Easy, super moist and fluffy Vegan Pumpkin Bread with a sparkly sugar top and mix-ins of choice. I like dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds, but chocolate chips are great too!
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FEATURED COMMENT:
"OMG! This is absolutely delicious (and so easy to put together!). I love the addition of dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds - genius idea! Another winning recipe, Mel! Thanks for helping me make Autumn even tastier than usual!" - Leigh ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ More reviews →
Hello, fall, hello pumpkin, and hello, my new and improved Vegan Pumpkin Bread!
This recipe has been here on the AVV website since 2017, and although many of you love it, I just knew it could be better. So I've retested it and tweaked the recipe to make it fluffier, moister, slightly sweeter, and a whole lot more pumpkinny. It was good before, but now it's incredible!
This hearty and delicious vegan pumpkin quick bread is packed with pumpkin and pumpkin spice flavours, and trust me on the black pepper addition - I know it sounds odd! It's just a little bit, and you would never be able to pick it out flavour-wise, but it adds a certain something, something that you can't quite put your finger on. Honestly, it's what sets this recipe apart, so don't skip it!
We've also got amazing texture going on, thanks to the sugary, crusty top, and delicious, very customizable mix-ins. For the best vegan pumpkin bread, I really love dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds for their colour, crunch, and chew, but you could add chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or omit them altogether if you're a pumpkin bread purist.
Smear thick slices of this classic fall favourite with vegan butter or almond butter and enjoy for breakfast or snacks throughout fall and beyond!
Mel x
P.S. Don't worry if you really loved the old vegan pumpkin bread recipe. I've copied and pasted the old recipe into the FAQs, and if you're looking for a much more decadent pumpkin treat, check out my Vegan Pumpkin Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting!
⭐️ Important Ingredient Note
The use of dark brown sugar is intentional in this recipe, and I don't recommend using any other type. The caramel undertones work really well with the pumpkin flavour, so it's the best choice flavour-wise, but more importantly, dark brown sugar is acidic. This acid reacts with the baking soda, creating bubbles which make the pumpkin bread light, fluffy, and well-risen. If you use any other kind of sugar, you will not get the best results.
Recipe FAQS
Yes! I saved it here just in case. Here it is:
2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour (or spelt/wholewheat or 1 for 1 GF all-purpose baking flour)
¾ cup (150 grams) sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda (bicarb in the UK)
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice (or switch the 3 individual spices for 2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice)
⅔ packed cup (100 grams) dried cranberries
½ cup (75 grams) pumpkin seeds
1 slightly heaping cup (260 grams) pumpkin puree
¾ cup (180 ml) unsweetened dairy-free milk
INSTRUCTIONS
1 - Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease an 8.5 x 4.5-inch or 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Lay a strip of baking parchment down the length of the pan with some overhang at each end to make the loaf easier to remove when cooked.
2 - Add all of the dry ingredients to a large bowl and stir to combine.
3 - Add the pumpkin puree and milk to another bowl or a jug and mix them together.
4 - Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined to form a stiff batter.
5 - Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
6 - Bake for about 55 minutes or until golden and starting to come away from the sides of the pan. Test it by inserting a skewer, toothpick or sharp knife into the centre. If it comes out clean, it's done. If not, give it a few more minutes.
7 - Remove from the pan, peel off the paper, and cool on a wire rack.
Recipe
Vegan Pumpkin Bread
Author:Ingredients
- 1 x 15oz (425g) can pumpkin puree , (398ml can in Canada)
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) dairy-free milk
- ½ cup (120 ml) liquid oil , such as canola, vegetable, sunflower, or light olive
- 1 packed cup (200 grams) dark brown sugar (don't use any other type as the acidity is important)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp cloves , (or use 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice instead of the nutmeg, cloves, and ginger - be sure to still add the cinnamon)
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2¼ cup (281 grams) all-purpose flour , (plain in the UK) or the same weight (not volume) of spelt or 1 for 1 GF all-purpose baking flour with xanthan gum
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda , (bicarb in the UK)
- granulated sugar for sprinkling over the top
MIX-INS
- ½ packed cup (75 grams) dried cranberries
- ½ cup (75 grams) pumpkin seeds , or use a similar amount (about 1 cup) of any other mix-ins such as nuts, seeds, chocolate chips.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Lay a strip of baking parchment down the length of the pan with some overhang at each end to make the loaf easier to remove when cooked.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the pumpkin puree, milk, oil, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, pepper, and vanilla. Stir to combine.
- Add the flour to the bowl, then sprinkle the baking powder and baking soda over the top. Stir to combine, being careful not to overmix.
- Add the mix-ins (reserving a few to decorate the top) and fold through gently.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a spatula so it's level, then decorate with the reserved mix-ins and a generous sprinkle of coarse sugar.
- Bake for 65 to 70 minutes or until golden and crusty, starting to come away from the sides of the pan, and a skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If using a black/dark pan, it might be ready a few minutes earlier.
- Leave in the pan for 5 minutes, then lift out using the parchment paper as handles. Place on a wire rack, peel off the paper, and allow to cool completely.
NOTES
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JoAnne says
THANK YOU for sharing all of your delicious recipes.
I tried these today and made a few additions and they were so yummy. Changes:
1. Use 1/2 flour and 1/2 spelt flour.
2. Added 1/4 c. zucchini flour and 1/4 c. kale flour.
4. Added more milk to help absorb the addition of zucchini and kale flour.
They will be gobbled down by my husband before I get a chance to freeze some.
Thank you and keep experimenting with food. Love your recipes.
Joanie Lewis says
Hi Mel - this is an excellent recipe. I used spelt flour, coconut sugar, mashed sweet potatoes, walnuts, and cranberries and made muffins instead of bread (following the timing for your pumpkin muffins). So very delicious. Thank you.
Rochelle says
Lovely recipe. Sent it in my son's daycare lunch all week. Great with margarine by the end of the week. Used craisins and chocolate chips.
Franny says
An excellent pumpkin bread recipe! Mine turned out perfectly sweet, firm yet moist, and full of chewy and crunchy goodness. I used 1 cup of sprouted spelt flour and 3/4 cup of oat flour, and threw in raisins and walnuts too. Will definitely make this again. Thanks, dear Mel! Happy Autumn from Franny in the high desert of Southern California. USA.
Josefine says
What a fantastic recipe, it turned our great. I used chocolate chips instead of dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds since I didn't have either on hand and it was delicious. I also used whole wheat flour. Super simple to make and it is such a satisfying fall treat.
Cilla says
Can garbanzo bean flour be used?
Melanie McDonald says
Definitely not in this recipe.
Michelle Oie says
Outstanding bread although I served it as dessert. Had to sub monkfruit for sugar as dinner guest doesn't eat sugar. (used 1/2 cup monkfruit) Everyone raved so will make for another dinner this weekend.
Janice says
Absolutely delicious! I love the dried cranberries in it. Much better than the typical raisins! Thank you.
lena says
hi! i'm going to double the recipe. can i use a bundt pan instead of a loaf pan? should i triple it???
Thanks!
Michelle Oie says
If u bake it in a bundt pan, would you report back. How many times did u multiply the recipe & what size bundt pan did you use?
Thank you!
Virginia Sorensen says
Wondering if this can be made using muffin / mini muffin tins instead?
Melanie McDonald says
That should be fine!
Jeremy says
This is such a great recipe!
I've made it many times.
I now like to soak the cranberries in ginger liquor and use less all spice and cinnamon, I love this loaf with the ginger really shining through.
I was skeptical about the pumpkin seeds, but they really add a nice element and it doesn't take away from the feeling that this is a treat!
Thank you so much for sharing!
Kathy says
Tried this recipe today I had a big can of pumpkin so I doubled the recipe subbed the sugar for maple sugar and brow sugar swerve and did half dried cranberries and half fresh it was really good!!! I had to omit the nuts but still very tasty,I also made homemade pumpkin butter to serve with it. Thank you for the recipe!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Kathy. I bet it's delicious with pumpkin butter!
Leigh says
OMG! This is absolutely delicious (and so easy to put together!). I love the addition of dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds-genius idea! I can serve this to nut-free friend. Another winning recipe, Mel! Thanks for helping me make Autumn even tastier than usual!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you so much Leigh. I'm thrilled you enjoyed it so much!
Gary says
Made this the other day. Used a half cup brown sugar. Served it with whipped Tofutti "better than cream cheese". It tastes just like Starbuck's pumpkin cream cheese muffins that we used to love. Thanks!!
Maria Calzada-Oliva says
Hi Mel, there is no pumpkin puree tin where I live, so could you tell me what's the difference between both? You say not to use the pie filling. Could I just steam the pumpkin and blend it?
Many thanks
A Virtual Vegan says
Yes you can easily buy a pumpkin or squash and cook it then blend up the flesh to make your own puree. I recommend roasting it rather than steaming though. That's because if it's too wet it can affect the texture of whatever you're making. When you roast i dried it out more than steaming and it concentrates the flavour too. All I do I cut is cut in half, scoop out the innards, and lay each half face down on a parchment-lined baking tray. Roast until it's soft and you can easily stick a fork or knife in it. Then scoop out the flesh and puree. Hope that helps!
You can even use cooked and pureed orange sweet potato/yam in place of pumpkin in just about any recipe including this one if that's easier.
Maria says
Thank you Mel, I will try soon!!
Patricia Giannelia says
I had a large can of pumpkin puree (28 oz), so I doubled the recipe, and also made the pumpkin cookies, so the oven was utilized to the max, and it proved the perfect amount of pumpkin.
In addition, both the loaves and the cookies were delicious!
great recipes, thank you!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed them both Patricia!
Kanchan says
Hi Mel
Your recipe is a super hit at my place
I’m new to baking and tried your recipe
It’s come out very nice
Only concern is my dough was hard so I added little milk to make it semi hard. Did my bread turn out little dry because of that
Love
Charlotte Lee says
Hi :) would tinned pumpkin puree work (no additional ingredients), or does it have to be fresh?
A Virtual Vegan says
Canned pumpkin is fine.
Sue says
Made this with yellow raisins. It is quickly disappearing!? Thanks for the recipe.
Laura G says
This looks delicious! Can I use fresh frozen cranberries in place of the dried? If so, would I add the same amount or more? Thanks! I can't wait to try this!
A Virtual Vegan says
I haven't tried it but I think dried is best in this particular recipe for flavour and texture. The chewy dried cranberries are lovely in it. You'd probably need to up the sugar because fresh cranberries are tart unlike dried ones and you might even need to reduce the liquid a little to compensate for their moistness.I'm sure it would be more than edible with them, but to be at it's best I think you need to use dried. Hope that helps!
Darlene says
Great recipe. I used whole grain spelt flour and inreased the spices. 2 tsp cinnamon and 2 tsp ginger. Added 1/8 tdp clives and 1/2 tsp nutmeg as well as the allspice. Very tasty. Thank you