Say hello to my literal favorite fall recipe: PUMPKIN BREAD! I make this every year, and it’s full of the best fall flavors. Soft and fluffy, this loaf is great with a little bit of extra sugar and butter as a treat, or with a nut butter as breakfast. I love making quick breads like this one and having them on hand all week long! Although, this pumpkin bread typically doesn’t even make it that long since we eat it in like two seconds. My family loves it – even my toddler!
RELATED: 25+ Healthy Baking Recipes
This Healthy Pumpkin Bread is SO easy to make!
One of my favorite things about this healthy pumpkin bread recipe is how easy it is to make. You only need one bowl and a few simple ingredients to whip it up! With a blend of nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice, along with the warm flavors of maple, vanilla extract and brown sugar, this bread will make your house smell amazing. You can also easily adjust it to your own dietary needs. This loaf is truly the best for bringing all the fall feels into your home!
Ingredients/Substitutions
Whole Wheat Flour – Whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, or a mix of all of these options work great in this recipe. You can also use oat flour or a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour instead!
Pumpkin – Homemade or canned pumpkin puree is the base of the pumpkin mixture in this recipe.
Banana – The banana in this recipe naturally sweetens the pumpkin bread and adds moisture. If you’re looking to replace the banana in this recipe, unsweetened applesauce may be another great option!
Eggs – If you need a substitution for the eggs, feel free to make a homemade flax egg or use a vegan egg substitute instead!
Coconut Oil – I love using coconut oil as a healthy swap in baking recipes. However, regular butter or vegan butter are wonderful options, too!
Honey/Maple Syrup – A mix of honey and maple syrup help to naturally sweeten the recipe. If you don’t have both, you can just use all honey or all maple syrup instead!
Brown Sugar – I added in a little bit of brown sugar because I felt like the pumpkin bread needed to be a bit sweeter. However, if you’re making this for breakfast and prefer something less sweet, feel free to omit the brown sugar completely!
Almond Milk – A tiny bit of almond milk adds the right amount of moisture. Feel free to use any type of milk here!
Cinnamon + Pumpkin Spice – Bring in the fall flavors with cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice! If you don’t have pumpkin spice on hand, simply replace it with 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon allspice.
Flax Seeds + Pepitas – I added a layer of flax seeds and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) to this pumpkin bread. However, feel free to add your own toppings of choice or omit the toppings completely!
How to Make Healthy Pumpkin Bread
Making healthy pumpkin bread is easier than you may think! Simply:
- Mash the banana in a large bowl.
- Whisk in the liquid ingredients.
- Add in dry ingredients and mix to create the batter.
- Pour into a loaf pan.
- Place in the oven and bake!
That’s all there is to it – little effort for great results! Once a toothpick comes out clean, feel free to let it cool on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes. Then slice and enjoy!
Toppings Ideas
Top off this healthy pumpkin bread with whatever you love! Here are a few ideas:
- Flax Seeds
- Pepitas
- Brown Sugar
- Chopped Walnuts
- Pecans
- Drizzle of Icing
- Powdered Sugar
- Chocolate Chips (mixed in or as a topping)
Storing Healthy Pumpkin Banana Bread
To store this pumpkin banana bread recipe, let it cool completely. Place it in an airtight container with the lid and keep at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or slice it up and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months!
To Reheat: Microwave for about 1 minute. From frozen, let the bread thaw overnight (or for a few hours) in the fridge and heat up in the microwave the next day!
More Wholesome Quick Bread Recipes
- The BEST Vegan Zucchini Bread
- Gingerbread Loaf Recipe
- Simple Healthy Banana Bread Recipe
- Gluten Free Blueberry Bread
More Pumpkin Recipes
- Pumpkin Flax Granola Recipe
- The BEST Healthy Pumpkin Muffins Recipe
- Vegan Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer
- Soft Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- Easy Oatmeal Pumpkin Pancakes
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to give it a rating below and tag your photos @jar.of.lemons!
Healthy Pumpkin Bread (One Bowl Recipe!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 medium ripe banana
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup coconut oil (melted)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons almond milk
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (or oat flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 2 Tablespoons flax seeds (for topping)
- 2 Tablespoons pepitas (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, mash the banana until it reaches a purée consistency.
- Add in the eggs, vanilla, melted coconut oil, honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, milk, and pumpkin purée.
- Whisk until the mixture is fairly smooth.
- Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice.
- Mix until the batter is smooth.
- Pour into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper.
- Add toppings, then bake for 50-60 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean).
- Let cool for about 10 minutes, then slice and enjoy!
Stephanie says:
Can I substitute the wheat flour with almond flour instead?
Christine McMichael replied:
I haven’t tried it, but I would be a little worried about the bread being too dry with an almond flour replacement. A 1-to-1 gluten-free flour replacement may be a better option!
Elizabeth Flight says:
My new favorite pumpkin bread recipe! So delicious!
Nayom says:
I love how simple and accessible this recipe is. Pumpkin this time year is my favourite so I’ll definitely be trying this
Megan Ellam says:
This loaf looks baked to perfection. I have pinned to try later. Thanks for sharing.
Amy says:
I decided to start learning how to make bread and it’s becoming a bit of any obsession! Now looking for interesting recipes and I’m so glad I found this recipe. Was so delicious! Made some for some friends and they loved it too!
Bernice says:
What a stunning loaf! I had just enough pumpkin puree left over from our Thanksgiving pie to bake this loaf. We all gobbled it up for afternoon tea.
Natalia says:
Great receipe & blog! I would love to try but I’m afraid I need a proper food processor to blend dates. Which one would you recommend? Thanks, Nat
Christine McMichael replied:
Thank you, Natalia! I love using my Ninja food processor 🙂