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 quick bread 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…grab some apple cider and enjoy!
Whole-Wheat Pumpkin Bread
This quick bread pumpkin recipe is a super easy, healthier version of a traditional favorite. It's dairy-free, has no sugar, and cleanup is a breeze - it uses just one bowl :)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour, I used King Arthur's white whole-wheat flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger, ground
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup coconut oil
- ½ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup nuts, chopped (optional)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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In a large mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients (from the flour down to the salt).
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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.
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Fold in the pumpkin puree and nuts (if using).
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Generously grease a large loaf pan or to turn this into pumpkin muffins, place muffin liners in a muffin pan and then pour in the batter.
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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.
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Let the loaf (or muffins) cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn out on a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Notes
If the individual spices aren't available to you, substitute them with 3 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
You can try your hand at making your own pumpkin puree with this recipe - 2 Easy Ways To Make Pumpkin Puree.
For an extra treat, drop in a half cup of chocolate chips (I like Enjoy Life brand) and, voila, pumpkin chocolate chip bread (or muffins)!
Some other great pumpkin recipes on the blog:
Real Food School Lunches
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.
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!! :)
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! :-)
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.
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
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!
Thanks for this. Made them exactly as in the recipe and they are awesome! Love your website and blog. We are 5 days in to our own 100 day pledge. We just might be able to do this. Thanks for the inspiration.
Yum Yum! Thank you!
I made this today, using canned pumpkin, and it was wonderful. So wonderful I had to slice the loaf up and wrap individual pieces so my husband wouldn’t eat the whole thing! :)
Delicious, as always! (I used vegetable oil, it’s all I have, and I used agave nectar instead of honey.)
I swapped the oil for 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt and it tastes phenomenal. Thanks for the great recipe!! I love it! (Yes, I made pumpkin bread in June! (: )
did it turn out gummy when you subbed the yogurt for the oil?
How come you don’t use baking powder?? Aren’t you supposed to use 11/2tsp for ever 1c of flour..?
Hi Gina. The recipe has both baking powder and baking soda in it. Jill
Can’t wait to make these this week! Quick question: Since it’s the first week of school I’d like to make them into cupcakes…. I’ve looked all over your blog but can’t find the recipe for the frosting shown on the cupcake/muffin above. Can you share how you made that??
Hi Kim. I personally LOVE cream cheese spread on pumpkin bread/muffins – you may want to give that a try. The “frosting” recipe is from here though…https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/08/05/recipe-whole-wheat-chocolate-cake-with-easy-whipped-cream-frosting/. Jill
Hi just made this today & THANK You just beautiful will be adding in my favorite recipe folder. I used spelt flour instead & worked perfect. THANK. I love your website
I just made these as muffins for breakfast and I accidentally forgot to put in the oil! I totally didn’t realize it until I happened to glance at this recipe since it was still up on my screen, after we had already eaten. My husband and kids and I all had some and thought they were great! They did stick to the cupcake wrappers (I use those for easy cleanup). I guess I’ll add the oil next time, but then again, is it worth the calories since we all liked it this way? ;)
Can’t wait to try this recipe!
My only questions are-
Is using Honey a healthier approach apposed to sugar?
and
Can the oil be substituted with applesauce ?
Hi Emily. Yes, I believe the honey is less processed. You may want to check out this post on sweeteners…https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/06/14/sweeteners-101/. And, yes, readers have reported subbing the applesauce for the oil. I haven’t personally tried it but they’ve reported positive results. Jill
I made these muffins this weekend and they were very good. My toddler and my hubby both liked them and both are pretty picky eaters. I want to try them again soon and maybe add a little more pumpkin and try using homemade applesauce instead of the oil. (I used canola oil last time.) I see from the comments that using applesauce has mixed results. This is the first recipe I have tried from your site and look forward to trying more.
I just made these into mini-muffins to freeze and pack in lunches for my children. They are DELICIOUS! I did add 1/2t of pumpkin pie spice with the others and we were out of eggs so I tried the Chia Jell substitute (4T of chia jell per egg) and also added 1/2 mashed banana because I was low of honey and had to use Agava. I’m so happy I found this recipe because they are so moist and yummy I don’t feel deprived! Thank you bunches;-)
These muffins turned out awesome! My 16 month old loved them! I wouldn’t change a thing about the recipe!
I’m totalyl gonna try out this recipe, but substituting homemade applesauce for the oil. yum!
Well. I am absolutely loving your site but so far the few things I have baked have not turned out. Just a question when you make this is it actually pourable? Mine was a paste?! Any idea why this is happening. I am using the ingredients word for word and product for product. And it is far from being able to pour into the muffin moulds…just thought I would ask
I have the same problem with my batter being paste and not pourable. Thoughts?
Hi Christina. It shouldn’t be “pourable”. It is definitely a thicker batter that you will need to spoon in. Jill
Hi Jessica. No, it’s not really pourable, more “scoopable”. So, I don’t think you did anything wrong. Did they turn out ok? Jill
I made these muffins over the weekend (I cook all of my two-year-olds breakfasts and lunches for daycare) and I replaced raisins for nuts. It was SO moist and delicious and SIMPLE! I will make this again and again. Thanks.
I just made these and they turned out perfectly. I didn’t have any honey left. So, I used light agave and it worked just as well. Thank you so much for a healthy and delicious fall delight!
Love this recipe! I actually swirled in some homemade chocolate sauce from Deliciously Organic to make a “Pumpkin Chocolate Marble Bread.” Best decision I ever made. Ever. :-)
LOVED THESE! Made them as muffins and added some chocolate chips-ALL the men in my life were asking for seconds. Delicious! Thanks for sharing :)
My 3 year old & myself made these together and she loved them. I also, made a Sunbutter frosting instead of peanut butter so she can bring one to school for snack time!! Delicious!! We skipped the nuts as well so the school won’t take them way from her!!
Wow!!! These are amazing!! I’ve always loved to bake, but the pumpkin muffin recipe I’ve used for years was NOT very healthy–3 cups of sugar if you can believe it! Thank you for providing me and my (very picky) family with a healthy AND delicious alternative to one of our favorite fall staples. We love your site and try something new each week in an effort to make the switch to real food.
Any tips for high altitude?
Hi Rachel. I found this information on the King Arthur website that might be helpful to you…http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe/high-altitude-baking.html. Jill
I just made this pumpkin bread recipe and it turned out great! I didn’t have any coconut oil so substituted 4 TBSP melted unsalted butter and 1/4 c applesauce. Also used 1 tsp salt instead of 1/2 tsp and added 1/2 c raisins. It was very moist and delicious and both of my kids loved it. Half of the loaf is already gone :-) thanks for the recipe!
These were awesome! I made the following changes to vegan-ize them:
I used ground flaxseed instead of egg (2 tablespoons with water)
I used date paste instead of honey (same amount)
I decreased the oil to 1/3 a cup and used coconut oil
And I added walnuts.
YUM!
I don’t have nutmeg but I have pumpkin pie spice and the other ingredients. Any suggestions what I can do instead of the nutmeg?
Hi Stefany. If you look at the pumpkin pie spice, it has cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in it. So, you could probably substitute it for those 3 ingredients in the recipe. Jill
These are amazing! I’m on a very restricted diet due to some health issues, and I was so happy to find a pumpkin bread recipe that didn’t have sugar! I’ve added walnuts and almonds to mine. My family loves them, too. I made three dozen muffins this weekend so there would be enough to last us a few days.
This recipe was great, added some chocolate chips for a sweet treat! I was just wondering why mine didn’t come out as dark as your pictures. I used the same ingredients except I used whole wheat pastry flour.
Hi Bea. I don’t know if the flour could be the reason or not. It might also be the type of pumpkin you used. We’re glad you still enjoyed them though. Jill
Can you make these with regular whole wheat flour ? Is the white flour as healthy ? Is the King Authur Flour free of GMO’s ? Thanks!
Hi Brenda. I have not tried it with whole wheat flour, only the white whole wheat flour. The only difference is the type of wheat each flour is ground from. The white whole wheat flour is still 100% wheat, it just has a milder taste. As far as King Arthur’s brand being non-GMO, here is some information from their website about their products and whether or not they are GMO free…http://www.kingarthurflour.com/flours/gmo-wheat.html. Jill
Just thought I would let you know I am using regular whole wheat flout (Big Red Barn organic) and it works great! I made the banana bread(only turned them into muffins) and the kids LOVED them. With recipies like this, cutting out the bad food is easy!
Just made these with my 2.5 year old son to use up the pumpkin we had left over in the ‘fridge. We added some chia seeds for extra ‘umph’ and some Pumpkin Pie Spice (bc i love it!) :) even though it probably doesn’t need it. So delish! Mixed up some creamed cheese and agave for the “icing” – do you have an icing recipe that isn’t processed?? :) thanks! another great recipe!
Hi Heather. Here is a frosting from our chocolate cake…https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/08/05/recipe-whole-wheat-chocolate-cake-with-easy-whipped-cream-frosting/. Jill
This recipe for pumpkin bread is excellent. My kids love it. The only problem is I am not quite sure it will last as my 6 year old daughter will not stop asking for more:)
Muffins are in the oven! I used bob’s red mill whole wheat pastry flour because I had it on hand. Is that an ok substitute? Can’t wait to taste one they smell sooooo good!
Yes, that flour is fine. Jill
I made some today! Yumm! I didn’t have enough honey so I used a little less than 1/2 cup of maple syrup. Still delicious!
I stumbled upon these while looking for a healthier pumpkin muffin recipe. I just made them as written except I also added a 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (in addition to the oil). I wanted to up the protein content so I could serve them for breakfast for my very picky daughter. They were delicious and my kids didn’t even notice they weren’t the usual recipe! Looking forward to trying more recipes from your sight.
*website, whoops!
This recipie works really good in the donut maker – we love pumpkin donuts! So good!
Good to know. We just bought a donut maker and are trying to finda variety of healthy donut recipes to try out.
I don’t see any references to whole wheat pastry flour on your site. The recipes all call for whole wheat flour. Is there a reason? WWPF is my favorite substitution for white flour in foods that don’t need to rise – like yeast breads. It makes fruit breads, muffins, pancakes, cookies, waffles, etc. much lighter and fluffier than WWF. Wondering if there is a reason you avoid it?
Hi Jennifer…no, no reason to avoid it…you can substitute it as you like. Jill
I used Jovial Ancient Grains Wheat. We added a little extra moisture but these turned out great. Love love love that actual sugar as a sweetener was not needed. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi, I’m a celiac & can’t do wheat, barley, rye, oats or corn. Would a gluten free flour work for your baking recipes. Thanks for your help!
Hi Sandi. While we have not experimented with converting most of these recipes, you should be able to substitute 1:1 with your gluten free flour of choice. Let us know how they turn out. ~Amy
Just found your website a week or so ago and this is the first recipe I tried. I used a flax “egg” in place of a real egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water) and they turned out great. My husband and I could hardly tell the difference from my previous pumpkin muffin recipe and my toddler gobbled it up immediately. I don’t think I’ll ever make them any other way again. Thanks so much for sharing.
Just tried one of these as it came out of the oven for breakfast tomorrow. They turned out super. I doubled the recipe and didn’t want to use up all of my honey so I used half applesauce and added a tad extra vanilla. They are great! I know my kids will eat these in the morning. I have a bunch of pumpkin puree, so I will be making a bunch of these to freeze soon. Yum!
I made this recipe but used solid coconut oil (which I melted to add to the batter). The end product is a flavor I cannot stomach- pumpkin and coconut. Could this be due to the fact that it was a solid coconut oil to start with? (I have never cooked with coconut oil before- this was my first attempt).
Thanks.
Hi Suzy. Sorry about the bad first experience! You do need to melt the coconut oil and add it in as you stir/mix. That will make ALL the difference. Here is a post on cooking with coconut oil: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/02/07/how-to-cook-with-coconut-oil/. That should help. : ) ~Amy
I just made this for my daughter who is addicted to Starbucks pumpkin bread (sugar loaded). She LOVES it! Yay, a win for mommy!
I used 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup of a rolled oat mix (lots of good stuff) and I substituted the oil with unsweetened apple sauce.
I am wondering how well these will freeze, I did them as muffins in paper cases, any thoughts?
Hi Allison. Sounds yummy. How dense were they? The muffins should freeze and keep fine. I wrap mine individually and remove as much air as possible. Good luck. ~Amy
I’m a little iffy when it comes to oil, so I usually substitute it with applesauce. Would it work at all still? I’ve been trying to look for a good easy healthy pumpkin bread forever! This one is simple and I love it! I will soon make this. :)
Hi Jennifer. I’ve not tried it in this recipe but have used applesauce regularly in place of oil. Try and let us know how it turns out. ~Amy
This may be a silly question, but after you bake the muffins, what should I do with the leftovers…fridge or no fridge? I never know if the fridge will dry out baked goods. Thanks!
Hi Melissa. I keep mine in a sealed container on the counter for a couple days but they generally are consumed pretty quickly. Beyond that, I keep a supply in my freezer for lunches and snacks and thaw as needed. ~Amy
Made these last night because I was trying to make room in my freezer. Still had pumpkin from last year’s garden. I was a little Leary about the coconut oil because the brownies on the website tasted coconutty, but these turned out fabulous with no coconut flavor at all. And on the subject of the brownies, my husband loves Mounds/ Almond Joy so he raved about them.
Made this together with my 2 year old son and we both loved it! So moist! We used baking size walnut pieces for the nuts. Will definitely make this again!
I made this recipe as is, and it was very good, but one daughter and my husband weren’t crazy about it. They thought it was dry. The recipe was almost exactly the same as my “normal” pumpkin bread recipe except using honey and whole wheat. However, my “normal” recipe called for 1/2 cup milk. I tried this again, but added the 1/2 cup milk, and everyone loved it!
I made this with butternut squash puree and pecans and it rocks! So happy to finaly find something to do with butternut squash that my family will eat. Althought I haven’t told anyone yet ;)
Does anyone have any idea’s on what I can use instead of honey for this??
Erin,
I plan on using the 1/2 cup of maple syrup mentioned above. I’ll let you know how it turns out! I can’t use honey, either as I have an 11 month old baby who LOVES pumpkin and I’m thinking would like these as a treat.
I just made these in muffin form (i’ve made the bread several times) and as I’m pulling them out of the oven I realize that I TOTALLY forgot the pumpkin! and they are actually still pretty good. Not real dry, and still sweet and tasty. :) going to try another batch WITH the pumpkin this time!
Love this recipe. My daughter is allergic to eggs, what, if anything, would you suggest as a substitute?
Hi Jill. Many of our readers swear by flax seed as an egg substitute: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/flaxseed-egg-substitute.html. ~Amy
i have been craving fall food and dying to see some autum leaves even though its almost july. ive been watching our intake of cheap processed stuff around here and was super pleased to find this and discover how good it tastes(im eating a piece now). i live in el paso tx and although the elevation is not as high as some places it does affect some of my recepies. so my advice is if your about 3500 ft or above, to set the oven to 325 instead of 350 or you will bake a lot longer and the middle still might not be set. my first try yeilded a ridiculously dark brown brick with gooey center.
I’ve used this recipe to make pumpkin chocolate chip muffins a couple of times now and they are a hit around here! To accommodate for my daughter’s allergies, I use chocolate chips in place of the nuts and flax eggs in place of the real ones. The muffins turn out very moist and delicious! Thanks for another awesome recipe! :)
I just made this bread with sprouted whole wheat flour. It tastes pretty darn good. Thanks for having a pumpkin bread recipe that’s not loaded with more sugar than chocolate chip cookies! I knew this was the recipe for me when I saw that it only takes 1/2 cup honey.
Would this work with spelt flour? Thx!
Hi there. I think spelt should work fine. Please try and let us know. ~Amy
I make these into muffins. My kids like them ok. I made a little “icing” for them and now my kids devour them! cream cheese, honey and cinnamon. Yum!!
This is an amazing recipe. Made it twice, once with honey and once with 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup cane sugar and both times were great! Thanks for sharing!
Seriously the yummiest bread ever!!!! Had to resist not eating it all. Has a rather soft texture due to pumpkin – i used butternut. Not a large serving though.
I love the recipes for zucchini and banana bread and am eager to try this one as well. However, I’ve run into a problem when trying to use coconut oil when baking. I always liquefy the oil first but inevitably once I mix it with my cold flour (I keep my whole grain flours in the freezer) it solidifies immediately. Any tips besides having to leave the flour out for hours beforehand?
Hi Keri. This will help: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/02/07/how-to-cook-with-coconut-oil/. :) ~Amy
My 5-year old had one of these muffins for desert and came into the kitchen when she was done…flashing an empty wrapper in her hand…and said, “No more!” with a big smile on her face. She loved them! She may or may not have licked the wrapper clean. :) I only made one substitution and that was to use flaxseed in place of one egg. They did not mix to “pourable” condition but upon reading the reviews, it appears that is normal. Also, I lightly sprayed paper muffin cups with coconut oil and they came right off the paper, no sticking. Thank you for this website!
Wow, I’m so happy I found this recipe! I wanted to use up my stash of pumpkin puree before I stock up again this holiday season. I wanted to make pumpkin bread for my daughter to take to school for lunch but all the other recipes have soooo much sugar and vegetable oil. I used the coconut oil and now I will not feel bad when she eats this all up. Can’t wait to take this out of the oven!
This recipe looks great! Just found your site through a friend’s post on FaceBook. One question… do you offer nutritional info on your recipes? Thanks in advance!
Hi Wendy. We do not provide nutrition information on our recipes. We want people focusing on eating real foods/more whole foods and less on numbers. Here are some posts which help explain our philosophy: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/01/04/healthy-eating-defined/, https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/01/23/portion-size-matters/, and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/10-reasons-to-cut-out-processed-food/ and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/04/29/mini-pledge-week-8-stop-eating-when-you-feel-full/. There are many tools available online which can help calculate nutrition detail for recipes. ~Amy
Just made this today and can’t stop eating it! I used spelt flour and maple syrup instead of honey. I also used coconut oil and added whole raw pecans. First time using spelt too! Makes a yummy treat!
i am curious to know what to replace honey with because my daughter is only 9 months and i wanted her to eat stuffs as we do!
Hi Brittany. While we’ve not tried to substitute in this recipe, you could give maple syrup a try. ~Amy
I made this bread a couple days ago and my son loves it! I used applesauce instead of oil and added 1/2c. yogurt, 1/4c. mini choc chips & 1/4c. chopped nuts. The 8×4 loaf pan cooked for 55 minutes. The next time I make this, I think I’ll add in some diced apples, raisins, grated carrots & nuts. This makes a great after school snack. Thank you!
Hi! You may have already answered this question in the comments, but if I don’t have all the spices (cloves and ginger) and wanted to use pumpkin pie spice instead, how much pumpkin pie spice would you recommend for this recipe? Thanks!
Hi there. A think a tablespoon will do it. :) ~Amy
Does this recipe work for a breadmaker? Thx!
Hi Marisa. We’ve not used this recipe in a bread machine.
How would whole wheat pastry flour work in this recipe? Would the measurement be the same?
Hi Krystal. You can use ww pastry flour 1:1 but the texture will be different. ~Amy
How did you do the stencils on the frosting? I assume you sprinkled cinnamon into some kind of stencil and if so, where did you get the stencils? Thanks!
Hi there. Here is an example of the stencils you can find online or in various stores: http://www.amazon.com/Wilton-Halloween-Mini-Stencil-Piece/dp/B000I4LCV4. I know that I’ve also seen stencils at Target and William Sonoma. :) ~Amy
Thanks for a great recipe! My 12 month twins love bread and I try to find healthier versions. This looks great. I am hesitant about giving them honey until 18 months. Could I use applesauce in place of the honey?
Hello. You could try that. Maple syrup also works as a substitution. ~Amy
What did you use for frosting on the halloween muffins/cupcakes?
Thanks!
Hi Sarah. Pretty sure it was this one: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/08/05/recipe-whole-wheat-chocolate-cake-with-easy-whipped-cream-frosting/. ~Amy
I made this recipe as muffins and added chocolate chips instead of nuts. I found out that I only had one egg while making these so I added an extra 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree. They turned out great. My family loved them. There we none left over for the next day.
Hi I am gluten sensitive what can I substitute for wheat flour?
Blessings always,
Veronica
(I hope it’s okay for me to reply to this) Hi Veronica – I made this recipe with a gluten free flour blend (and a few other changes to make it work right with GF flour)! You can find my adaptations here: http://celysestroh.wordpress.com/2013/10/12/pumpkin-bread-vegangluten-free/
Gluten free is not our expertise and we love when readers share theirs!! :) ~Amy
My girlfriend made the muffins for me as we did our Bible Study.
They selt so good I could’nt wait for them to cool off.
Very smart tasting.
Love these muffins!!! I’m bad at following directions so I added the whole can of pumpkin purée :) The next batch included shredded zucchini & I had to stop myself from eating all of them!!!!
What did you use to frost the muffins? I really want to make these for my daughter’s birthday party! We love the muffins plain and make them a lot but I thought it might be fun to add something more.
I made this bread for the first time this morning…OH MY WORD! So delicious and moist. A new fall favorite. BTW love the new logo!!
Hi
This recipe looks delicious! Has anyone tried it with coconut flour?
Thanks for your help.
Hi CC. We haven’t. If you do let us know how it turns out. I’ve done some experimenting with coconut flour and really love the flavor. ~Amy
This is delicious – my daughter said best recipe yet. I throw in a few chocolate chips and made this in 8 small pans, bake for 1/2 hour. Perfect. I pop 7 in the freezer and take out one every few days. genius.
Thanks so much for this recipe! I just made it and the first couple of bites have been great!
Ok, so I put 2 cans of pumpkin, because it says a cup and each can says there 1/2 cup. I put way too much didn’t I? It’s not cooking at all. Help
Usually a can of pumpkin is 15 ounces, unless you get the really big can. One cup is 8 ounces, half a cup is 4 ounces. There should be almost two cups of pumpkin per can. If you’re ever unsure, use a measuring cup to measure it out! I hope your bread turned out okay (probably very pumpkin-y). :)
I just bought a can of pumpkin puree to make pumpkin bread with. I’ve been on a quick breads kick the past couple of weeks. I’ve made zucchini bread and banana bread, and I decided it was high time I made some pumpkin bread. I love that this recipe doesn’t use as much sweetener. Most of the other recipes I found use over a cup and a half of sugar…that’s a lot! Plus a full cup of oil! Yikes!
Excellent!!! Thank You!!
I was SO on the fence about making this recipe. I kept wondering, where’s the brown sugar ?? I made the recipe exactly except for adding 1/2C of chopped apples. It is my very favorite recipe ever!!!!! I have plans to make a bizzalon more loaves to give out for the holidays. LOVE LOVE LOVE!
What are your thoughts on using stevia as a substitute for honey?
Hi Hilary. We do not use stevia. Most of the stevia that you find is in a very processed from. Plus, we try to stick by the old tried and true whole ingredients. ~Amy
I just made this recipe as muffins. I have been trying to find a good, moist pumpkin muffin recipe and this was it. However, they weren’t quite pumpkin(y) enough for our taste. Can I add the whole can (15 oz) of pumpkin to the recipe without throwing the balance of the rest of the ingredients off? And….will this change the baking time! I am not a huge baker and need some advice….Thanks!
Hi Sandy. That is adding almost another cup of pumpkin and would certainly effect the consistency perhaps making it over-dense and over-moist. I’m not sure how they might turn out. :) ~Amy
Love this! I added chocolate chips and doubled the recipe. It was gone in almost 24 hours! So delicious!
I’m almost out of honey…. Would applesauce work?
Hi Susan. You could try it. It will not be as sweet as the honey. ~Amy
In your posts on Facebook you mention that you pull the muffin from the freezer and thaw it for the girls to eat at lunch. I was wondering what type of container you freeze the muffins in. Are you just using a ziplock bag.
BTW – I love this recipe! :-)
Hi Ruthie. You can use a zipper bag or any airtight container. I like using zipper bags for breads because it is easy to get most of the air out. ~Amy
These muffins are so delicious and moist! A new family staple.
Made these as muffins today, with chopped pecans, and they were great! Next time, though, I think I will increase the spices just a touch. I’m thinking these will be an awesome thanksgiving morning quickie breakfast. :)
Delicious, thank you. I searched all over for healthy pumpkin bread/muffin recipes and you’ll be unsurprised to learn most of them contain more than a cup total of white and/or brown sugar. For this recipe, I swapped in a little blackstrap molasses for a little of the honey (total sweetener was still just 1/2 cup) to add another flavor element and also add a little iron … didn’t want to overdo it, though, as I wanted that pumpkin-y flavor to be foremost, and it was perfect.
This is a great recipe! Most of my family does not eat clean and they even loved these muffins! I will be making them again.
This bread is moist and delicious!! The only change I made was that I used egg whites instead of whole eggs.
I’m trying to reduce refined sugar in my family’s diet. My kids loved these! They ate them for breakfast and even for dessert. I did cheat and add a tiny sprinkle of Sugar in the Raw on top of them for a bit more of a dessert feel. Thank you for posting all of the great recipes!!
I made these as mini muffins and baked them at 350 for 12-13 minutes.
My toddler and I LOVE this recipe!! I make them as muffins so I can freeze half since my hubby doesn’t like pumpkin. I followed the recipe exact. The dough seemed kind of dense, but once cooked was a perfect consistency. Thanks for the great recipe :o)
Oh. My. YUM. Just made this gem and good heavens was it DELICIOUS! I made muffins and added chocolate chips rather than nuts and HEAVEN. Not too sweet, but the spices really make it flavorful. Thanks so much!!
I’ve baked this bread twice and each time it has come out uncooked. Raw, doughy, yuck. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I even cooked the second loaf for 1.5 hours!
I’m making this recipe right now and noticed that it calls for 1 cup of pumpkin. I wondered if perhaps you used the whole can of pumpkin which is almost 2 cups. The other idea is to get an oven thermometer to check your oven temperature. My oven tends to run hotter than the set temperature. Regardless it is discouraging when you put forth effort to make something that doesn’t turn out.
I did add 1 can by mistake! I wondered why I had to cook it forever! Will try again – my son liked it despite the doughy-ness.
Could spelt flour be used in this recipe? Just bought some for the first time? Would it be an even sub?
Hi Jennifer. Spelt and whole wheat can usually be subbed 1:1. ~Amy
Can applesauce be substituted for the oil?
Hi Sarah. Other readers have successfully made that substitution. ~Amy
Gluten Free Friends! I made this recipe today with my replacement flour. It was PERFECT! (I use 1 bag Bob’s Red Mill tapioca, 2 bags Bob’s Red Mill brown rice flour mixed together and stored in a container.) I replaced the 1 1/2 cups of wheat flour with 1 1/2 cups from my flour mix and added 1 tsp xanthan gum. I also used maple syrup instead of honey. My family is eating them all up as we speak…so yummy, and the texture is really nice, too. I’m not sure if xanthan gum is a whole food…but we are trying to stay gluten free and whole food at the same time and it’s a challenge! :)
I just made these as muffins and they are so good! I can’t have eggs so I mashed up a banana in place of and increased the nutmeg and cloves by 1/4 tsp because I love a little more fall taste. I also increased the pumpkin puree just by a hair. Thanks for the great recipe!
I sent one loaf to the preschool Thanksgiving feast using this recipe instead of the one I was sent that called for 3 cups of sugar. I doubled this recipe and kept one loaf for us, which was a nice way to use a whole can of pumpkin. It was very tasty with my cup of coffee as part of my breakfast. I’m about to sit down for lunch and would like to eat more, but I’ll refrain and wait until breakfast tomorrow.
I replace the coconut oil with a stick of butter when I ran out and it was a great replacement!!! Delicious!
I love soft pumpkin cookies and would love a clean eating recipe. Could you adjust this recipe to make cookies?
Hi Kristin. Not sure but you could certainly try. Let us know if you do. :) ~Amy
I’ve made this twice so far, and both times it’s been delicious. My only problem has been I’ve had to leave it in for 50 to 55 minutes to get it cooked inside. I used vegetable oil and a non stick loaf pan the first time and coconut oil and a pyrex loaf pan the second time with the same results. The coconut oil version had a much softer texture and my husband said it tasted better as well.
Is there anything I can use in place of cloves?
Thank you!
Hi Natalie. You could use all spice or skip it. ~Amy
Is the batter supposed to be really thick?
Hi Kareen. It is thick but you should be able to pour. I usually coax mine along with a rubber spatula. :) ~Amy
I made this yesterday for my family and it is nearly gone today. I really didn’t think they would like it since they are use to the sugary recipe I have made in the past. I really think they liked it better. I’m about to make another loaf that will hopefully last us through the weekend at least. Thanks for the great recipe!
Could you replace the nuts with raisins?
Hi there. Sure, that should work. ~Amy
Just made this recipe as mini muffins. I left them in for 16 minutes and they were perfectly moist and delicious. I will use this recipe again and again! Thank you!
Flavorless
I have king Arthur’s 100% whole wheat flour. The bag does not say “white whole wheat”.. I’m wondering if this is the same thing or different? Or maybe I should use half of this and substitute the other half for regular white flour. After all..I do want my kids to eat it!
Also wondering if this recipe will turn out in the bread maker on the whole wheat setting..?
Hi Christy. The “White Whole Wheat” is clearly labeled as such. You must have bought “Whole Wheat”. It should work fine on the wheat setting. It will be more dense that the white whole wheat. ~Amy
I made these as muffins and substituted apple juice and stevia for the honey as our family is not eating any form of sugar for 3 weeks. We ate them hot out of the oven with a little melted butter and they were wonderful. Thank you!
This recipe looks delicious!! Question: is it possible to substitute a 1/2 cup of plain greek yogurt (probably nonfat) for the 1/2 cup of oil? I saw that a lot of readers were subbing with unsweetened applesauce, but I’m wondering if greek yogurt would work too.
Hi Anna. It might but will likely effect the texture. We also don’t recommend non-fat anything (assuming it once contained natural fats). Non-fat/low-fat items are more highly processed and are stripped of nutrients. ~Amy
Yum!! We used coconut oil, but subbed about 1/3 of what is called for unsweetened apple sauce. I think I’ll cut back a smildge on the honey next time since my 4yr old likes to eat these (and banana muffins) for breakfast.
I made a double run of this and substituted plain yogurt for half of the oil. They turned out perfect! Our family loved them. We also substituted agave for the honey which added a nice rich flavor. Great recipe! We will use it again.
These were delicious! I doubled the recipe and used a can of pumpkin. I used 1/2 coconut oil and half applesauce and they were not dense and tasted delicious. Thank you!
These are delicious! I made one-and-a-half measures so I could use the whole 15-oz can of pumpkin puree. No scary half-can of pumpkin to be found months later in the back of the refrigerator! This made 18 large muffins. Thank you!
Have always loved this recipe! Added a ripe banana to the mix last time and hubby and son could not get enough of them! Plan to do the same today! Thanks for the recipe!
Yep, turned out brilliant! Also, I add 1 tbs ground flaxseed & 1 tbs wheat germ. Occasionally, I’ll add Brewer’s Yeast, too.
Just made these and the taste was great! Made them as muffins. The whole family enjoyed them. The only downside was that everyone found them to be a bit dry thus needing to pair it with a glass of milk. I oiled my muffin tin and put them straight on there (because I need to buy the silicone muffin liners). I only baked them for 16-17 minutes. Do you think not having the liners made this happen or I should bake a little less next time? Wanted some suggestions to see where I maybe went wrong. Thanks!
Hi Miriam. Muffins will cook up a little quicker if you put them directly on the metal surface. Some readers have added applesauce to this recipe for added moisture but I would try it with liners first. ~Amy
Great recipe! I don’t have cloves and we don’t like ginger so I just upped the cinnamon and nutmeg to make up for it. Spread a little cream cheese on top and YUM!
This recipe is awesome! I’ve never had pumpkin bread before, and I don’t think I will even attempt to try a different recipe! I did make a few changes though – I added chia seeds and used maple syrup in place of honey. I also subbed half the coconut oil for Apple sauce. This pumpkin bread is amazing!
I made this recipe yesterday exactly as prescribed and it came out great! I do have one question, not sure if it has already been asked: when baking with coconut oil do you pack it into a dry measuring cup to measure it or do you melt it down and use a liquid measuring cup?
The reason I ask is that while the muffins were nice and most, they were a tad greasy, so I may use a bit less oil next time.
The above poster’s comment about spreading cream cheese on top is genius!
Thanks!
I have to say, this is the 4th time making these, and we love them! My 6yo daughter asks for these specific muffins all the time, so when I do make them both kids go nuts for them! It feels good to use healthier ingredients too!
They taste best when eaten immediately, they seem to lose that yummy flavor after 2 days. That’s not a problem, as these are usually devoured long before then!
Five stars! My family loved these!
I used 1/4 cup coconut oil and 1/4 cup plain yogurt instead of 1/2 cup oil, nobody noticed the difference. I used 1/2 cup pecans and 1/2 dark chocolate chips, chopped, and it the crunch really from the extra mix ins really completed the dish.
The batter was rather dry, so I added a splash of milk.
I will be making this again!
Sounds good.Thanks.
This one didn’t do it for me, too much ginger, not enough pumpkin flavor or moistness.
I used this recipe to make muffins for the first time this morning. They were super yummy and moist! I am ready to go back into the kitchen and make a couple of more batches for freezing.
We’re doing the no-sugar thing, with the exception of honey and Stevia, so this recipe was perfect. We really liked the results. Next, we’re going to experiment with some unsweetened applesauce instead of honey, just to try to cut down the sugar content (although already natural) even more. We don’t expect things to be as sweet, if sweet at all, as they would be with sugar, but this is one of the best recipes we’ve tried so far that hasn’t had white or brown cane sugar in it. Thanks.
Just made this recipe as muffins. Sooooo good. My picky-eater husband ate two of them!! Now, that is amazing.
I made these for my grandsons, with the addition of blueberries. My pickiest eater said “These taste unhealthy!” The best compliment?!?! Thank you for such great recipes.
Amazing! And healthy too. I didn’t add the ginger, nutmeg or cloves bc I’m Å„ot a hige fan of those flavors and to me the bread was perfection.
My family loves pumpkin.This recipe is perfect for flavor and texture it is an added bonus that it’s healthy.
What is the icing used on the pumpkin muffins? Can’t find a listing.
Thanks
Hi Susan. It could be this one but it is one of the few times Lisa uses refined sugar: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/12/24/recipe-whole-wheat-christmas-cookies-with-sugar/. I have mixed cream cheese with a bit of honey and vanilla to top both carrot and pumpkin muffins. ;)
Can you substitute the flour with Almond Flour equally? For this bread as well as the pumpkin spelt muffins? Thanks!
Hi Karen. We’ve not experimented with almond flour in this recipe. This might help: http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/3520/cooking-with-almond-flour and http://urbanposer.blogspot.com/2012/05/baking-101-almond-flour-basics.html. ~Amy
I used trader joes all purpose gluten free and it worked :)
Brooklyn, did you add xantham gum when you used the GF flour? Thanks!
Unless your GF flour blend already contains xantham gum, it does need to be added.
Can these be frozen?
Yes! :)
Great pumpkin bread! It’s moist and the whole wheat taste is not overpowering – this will please even your most whole grain resistant family members! It’s also good if you add some raisins. Try it!
I doubled the recipe and it made 24 beautiful, delicious muffins. I am really impressed. I am an avid baker and think that these have just the right amount of leavening, sweet, nice crumb, etc. I was nervous about using only honey, but they turned out great. We eat some of the muffins fresh, and then I individually wrap them in plastic wrap and put in a gallon ziplock in the freezer. The best way to thaw is with the plastic wrap on, leave it on the counter overnight or for a few hours.
Yummy loved this <3 Thanks
Could pumpkin pie spice be added in lieu of all the spices listed?
Hi Elaine. Yes, that will work, too.
How much pumpkin pie spice would you use to substitute all the spices? 1 tbsp?
Yep, a tbsp should do it. ~Amy
I just made these muffins and oh my gosh they are so moist!!!! Thank you for this recipe!!!
Flavorful crumbles? I loved the flavor of this recipe, but the bread would fall apart in our hands. Do I need to do something different?
Hello Stacy. Hmmm, these are typically pretty moist. Are you sure you followed the recipe? Did it seem dry as a batter. ~Amy
So, I figured out the problem. I was too excited to try a slice and cut into the loaf while it was hot, right out of the oven. This is when I experienced the crumbles. But, after waiting for it to fully cool, I had NO problem with crumbles. This is now my favorite recipe and I make it twice a week. Thanks for taking the time to reply.
I had the same problem: after I’d slice it, it would fall apart and basically be a plate of tasty crumbles. I started just sprinkling the crumbles over a bowl of yogurt for the kids breakfast because I hated to waste the loaf. Side note: exact same thing happened with the whole wheat banana bread recipe. And in both cases the batter was fine (I know because I personally licked the bowl.)
I’m such a huge fan! I made this today and it was amazing!! I’ve been bragging all over Facebook and sharing the recipe!
Was pleasantly surprised by the moistness! I took the other commenters’ advice and used 1/4 C plain yogurt and 1/4 C coconut oil.
If I double this I can assume it will make 24 muffins, right?
yep :)
I have been craving pumpkin bread, but for some reason I keep thinking chocolate chip pumpkin bread! Do you think I could add some Enjoy Life morsels?
I just added chips to some last week. Yum. :)
I am trying this recipe now. This is the first time I’ve used coconut oil in a recipe. I’ve been reluctant to use it because of its consistency. I don’t get how it’s liquid but solid and then in between sometimes. So anyway, as I’m adding all the ingredients, I went to stir it and some of the oil has now hardened! I don’t know what to do. Now there are chunks all around the batter. This is what I was scared of. I don’t want to go bite into one of these muffins and get a huge bite of oil…what do I do?
Hi Tiffany. This will help for next time: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/02/07/how-to-cook-with-coconut-oil/. ~Amy
Just add cocoa!
I always quadruple this recipe and freeze my mini muffins for quick snacks and meals. Halfway through scooping the batch into the pan, I add about 1/2 cup cocoa per recipe batch. Now I have a bunch of pumpkin muffins and chocolate “cupcakes” all from the same batch! I throw in a few mini chocolate chips as well to make them more fun. My kids love that they get to eat chocolate cupcakes for breakfast. :)
I am in the UK and we have medium eggs and large eggs. Which size should I use for this recipe? Thank you
Hi there. I always use large eggs. :)
This was delicious! I wonder if it would work in the bread machine. Anyone try to use the bread machine to make it?
I made these to use as first birthday “cupcakes” and also used coconut oil. They turned out very light and fluffy and subtly sweet. I made them into muffins in three sizes. The minis took about 12 minutes, the regular took about 20 and the jumbo took 28.
Can you explain why some of your muffin recipes use butter and some use oil? Banana muffins for example use butter, while pumpkin uses oil. Can I substitute oil and butter in each recipe? What difference will it make?
Hi Jennifer. You can use butter and coconut oil interchangeably. This might help, too: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/02/07/how-to-cook-with-coconut-oil/. ~Amy
I’ve made this recipe a couple times now and they are delish! however, my batter has never been “pourable” – is this normal?
Hi Barb. Yep, it is a thick batter. ~Amy
Ok so i just made again and added 3/4 cup of apple juice as well and the consistency was much better! I think I got the 3/4 cup of apple juice from another similar recipe on the website. Thanks again!
I didn’t check the comments (sorry), but did you say how long to bake for mini muffins? This is perfect for my daughter’s preschool Halloween party, as I wanted a low sugar/sweet option. Thanks!
Hi Laura. I start checking mine around 12 minutes. :)
I have made this three times in the last two weeks. My kids love it. I first made it with wheat flour, did not go well. So changed it to white whole wheat flour and the kids love it. Thank you!
Hi, I’m just interested how different the white wholewheat flour is in baking – I’m in the Netherlands and can only seem to find regular wholewheat, which makes the cakes a bit dark, particularly as far as my kids are concerned. Any advice as to lightening lightening them up slightly?
Hi Claire. The color is definitely lighter with white whole wheat.
“These are the best muffins I have ever tasted.” – Xander (six years old)
I recently found out I was wheat intolerant. I just ground some rolled oats to make flour and subbed that. I also added extra pumpkin and used half the oil, came out delicious!
Hi,
Do you have the nutritional value for this recipe?
I made 12 muffins, but used 1/3 cup of honey instead of 1/2. I replaced the rest of the honey with more pumpkin. I also used pureed pumpkin that my friend made. They were so great!
Hi Diana. We do not provide nutrition info on our recipes. This post will help explain why: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/01/04/healthy-eating-defined/. There are lots of tools available online where you can punch in recipes and get all those details. ~Amy
Thank you. I really enjoyed that post! I was able to find a website where I could get the sugar and carbohydrate information (I cook for some diabetics so its good for them to know portion sizes).
Thanks for all the good recipes.
Diana, would you be willing to share the nutritional information you found and/or the website you used? I have gestational diabetes and would love to know the breakdown of this recipe, as it looks tasty! Thanks!
Hi Denise,
Sorry for the late reply. I actually altered the recipe to lower the sugar content. But I typed it all into MyFitnesspal.com. It calculates it for you. If you want my alterations and nutrition values I can happily send them to you.
Best,
Diana
Just made this and it’s fantastic! Is there an icing or glaze you would recommend to top this with when making as cupcakes? Would love to serve these to my toddlers class and I think they’ll go over better with just a little extra sweet.
Hi Jamie . You could always go with homemade whipped cream: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/08/05/recipe-whole-wheat-chocolate-cake-with-easy-whipped-cream-frosting/. :)
Hi-
Looking forward to making this asap!
Question, I do not have any oil in my home, I have applesauce and would like to replace with that. Would that be ok? And how much applesauce would I do? THANKS!
Hi Jennifer. You should be able to sub it 1:1. ~Amy
Thanks Amy! I’m sorry, I am new at this! :)
What exactly does it mean to sub it 1:1? The applesauce instead of the oil? Want to make sure I put the right amount of applesauce in. Thank you so much!
It means you do not need to adjust the amount when making a substitution. ;)
Can you tell me what the frosting is in the picture above? I’m bringing dessert to my preschoolers thanksgiving lunch tomorrow and I’m taking the whole wheat pumpkin bread in muffin form, passing it off as a dessert. :)
Hi there. Here are a couple frostings to choose from: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/05/24/recipe-yellow-cupcakes-homemade-frosting-better-than-the-box/ and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/12/24/recipe-whole-wheat-christmas-cookies-with-sugar/. ~Amy
First of all, I just made this and the house smells amazing!
I doubled up on everything and made 2 loaves. The flavor and texture are awesome. I’ve looked around at a lot of pumpkin bread recipes and most of them contain atrocious amounts of sugar. This recipe contains much less sugar than any other I found and I think the coconut oil enhances the sweetness. Thanks for an excellent recipe.
I have a question regarding sugar substitute. I try to use honey or maple syrup when recipe calls for white sugar. What would be a good substitute for brown sugar? Have you ever used coconut sugar?
Hi Renee. We have not subbed in this recipe. This might help: http://burntapple.com/2013/02/26/how-to-bake-with-coconut-sugar/. ~Amy
Hi, I have this in the oven right now and am at a 45 minute cooking time so far and the center is still not cooked. The rest looks like it is getting overcooked, any suggestions for next time? I live in CO, could it be an altitude thing?
Thanks, Laura
Hi Laura. It could be an altitude thing. This might help: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe/high-altitude-baking.html.
I made these muffins for Thanksgiving and they were a hit!! Being that I eat healthy, I was tired of being required to bring foods to family functions that I couldn’t even enjoy. So I found this recipe and made a test batch and loved them! I baked two batches for turkey day and have made a batch since! Thank you for the delicious muffin recipe, they were everything I hoped they would be, minus the guilt.
Any chance I can sub maple syrup for the honey?
Yes, Tara. ;)
THANK YOU for sharing this honey recipe! I have now made two triple batches (with chocolate chips) for neighbor and friend holiday gifts. It is really good!
Hi. I’ve made this twice with the exact recipe and for some reason the middle doesn’t seem to cook all the way. I even leave it in extra time (oh, the only difference is I put chocolate chips in it). Any idea why this is happening? We still eat it; just not the middle and it’s yummy. :-)
Hi Melanie. I have found that with “quick breads” if the outside is done and the inside is not, it may help to decrease your temperature slightly and bake for a little longer. This article, if you scroll to the last several paragraphs, will be helpful: http://www.dallasnews.com/lifestyles/headlines/20100511-Bake-the-perfect-banana-bread-4040.ece. ;)
This is a good recipe but for us it needs more pumpkin flavor. Next time I will adjust the amount of coconut oil and add more pumpkin. The spices were right on though! :) I did have to cook it 5 minutes longer but it came out perfect – not dry at all. This recipe is a keeper!
I have just found your site and I noticed that you use whole wheat flours, I have celiac and ibs. I have been off all wheat for a year now. Do you have GF receipes…maybe I have not looked very hard.
Hi Connie. While you will find several gluten free recipes in the index, Lisa does cook with whole wheat flour as one of her staples. We encourage people to make the adaptations to “the rules” and the recipes that will work for your dietary needs. This post may help as it lists gf whole grains: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/06/28/food-allergies/.
I have been using Pamela’s artisan flour blend (gluten free, non-dairy, whole grain) as a sub. It works great. :)
I use Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour mix as an equal substitute and they taste great! I’ve only done muffins so far, but I’m sure it would work just as good in bread form. I also sub organic unsweetened apple sauce for the oil.
How do I make pumpkin puree? Do I just boil the pumpkin and put it in a blender?
Hi Nicole. I’d roast the pumpkin and then puree it in a food processor or blender: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/10/make-your-own-pumpkin-puree/.
I just made these with left over butternut squash (roasted) as I did not know what to do with the leftovers. They are delicious and I think I’ll make another batch in the am to freeze :-) thank you!
I’m sorry, I can’t getting the rating to work?
Can u use coconut flour or almond flour for this recipe?
Hi Deb. I’m sure you can with some adjustments but you would not be able to replace it for flour 1:1.
I did substitute lower glycemic agave for the honey Came out great!!! I assume if one wants to substitute maple syrup for honey it should work
I’ve been meaning to tell you that I’ve made these muffins 6 times in the past 2 months (adding chocolate chips sometimes). Our whole family LOVES them! Thank you so much.
The texture of these were spot on, but they were really pretty bland and under-spiced for my liking. I will absolutely make these again, but I would prefer more spice since they’re not overly sweet.
Thanks for the great recipe. I added 1/2 cups raw oats, a little less flour, agave syrup (1/4 cup instead of 1/2 cup honey), raisins and used parchment paper instead of greasing the pan. Big hit with the family.
I stocked up on organic canned pumpkin in the fall when it was at a killer price just for this recipe so I can make all year. Love to turn it into a loaf too. I doubled the recipe today for muffins and added 1/4 C enjoy life mini choc chips. The kids are eating them up! Thanks!
Can something be substituted for the oil? Apple sauce?
Hi Erin. Other readers have subbed part or all with applesauce.
Tried making this with some leftover fresh pumpkin mash. For the first time, my husband also liked something ‘healthy’! I halved the recipe and added a lot of slivered almonds and cashews and raisins. Used maple syrup and a little more cinnamon than the recipe calls for. It was almost like fruit cake. The texture was perfect. Will be making this again and again!
I followed the recipe, but my loaf is just mush. I think breads like this should be about 60 minutes in the oven, not 30-40. I put it back in for longer, but it’s still mush. So I’m putting it in for even LONGER. Hopefully I can eventually eat it because I hate wasting eggs, flours, pumpkin, etc.
Updating that it’s complete goo in the middle. This recipe did not work at all. I was looking forward to pumpkin bread since yesterday (It was too hot to cook it then and I haven’t had pumpkin bread it since last year) so I’m really disappointed.
So strange! I’ve made this recipe at least 30 times and it’s always turned out perfectly! My 2 year old loves these and eats 2 or 3 at a time!
Mine today was gooey too, at the recommended bake time. It was finally done somewhere around an hour or a tad more, not 30 minutes! Silly me for thinking this would defy all other quick breads, which do bake for around an hour. We enjoyed a nice breakfast once it was done, but we sure were hungry by the time it was ready! I’m not sure what magical ovens are being used to bake this loaf so quickly, but it seems you and I don’t have them.
I have had trouble with my bread being gooey as well. I have now started baking it in 3-4 smaller loaf pans or muffin pans and haven’t had a problem!
Can you replace the honey with applesauce as the sweetener?
Hello. You certainly could give it a try. It will be less sweet, of course.
Yum! I replaced the oil with applesauce and baked it for 20+ minutes longer than the recipe says. So delicious warm with butter!
Could shredded Apple be added? Apple pumpkin sounds yummy to me! How much should I add if so?
Hi Erin. Maybe replace some of the pumpkin with apple.
Just made this tonight. It did need about 50 minutes of baking time, but my family has demolished it. Really good recipe.
I have been making this recipe for 3 years and it has always turned out great! My family’s favorite pumkin bread recipe by far! I do have to bake my loaf about 50-52 minutes. Perfect every time.
Made these as muffins and in a 8×8 pan and they turned out great! I even forgot to put the eggs in once and they were still great! A reliable recipe, I will try it with applesauce too :). Adding it to my regular rotation.
Where can I find the nutritional information?
Hi there. We do not provide nutrition details. This helps explain our philosophy: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/01/04/healthy-eating-defined/.
I plugged my version of the recipe into myfitnesspal, works like a charm for any recipe :)
I made these last year when I had too much pumpkin than I knew what to do with, and they were delicious! Now I have a bunch of other squash from my CSA, and I am wondering if you can substitute a different winter squash, like carnival squash, for the pumpkin.
We’ve not tried. Let us know how it turns out if you do. :)
Is a 1/2 of coconut oil really necessary? I feel like that’s a lot of oil. Is there anything I can substitute for that?
Hi there. I often replace half of the oil with applesauce.
I just made this following the recipe. I baked them in silicone muffin cups, and they came out great. I added pumpkin seeds and pecans which gave a nice bite to the fluffy texture of the muffin. Going to go make some breakfast cookies now (one our favorites around here)! We put pumpkin in those, too!
Coconut oil is NOT HEALTHY! There was some hope that it might not be as bad as other saturated fats because some of the saturated fat in coconut oil has a slightly different molecular structure. However, further research has shown that in fact it is as bad as other saturated fats and in in one respect it is worse: whereas butter and lard are 50-60% saturated fat, coconut oil is 90% saturated fat. And the lack of saturated fat in vegan diets is what makes them so healthy!
The dairy industry and the coconut oil processors are all over the web claiming that saturated fat is not so bad after all. Don’t believe them. Go to Mayoclinic.org or NutritionAction.com for the facts.
What frosting did you put on top of those Halloween muffins?
Hi there. It’s a rare rule breaker: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/12/24/recipe-whole-wheat-christmas-cookies-with-sugar/.
This was so good! My family is full of coconut lovers so I threw some flaked coconut in with some hemp seeds. I’ve made 3 dozen today and I only have one left. Safe to say it’s a hit.
If substituting butter for oil, is it the same amount?
Yes, the same amount.
This recipe sounds great! We are currently eating a gluten free diet. Can you recommend a gluten-free alternative to whole wheat flour that would work for this recipe? There are many kinds…(coconut flour, almond flour, etc.) Not sure which one would work the best…
HI there. For baking I generally use a gluten free whole grain blend like Bob’s Red Mill.. I also use almond and coconut flour but they require completely reworking a recipe.
Do any ingredients need to be adjusted if using pumpkin purée from a fresh pumpkin?
Hi there. Nope, should be the same.
Such a great recipe that I come back to time and time again! I now make these in a mini muffin silicone pan for my 1 year old. She absolutely loves them! With the last batch, I was a little short on pumpkin so i made up the difference with some pear puree i had on hand and they were amazingly moist and delicious. YUM!
Can I add in zucchini but keep to this recipe?
Hi Anne. That is not something we’ve tried.
I just made four 3″x5″ loaves and they’re delicious! I wanted to use up my pumpkin spice so I used 3 tsp of that instead of spices individually and it worked fine. Sadly, I forgot vanilla but still good! However, this is my first time cooking with coconut oil and I gotta say, the saturated fat is concerning. I added up all calories/calories from fat to share with y’all. Amy do you have an alternative to coconut oil?
Whole-wheat flour 660/30
Coconut oil 960/960
Pumpkin 100/10
Eggs 140/90
Honey 480/0
Totals 2340 calories/1090 calories from fat
Yes, I often sub in apple sauce for up to half of the oil. In other recipes, I’ve subbed it 1:1. I’ve never had it not turn out well.
This was wonderful. Thank you for the recipe. I didn’t have honey so I used maple syrup and it still tasted great.
Love this recipe. I used half honey and half black strap molasses!! Yum!
Just pulled these out of the oven and devoured them with my kiddos. I made them exactly as directed, as muffins instead of a loaf. It came out sooo delicious. This recipe will be replacing my old standby as I move toward being a sugar-free home. Thank you so much for the delicious pumpkin bread!
Thank you Lisa for sharing a delicious and healthy recipe! We baked these into muffins. These turned out fluffy and slightly sweet. We didn’t have any pumpkin, so we substituted puréed carrots. The muffins baked while we ate dinner and they smelled so yummy that the kids asked to eat them for dessert. Thank you Lisa!
Does this make 1 loaf?
It does.
Hi,
Do you know if i can substitute gluten free flour for the wheat flour???
TIA….
Hi. I have made these with a gluten free whole grain blend.
Should the coconut oil be in a liquid form for baking? if so, recommendations for liquefying it? THANKS!
Hi there. Yes, it should. This will help: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/02/07/how-to-cook-with-coconut-oil/.
I just made this last night and was trying to cut down the calories a bit so I used 1/4 cup honey and 1/4 no sugar added applesauce. It tastes great!
I made this today, Can I substitute apple sauce for the oil?
Excellent recipe!
Thank you.
Carol
Hi. Other readers have.
I used extra virgin olive oil instead of the coconut oil. Pumpkin bread turned out very good and moist.
When your recipes call for coconut oil do you melt it first or measure it as a solid?
I melt it myself. Easier to mix into the dry ingredients.
Hi this will help: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/02/07/how-to-cook-with-coconut-oil/,
Has anyone used agave instead of honey? Ratio the same?
Hi. We do not use agave.
Can I use maple syrup instead of honey in this recipe?
Yes.
I made this today using puree I created from one of those neat french pumpkins. Added an extra half cup of puree instead of the oil and ground the walnuts. Came out great. Neighbors tried it and couldn’t believe it used whole wheat! Had to give them 2 copies of the recipe. Total winner.
This turned out great! We’ve made it many times already! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
My 11 year old made this today following the recipe exactly. It is fantastic!!! We will make this again and again!
These are a family favorite. My children love to wake up and find these muffins cooking in the oven. I love recipes that incorporate super foods, like pumpkin. Thanks, great recipe
Its very difficult to search the comments!
Is this freeze-able?
It is.
This is by far the best pumpkin bread ever!!!! The pumpkin adds so much moisture – so many times things made with WW flour have a kind of dry texture but these are wonderful. We added chocolate chips. I cannot wait to make more.
This is my go to pumpkin recipe. We do mini muffins because there are 5 kids and minis go a little further. 12 minutes to perfection. Today we are celebrating the start of fall and a trip to the pumpkin patch. Pumpkin minis were a great way to start the day. (Followed recipe exactly)
Wow! I only just now discovered the thing where you can change the number of servings and the recipe will adjust proportions automatically! That’s awesome! Thanks!
I was out of liquid sweeteners, so I used 1/2c organic sugar. I also had pumpkin pie spice and used 3t instead of the individual spices. Overall this was a win win!
Nutrition facts on this recipe?
Thank you!
Hi there. We do not provide nutrition details. This helps explain our philosophy: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/01/04/healthy-eating-defined/.
Jill, you can just upload the ingredients to Myfitnesspal and find out the information there. Some people do need to know what the calories/ macros are, depending on their fitness goals! There’s nothing wrong with that!
This was delicious with a great texture, not heavy like some ww recipes can be. I used home-pureed squash and brown sugar since I was almost out of honey. I will make it again and probably double the spices. Thank you!!
On roughly my 5th time baking this and feeling a little “meh” about the results, I changed a few things: mixed dry and wet ingredients separately. Made sure to heat pumpkin up a bit (used a heaping cup) to counteract the cold eggs and prevent coconut oil from hardening. Used half real maple syrup and half honey. Used scant teaspoon of salt. When I added the dry, to wet, I mixed minimally. They’re AWESOME. Fluffy and flavorful where before they were dense and a little bland.
This looks so yummy! I love the idea of using honey over granulated sugar – I try to stay as sugar-free as possible! Can’t wait to try!
What to sub for the coconut oil?
Thank you!
You could use butter.
Apple sauce
Love this recipe. I make it with my kids all the time. Because of allergies, we use applesauce for eggs (1/4 cup per egg) and just because I like it better, maple syrup instead of honey. And we add bittersweet or dark chocolate chips, because kids
Making this weekly. It’s great. Turned the recipe into one suitable for diabetics using a little over 1/2 c Splenda instead of maple syrup. Had to add coconut milk to thin batter. Also used flax eggs. Loved the walnuts. Also used whole wheat pastry flour. Made it into squares, cooled then topped with vegan cream cheese mixed with 1/4 t vanilla and 2 teaspoons of Splenda. It’s great!