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
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.
I’ve used lots of different recipes for pumpkin bread, but chose this one because I was anticipating vegan guests. It got rave reviews from everyone, not just the vegans. What I especially liked is how the distinct flavor of my homegrown pie pumpkin (Winter Luxury) came through. I used lightly salted pumpkin seeds on top, and I enjoyed the flavor contrast that provided. Excellent flavor and texture; I would not change anything.
Thank you, Elizabeth, for your stellar review and feedback! I’m thrilled that the pumpkin bread was a hit at your gathering! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
I’ve never left a comment on a recipe before but I absolutely love this pumpkin bread and wanted to say thank you!
Hi Eva. I am honored that you shared a comment on my site! Thank YOU for taking time to let me know how much you loved the pumpkin bread! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Can’t wait to make this! Did you use an 8” or 9” loaf pan?
I use a standard size loaf pan (8.5x 4.5 inches). Enjoy!
Made this several times and LOVE IT! Me and my son used gluten free flour, coconut milk, and avocado oil, instead of all purpose flour, soy milk, and canola oil. Turned out GREAT! No pepitas because my son REALLY doesn’t like pepitas. Turns out fine! My favorite pumpkin bread! Sometimes we reheat it for his breakfast and he likes it so much, he said he wants it every day! Today we made them for the nyc marathon bake sale for his school, which is one block away! Sometimes we (Like right now) make it into pumpkin MUFFINS. turns out the exact same! Made it both ways and works out perfectly the same! Besides your ACTUAL pumpkin muffin recipe, (Which we have tried and is SO GOOD), Do you have another pumpkin muffin recipe? Because we want to make other pumpkin muffins, but we want to try other recipes! Its ok if you only have this one, but we would love to have another one! But still, we love this recipe!
Hi Dan. I’m so glad that you and your son are having fun with the pumpkin bread recipe! I’m glad that the bread turned out wonderful for you with all your substitutions! It’s so fun to see all the different ideas you guys are discovering using the recipe! I will link a couple of other pumpkin recipes to this response. A search of my site will also bring up all of my pumpkins themed recipes. I hope you enjoy! Wishing you lots of happy cooking! Vegan Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins. Vegan Pumpkin Donuts.
For the pepitas, should they be unsalted? I can only find salted. Can these be rinsed?
Salted is actually usually what I use. Either is fine to use. Enjoy!
Delicious! But my question is why did mine turn out a dark brown? Was it the spices? The brown sugar? Or the fact I baked it in a toaster oven?
Thanks Lori! Did you use dark brown sugar? That’s probably why, I would guess.
Followed this to the t and genuinely not sure what i could have done differently but mine did not cook all the way through. It was just mush. Had to toss, super disappointed.
I made this recipe exact, and my bread turned out so gummy in the middle, it was like a pumpkin pie! I had to cook it 20 mins longer to get the internal temp to 200. The flavor is fantastic, but I need help! What could I do differently?
That’s not right at all and should not happen. What ingredients did you use? All purpose flour? Canned pumpkin or did you use fresh? Is your oven working okay?
Best pumpkin loaf recipe! I had to add to my cooking time (total 1 hrs 45 mins) and it was moist and delicious!
If I don’t have flaxseed, is there a replacement you recommend?
I would just leave out the flax egg if you don’t have it. It will be fine!
Love this recipe! The first time I made it I used canned pumpkin and it turned out perfect. The second time I made it I cut up a pie pumpkin and steamed it. That time the cake was too moist; edible, but too moist. Was it the steaming process that added too much moisture to the pumpkin? Other than that, I can’t think of what I would have done wrong.
You know, fresh cooked pumpkin puree can be very inconsistent to bake with. You could try baking the pumpkin instead and then pureeing, that might help, but honestly it will just depend on the pumpkin itself. Moisture levels can vary. I have the best success using canned pumpkin for this bread.
All of your recipes are simply the BEST! My grandkids are obsessed and I am making them all!! I made this twice this week and just finished the apple bread! Trying all , thank you SO much!!
You are welcome, Sally! How fun that you are journeying through all the recipes! Thank you for sharing your very fun feedback and I wish you lots of happy cooking!
Very clovey for me! I will reduce by at least half next time, or leave out completely
Great pumpkin bread recipe! I loved the moist, dense texture. Like some others here, I’m not a big fan of sugar, so I used 2/3 cup. It was fantastic with some Violife cream cheese. Some of the pepitas fell off when slicing, but we just stuck them in the cream cheese! It helps if you press down just a little bit on the top of the loaf after sprinkling on the pepitas before baking. I will definitely make this again. Oh, and I didn’t have canola oil so I used light olive oil (has less flavor). I think almost any neutral oil would work OK.
This looks delicious! I’m planning to make it with my early years students. Would it be possible to use the dough to make muffins rather than a loaf?
Hi Jackie. Sounds like a really fun project to make with your students! This recipe will work well as muffins. You may also want to check out my Vegan Pumpkin Muffins. I prefer these when I want to make pumpkin muffins.
When baking the bread as muffins, bake 22-24 minutes in the oven. Enjoy, and have fun making these as a group with your students! Wishing you all happy cooking!
I don’t have canola oil. Can I use coconut or vegetable?
Yes, either of those will work fine.
I can’t find canned pumpkin purée in France. What would you recommend? Boiling pumpkin will make it too watery.
Thank you
I wouldn’t boil pumpkin for puree, but you can roast pumpkin, then puree it and use that for baking. Thanks!
We loved this pumpkin bread! I added about 1/2 cup of unsweetened cranberries, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great. I was worried there would be too many pepitas on the top, but the amount was perfect.
I’m so glad that you love the pumpkin bread! I love this one as well! Thank you for sharing your stellar review and feedback!
Are you discovering the pumpkin puree from a can is moister then in the past?
I do not know when you developed your pumpkin bread recipe, but I am wondering if ingredients which change over the years could alter a recipe. Thank you for your insight.
Mary S.
I have not found that actually; though different brands do vary. However, even with the variance I haven’t had any trouble using any of them in my pumpkin recipes.
I’m curious if almond milk can be used in place of the soy milk? Looking forward to trying this!
Yes, almond milk works fine here. I hope you enjoy the pumpkin bread!
You are right Nora!
By far the best pumpkin bread recipe that I’ve made!
Thank you
Nancy
yum! This was very tasty. A bit too sweet for me, though — can I reduce the sugar by a quarter or a half?
Yes, that’s just fine. Thanks!
does it matter what size pan?
I use a standard size loaf pan (8.5x 4.5 inches). Hope that helps!
If I am not vegan can I use one egg for the flax egg?
Hi Anna. Though I have never used one, I think a dairy egg should work just fine for this recipe! Happy baking!
This makes a great pumpkin bread. I reduced the brown sugar to 1 cup, which was definitely sweet enough, but this makes a moist, delicious bread with a nice crust. I’ll be making it for gifts
Hi Janine. Thank you for sharing your wonderful review and feedback! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the pumpkin bread! They will make great gifts! Wishing you happy cooking!
This has become my go to recipe for Pumpkin Bread. It’s absolutely!
Hi Kim! I’m thrilled you are loving the pumpkin bread, and that it has become your go to recipe! Thanks for sharing your stellar review and feedback!
I used 1/3 cup of splinda-sugar blend and and a teaspoon of molasses it came out perfect! I love Nora’s recipes!
Oh my goodness! Best pumpkin bread recipe I’ve ever tried! I followed the recipe, added vegan chocolate chips and skipped the pepitas!! Delicious and moist!!
Thank you!
You bet, Heidi! I’m thrilled you loved the bread recipe! Thanks for your awesome review and feedback! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!