It’s easy to make homemade gluten-free pumpkin bread. Simply mix the batter, spread it into two pans, and bake. Since the recipe makes two loaves, you can enjoy them both right away or freeze one for later.
When fall arrives, and sometimes a little sooner, I pull out this gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe. It’s a one-bowl recipe and comes together in just minutes. To keep things simple, I use a gluten-free flour blend. It makes a tender loaf with a soft delicate crumb. And since this recipe makes two loaves, we eat one right away and I pop the other in the freezer to enjoy later.
Ingredients Explained
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe.
- Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour. I tested the recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour. Using a different flour will change the texture of the bread.
- Pumpkin Puree. Be sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Canned pumpkin pie filling contains other ingredients and doesn’t work in this recipe.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice. The flavor comes from a full tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice. It’s a premixed blend of spices and usually contains cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. If you want to use your own spices, individual amounts are listed in the recipe.
- Sugar. If you like a subtle molasses flavor, use light or dark brown sugar instead of granulated sugar.
- Eggs. Two eggs give the bread a lovely cake-like texture.
- Oil. A lot of pumpkin bread recipes call for butter. In side-by-side testing, I found that oil gave the loaves a softer texture and crumb. The butter-based pumpkin bread tasted a little dry. Oil has the added bonus of making the recipe dairy-free.
- Baking Powder and Soda. The combination of baking powder and soda helps the loaf to rise and gives it a nice brown color.
- Salt. Just a touch brings out the flavor of the bread. Use table salt (not kosher salt) for the best results.
How to Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
This is a simple recipe! Here are the steps explained and a few pointers so you make perfect pumpkin bread every time.
- Grab a large bowl and whisk the dry ingredients together. You can use a handheld whisk or an electric mixer for this recipe.
- Add the wet ingredients. This is why you want a large bowl! By the time you add the wet ingredients, it takes a lot of room.
- Mix until the batter is smooth and creamy. If you’re adding chocolate chips or nuts, stir them in after you mix the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly between two greased pans. I like to line my pans with parchment paper after greasing but that’s optional.
- This bread takes about an hour to bake. To test for doneness, insert a cake tester or toothpick into the center of the bread. You want it to come out dry or with one or two crumbs clinging to it. If there’s wet crumbs or batter, bake the loaves for 5 more minutes and test again. The bread should be golden brown.
- Cool the loaves in the pan for about 15 minutes. Gluten-free pumpkin bread is really delicate when it first comes out of the oven. After 15 minutes, remove the bread from the pan and place it on a wire rack to finish cooling.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
To keep the bread fresh, wrap it tightly. It stays fresh for about four days.
When ready to enjoy, remove the loaf from the freezer and allow it to thaw at room temperature.
Easy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
Moist and tender gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe. Easy to make and loaded with pumpkin spice flavor. The recipe makes two loaves. Enjoy one now and freeze one for later.
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour, see note (17 ½ ounces; 500 grams)
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, see note
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 (15 ounce) can 100% pure pumpkin
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (11 ½ ounces; 326 grams)
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup vegetable oil, such as canola oil (5 ¼ ounces; 148 grams)
Instructions
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Adjust oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 350℉. Grease two 9-by 5-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper and grease lightly.
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Whisk together the gluten-free flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
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Add the pumpkin puree, sugar, eggs, and vegetable oil. Mix until smooth. The batter will be thick. If adding chocolate chips, nuts, or dried cranberries, stir them in now.
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Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Smooth batter into pans with a small spatula or the back of a spoon.
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Bake for about 50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the loaves comes out clean.
Place the pans on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes and then turn the loaves out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
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Store bread wrapped on the counter for up to 4 days. To freeze, wrap the cooled loaf in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to three months.
Recipe Notes
The Gluten-Free Flour.
This recipe was tested with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. Using a different flour or blend will affect the bread.
Sugar.
For a subtle molasses flavor, use 1 ½ cups light or dark brown sugar.
Pumpkin Pie Spice.
Pumpkin pie spice can be replaced with individual spices: 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon. 1 teaspoon ground ginger. ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground allspice.
Optional Ingredients: Chocolate Chips, Nuts, or Dried Cranberries.
Stir in 2 cups total either chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or dried cranberries. A mix of two or all three can be used. Just don’t exceed two cups total.
Katie says
Have you ever tried using egg substitutes in recipes like this? Just wondering before I delve in. 🙂
Elizabeth says
I haven’t. Sorry! But if I were to try it, I’d use a flax “egg”. Those usually do a pretty good job when used in quick breads.
Liz says
This is what I’ve changed and they taste great.
Flour: 2 cups GF flour 1 cup Almond flour (makes them less dense)
Eggs: Replace with 4 Tblsp Brown Flax Meal & 10 Tblsp water, stir together and put in refrigerator for 5 minutes. Added to mixture.
Pumpkin Spice: Replaced with 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp of Ginger, 1/2 tsp Cloves, 1/2 tsp Nutmeg. Mixed together and measured out the 1 Tblsp required for recipe.
Liz says
Forgot to mention that I make muffins not the bread.
Stacy Streuli says
Just made this, and eating a warm piece! Very delicious! I halved the recipe, and used my own baked and pureed Hokkaido pumpkin. Next time I’ll reduce the sugar a bit but otherwise a very tasty recipe!
Lindsay says
I love you for using a whole can of pumpkin, being so thorough & precise & to the point, & creating awesome recipes! (& bonus for using Bobs Red Mill) ?
Lindsay says
I love you for using a whole can of pumpkin, being so thorough & precise & to the point, being willing to change up a recipe you’ve published, & for creating awesome recipes! (& bonus for using Bobs Red Mill) ?
Caroline Good says
I’m curious why you reduced the amount of spice by half? I have the old recipe, in the little purple paper booklet! [Yes, we’ve been gluten free a LONG TIME 😉 ] By comparison, I would think you would use 2 Tbls of pumpkin pie spice (or equivalent individual spices)? We like the warm spice flavor of the older recipe, so I’m hesitant to cut it in half….. Thanks!
Elizabeth says
Hi Caroline,
Excellent question! Some folks found that recipe too spicy. So I adjusted the spice level down. If you liked the level of spice, go ahead and use it. Additional spice won’t harm the recipe in any way!
Roslyn says
This looks great! Could I add chocolate chips?
Elizabeth says
You sure can!
JJ says
Wonderful bread. I made some substitutions:
1/4 c sugar = 1/4 c. maple syrup
1c. brown sugar = 1c. coconut palm sugar.
melissa chandler says
Just made this and used only about 5/6 cup of dark brown sugar (no other sugar) and added an extra teaspoon of cinnamon. Very good on a frigid day in Texas! Thanks for the recipe!
Lisa says
Did I miss something. When do you add the sugar?
Elizabeth says
Sugar is added in step 3 along with the pumpkin puree and other wet ingredients.
Ellen Ochs says
The taste is great but mine came out much too dry. Harumph. I followed the recipe exactly. Any thoughts?
Elizabeth says
That’s odd. The bread should turn out very, very moist. What type of gluten-free flour did you use?
Sheryl H Hetzel says
I baked the Pumpkin Bread from your recipe today. I followed the recipe to the letter even though, I thought 1 1/3 cups of sugar was alot. It turned out perfect. Mot too sweet not too dry not too spicy. Thank you for sharing this recipe it will be my ” go to for pumpkin bread”
Dorothy Douglas says
When you list ingredients you say to use gluten free all purpose flour.
Then when you tested you used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten free baking flour.
Do you have a preference?
Thanks!
Elizabeth says
Yes, my preference is the Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour.
Sheryl Hetzel says
I made your recipe 3 times each one a little different outcome. Taking blame for that as the 1st one I think I put in too much oil didn’t measure it in a glass measuring cup it came out very moist. 2nd one cot back on the oil, came out very dry. The third one came out perfect I followed your recipe exactly with measurements & time. I’m enjoying my 1st piece from one loaf now it is perfect fantastic. Thank you for this recipe