Healthy Pumpkin Bread!
This amazing healthy pumpkin bread recipe is so fluffy, no one will guess it's made with honey, coconut oil and whole wheat flour. Easily vegan/gluten free.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on November 18, 2021
Raise your hands if you’re excited about fall! I’m looking forward to pumpkin treats, cooler weather and dusting off my favorite boots. The leaves on the trees outside look tired, so I think we’re in for a show soon.
I’m satisfying my pumpkin cravings with my favorite pumpkin bread while we wait for those magnificent red and orange trees. This recipe is a simplified and perfected version of my old honey-sweetened pumpkin bread.
It’s made with pumpkin purée and spices, of course, plus honey (or maple syrup), white whole wheat flour (which is more neutral-flavored than regular) and coconut oil. Combine all of those in one bowl and you’ll get some seriously amazing pumpkin bread.
If you’re a fan of my banana bread, you’re going to love this recipe, too. This recipe is highly adaptable to special diets, and I’ve added notes for adjustments under the recipe. Pumpkin bread for everyone!
Watch How to Make Healthy Pumpkin Bread
I’ve been making recipe videos with my brother. We’ve gotten into more arguments than I’d like to admit, but we’re in a great rhythm now. Let us know what you think of our pumpkin bread video, will you, please? It’s short and snappy, and I hope you love it.
Please let me know how this bread turns out for you in the comments! I hope you love it as much as I do.
Craving more pumpkin treats and wholesome baking projects? Here are a few of my favorites:
- Healthy pumpkin muffins (just like this pumpkin bread, but in muffin form!)
- Pumpkin pecan scones with maple glaze
- Pumpkin pancakes
- Pumpkin waffles
- More pumpkin recipes here!
Healthy Pumpkin Bread
This amazing pumpkin bread is naturally sweetened with honey or maple syrup, and made with whole wheat flour. It’s so moist and fluffy, no one will ever guess! You can easily make this pumpkin bread vegan and/or gluten free—check the recipe notes for details. Recipe yields 1 loaf.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil*
- ½ cup honey or maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- ¼ cup milk of choice or water
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin spice blend (or ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon allspice or cloves)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (NOT baking powder; they aren’t the same!)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
- Totally optional: ½ cup mix-ins like chopped walnuts or pecans, chocolate chips, raisins, chopped dried fruit…
- Pinch of ground cinnamon, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, beat the oil and honey together together with a whisk. Add the eggs and whisk until blended. (If your coconut oil solidifies on contact with cold ingredients, simply let the bowl rest in a warm place for a few minutes, like on top of your stove, or warm it for about 10 seconds in the microwave.)
- Add the pumpkin purée, milk, pumpkin spice, baking soda, vanilla and salt, and whisk to blend. Lastly, switch to a big spoon and stir in the flour, just until combined. Some lumps are ok! If you’re adding any additional mix-ins, gently fold them in now.
- Pour the batter into your greased loaf pan and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. If you’d like a pretty swirled effect, run the tip of a knife across the batter in a zig-zag pattern.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (typically, if I haven’t added any mix-ins, my bread is done at 55 minutes; if I have added mix-ins, it needs closer to 60 minutes). Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer the bread to a cooling rack to cool for 20 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my honey whole wheat pumpkin bread and healthy banana bread.
Storage suggestions: This bread is moist, so it will keep for just two or three days at room temperature. Store it in the refrigerator for five to seven days, or in the freezer for up to three months or so. I like to slice the bread before freezing and defrost individual slices, either by letting them rest at room temperature or lightly toasting them.
*Oil options: I love coconut oil here. I used unrefined coconut oil and can hardly taste it in the final product. Olive oil might lend an herbal note to the muffins, if you’re into that (I tested with California Olive Ranch’s “Everyday” variety and couldn’t even taste it). Vegetable oil has a neutral flavor, but the average vegetable/canola oil is highly processed, so I recommend using cold-pressed sunflower oil or grapeseed oil if possible.
Make muffins: Here’s my pumpkin muffin recipe.
Make it vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey, replace the eggs with flax eggs and choose non-dairy milk (I used almond milk) or water.
Make it dairy free: Choose non-dairy milk (I used almond milk) or water.
Make it egg free: Replace the eggs with flax eggs.
Make it gluten free: Bob’s Red Mill’s all-purpose gluten-free flour blend works well. Or, substitute 2 ½ cups certified gluten-free oat flour instead. Do NOT substitute coconut flour.
Flour alternatives: An equal amount of all-purpose flour can be used in place of the whole wheat flour.
Make it lower in fat: I would argue that this bread contains a healthy amount of fat, but you can replace the oil with applesauce if you’re following a low-fat diet.
Recommended equipment: I love my Fiesta Loaf Pan in Turquoise (affiliate link).
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I made this for a breakfast for my students, several of whom have food allergies or other dietary needs. I subbed in flax egg and water, and it was such a hit that students asked if they could take the leftovers with them. I bought the cookbook, and it is amazing. I can’t wait to cook my way through it!!
What a great teacher you are, Nancy! Those kids are super lucky. I hope you enjoy the cookbook!
So, I followed this recipe exactly, the only difference was my pumpkin was organic purée. No matter how longI cook it, it still looks uncooked. The flavor is good, but the consistency is not.
Hi, Sherry! What kind of flour did you use? Also, did you make sure to use baking soda, and not baking powder?
Baked up a loaf today! The texture is WONDERFUL… soft but dense. My only complaint (and only reason for docking a star) is I personally didn’t taste much pumpkin. The bread tastes more like a honey-wheat quick bread than pumpkin bread.
Great! It is a subtle flavor, but I’m glad you still enjoyed it.
Can I completely take out the liquid sweetener (maple syrup or honey)? Would I have to replace that with anything else like applesauce or extra pumpkin puree or something?
Hi Joanne, you would need to account for the lost moisture in the liquid sweetener. Applesauce would be my first pick.
I made this today and came out like a pumpkin pure and some bread around, like a pie or something like that.. OMG I was craving pumpkin bread so bad, I let in the oven for 60 minutes I use sprouted whole wheat flour and olive oil.. I don’t know what is wrong with me when I try to bake lol :(
does anyone know the calories for this?
Hi Kaytie, I’ve added nutrition facts under the recipe. Just click on the “nutrition information” label and you will see them!
I used almond milk, walnuts, chocolate chips, and I threw in a banana. It came out great!!! Everyone loves it.
I made this and I don’t know what I did wrong. It checked it after about 48 minutes and it was done but that was ok. It just didn’t taste much like pumpkin or any of the spices I put in. It was just kinda blah. I’m sure I did something wrong because it has great reviews. I reread the recipe several times. The only thing I did differently was use regular flour but surely that wasn’t it…..could it be?
So delicious! Can I freeze the whole loaf? Will it still taste as good? Thanks for the fantastic recipe!
This tasted wonderful, thank you! I added in some mini chocolate chips (1/4 cup) for my kids, but it would’ve tasted just fine without.
Hi Kate,
I made the pumpkin bread this weekend, but I didn’t use whole wheat flour. It was still raw in the middle after 60 minutes. I baked it until the toothpick came out clean about 20 minutes extra. It was so dense and not a fluffy bread like the photos. Your recipes Always come out perfect. What could have gone wrong? Thanks!
I added the entire can of pumpkin instead of 1 cup
Fantastic recipe, thank you so much! I appreciate that you rely on stuff my Swiss grandma would have in her pantry and the absence of hipster ingredients. I absolutely love this blend of spices – just the perfect amount.
I’m diabetic, can I lower the amount of honey/syrup?
Hi Janet, you might have success replacing some of the honey/maple syrup with applesauce. Applesauce still contains naturally occurring sugars so I’m not sure how significantly that would reduce the total sugar content. That’s my best guess, though.
Nutritional information not given
Hi Ann, I’m seeing the nutrition information now. It’s under the recipe and should display if you click on “nutrition information.” If you didn’t see it earlier, there must have been a server blip with my nutrition service, and I’m sorry for the inconvenience.
Hi Ann – The nutritional information is down at the bottom after Notes. You need to click the header to expand the contents to see it. I hope this is helpful!
I love this recipe! Lately when I have made it the bread has come out gritty, any idea what could be causing that? I’m thinking it’s either the coconut oil or the pumpkin puree I’m using.
Hi Sarah, that’s very strange! I’m guessing it could be your pumpkin puree, unless you’re using very coarsely ground flour.
Made this last night and it’s the best quickbread yet. Super moist! No add ins took a little over 60 mins in my oven. I will definitely be making this again, next time bumping up the pumpkin spices maybe to 2 tsp. Served it with a dollop of plain greek yogurt, drizzle of honey, and maple/salt roasted pepitas. Wonderful.
Sounds delightful! Thank you, Molly for your feedback and review!
Made it this morning and it came out perfect! I added some chopped pecans on top with the cinnamon, since my family is obsessed with pecans, and now everyone’s harassing me while it cools…
Great! Pecans are a great addition! Enjoy, Ven.
Can I use applesauce instead of oil?
Yes, I think so!
Just made this, super good! I used maple syrup, coconut oil, and sprouted whole wheat flour. I added candied ginger, chocolate, walnuts, and coconut. Baked for about an hour. Delicious, thanks so much!
Thank you, Blaire for the review! Your additions sound so good!
Perhaps I missed it, but what is the bake time for mini loaves? Would you suggest four per recipe?
Hi Michelle, I’m sorry, I don’t have experience with mini loaves. I’m not sure if there’s a standard mini loaf size, but from what I just googled, I think one regular loaf yields 2 mini loaves, and they require about half the bake time of a regular loaf.
Thank you! I will give it a try!
Well Kate, you did it again….a healthy, delicious, light, fluffy, perfectly spiced, buttery tasting recipe that will send many cherished recipes handed down from ancestors into the back of the index file! Desserts, baked goods and snacks have been the biggest challenge to replace white refined sugar in our families’ new lifestyle diet change so recipes like this really help. Thank you enormously.
Well, thank you Janice! So happy to hear it worked so well.
Can’t wait to try your healthy pumpkin bread! How do you think it would taste if I added a banana to it?! I’m gonna see!
Lisa
Probably delicious! You should be able to add slices of banana (the bread might need an extra few minutes in the oven). Or, replace some of the pumpkin puree with mashed banana.
overall turned out well, but I could slightly taste the whole wheat flour… is that supposed to happen?
Hi Margarita, did your bread taste bitter? If so, your flour is probably too old. That, or make sure you’re not accidentally adding too much flour. I measure my flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off with a knife.
Can you make a pumpkin chocolate chip recipe? I just love pumpkin!
Pumpkin is a favorite in the fall for sure! You can always add some chocolate chips to this recipe if you would like :)
I love this recipe! I’m definitely going to add this to my list to make this Fall. Also, I love this Refined-Sugar Free Pumpkin Bread that you can make in a blender.
Let me know what you think, Ashely, once you try it!
Can you substitute Oatflour instead of the Wheat flour?
Other flours (like nut, etc) don’t necessarily behave the same way as wheat flours do, so I think it’d be tricky to make that work. Have you tried Bob’s Red Mill GF blend? It’s a 1-1 swap, so you don’t have to worry about conversions.
I made this pumpkin bread and used maple syrup instead of the honey like listed. I followed all the directions but sadly the taste was not good. I so wanted it to be good but it just wasn’t. Sorry
I am sorry you were disappointed, Charlotte. Was there something specific that didn’t turn out for you or just overall not your type of taste?
Hi, wondering if brown rice flour would work in this pumpkin bread recipe. Thanks.
Hi Pam, if you are looking for a gluten-free substitute, I would recommend the Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose gluten-free flour. Other flours aren’t necessarily a 1-1 ratio. Hope this helps!
Thank you for sharing this recipe (and all the tips, suggestions and nutrition facts). I’m making this recipe for the 4th time tonight!
Here are some of my own tips (recipe is perfect as is- these tips came from improvisation when I didn’t have a specific ingredient):
-you can sub coconut sugar for the honey/maple syrup
-I use macadamia nut milk! (this brand: http://www.milkadamia.com/#products) So yummy.
-I top mine with coarse demerara sugar, chia and pumpkin seeds.
You are welcome! Thank you for the review, Steph.
Help I used coconut flour by mistake ,but, I love this recipe
Coconut flour isn’t a 1-1 replacement as it can soak up all the moisture, but I am happy you still liked it :) Next time try it with either the flour noted in the main recipe or the gluten free substitute(if needing gluten free). I think you will like it even more! Thanks for the review, Anne.
Wow – this bread is SO GOOD. I’ve been searching for a muffin recipe that’s perfect for breakfast: healthy and not too sweet. And now I’ve found it! I also love your banana bread – my fiancé and family enjoy them too!
Hooray! Thank you, Lydia :)
i just made this and was pleased at how moist and tasty it is. I was thinking that I must have put a lot of sugar in for it to taste so good, and remembered it’s honey! Will make this again!
Thank you, Patty! I appreciate the review :)
This came out PERFECT. The honey and the olive oil gave it depths of flavor that give it a gourmet taste. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Hooray! You are welcome. I am glad it came out so well. Thank you, for your review.
This looks great, can’t wait to try it! I definitely prefer using sugar-lite alternatives like honey (if I have to use anything at all!) Thank you for the recipe!
You are welcome, Nicole! Let me know what you think.
Hello! How much pumpkin puree did you use? I am thinking our cans may be different sizes in Canada – not sure.
Thanks!
Hi Christine, it calls for one cup pumpkin puree. If you buy one can, it will have more than enough. Just use one cup. I hope this helps!
I made this bread last week and have one in the oven right now. It is delicious. I added chocolate chips. This recipe is a winner.
Chocolate chips are a great addition! Thanks, Sandy for your review.
I have been looking for a tasty and healthy pumpkin bread for a long time. I refuse to make my previous recipes that require a cup of sugar and white flour. This is the perfect alternative. I sliced it and froze the loaf so we can pull out individual slices and toast them for breakfast. Delicious!! Another winner – Thanks Kate!!
It’s so good! I am glad you thought so as well. It is true – you don’t need all of the sugar. Thanks for the review, Nita!
Thank you so much for sharing this, I love making different loaves for my family, and it’s so nice to have recipes like this on hand! Baked it and turned out PERFECTLY, it’s a keeper!
Wonderful! Thank you, Kimberly for your star review.
I absolutely love this recipe and have made it at least a half a dozen times so far. However, no matter what I do, it is always under cooked in the middle! I have increased the cooking time, I have changed my baking pan, I have even done some ingredient swaps per your substitutions. Any suggestions??
That’s very strange, and I’m sorry to hear that! Are you sure you’re using baking soda, not baking powder? I’m not sure what else to suggest.
Thank you for the reply. Yup, always sure to use baking soda. the bread is still great and my son has loved it since he was about 9mo – so I will continue to make it! :)
Moist and flavorful! Definitely not as sweet as the typical pumpkin bread (that has lots of sugar) but a great healthy alternative that I don’t have to feel guilty eating.
Great!! I think so as well. I appreciate the review, Amy.
Thanks for the recipe – I love it!
You’re welcome and thank you for your review!
Love your pumpkin bread recipe!!!
Thank you!
I love this guilt free healthy recipe. It’s perfect. My new go to recipe for pumpkin bread. I reduced the sweetener to 1/3 of a cup and used half honey and half agave nectar. It was just sweet enough. My husband, who is not a fan of healthy eating even enjoyed it.
Thank you Kate.
You’re welcome, Julie! Thanks so much for the review.
Today is my 3rd time making this in a month. I also add 1/3 cup of Healthworks cacao powder to add a hint of chocolate flavor. I’m making a 4th one tomorrow to give to a friend before moving away. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Very moist and perfect amount of spice. My only complaint is I could actually taste the baking soda so next time I’ll try 1/2 teaspoon.
I couldn’t wait to try this recipe! Reading through the comments was helpful too.
I LOVED the idea of adding cocoa, so added a big heaping Tbsp & sprinkled a little more on top.
I also used:
1/4 c each honey & maple syrup
Evaporated milk
1/2 c ground flax seed in place of flour
1/2 c finely chopped walnuts
1/3 c pepitas
1/3 c low sugar craisins
Since I frequently have a problem with undercooked centers, I set oven to 350° and lowered the rack one notch below center. Then when spreading the batter in the pan, I ‘dented’ the center & left the edges higher.
It turned out perfectly & so yummy! Can’t wait to make it again.
Thank you!!
I made this for a friend with breast cancer and it exceeded by greatest expectations. I made another loaf for myself! I used honey rather than the maple syrup and absolutely loved it! I will definitely save this to my favorites.
Hooray! I’m glad it exceeded expectations. Thank you, Dana for your review!
Tried the banana bread. Must day one of the best banana breads I have eaten. Husband and guests loved it. Thank you Kate.
You’re welcome, Vibha!
Hi Kate,
Two questions: how much applesauce should I use if I’m substituting this for the oil, and can I use coconut flour? If so, what other modifications would I make to the recipe?
Thank you!
You can use the same ratio for applesauce, but please see my notes below the instructions. Also, coconut is not a substitute. If you want to make it gluten free, try Bob’s Red Mill GF flour.
Hi just wondering how you cook your pumpkin? is it better to roast it or steam it for this recipe? thanks :)
Hi Sas, I actually used canned pumpkin for this recipe.