This is seriously the best vegan pumpkin bread you’ll ever eat! It’s perfectly spiced, moist and easy to make in 1 bowl. Better than Starbucks, this will become one of your favorite Fall recipes!
This is one of those recipes that took me quite a few tries to get it just right. Even once I did, I tested again to make absolutely sure! Yep, this is the best pumpkin bread ever. And better yet, it’s vegan!
No one would ever guess this pumpkin bread is vegan. It’s so moist, fluffy, sweet and perfectly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. The bread slices beautifully once cooled, and it tastes better than the popular Starbucks pumpkin bread. I’m not kidding on that one, I had several people tell me it was better than Starbucks when they ate it!
So what are you waiting for? Get in the kitchen and make yourself this wonderful vegan pumpkin bread!
How do you make vegan pumpkin bread?
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F and greasing a standard loaf pan. Then, in a small bowl combine a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds with 2.5 tablespoons water. Set aside to thicken.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, brown sugar, canola oil, flax egg and soy milk until well combined and smooth. Now add the flour, then sprinkle the baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves on top of the flour. Mix gently until just combined, being careful not to over mix.
Pour into the prepared loaf pan, sprinkle with pepitas and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the loaf cool for a few minutes in the pan, then carefully transfer the loaf to a cooling rack.
The loaf will slice best when it’s given some time to cool, at least 30 minutes. But it will still taste good if you must eat a slice immediately!
Store any leftover bread covered on the counter for 2-3 days, or in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
What else can I add to pumpkin bread?
I love this bread as is, topped with pepitas, but you can also get creative! Try adding chocolate chips, currants, raisins, cranberries, chopped walnuts, pecans or even some grated coconut.
Does vegan pumpkin bread freeze well?
Yes, this bread like most quick breads freezes very well. To freeze, cool completely first. Then, wrap it in plastic wrap, then wrap tightly in foil and freeze. You can also freeze slices of it, wrapped well and placed in a large freezer bag. Make sure to label it so you don’t forgot what it is!
Want more vegan pumpkin recipes?
- Vegan Pumpkin Pie
- Vegan Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Starbucks Copycat Vegan Pumpkin Scones
- 1 Bowl Vegan Pumpkin Muffins
- Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte
This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.
The Best Vegan Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
- 2.5 tablespoons water
- 15 ounces canned pumpkin puree
- 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup soy milk
Dry Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Topping
- 1/2 cup pepitas
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a loaf pan.
- In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed and water. Set aside to thicken; this is your flax egg.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, brown sugar, canola oil, flax egg and soy milk until smooth.
- Add the flour, then sprinkle the baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves on top of the flour. Stir with a large spoon or spatula, gently, until just combined. Do not over mix.
- Pour into the prepared pan and sprinkle the pepitas on top. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let it cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then transfer the loaf to a cooling rack. Slice carefully right away, or let cool completely for easier slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
- For oil free, you can substitute applesauce for the oil, but the loaf will not be as moist or fluffy. It tends to make a denser, gummier loaf. You can also use coconut oil or another oil if you'd like.
- Feel free to sub any non-dairy milk for soy milk.
- For whole grain, you may sub whole wheat flour for the white flour, it just won't be as light and fluffy. I haven't tried this gluten free, but it may work with a gluten free mix. Do not sub with almond or coconut flour, it will not work!
- Other optional add ins: I like the loaf as is, but feel free to mix in chocolate chips, walnuts, pecans, raisins, currants, cranberries or even shredded coconut.
Nutrition
Due to a lack of ingredients, I substituted mashed sweet potato for about 6 ounces of the pumpkin, and olive oil for canola. Still turned out great! Maybe a little drier and denser due to the potato, but still excellent.
Hi Nora, would a chia egg work here instead of flaxseed egg? Thanks!
Hi Hanako. Yes, chia egg does work in instead of flaxseed egg. Enjoy!
I made this recipe last night and it was SO good! Mine was getting a bit dark on the top so I took it out after an hour and ten minutes. It was a little too much oil for me so I’ll next time I’ll try it with applesauce (or half oil and half applesauce). I am seriously thinking of making this instead of pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. Thank you for sharing your talents, Nora!
I can’t have oil. I wonder if I could replace with almond butter and so applesauce?
I’ve never tried it so I’m not sure. Usually applesauce is a pretty good replacement for oil in breads like this.
If you make it with applesauce I’d love your thoughts. I made it last night and it was SO good with the recipe Nora created, but I try to stay away from so much oil so I was thinking of trying it with applesauce.
THE BEST!! I’ve tried many recipes and yours are tried and true !! ALWAYS turn out perfect !! And you feel good eating your recipes. You don’t feel heavy or tired or sluggish . The food is nourishing to mind body and soul 🩷
I’ve made this recipe a few times before and loved it. Today my grocery store was out of pumpkin, so I used sweet potato instead and it worked perfectly! I just weighed out 15 ounces of cooked canned sweet potato and blended with the milk and oil in the recipe to make a smooth purée, and it worked beautifully.
I love this recipe so much and have made it several times! Thank you so much for it and all your other wonderful recipes. I do need to make mini loaves out of it though, and am wondering how you would adjust the temperature/time? Thanks so much for any advice!
I’m so glad you love the pumpkin bread recipe, thank you! 🙂 I would keep the temperature the same, and bake for less time, probably around 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with no wet batter. That sounds so fun.
As a new vegan, I don’t have many go-to recipes yet. I’m craving pumpkin and this recipe sounds delicious. I’m trying to limit processed foods. Has anyone tried substituting with date sugar instead of using brown? I’d prefer to use maple syrup and/or dates instead but have no idea of the proportions to use.
Thanks for the input and for a recipe that I can’t wait to try, Nora!
Hi Susan! I hope you find some new go-to recipes here. 🙂 I haven’t tried using date sugar myself, but it should work just fine. Subbing maple syrup or dates is a little trickier and you’d have to adjust other things; I’d have to do a lot of testing to find what works. But date sugar is easier. Thanks and enjoy!
Doubled recipe Subbed coconut and whole wheat flour 1/4 cup avocado oil 1/4 cu apple sauce for oil and 10 manhood dates with maple syrup and some molasses in replace of brown sugar also added golden raisins. Really delicious thanks. Oh ya I used a mix of pumpkin and sweet potato.
Any suggestions for high altitude baking?
Hi Maddie. I don’t have a lot of experience with high altitude baking. Sorry. I bet you could search some great information about it online! I hope you enjoy the bread!
Just got done cooking! Took 1 hours on the dot!
It’s PERFECT!
Can the pumpkin bread be made into muffins instead? If so, how long should I cook it for.
Thank you 😊
Sure! Around 18-22 minutes, when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with no wet batter, they are done. Enjoy!
The bread was still underbaked on the inside, but pretty dry on the outside even after balking it for longer than 1 hour and 15 mins. My brown sugar is pretty moist. I wonder if that’s what made a difference. Is that the kind you use as well ?
I use brown sugar, yes. It might need longer than 1 hr 15 minutes, oven temps can vary. The only way to be sure is to use a toothpick (or sharp knife) in the center of the loaf. If there is no wet batter, it’s done. If there is wet batter, bake longer. This bread gets a really nice crust on the outside so don’t be afraid of that, it’s my favorite part!
I made this yesterday and it was outstanding. All my friends at work loved it! Perfect moist consistency, love the pumpkin seeds on top, and great flavor.
Hi Sara. I’m glad the bread turned out wonderful for you, and was a hit at work! Thanks for your wonderful review and feedback! I appreciate you using my recipes! Happy cooking!
I just made this pumpkin bread and it was so good!! The texture and taste were perfect!! The amount of time baking was perfect too. It came out moist and full of flavor. The pumpkin seeds on top gave it a nice crunchy taste and added to the flavor!! I will be making two loads for my church potluck this Saturday. I already know everyone will want the recipe. Thank you Nora for another fantastic recipe!!!
You are welcome, Virginia! I love this bread as well! I’m glad it turned out wonderful for you! Thanks for sharing your stellar review and feedback! Wishing you lots of happy baking!
Best recipe! I make this monthly. I recommend baking for 50 minutes instead of the suggested time for more most pumpkin bread
Hi Jesslyn. How wonderful you are loving the pumpkin bread! Thanks so much for your awesome review and great baking feedback! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
It looked wonderful coming out of the oven but collapsed on the counter. After slicing, you can see it is solid/doughy on the bottom. Frustrating because I feel that 75 minutes in the oven should be more than sufficient. Don’t know if I need to raise the temp or try longer bake time. I followed the recipe to the T. Often have this problem with vegan baking though I want so badly for it to work.
It’s possible that your oven runs low on heat (you can check this with an oven thermometer). I had an oven at an older home where the oven was 50 degrees off, and I had to adjust for that! Check the temp of your oven, bake in the center rack, check with a toothpick to ensure it’s done, or a sharp knife and try to get down as much as possible in the middle of the loaf. The other thing with quick breads like this – don’t slice right away. The bread needs time to cool and it will become a much better texture after cooling. This is the same with banana bread, zucchini bread and so on. Hope that helps.
Has anyone ever done this one with olive oil instead of canola?
I always make it with olive oil! its perfect
I’m so glad you are loving the bread! Thanks for your awesome feedback!
I love the bread! I liked that it used a full can of pumpkin 🎃. I didn’t have pepitas but I added dried cranberries and chopped walnuts. Superb! Thanks for sharing your recipe with us.
This recipe was AMAZING!!! I did swap the flax egg with Egg Replacer. There is no way anyone would ever be able to tell that this was vegan!
Hi Claudine. I’m thrilled you loved the bread! Egg replacer does work great in this recipe! I appreciate you taking time to share your awesome review and feedback! Happy cooking to you!
Thank you for this recipe, Nora! I’ve made it several times and it’s delicious. To my experience the only challenge is making sure it’s fully baked. I have pulled it a bit early and the inside can be gummy. So better have that toothpick absolutely clean before considering it ready!
Loved it! It was very moist and has a great pumpkin flavor.
Hi. I made this recipe. I followed the recipe exactly. I used gluten free flour which already has xanthum gum in it. It tastes great but it came out doughy. Why
I’m not sure what gluten free flour you used, but that can be a common result with gf flours and just substituting them in baking recipes. I’ve had good luck with the Better Batter brand.
Mine was doughy as well!
Hi, if by doughy you mean the inside is still a bit sticky/wet, then it may need more time in the oven. In the past I have pulled the loaf from the over a bit too early.
But if you make sure the toothpick is clean and let it cool off, it works! I hope it helps!
In my experience, the issue with gluten free flour is that it does not absorb the liquid. You can do one of two things… either cut back on the liquid OR make it as written, let it sit for 10 to 15 min before baking so the flour can do it’s thing. Then watch the time. You may have to bake it for 5 min longer.
Dare I say, this recipe is perfect. I swap walnuts for chocolate chips!