The main thing you need to know about this Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread is that my 5 year old took one bite then immediately requested it be served as his birthday cake later this month.
Do we love this kid or WHAT?!
That said, my quick and easy Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread is tender and moist, full of warming, fall-inspired spices, and is just the thing us G-Free-peeps need to celebrate the glorious fall season.
Gluten Free + Dairy Free Pumpkin Bread
I’m not sure what it is about this particular October, but I’ve been clinging to every single moment of every single day. We’ve been watching fall movies together as a family (long live Curious George’s Halloween Boo Fest) going to local apple orchards, enjoying gloriously cool mornings and evenings — plus I’ve managed to keep the mum on my front porch alive for two whole weeks and counting!
Like I said, it’s been a good month so far and we’re just getting started.
Another highlight has been devouring this soft and sweet, pumpkin-spiced gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe which not only tastes like HEAVEN, but will fill your home with the most delicious, cozy scent. Ben’s exact words were “It smells good as hell in here!” while our last loaf baked in the oven.
There you have it, folks!
Not only is this pumpkin quick bread gluten free, but it’s also naturally dairy-free. Plus I use an easy, healthy ingredient swap to lower the fat and calories in the recipe without sacrificing taste, texture, or moistness. I can’t wait for you to try it!
Ingredients Needed
This easy fall baking recipe requires just a handful of everyday, gluten free baking ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Gluten free baking flour: I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill GF 1 to 1 Baking Flour Blend. Whatever gluten-free flour blend you choose, be sure it includes a binder like xanthan gum.
- Baking powder and baking soda: These ingredients give the gluten free pumpkin bread a nice, high rise.
- Pumpkin pie spice: The combination of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, ground allspice, and ground cloves lends that craveable pumpkin-pie-inspired taste and scent.
- Cinnamon: Extra cinnamon provides a boost of cozy flavor.
- Salt: Just a pinch to balance out the sweetness of the loaf.
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar gives this bread the perfect amount of sweetness.
- Eggs: Eggs provide structure to the gluten free pumpkin bread. I have not tested a vegan egg replacer such as a flax egg in this recipe.
- Vegetable oil or canola oil: An extremely modest amount of oil gives each slice a soft, moist texture. You may also use melted then cooled coconut oil.
- Unsweetened applesauce: Applesauce add a subtle, natural sweetness, plus it allows us to cut back on the amount of oil in the recipe.
- Vanilla extract: Lends even more cozy flavor to the pumpkin bread.
- Pumpkin puree: Be sure you’re using 100% pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which comes already sweetened and spiced. I like Libby’s brand pumpkin puree.
My #1 Tip for Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
Now, I do have to include one caveat/tip with this recipe:
- Wait a full day after baking to eat it.
Homemade gluten free baked goods are SO MUCH BETTER on day 2 after baking, including this gluten-free pumpkin loaf. The top softens, the texture relaxes into a moist crumb, and the flavor intensifies. SO, what I want you to do is bake the loaf, let it cool completely to room temperature on a cooling rack, then place it inside a gallon Ziplock bag or airtight container and let it rest for at least 12 hours before slicing and devouring.
Your patience will be rewarded with the very best gluten-free pumpkin bread imaginable (just ask my 5 year old!)
How to Make Easy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients. Start by adding a gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour blend, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to a small mixing bowl then whisk to combine and set aside.
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients. To a large mixing bowl add sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, unsweetened applesauce, and pumpkin puree then whisk until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
Step 3: Mix the wet and dry ingredients together. Add the dry ingredients into the large bowl with the wet ingredients then whisk until well combined.
Step 4: Bake. Scoop the batter into a nonstick sprayed 9×5″ loaf pan then smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. No not under-bake.
Tip: Check on the pumpkin bread around the 20 minute mark. If the top is already browning, place a piece of foil on top of the pan (no need to crimp) then continue baking until the skewer comes out clean. Since this bread has a longer bake time, you want to make sure the top doesn’t burn before the center of the bread has had a chance to bake through.
Step 5: Cool the Pumpkin Bread. Let the pumpkin bread cool in the baking pan for 15 minutes then turn it out and cool completely on a wire rack.
As I mentioned earlier, store the cooled loaf in an airtight container for at least 12 hours before slicing and serving! Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days on the counter. It just gets better as it sits.
How to Freeze Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
To freeze this pumpkin bread, let it cool completely then wrap in plastic wrap, and then in foil. Place inside a Ziplock freezer bag then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator then slice and enjoy!
More Gluten Free Pumpkin Treats
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Soft Batch Pumpkin Gingersnap Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Mini Crustless Pumpkin Pies
- Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Covered Pretzels
- Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
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Quick and Easy Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
Description
Quick and Easy Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread is soft, tender, perfectly moist, and full of warming spices. Made in just one bowl with everyday ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups gluten free flour baking blend WITH binder (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees then spray a 9x5” loaf pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Add gluten free flour blend, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon to a small mixing bowl then whisk to combine and set aside.
- Add eggs, sugar, oil, applesauce, vanilla, and pumpkin puree to a large mixing bowl then whisk until smooth and creamy, 1 minute. Add dry ingredients then whisk until smooth.
- Scoop batter into prepared loaf pan then smooth the top with the back of a spoon and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Check on the loaf at the 20 minute mark — if the top is already browning, gently place a piece of foil on top (no need to crimp) then continue baking. Since this is a long-baking quick bread recipe, you don’t want the top to burn before the center has had a chance to fully bake through.
- Let pumpkin bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes then remove and transfer onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in a gallon size Ziplock bag on the counter. This bread is best served on day 2 after it has had a chance to soften.
Notes
- I tested this recipe using Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour. Your results may vary if using a different GF flour blend.
- To freeze: cool loaf completely then wrap tightly in saran wrap followed by foil then place inside a freezer Ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin
This looks so good! I have a large can of pumpkin and I’ve been searching for a delicious pumpkin bread to try. Can’t wait to make it!
And isn’t it the worst when you’re at Starbucks and you see slices of those luscious loaves and can’t eat them because they’re full of gluten?! This will help alleviate that! Thanks again.
Yes!! This tastes exactly like the Starbucks loaves!
Made this last night and left it to cool on the counter. My husband and I just had a slice and it is delicious! Moist and flavorful. I used my homemade pumpkin butter instead of regular pumpkin. Thank you for this recipe.
Oo, that sounds fabulous!! So glad it was a hit with you both, Marilyn!
Hello! I made this for Thanksgiving, and it turned out delicious. I had to use an 8×8 glass dish rather than a loaf pan, but that was no problem. I was without pumpkin pie spice mix so I instead used cinnamon, fresh grated ginger (my favorite, must try swap for dried ginger), and clove. It was perfect. Definitely worth every ingredient. Best gluten free pumpkin bread I’ve tried to date. Looking forward to enjoying a large slice for breakfast!
This pumpkin bread was delicious made exactly as written! I used bob’s red mill 1-1 and it came out perfect. I baked it about 5 min less than called for (likely due to varying oven temp.).
SO glad you loved it, Kristen!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Hi, you recommend Bob’s Red Mill flour for this recipe, which prompts me to ask- in general do you find it to be superior to King Arthur flour? Is one better than the other for baking?
Hi Kay! I find they perform very similarly!
Delish! I didn’t have a loaf pan, so Input it in an 8X8 Dish and cooked for about 25 min. It’s still perfect!
Fabulous!! Thanks for letting us know, Megan, so glad you loved it!
Wow! What an incredible recipe! I used King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free flour and this turned out so moist and flavorful! We will be making this again and again!
I’m SO happy to hear that, Emma!!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
This pumpkin bread got rave reviews from my family! It was so moist and flavorful- perfection! I made it exactly as indicated (but made my own pumpkin pie spice), and served the day after it baked, as suggested. I’m making this again soon!
I’m thrilled it was a hit, Carrie, and I so appreciate you taking the time to review this recipe! Many thanks!
Hi, I’m wondering if anyone has tried this recipe with a natural sugar substitute such as maple syrup or anything else?
Hi Ryley! I personally have not!
Thanks so much for this pumpkin loaf recipe! It’s so good! I doubled the recipe and made one loaf and a dozen muffins. 25 minutes was just enough time for the muffins. I baked the loaf for 40 minutes and then covered it with foil and baked for 20 more minutes. Also, mashed bananas worked well in place of Apple sauce. I also used half coconut palm sugar and half brown sugar for the sugar.
We all gobbled it up!
SO glad you enjoyed it, Lacey! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Can you make this without egg as well as gluten free
Hi Lula! I mentioned in the post copy that I haven’t tested this recipe with a vegan egg replacement. The pumpkin is so wet and heavy that I think it might not be a good candidate for a standard flax egg. A powdered egg replacement or whipped aquafaba might work but I haven’t tested that!
I can’t eat apples. Substitute for applesauce?
Hi Lola! You might try mashed bananas instead. I hope that helps!
I can’t wait to try! I’ve been buying the Trader Joe’s gf pumpkin bread mix each fall and the spices just aren’t quite right
Let me know what you think, Amy!! I think the spice/sweetness level is spot on in this recipe!!
I made mine with mashed bananas since I had no apple sauce. (I also had medium size eggs. I doubled the batch and added an extra egg.) It turned out so yummy!
How much oil would you use if you didn’t have apple sauce or mashed banana?
Hi Amy! That would require significant testing to make a good recommendation, I’m sorry!