A spicy pumpkin bread with a cinnamon nut topping. Pumpkin Streusel Bread takes the classic fall flavors and warms it up with hints of cloves, cinnamon, ginger and more. Use this quick bread batter to make delicious pumpkin muffins.
One of my kids favorite fall traditions comes from my mom. Each fall, especially while they’re in college missing the tastes of home, she packs up two loaves of their favorite quick breads, pumpkin and lemon poppyseed, and sends them off tightly wrapped with oodles of cellophane tape, foil, parchment paper and packing peanuts. And they arrive in their armored box ready to be ravenously enjoyed by countless roomies and friends after a late night.
This Pumpkin Streusel Bread is a riff on my mom’s recipe - be sure to make a loaf (or two), pack it up and send to someone special.
Straight up - it’s dorm currency.
What is a quick bread?
A quick bread is exactly what it implies. A bread that mixes up in one bowl, requires no rising and is poured into one pan. Making a quick bread is almost as fast as making some of my Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies (actually make both...you won’t be mad).
Because quick breads don’t use yeast to rise, they need baking soda and/or baking powder (leavening agents) to get things going. Actually any batter without yeast could be a quick bread but that’s a story for another day.
Solid pack pumpkin vs pumpkin pie filling
Walk slowly down the canned pumpkin aisle, pumpkin’. Now is not the time to run in and grab the first canned pumpkin you see because you might walk out with the wrong one.
To make a moist pumpkin bread, you’re going to want to use 100% canned pumpkin instead of pumpkin pie filling.
Read your labels because they look really similar! Here's the difference:
- Canned pumpkin - Sometimes called pumpkin puree, canned pumpkin only contains you guessed it — 100% pumpkin.
- Pumpkin pie filling - A shortcut to making pumpkin pie, pumpkin pie filling is pre seasoned which limits you from flavoring your bread how you like it.
You've been warned.
Make a Super Moist Pumpkin Bread
You already know that you’ll use canned pumpkin puree. And the other key ingredient is oil. I typically use canola oil. But you can use other options as well.
Oil Substitutes
- Other oils such as coconut oil (melted), avocado oil, vegetable oil would work. I wouldn’t use olive oil in this recipe.
- Applesauce also works as a great substitute for oil in a 1:1 ratio.
Pan Options
You know I love recipes with lots of options! This pumpkin bread recipe doubles as a pumpkin muffin recipe making it easy to share and have individual portions.
- Loaf pan. My favorite pan to use is a light gold 1 ½ lb. non-stick loaf pan that measures 10” x 5” x 3”.
- Muffin pan. This recipe makes 12 very full muffins using a non-stick muffin pan. While I haven’t tried making mini-muffins with it, I am guessing you could get anywhere from 24-30 muffins out of one recipe. If you try it, please leave a note in the comments below!
Pumpkin Bread Spices
I like a really spicy pumpkin bread so I use a little of several different spices. You can certainly tone yours down if you like. This spicy bread uses:
- Cinnamon (a lot!)
- Ginger
- Nutmeg
- Cloves
- Allspice
Have fun and play around with your favorite blend! And if you're a lover of all things pumpkin, you have to check out the easy pumpkin recipes over at my friend Kendell's site. Good stuff!
The Process
- Grab your favorite big bowl and a wooden spoon and mix together all of the wet ingredients.
- In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and give it several good stirs until everything is incorporated.
- And then mix up the cinnamon pecan streusel topping, sprinkle it on top and bake.
Storing and Make Ahead
Storing. Pumpkin Streusel Bread will keep in the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 10 days.
Make ahead. You can make this pumpkin bread and freeze for up to 3 months. I’ve had it in the freezer longer, of course without any problem. So if you’re making one, why not make two?
Tips
For a few. Make muffins and freeze them in smaller batches.
For a crew. This pumpkin quick bread easily doubles.
Our favorite Fall recipes
- Completely Steak Chili
- Butternut Squash and Juici Apple Salad
- Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Wild Rice and Pancetta
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Streusel Bread
Ingredients
Cinnamon Pecan Topping
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Batter
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- 1 15 oz can 100% solid pack pumpkin
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup oil, canola, *see note below
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoon milk, 2% ok
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Grease a large 1½ lb. loaf pan that measures 10x5x3.
For the Topping
- In a small bowl, stir all the topping ingredients together and set aside.2 tablespoons cinnamon, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the Batter
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and soda and all the spices.2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 ½ tablespoons cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon allspice, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ginger
- In a larger bowl, stir the pumpkin, sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla and milk.1 15 oz can 100% solid pack pumpkin, 1 cup sugar, ½ cup oil, 2 eggs, 3 tablespoon milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until well mixed with minimal lumps.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the bread.
- Bake for 1 hour on the oven's center rack until cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool for approximately 10 minutes in the pan. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and using a potholder in each hand, gently slide the cake onto a potholder and back onto a cooling rack right side up to completely cool.
- Slice and serve with cream cheese, butter or melted caramel dip.
Lori, your pumpkin recipe turned out super yummy, made a double batch into muffins with plenty to share. Used your suggestion with vanilla glaze. My husband would have eaten them all 😉
We shared with college student and son who's busy harvesting(perfect lunch addition)
Everyone very grateful, giving rave reviews, absolutely 5 star.
Thank you Lori !!!
So happy you all enjoyed it Crystal! And glaze makes everything better, right? Thank you for taking the time to comment...it means so much!🤗
Hello, Can I use: 9x5 pan?? AND would the cooking be the same or slightly different and muffins would be regular muffin pans and the same cooking time?? Want to make this This weekend…
Thank you in advance…
Cindy…
Hi Cindy! Yes - a 9x5" pan would work! It's a little smaller than what I use so you might have to cook the bread longer - maybe 10 minutes or so. For muffins, I'd use a regular muffin pan and fill each well about 2/3 of the way and sprinkle on the streusel. I'd bake at 350˚ for approximately 20 minutes. For either version bake until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean in the middle. You also could make a little vanilla glaze using some powdered sugar, milk and vanilla (maybe 1 cup of powdered sugar to 2-3 T of milk and 1 tsp of vanilla to start. Adjust as needed to make a drizzle). Please let me know how the recipe works for you and thank you! 😊
Wow this was an outstanding pumpkin bread recipe. I think it only lasted 2 days in our house. It was a great snack AND breakfast with a hot cup of coffee.
So glad you loved it Susie! I can't get enough of the topping!
I made this bread today... the best pumpkin bread I have ever tasted! The streusel topping sets it above all others I have tried. I am not the biggest pumpkin fan but if you are, you must try this bread!
Emma you made my day! Thank you so much!! The streusel topping is my fav too..I find myself stealing it off the top 😊 from other pieces.
FIVE STARS!!!! I love all things pumpkin and this sounds perfectly spicy and delicious! I am running to the kitchen to make it now!
Thanks Kendell!! And that's a compliment coming from the Pumpkin King!! 😊 So glad you liked it!!