Pumpkins are in season here, but I admit I did not buy a fresh, local one for this recipe. When it comes to convenience it is unfortunately hard to beat a can of organic pumpkin puree. That doesn’t mean pumpkin season can’t put us in the mood for this super-easy recipe though! My 5-year-old has asked me about 20 times over the last week to make some pumpkin bread so this one is for her…enjoy!
Whole-Wheat Pumpkin Bread turned into Halloween Muffins
Print This RecipeWhole-Wheat Pumpkin Bread
Yield: 10 – 12 servings
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour (I used King Arthur’s white whole-wheat flour)
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup oil (I used coconut oil)
- ½ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup chopped tree nuts (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients (from the flour down to the salt).
- Make a well (hole) in the center and throw in the eggs, oil, honey, and vanilla. Stir together thoroughly with a fork, but do not overmix.
- Fold in the pumpkin puree and nuts (if using).
- Generously grease a large loaf pan or put muffin liners in a muffin pan and then pour in the batter.
- For a loaf bake for approximately 30 – 40 minutes and for muffins bake for approximately 18 – 22 minutes. Check for doneness by making sure a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
I just made some yesterday! I also used honey and coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. Yummy!
I never think to use coconut oil…thanks for the tip!
I made my own batch of pumpkin bread this morning…doesn’t it smell so lovely when baking? Thank you for sharing your recipe. I like the idea of using whole wheat flour. I will have to try that with my next loaf. I’m glad I stumbled on your blog!
Alright… thank your daughter for me, I have been awaiting this anxiously, I can not wait to try your recipe, looks super yummy.Love to see your still posting for those of us following your journey, you really have great ideas
Let me know how it turns out for you and thanks for the comment!
We actually grew some pumpkins in our garden this year and I have been looking for recipes to use the puree.
I’ve never been a big pumpkin fan, though I must say that making the puree fresh was super easy and I thought it was superior tasting to the canned (though this may just be a bit of pride shining through that I had my own pumpkin to use)
To make the puree, I simply cut the pumpkin in half, scooped out the innards. Drizzled a bit of oil (you could use butter to) onto the cut side. Turned the pumpkin upside down on a rimmed (important because it gets a bit juicy) pan and cooked at 350 for ~1hour. It was then simple enough to just scoop out of the shell into the blender and puree.
I have used it to make pumpkin pancakes (YUM!!) and baby food for my little one. I also froze the rest for use later in the winter. I got about 4-5 cups of puree from that pumpkin (it would have made a small size jack-o-lantern).
I can’t wait to try the bread.
Thanks so much for your posting. I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog!
Sherry your comment is enough to motivate me to try to make my own pumpkin puree next time! I’ve done a butternut squash the way you described and you are right it isn’t that hard to do! Thanks for the comment
I have been looking for the canned pumpkin in our stores and can’t find it! But this inspires me to make it myself, too! Growing up, I thought pumpkins were for decorating… how sad that it never crossed my mind that you could actually make the puree yourself! (not to be critical of my mom as a cook; it just wasn’t her priority). Thanks so much for the directions and inspiration!
I just stuck the whole darn pumpkin in a 300 oven for an hour and then chopped it in half and scooped out the seeds. The peel came right off. It was so easy!
what is white whole wheat flour? sounds like a trick to me…Maggie
It is still 100% whole grain it is just a lighter variety of wheat than their regular “whole-wheat flour”…here is the link: http://www.amazon.com/Arthur-Flour-White-Whole-Organic/dp/B003YGWOX8/ref=sr_1_4?s=gateway&ie=UTF8&qid=1285891384&sr=8-4
I made your pumpkin bread this weekend and it turned out great! Even my husband who hates anything whole wheat loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
Finally made this bread this morning – IT IS DELICIOUS!!! Thanks, will make it again, and again, and again
Have you tried subbing applesauce for the oil in this one?
So glad you liked it!! And no I haven’t tried it with applesauce. Let me know how it turns out if you give it a shot!
Well, I tried it with applesauce the other day. It turned out a little “gummy” for my taste. I prefer it much more with the oil and will use it for all the future pumpkin bread that I make. Not saying the applesauce one was “bad”, but the texture of the one with oil was so much better.
Thanks for experimenting and letting us know the outcome!
Thanks for trying it with apple sauce. I was searching through the comments hoping I would find out if it worked well or not. Maybe I will try half oil half homemade chunky apple sauce. I like the idea of having some chunky apples in the bread.
[...] Pumpkin bread [...]
I made this last night, but made it into 6 large muffins and it is DELICIOUS!! Incredibly moist and flavorful, and the house smelled fabulous while it was cooking! My 3 year old gobbled them down this morning and said “mommy these are delicious”. YAY! I did make a couple changes.
- Instead of oil I used 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- I added 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- I used an entire small can of pumpkin
- Instead of honey I used concentrated fruit juice sweetner
Thanks for an incredbile recipe!
Thanks for sharing your variations…I LOVE variations to a recipe!
I was just scrolling through this page hoping to find an “applesauce for oil” substitute success story! Glad to hear it worked.
Oh so glad that the apple sauce worked for you!! I was searching the comments for help with this.
Just made pumpkin cupcakes – took 20 minutes at 350, and it made 12 muffins. This recipe is so delicious!!
I made this again this weekend, but added 1/2 cup carob chips. OH MY GOODNESS, it is divine! The house smelled fabulous and they are the perfect treat with the carob chips in them. They melt just perfectly. I only cooked them for 20 mins and they were perfect!
I substituted pureed mangos for the pumpkin (and used a bit less honey because of the sweetness of the mangos), and the bread turned out wonderfully!
Good to know…my oldest LOVES mangos!!
cooking down pumpkins is so easy, it is the same as what you did for your butternut ravioli. I have never used a can of pumpkin, just doesn’t feel right to me when I know cooking down a fresh one is just as easy and more gratifying, and you can freeze the puree for a year
Just made this, but I substituted sweet potato casserole from my freezer (left over from the holidays – and I’m trying not to worry about how long ago that is!) for the pumpkin in this recipe. I left out the honey since I had added brown sugar in the original dish, and the nuts were already in the casserole, too. It is delicious!
I’m looking forward to trying it again without the brown sugar – I’m not 100% pure real food (yet), but I am MUCH better than I was during the holidays! Love the blog!
I made your recipe for Pumpkin Bread. The recipe above does not designate how much canola oil you are suppose to put in the bread. I assumed 1/2 cup, I used 1 1/2 cup white flour and baked for 40 minutes, was not done in the middle. I also added 1/2 cup of raisins.
I fixed the measurement…thanks for pointing that out!
Just wanted to say thanks for your blog. I am a quiet follower who appreciates being able to learn and apply with minimal effort. You’re making a difference. Thanks!
can i use stevia instead of honey ? does organic canned pumpkin taste ok thats all i can find everystore is out of libbys pure pumpkin
I was able to find an organic canned pumpkin puree and that is what I used. Also, we do not recommend stevia because it only started being used in the U.S. in the 1980s and it is still banned in some countries. And as Michael Pollan says, “Innovation in food is bad.”
I appreciate this comment. Many of the whole food blogs I follow recomend Stevia…and it always surprises me! I don’t consider it a whole food and am not willing to take any risks using it in our diet.
Can i use regular brown wheat flower, instead of white wheat? I can make this tonight, but didnt know if i could substitute it. Thanks!
Yes that would work!
Have you tried to make this one in the bread machine yet?
It is not a yeast bread and instead a “quick bread” so it is not necessary to go in a bread machine.
Yaay! I’m glad you decided it’s pumpkin time (on Facebook). I HAVE to make this tonight. I have cans of pumpkin, but no cloves, so I’m going to try to sub pumpkin spice.
Since someone mentioned coconut oil, I have a question. OK – coconut oil goes solid when it is cool. Is that OK with yall? I tried to use it in pancakes and I had little chunks of solid stuff… Was just wondering. I would love to use it more often, but after the pancake episode, well, I just have to ask.
Sonja the healthy food beginner.
If I need my coconut oil to be softer I will measure it out and then leave it newar the stovetop for a few minutes. It seoftens quickly and will then behave more like other oils.
To prevent that from happening you can have your other ingredients at room temperature.
Thanks. I just put a loaf in the oven!
I am out of honey-could pure maple syrup be substituted maybe just less of it? guess I will try!
Probably…let me know how it turns out!
I have the bread in the oven now
So excited. I am also a quiet follower but have to tell you that I love your website. I have been adding your link to my blog for others to follow…I also decided to do my own real food challenge. I am a dietitian turned stay at home mom. I am crazy obsessed with health and whole food. My real food transformation wasnt as hard as I thought it would be because we already practice most of your ideas. It has been hard to give up animal crackers though 
my girlies love them…but they love the other food I make more! Its so fun…and get this…out grocery bill has dropped. We went totally organic everything. we are saving because we dont eat out as much! Thank you for what you are doing. I hope you keep the recipes coming!
Thank you for sharing and for the feedback!!
Have you ever tried substiting maple syrup for honey? I wonder if it would ruin the consistency? Sounds like a yummy recipe’ I am going to try it this week!
I haven’t, but I bet it would work…let us know!
This is baking now, making my house smell wonderful! I love that there is no additional sugar as well as whole wheat flour; not to mention it was so quick and easy to put together. Thank you for providing a site with great information AND simple, TASTY recipes! (The two do not always go hand-in-hand!)
Lisa,
I made it last night using 1/4 cup applesauce, 1/8 cup maple syrup and 1/8 cup honey. It was yummy! It might have been sweeter with the honey, but I use raw organic honey which is super expensive, so I didn’t want to use half a cup of it. Still turned out great!! I also mixed maple syrup, a bit of milk, and about a tablespoon of cream cheese together and made it into a swirly filling. It is yummy!!! Thanks for the recipe!
I use coconut oil in all my breads and it is wonderful in banana bread.
Yum! Just made this in mini-muffin cups. Used coconut oil, and half honey, half maple syrup. Kept everything else as written. Baked for fifteen minutes, and it was perfect! I will admit to sprinkling with a little powdered sugar, as my family isn’t used to NO sugar just yet, and I need to use the rest of it anyway. Very, very good!
Wow – fantastic! Instead of oil I used soaked chia (Mila brand, but I’m sure any brand would work) Very moist, and so so tasty – exactly what I was looking for with this “coolish” weather! I like the idea of dusting with powdered sugar, will try that one next time. Thanks!!
[...] Recipe By Lisa Leake from 100 Days of Real Food.com [...]
[...] Recipe By Lisa Leake from 100 Days of Real Food.com [...]
I’ve just made these muffins…well, kind of! I adapted the recipe a little to make gingerbread muffins. We don’t get pumpkin puree here in England and I didn’t have a pumpkin at home to make my own so decided to make gingerbread instead. I put about 5 tsp ground ginger. They came out BEAUTIFULLY and made the house smell amazing too! Thanks for the recipe…keep them coming! I love this website!
[...] adapted from 100 Days of Real Food [...]
I just made this recipe for the first time, and they were great!! Of course the real test was with my 3 kids, who devoured these!
I made them into 12 muffins, and they baked in about 22 minutes. If I did a loaf instead, would you use an 8×4 or a 9×5 pan?
So glad it was a hit! The loaf pan I’ve used is 9X5, but it would probably work in the smaller one as well…just may need to cook it longer.
Made this today…used pumpkin pie spice instead-had it on hand, and somehow 1/3 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips fell in the batter. It is delicious!!! I will make this again and again!
I have been making this with sweet potatoes and it is just as delicious!
I’m new to this and finding my way around..this recipe has more than 5 ingredients so I am confused,is there a different rule for baking?
The 5-ingredient rule applies to packaged store-bought food. Not recipes that you make yourself at home.
[...] and three-quarters Newt made breakfast for us yesterday. I found her a recipe for pumpkin muffins and she went to work. They’re whole-wheat with no refined sugar, using honey instead, and [...]
[...] http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/09/28/recipe-pumpkin-bread/ [...]
[...] chipped-in to our real food efforts and made whole-wheat pumpkin bread from 100daysofrealfood.com. Jim making whole-wheat pumpkin [...]
I made these into muffins last night – wow they are good. Thanks so much for all these wonderful recipes!!
Just baked off a loaf and the whole house smells amazing…can’t WAIT to try it after lunch! Finally a recipe that uses both whole wheat flour AND no sugar (your brownies were fab too, and I can’t wait to try them with honey rather than maple syrup) — thankfully I found canned pumpkin at Target even though the grocery store didn’t have any. In my book any time is the right time for pumpkin!
Can I substitute whole wheat pastry flour in equal amounts?
Yes
[...] I made Pumpkin muffins fairly modified (sub pumpkin pie spice, sub sugar, sub applesauce). They turned out not very [...]
[...] has tons of healthy recipes they make that their own kids love. I came across this recipe for pumpkin muffins and decided to give them a whirl. When I do make time to bake I like to make healthy things for [...]
Have you ever used brown rice flour? Do you think this could be substituted?
I have not, but you could certainly try it…it would be an experiment!