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 bread this morning for the kids to take to school. I added chocolate chips and it is delicious and will be part of my morning baking rotation. Your recipes are always a win, thank you! I think I will substitute applesauce for the eggs next time as it is recommended that my daughter avoid them. Thank you again for another winner!
I made this bread this morning for the kids to take to school. I added chocolate chips and it is delicious and will be part of my morning baking rotation. Your recipes are always a win, thank you! I think I will substitute applesauce for the eggs next time as it is recommended that my daughter avoid them. Thank you again for another winner!
Very moist and delicious. I added walnuts and raisins. I will make it again.
Great to hear!
Great recipe. I made a triple batch and used 2 cups of pumpkin and 1 of cranberry sauce (with olive oil and maple syrup).
Turned out great and not overly sweet.
I love love love this recipe. I made it for the first time last year. I decided to cook my own pumpkin for the recipe. I freeze the pumpkin in 2 cup freezer containers and double the ingredients of recipe. My fiancé loves this pumpkin bread. I use black walnuts.
Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Cynthia!
Excellent recipe!! The wheat flour made it nuttier and more rustic. The coconut oil made it lighter. LOVE!!!
Thanks for sharing, Ginger!
Super delicious! I added in chocolate chips, raisins, and walnuts. I also used half maple syrup and half honey and I loved the results.
Love that Pumpkin bread video, now off to make the bread!
Thank you, Jill!
Do you have any tips on what to do with the leftover pumpkin? I used 1 cup from a 15 oz. can.
Hi Rhon! You can save it for a future recipe, add to overnight oats, smoothie, etc. :)
Amazing, turned out perfect!
Excellent recipe! Thought my teenage boys would notice the absence of white sugar right away but they never did & they love this bread with their breakfast. Thanks very much!!
I use your banana bread and pumpkin bread recipes often. Sometimes, I combine the recipes to make two loaves of banana-pumpkin bread. Absolutely delicious! I appreciate the fact that wholesome ingredients are used instead of ingredients normally found in cake. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful recipes. Love Cookie!
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR RECIPE!
I used coconut oil and honey for the first time in a pumpkin bread.
Love the lightness! I also used 3/4 almond flour with 1 cup regular flour.
You’re welcome, Marcia!
This recipe is awesome! The first time I made it I followed the instructions to a T with the exception of using sugar free pancake syrup instead of honey. The second time I was baking at my boyfriend’s house and we were missing a lot of ingredients so I used a little extra pumpkin, a little extra pumpkin pie spice, water instead of milk, olive oil instead of coconut oil, and 2-3 table spoons of sugar free pancake syrup instead of vanilla extract. The second time I made it the mixture was a lot less viscous and poured into the bread tin much easier – probably due to the olive oil and water. It turned out much sweeter than the first time, but I loved it! It was great either way. I think if you want a more sweet version of this bread, definitely use honey. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe!
I have tried this recipe. It turned out amazing delicious Very tasty and moist. thanks or the recipe.
How do I make the pumpkin puree?
I buy it in the store. I don’t have a pumpkin puree recipe, sorry!
I’m in love with this recipe! I subbed unsweetened apple sauce for the oil, 1/3 cup white sugar for the sweetener, and 1/3 cup unflavored whey protein powder for 1/3 cup of the flour (just to boost the protein a bit.) I did up the cinnamon to 1 1/2 tsp as well. O. M. G. what a delicious, healthy pumpkin bread! It it the perfect consistency, perfect flavor, and rose beautifully even with the modifications. I’ll be making this again and again! Thank you for sharing!
Tried out pumpkin bread for the first time and it was delicious! Thanks for this lovely recipe and all the others, absolutely love trying out new recipes from your page ! :) I tried out the carrot cake recipe and it was delicious as well!
This recipe is awesome! I make your banana bread as well, but I think this is even better :) I used avocado oil as the fat, maple syrup as the sugar, and regular AP flour. I added 1/2 cup of chopped pecans, and the crunch was great. My family said, “how is this so good?!”
I love it, Erin! Thank you for sharing.
This is going to be the first time I have baked since school, and now I’m 28!!
I have a whole small crown pumpkin, would you say a cup of puree is half a small pumpkin? Thank you! (And if you have a recommendation of how best to get the puree from it, please let me know!
Thank you.
Hi! I would follow my pumpkin soup recipe. I’m not quite sure on pumpkin quantity as it really depends how much is inside.
I use this recipe so much I thought I should finally leave a comment. This is the best! I always get compliments on this recipe and it gets gobbled up super quickly. I have never taste a better pumpkin bread. I use spelt flour and allspice instead of cloves and it is just divine! This and your banana muffins are my weekly go to for the family
Delicious, moist… easy. :)
I make a lot of Kate’s cookie and bread recipes and like them a lot. I made this pumpkin bread using high oleic expeller pressed sunflower oil instead of extra virgin olive oil as I thought olive oil would be too herby for a sweet bread. My loaves came out very moist – not dry as some have complained – and generally tasty – but I won’t be using sunflower again. Sunflower oil is supposed to be a mild oil but there is a distinct odor and a very soapy aftertaste. My family didn’t love it to tell you the truth. Next time, I may just wing it and try the olive oil. Also, I do agree this recipe could do with a bit more pumpkin and pumpkin spice flavors, as well as a bit more sweetness. I don’t need a ton of sweet but this was not sweet enough even for me…Thanks Kate, in general, for your recipes. My family especially loves your ginger molasses cookies!
I have made the recipe multiple times using A combination of flour and oat flour (grinding regular oat meal) and love the texture. Delicious recipe.
Thank you for sharing, Jean! I appreciate it.
Recipe sound great, cane wait to made it. I have made your healthy banana bread were so delicious, I m in Australia, may I ask what type of pumpkin is best for this recipe
Hi Ai! Canned pumpkin is what I use here. If you can’t find canned, then you could use a cooking pumpkin and use this soup recipe as a base to cook your pumpkin. I hope this helps!
Great recipe!! Easy to make, healthy for my kids and great way to use leftover pumpkin. Was going to make pumpkin scones but so happy I tried this instead. Lovely texture and great taste. I used less honey and it was still sweet enough for us.
I also added pecans which was awesome in there! Thank you!!!
Like GEOFFREY, I also replaced the oil with applesauce. It’s a trick my mother taught me years ago. The bread comes out very moist. The applesauce does make it a little spongy, but it’s still very good.
Thank you, Kevin! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Hello! What size of canned pumpkin do you use for this recipe? Thanks
Hi! You only need one cup for this recipe. 14oz can has more than you would need.
What about using almond flour?
Hi1 I don’t typically recommend almond flour as a 1:1 replacement as it would require other adjustments to work. Checkout my almond flour banana bread for an almond flour recipe.
Could I replace flour with almond flour?
Hi! Unfortunately, almond flour isn’t a perfect 1:1 replacement. I do have an almond flour banana bread!
I made this today from scratch. Absolutely excellent. Used honey. Can not wait to try it wit maple syrup.
I used raw, unfiltered honey and the bread turned out tasting more like honey than pumpkin. Also, up the spices if you want to taste them. I loved the banana bread but this one was just alright – a little dry too. I probably would use maple syrup next time, decrease baking time and multiply spice level by 2x.
This recipe is my new favourite for pumpkin bread! Thank you! I used the olive oil and honey options and doubled the spice to suit my taste. It’s delicious! So happy I found this recipe. :)
Good morning! I have your recipe on my list to make this week. I have a question though. When I look up the calories on https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076 they are very different than yours. It shows 276 calories for 8 pieces with no mix-ins. Would you please clarify how you calculate the calories – maybe you have a nicer nutirion calculator because mine is mean! ;)
Hi Billy! I use a paid service called Nutrifox for calculating my nutrition info. I just pulled it up and double-checked my ingredients/quantities for this pumpkin bread and they are all in there! I’m not sure why your calculator reported a different result. Did you perhaps choose pumpkin pie filling (contains sugar) instead of pumpkin puree? Hope that helps.
All of your recipes are delicious!!
This time, I followed your recipe exactly, except I also added 1 can of drained and rinsed chickpeas (I need more protein in my diet – trying to sneak it in). It was kinda good, but a little more doughy, obviously. What would you have done differently with the flour after adding the chickpeas?
Hi Anne- Marie, You added chickpeas to my pumpkin bread? I just want to make sure we are talking about the same recipe. If you did, adding an additional ingredient is definitely going to impact your results. I honestly haven’t ever tried that so I can’t speak to adjustments, sorry!
Made this today but into muffins! Followed this recipe but baked according to your pumpkin muffin recipe. So so SO good! So moist and perfect balance of sweetness. Thank you. Will be making them again ASAP!
Love this recipe! I added pumpkin seeds & extra dark chocolate chips on top and it was delicious :)
Made it a few times with semi sweet chocolate chips, so good!
Hi! First time ever, I forgot to add the salt to a recipe (♀️) ah! Anyone done this or have ways to fix?
Hi! Sorry I don’t have a fix, but you could try a nut butter to help with overall taste.
Thanks!
Hi Kate:
I’m a directions follower! I follow your recipe, line-for-line, and it regularly ends up mushy in the middle. I’ve cooked it maybe 10 min longer and it’s still really dense/wet in the middle. Suggestions? I’m not at a high elevation or anything. Your input would be appreciated. Thanks!
Hi! I’m sorry to hear that, K. How did you measure your flour? Sounds like you may have either too much flour and/or too much liquid.
Hi, If I were to use almond flour what would be the measurement
Hi, again I forgot to ask if I need to change anything in the recipe if I were to use almond flour and what would be the measurement
Hi Annette! I don’t recommend almond flour as a 1:1 substitute as it usually needs more adjustments if it is going to work. I do have an almond flour banana bread you could try.
So delicious and very flexible! I have some gastric conditions that really limit my dietary options so finding a recipe that’s so adaptive is a godsend! In case anyone’s in need of a low-fiber, dairy free variant with a little protein boost, I made the following alterations:
– Replaced whole wheat flour with 1.25 cups white flour and 0.5 cups egg white protein powder (the fact that the texture turned out so well is amazing in and of itself since egg white protein powder is the worst one for cooking, but all others contain dairy and/or fiber additives!)
– Doubled the pumpkin spice for extra yumminess
Personally I LOVE nutmeg, so I 4x the amount called for instead of just doubling.
I can’t stop making it!!! Really really delicious. My 15 year old daughter and I love all your recipes.
Can I put this recipe into a round cake pan and bake a cake with it? I’m trying to find a healthy cake recipe for my baby’s first birthday (smash cake). I tried your pumpkin muffin recipe recently and it was awesome! I bet this is equally delicious.
Hi Katie! Try my favorite banana cake!
That is perfect, thank you for responding!
PERFECT! This isn’t just the best healthy pumpkin bread, its the best pumpkin bread period! After my husband tasted it he immediately told me to make another loaf and my toddler and preschool have been gobbling it up. After reading the reviews the only change I made was doubling all of the spices. Nice and moist.
Lovely and moist but next time I’ll double the spice! And I might increase the sweetener a smidge too
My needs were very specific—I had exactly one cup of pumpkin purée leftover from making pumpkin butter and I wanted to use it up. I have a muffin recipe that uses one cup, but it has two cups of white sugar. A bit much. Your pumpkin bread recipe was perfect. I added walnuts, golden raisins, and some chopped unpeeled apple, and sprinkled the top with a little turbinado sugar and cinnamon, for a crunchy crust. Delish! This one’s a keeper!
This is one of my go to recipes. Thank you!!
Made this with my toddler who loves to cook with me! Very moist and subtle flavors!