Easy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

With fall comes cooler weather, changing leaves, and of course pumpkin-flavored everything. Pumpkin is one of my favorite flavors, I love using it as much as possible during this time of the year. One of my favorite pumpkin recipes is this gluten-free pumpkin bread who I have my mom to thank for! Her original recipe is not gluten-free, but I’ve adapted it with a simple ingredient swap. I’ve included the regular variation in the printable recipe card.

It’s seriously the best and made from scratch with love. The ingredients are super simple and making the bread is a cinch. The pureed pumpkin is the secret to making a soft, moist, and flavorful gluten-free pumpkin bread and if you want to indulge, adding chocolate chips is essential!

Make a loaf to slice or divide the batter into mini loaf pans to share! I hope this family recipe brings as much comfort to your gluten-free kitchen as it does mine. Enjoy!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s super easy and made with simple gluten-free and dairy-free ingredients.
• Easy to customize with chocolate, nuts, dried fruit, etc.
• It makes a rich, tender pumpkin bread with the perfect density
• Great for breakfast, snack and dessert!

• Gluten-free All-purpose Flour – King Arthur is my go-to brand, specifically the Measure for Measure gluten-free flour.
• Baking Soda – Helps the bread rise and gives it a fluffy texture while keeping it dense and moist. 
• Salt – Balances the sweet flavors and the spices used to create an even flavor. 
• Warming Spices – You can use a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg or a premade pumpkin pie spice to create a warm spiced flavor. 
• Eggs – Not only do eggs bind the bread together, they also help to enhance the rich moist texture in each slice. 
• Brown Sugar & White Sugar – The combination of white and brown sugars helps sweeten the bread and also gives it a light caramel flavor. 
• Grapeseed Oil: Oil enhances the rich texture of the bread. You can also use another light-tasting oil like avocado or canola.
• Pureed Pumpkin: Gives the pumpkin bread it’s rich orange color and light pumpkin flavor.

How To Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

Step 1: Sift or whisk dry ingredients.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg (or pumpkin pie spice) in a large mixing bowl. You can also use a whisk for this and whisk until blended.

Step 2: Beat wet ingredients.

In a separate large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, sugars, oil, and pumpkin until smooth.

Step 3: Combine dry and wet mixture:

Then, add the dry mixture to the bowl with the wet mixture and blend just until a batter forms. Do not over mix.

Step 4: Bake.

Divide batter between two  9″ x 5″ bread pans. Bake in a 350-degree preheated oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Likewise, you can bake the batter in 6 mini loaf pans for 30 minutes (my preferred method).

Brush the tops of the warm loaves with melted butter, if desired.

Recipe Tips

• Not all gluten-free flour blends are the same. King Arthur brand Measure for Measure gluten-free flour works perfectly for me every time as it is a smooth substitute for regular flour and also contains xanthan gum which helps create a texture that is just like regular flour. 
• When mixing the ingredients, be sure not to overmix, this could create a texture that is too dense in the bread. .
• Do not scoop the flour out of the bag with the measuring cup. Spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup and level it off with a knife.
• Make sure you’re using pumpkin puree -NOT pumpkin pie filling as the filling already contains spices and sugar. 
• Make sure to follow the storage tips below for best taste and texture.

Variations

• Pureed sweet potato and pureed butternut squash can be used interchangeably with the pumpkin in this recipe, although the flavor will be somewhat different.
• Sweeten up the pumpkin bread by adding chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or even decadent white chocolate. 
• Add a nutty texture and crunch by adding your favorite nuts such as walnuts, pecans, or crushed almonds. 
• Dried fruit gives pumpkin bread a pop of sweet and tart natural flavor. Try mixing in some raisins, currants, or even dried cranberries into the mix. 
• Spread delicious gourmet maple butter or whipped cream cheese over homemade pumpkin bread. 
• While this bread can be baked in two regular loaf pans, you can also bake it in mini loaf pans that are perfect for freezing, or to give away as gifts. Food is love, y’all.

How To Store Gluten-Free Bread

Storing: You can store leftover pumpkin bread on the counter in an airtight container for up to 3 days. A bread box is ideal, but plastic containers work well, too, just avoid using a plastic bag. I don’t recommend refrigerating gluten-free bread, because it tends to dry out. Without gluten in the flour, gluten-free breads don’t have the same structure and have a shorter lifespan than their gluten-filled counterparts. It’s always best fresh! Make sure that it has completely cooled before slicing.

Freezing: After the bread has cooled completely to room temperature, wrap the whole loaf or individual slices tightly in a few layers of plastic wrap and freeze in a freezer-safe bag for 2 to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.