Healthy Pumpkin Bread
This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
This healthy pumpkin bread is made with whole wheat flour and naturally sweetened with maple syrup. It’s perfectly moist, warmly spiced and lower in sugar than traditional pumpkin bread.
Most pumpkin bread is closer to cake than breakfast. A slice from a coffee shop can run well over 30 grams of sugar, which is why I set out to make a version I could actually eat on a regular fall morning without a sugar crash by ten. This healthy pumpkin bread is naturally sweetened with maple syrup instead of refined sugar, built on fiber-rich whole wheat pastry flour, and uses applesauce and coconut oil in place of butter. It comes in at 12 grams of sugar per slice, and with over 100 five-star reviews it has become one of my most requested fall recipe!
If you would rather have something portable, my healthy pumpkin muffins and pumpkin oatmeal bars use the same fall flavors in a grab-and-go form.
Table of Contents
“This is my favorite pumpkin bread recipe of all time! I make it so much during the fall and even other times of the year as well. I love it so much. I wish I could leave it 10 stars!”
Why I Love This Pumpkin Bread
- The cinnamon sugar crust: Sweet, crisp, and just slightly crunchy against the soft loaf underneath. It is my favorite part of every slice!
- Applesauce does the work of butter: It keeps the crumb moist without the saturated fat, which is why this loaf stays tender for days rather than drying out overnight the way lower-fat quick breads usually do.
- Endlessly adaptable: Readers have made it gluten-free, vegan, with olive oil instead of coconut, and with chocolate chips folded in. It holds up to just about every swap people throw at it.
Ingredients Needed for Pumpkin Bread
- whole wheat pastry flour – whole wheat pastry flour works better than regular whole wheat flour if you’re looking for that light texture that regular all-purpose flour provides, but still want the nutrients of whole wheat flour. My favorite brand is Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour.
- pumpkin pie spice – you can make homemade pumpkin pie spice with just cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg or use a store-bought spice blend.
- pumpkin puree – use canned pumpkin or make your own pumpkin puree. If you use canned pumpkin from the store, make sure the ingredient list is just pumpkin – don’t accidentally buy pumpkin pie filling! It’s loaded with added sugar.
- eggs – gives the loaf structure. I’ve tested this with and without eggs, and the eggs really help the bread hold together.
- maple syrup – a natural sweetener that pairs perfectly with the spices and pumpkin. I recommend pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup, for best flavor.
- coconut oil – helps bind the wet and dry ingredients together and add some richness.
- unsweetened applesauce – keeps this bread moist without adding extra oil!
- cinnamon sugar topping – optional, but highly recommend adding a coconut sugar and cinnamon mixture before baking to create a delicious, sweet crust.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
Substitutions & Notes
- Flour: If you can’t find whole wheat pastry flour you can also use white whole wheat flour, 1 cup all-purpose and 3/4 cup regular whole wheat or 1 3/4 cup all-purpose. Lots of options!
- Vegan: Swap 2 flax eggs for the regular eggs to make this loaf vegan. Just a note that if you use flax eggs the loaf might not rise as much.
- Make it gluten-free: A 1:1 gluten-free baking flour works well here. I have not tested it myself, but one reader used King Arthur’s blend and said the texture and flavor came out perfectly. If you are avoiding grains altogether, my flourless pumpkin muffins are made with almond butter and my quinoa flour pumpkin bread is another hearty option.
How to Make Healthy Pumpkin Bread
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt.
Step 2: In a medium bowl whisk together pumpkin, eggs, maple syrup, oil, applesauce and vanilla until smooth and combined.
Step 3: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir well until just combined.
Step 4: In a small bowl mix together coconut sugar and cinnamon for the topping.
Step 5: Pour batter into the loaf pan and top with coconut sugar cinnamon topping and place on the center rack of oven.
Step 6: Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool before removing.
Brittany’s Tips for Success
- Don’t over-mix: One of the key steps to achieving tender bread is to avoid over-mixing the batter otherwise you’ll end up with pumpkin bread that is dense and gummy. Stir until just combined for the best texture. It’s okay if there are a few streaks of flour left.
- Let cool completely: I know it may be tempting to dig into this loaf right away, but trust me when I say you’ll want to let your loaf cool completely before slicing. The loaf continues to bake as it cools and if you cut it too soon it might seem undercooked or fall apart.
- Spoon and level your flour: Scooping straight from the bag packs in extra flour and is the most common reason a quick bread turns out dry. Spoon it into the cup and level it off with a knife.
- Start checking at 55 minutes but expect to go longer: Several readers have needed more than the 60 minutes listed. Oven temperatures vary and pumpkin holds a lot of moisture. Go by the toothpick, not the clock.
- Tent with foil if the top browns too fast: The cinnamon sugar topping can darken before the center is set. If it is getting dark at the 40 minute mark, lay a piece of foil loosely over the top for the rest of the bake.
How to Store Pumpkin Bread
- Room temperature: Once cooled completely, store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Fridge: Keeps for up to a week refrigerated. Let slices come to room temperature or warm them briefly before serving.
- Freezer: Freezes well for 1 to 2 months. Slice the loaf before freezing so you can pull out one piece at a time, and thaw overnight in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is common and nothing to worry about. Ovens vary, and pumpkin holds a lot of moisture. Several readers have needed closer to 70 minutes. Start checking with a toothpick at 55 minutes and keep going until it comes out clean.
Yes, and multiple readers do. Olive oil works beautifully here and you will not taste it in the finished loaf. Any neutral oil or melted butter works too.
Yes. Divide the batter into a lined 12-cup muffin tin and bake at 350°F for about 20 to 25 minutes, checking with a toothpick at 20.
No. Whole wheat pastry flour is milled from a softer wheat, which means less gluten and a lighter, more tender crumb. Regular whole wheat flour will work but the loaf will come out denser and heavier.
Each slice has 12 grams of sugar, most of which comes from the maple syrup and the pumpkin itself. For comparison, a slice of pumpkin bread from a coffee shop can easily run two to three times that. There is no refined sugar in the loaf at all aside from the small amount of coconut sugar in the topping.
More Pumpkin Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Naturally Sweetened Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup canned pumpkin or homemade pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Topping
- 2 Tablespoons coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 1 regular sized loaf pan (8.5 inch) by spraying it with cooking spray or lining it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt).1 ¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Combine the wet ingredients (pumpkin, eggs, maple syrup, oil, applesauce and vanilla) in a medium-sized mixing bowl and blend well.1 cup canned pumpkin or homemade pumpkin puree, 2 large eggs, ½ cup maple syrup, ⅓ cup melted coconut oil, ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce, ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Add the liquid mixture to the dry and stir well until just combined.
- In a small bowl mix coconut sugar and cinnamon for the topping.2 Tablespoons coconut sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pour batter into the loaf pan and top with coconut sugar cinnamon topping and place on the center rack of oven. Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Allow to cool before removing from pan.
- Bread should keep at room temperature for at least 3 days. For longer storage, keep in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for 1-2 months.
Video
Notes
- Whole wheat pastry flour: If you can’t find whole wheat pastry flour you can also use white whole wheat flour, 1 cup all-purpose and ¾ cup regular whole wheat or 1¾ cup all-purpose. For a gluten-free option, you could try a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend.
- Eggs: Flaxseed eggs can be used to replace the regular eggs to make this loaf vegan.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
Made it today – love it! I’m often looking for an afternoon treat that isn’t loaded with sugar. I used a regular egg too as I’m not vegan. I decided not to omit the sugar topping. Glad I didn’t – that crust was yum – and really not much extra sugar as I only used about a tablespoon.
I made this recipe today and it came out fantastic! I used a regular egg, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and no added sugar on top. The texture of the bread was great (not too dense), and the flavor of the pumpkin and spices really shines through without all the sugar overpowering it. This one is a keeper!
I appreciate the fact that so many people think the pumpkin bread recipe sounds great (which it does), but wish more people would write what it tasted like and adaptations for it they made. For me that would be more helpful, and encouraging me to try ip.
My go-to flour is often white whole wheat, but now I’m excited to try whole-wheat pastry flour! 🙂
Thank you for sharing these treats…and your life! Don’t you love the fall months? I hope you are having a blessed week.
Quinoa and pumpkin bread…two of my favorite things. Perfect fall food!
That quinoa recipe looks AMAZING! Definitely bookmarking and trying it soon!
I realize this is an odd question, but were there food vendors at the Montpelier races or is it all tailgate? What kind of food is available to buy?
I think there are a few vendors (food carts/trucks) with food but I’ve never purchased food because we always tailgate. Hope that helps.
Hi Brittany, I made the pumpkin gingerbread recipe Wednesday night and it was THE HIT of Thanksgiving! My husband’s family can’t stop thinking about it and want it for Christmas too! I’m making it again tomorrow, doubling it so I can share with a new mom to share a meal. I was also going to make a big hot dish but now that I see your quinoa salad, I might just do that too…Thank you!!!
Hooray. I’m so glad that the pumpkin bread turned out and that your family enjoyed it. Thank you so much for coming back to this post and giving your feedback. 🙂
I am glad you reposted this quinoa recipe. I love quinoa but think it is best as a salad and am always on the lookout for a good quinoa salad and a carb that can sit in the fridge for a couple of days so that I can have it for lunch or dinner to mix up my meal plan. I will definately try this one.