know there was a coconut yogurt, but I will definitely look for it soonest!
I recommend you be brave in experimenting. I think you’ll find that most things that don’t have a ton of dairy in them can still be made by us dairy-freers. I don’t have any solution for cheesecake, however. :( I guess cashew “cream”.
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
Oh no, Allison! I’m really glad you’re on the mend, and pumpkin butter is definitely the cure whatever the ailment this time of year!
xoxo Nicole
Looks awesome! I think my family will absolutely love it. Butter and maple syrup, on top possibly…
Sounds so good, Donia!
xoxo Nicole