Get all the flavors of fall with this vegan, dairy-free, egg-free pumpkin bread. This recipe makes two loaves, so keep one for yourself and give one to a friend. Garnish with Pepitas to make it extra special, place in your oven and let the scent of cinnamon fill the air.
BE PICTURED IN; CHARACTERIZED IN:
Of all the pumpkin treats, pumpkin bread is my favorite. My heart belongs especially to this vegan pumpkin bread. After baking a batch I have to give the loaves away so I don’t go crazy and sneak away with slices all day. It’s one of those recipes you make to reassure yourself that fall is here.
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The best pumpkin for pumpkin bread
I use canned pumpkin puree. Yes, you can use homemade pumpkin puree, but to be honest, canned pumpkin is always better and a lot less work. This recipe uses a whole small can of pumpkin, so you don’t have to worry about using up a few tablespoons.
Do not use canned pumpkin pie mix that already has spices and sugar added.
How to substitute eggs in vegan baking
Eggs play an important role in structuring quick breads. To make this quick vegan bread, you have two easy plant-based options that help bind the dough and give it the same bakeness as eggs.
Linseed: Ground flaxseeds form a gel when you mix them with water. This gel is used as an egg substitute to add texture to biscuits, cakes and quick breads. They are a reliable ingredient in vegan baking. You can find flaxseed in the health food section of most grocery stores. They have a short shelf life, so it’s best to store them in the freezer.
- If you’re looking for tips on making flaxseed egg substitutes, check out our post: How to Make a Flaxseed Egg.
Aquafaba: You probably have a can of beans in your pantry, which means you have an existing alternative to a flax egg! Aquafaba is a fancy name for the liquid in a can of chickpeas. Yes, the stuff we usually tell you to drain and rinse — turns out sticky bean juice is a fantastic egg substitute.
- To use aquafaba as an egg substitute in this recipe, simply add 1/2 cup of the liquid from a can of beans and omit both the water and the ground flaxseeds. Chickpea liquid works best, but I’ve also used canned kidney bean and kidney bean liquid and had success. Aquafaba will keep in the fridge for up to a week, but can also be frozen in ice cube trays for easy portioning. Remove the frozen cubes from the shell and store in a ziplock bag.
Spice swaps and mix-ins for vegan pumpkin bread
From one ingredient or get creative? You can play with spices and mixes for different flavors.
- Add up to 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Add up to 1 cup vegan chocolate chips. (Many popular semi-sweet chocolate chips contain milk and butterfat.)
- Add up to 1 cup raisins or dried cranberries.
- Add up to 1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger.
- Substitute 1 tablespoon of Chinese five spice powder for the spices in the recipe. (I’m currently really excited about this version.)
- Substitute 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice in place of the spices in the recipe.
Pumpkin Bread Sugar Swap
The amounts of white and brown sugar aren’t set in stone here. You can customize it to your liking.
- Only use white sugar. The taste of pumpkin and spices comes into its own.
- Use all brown sugar. Your pumpkin bread will taste more like gingerbread.
- Substitute maple syrup for 1/2 cup sugar. Using only maple syrup will overwhelm the other flavors.
- Reduce the sugar by 1/2 cup. The bread doesn’t turn out as juicy and tender, but if you prefer less sweet desserts, it’s worth a try.
Swapping flour for pumpkin bread
Feel free to swap out the all-purpose flour with any of the following. I’ve made this bread all of the following ways and the texture and flavor remain essentially the same.
- White wholemeal flour for all all-purpose flours.
- Wholemeal pastry flour for all all-purpose flours.
- Spelled flour for all all-purpose flours.
- Half all-purpose flour and half regular whole wheat flour.
Can I make gluten free pumpkin bread?
I would not recommend making this pumpkin bread gluten free. This particular recipe makes a dense dough, and for it to work as a gluten-free loaf, it would need eggs for extra structure. If you only use gluten free flour in this bread, it will turn out very dense and gooey.
Can I bake muffins, mini loaves or a single loaf?
Secure! This recipe makes at least two dozen muffins or six 5 1/2 x 3 inch mini loaf pans. (I especially love the way this dough rises in mini loaves, plus they’re handy for gifting to friends.) You can also make this in a standard size Bundt pan, or halve the recipe and make a single loaf .
The best way to freeze vegan pumpkin bread
I actually prefer this bread after it has been frozen and thawed. After freezing and thawing, the texture and flavor of this bread improves; it becomes wetter and stickier and cuts cleaner.
Freeze: Wrap cooled loaves in cling film and then in foil. Freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter for 3-4 hours (no unwrapping needed).
More sweet vegan treats
- Vegan Banana Bread
- Vegan Cookies
- Fudgy Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies
- Gluten-free (and vegan) Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
- Creamy vegan rice pudding flavored with chai
- Vegan French Toast with Caramelized Bananas
Vegan Pumpkin Bread
Since this makes two loaves of bread, you can freeze one and eat one. Perfect! For flavor, it is best cut the day after baking to allow the spices to mix.
If using aquafaba instead of flaxseed, omit the flaxseed and water and add 1/2 cup aquafaba to the pumpkin mixture in step 3.
ingredients
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3 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds
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1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
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1 1/3 cups (304 grams) packed light brown sugar
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1/3 cup canola oil or melted coconut oil
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1/4 cup (32 grams) finely ground flaxseed meal
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2/3 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
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1/2 cup water
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1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
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3 1/4 cups (446 grams) all-purpose flour
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1 2/3 cups (324 grams) granulated sugar
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1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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1 teaspoon table salt
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1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
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1 teaspoon ground ginger
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1/4 teaspoon cloves
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1/4 teaspoon allspice
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1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
method
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Preheat the oven and prepare the pans:
Preheat the oven to 350°F and place a wire rack in the center. Grease and flour two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pans.
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Roast pumpkin seeds:
Place the pumpkin seeds in a small, dry skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, shaking the pan frequently, until the seeds are lightly browned and making small popping noises, about 3 minutes. Immediately pour them into a small bowl. Put aside.
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Mix the liquid ingredients:
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, oil, and ground flaxseeds until the brown sugar is mostly dissolved. Stir in milk, water and vinegar. Put aside.
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Combine the dry ingredients:
In another large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg.
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Mix dough:
Pour the flour mixture into the bowl with the pumpkin mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until you have a cohesive dough with no dry streaks. The batter may have a few small lumps, but that’s okay.
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Bake breads:
Divide the batter between the prepared molds and sprinkle the roasted pumpkin seeds over them. Bake the loaves until a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center is free of crumbs and the loaves spring back when you press lightly on their centers with your fingertip, about 55 to 65 minutes.
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Cool the bread:
Cool pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks before slicing.
leftovers! Bread will keep tightly wrapped for about 4 days at room temperature and up to 3 months in the freezer.
