This Healthy Pumpkin Bread is soft, moist and easy to make with almond flour, pumpkin puree, and cozy fall spices. A one bowl recipe that is paleo-friendly, dairy-free, gluten-free and refined sugar free making it perfect for a healthy breakfast or afternoon snack!
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Updated August 2021
A Healthy Pumpkin Bread Recipe
It’s almost September which means it’s officially pumpkin season at our house! This Healthy Pumpkin Bread is a paleo spin on our Keto Pumpkin Bread and is deliciously moist, tender and full of warm and cozy spices!
Autumn is our favorite baking season and my kids love all things pumpkin. Other healthy pumpkin recipes we make a ton around October and November include this healthy Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal, Pumpkin Spice Latte and Pumpkin Cookies.
Why we love this healthy pumpkin loaf recipe
- Easy to make and comes together in just ONE bowl with NO mixer required.
- Healthier and made with better-for-you ingredients than the popular Starbucks Pumpkin Bread. Enjoy a slice as a healthy breakfast, an afternoon snack or after dinner dessert
- Made with simple and wholesome grain-free, paleo, refined-sugar-free and gluten-free ingredients that you most likely already have in your kitchen
- Full of cozy warm spices and delicious pumpkin flavor
Ingredients you need
Most homemade pumpkin bread recipes we saw used a combination of 1 cup whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter and milk. For this simple pumpkin bread recipe, you’re going to need:
Wet Ingredients:
- Eggs – binds the ingredients together and helps the bread rise. We have not tried this with a vegan egg substitute such as whipped aquafaba, flax eggs or chia eggs to make this pumpkin bread vegan but would love to hear if you do.
- Pumpkin puree – (be sure to use pure sugar free canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) or homemade fresh pumpkin puree by roasting your own sugar pumpkins.
- Unsalted Drippy Almond Butter – You could also use cashew butter, sunflower seed butter or any other nut butter or seed butter, if preferred. If not paleo, peanut butter would be delicious too.
- Pure maple syrup – Adds natural sweetness and extra moisture. You can sub with another liquid sweetener of your choice such as coconut nectar syrup, date syrup, honey or Lakanto Sugar-free maple syrup to make this pumpkin bread keto.
- Coconut Oil – melted and cooled. Use refined if you’re not a fan of the coconut flavor. Any other neutral tasting oil, vegan butter, melted ghee or regular butter would work if not dairy-free.
- Pure vanilla extract – adds flavor, balances sweetness and makes this bread delicious.
Dry Ingredients
- Baking powder and baking soda – this combination of leaveners help the paleo chocolate pumpkin bread rise.
- Super fine blanched almond flour – our favorite paleo and low carb flour to use in place of all purpose flour.
- Coconut flour and tapioca flour – this combination of gluten-free flours helps to provide the right structure to keep this pumpkin loaf soft and tender. If you don’t have tapioca flour, you can substitute with arrowroot starch. For a low carb, keto version, omit the tapioca flour and add 1 more tablespoon of coconut flour.
- Homemade pumpkin pie spice – you can use your favorite brand or make your own pumpkin spice with a combination of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves and ground mace.
Optional add-ins:
- Chopped pecans or walnuts – or use pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds for nut free
- Dairy-free chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
How to make Healthy Pumpkin Bread
If it’s your first time making homemade pumpkin bread, there’s no need to worry as this recipe could not be easier! Be sure to follow the step-step recipe exactly as written or watch the video below:
- Prep the pan and preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a 8″x4″ loaf pan, and line with parchment paper.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, beat the eggs until fluffy then add the pumpkin puree, nut butter, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla. Mix well until fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients: Stir in the almond flour, coconut flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and baking powder and mix until combined.
- Transfer batter to pan: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Top with chopped nuts or chocolate chips.
- Bake: Bake in preheated oven for 44 – 52 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Cool then slice: Remove pan from oven and loaf to cool in pan for 20 minutes before slicing.
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Bread
- Blot the pumpkin puree with a paper towel or cheesecloth: It’s important to remove any extra moisture from your pumpkin puree to prevent the bread from getting soggy.
- Measure your flours correctly using the spoon and scoop method. Do NOT scoop directly from the bag.
- Let Bread Cool Before Slicing: If your bread hasn’t completely cooled before you slice it, it could be too crumbly. Let it cool before serving so it’s nice and firm.
Favorite Pumpkin Bread Variations
Want to switch up this amazing pumpkin recipe?
- Top with dairy-free chocolate chunks or vegan mini chocolate chips – we like Hu’s Kitchen Gems or Lily’s Sweet Chocolate Chips. Leave out or swap in nuts if you don’t love chocolate and pumpkin together.
- Add a gluten free streusel topping
- Stir in sugar free chocolate chips into the batter for pumpkin bread with chocolate chips
- Bananas – Add in a mashed ripe banana in place of one of the eggs for a delicious Pumpkin Banana Bread
- Hemp seeds or flaxseeds – add an additional crunch and bumps up the fiber and protein.
- Nuts. We love adding chopped walnuts or pecans
- Make a dairy-free cream cheese filling with a mix of vegan cream cheese, almond milk and your favorite low carb sweetener
- Eggs – We have not tested this with a vegan egg substitute but if you do, be sure to leave a comment and let us know to help other readers. Whipped aquafaba sounds like it would a great option – You’ll need to measure out 6 tablespoons of liquid aquafaba and whip that until stiff peaks or forms the same consistency as whipped egg whites.
- Top with a vegan cream cheese frosting for pumpkin bread with dairy-free cream cheese
- Spread a dollop or a smear of nut butter or dairy-free cream cheese on a slice for a delicious afternoon snack or after-dinner dessert
Frequently Asked Questions
Can this pumpkin bread be made into muffins?
Yes, to make healthy pumpkin muffins, simply divide the batter evenly into muffin pans. Or you can even divide the batter into mini loaf pans for mini bread loaves.
Is pumpkin bread healthy for you?
Some low calorie pumpkin bread recipes we saw use whole wheat pastry flour and other artificial sweeteners and flavors which we prefer not to include in our quick bread recipes.
Our healthier pumpkin bread is not only grain-free, gluten-free and refined-sugar free.
What makes this pumpkin bread healthy?
- Unlike many low fat pumpkin bread recipes we saw, this one is made with wholesome grain-free and refined sugar-free ingredients.
- Instead of all purpose white flour, we use almond flour and coconut flour, both low carb and grain-free flours.
- Made with coconut oil instead of butter
- Sweetened with pure maple syrup instead of brown sugar.
Storage and Freezer Tips
How to Store this Pumpkin Loaf
You can store this bread by tightly wrapping it in plastic wrap or keeping it in an airtight container. It will stay fresh on the counter for up to 3 days. If you store it in the fridge, it will stay good for a few extra days!
Can you freeze this Pumpkin Bread?
Yes. This gluten-free pumpkin bread with chocolate chips is freezer friendly.
How to Freeze Pumpkin Bread
If you want to freeze chocolate chip pumpkin bread, I recommend wrapping it in a layer of aluminum foil followed by a layer of plastic wrap. It will stay good in the freezer for up to 2 months! When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen pumpkin quick bread, just thaw it on the counter overnight before serving.
Recommended Tools You’ll Need For this Recipe:
What to do with leftover pumpkin puree?
Try these healthy pumpkin recipes:
This Healthy Pumpkin Bread is soft, moist and easy to make with almond flour, pumpkin puree, and cozy fall spices. A one bowl recipe that is paleo-friendly, dairy-free, gluten-free and refined sugar free making it perfect for a healthy breakfast or afternoon snack!
- 2 large eggs* , see below for possible vegan option
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/4 cup drippy almond butter , fresh drippy almond butter works best. Be sure not to use near the bottom of the jar. May sub with another creamy nut or seed butter of choice.
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup , may sub with sugar-free liquid sweetener for keto (Lakanto) or preferred liquid sweetener (coconut nectar syrup, date syrup or honey)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil , melted and slightly cooled
- 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups superfine blanched almond flour
- 2 tbsp tapioca flour or arrowroot starch (if you don't have both, you can sub with 1 tbsp of coonut flour)
- 1 tbs coconut flour
- 1 tbs pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans OR walnuts , may sub with dairy-free chocolate chips, if desired.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and line an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs until fluffy then add the pumpkin puree, almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla and mix until well combined.
Stir in the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and mix until combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and top with chopped nuts or chocolate chips.
Bake in preheated oven for 44-52 minutes, or unitl a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove pan from oven and cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes, before slicing.
Recipe Video
*Possible vegan option: We have not tested this with a vegan egg substitute but if you do, be sure to leave a comment and let us know to help other readers. Whipped aquafaba is a great option - You'll need to measure out 6 tablespoons of liquid aquafaba and whip that until stiff peaks or forms the same consistency as whipped egg whites.
How to Store
You can store this bread by tightly wrapping it in plastic wrap or keeping it in an airtight container. It will stay fresh on the counter for up to 3 days. If you store it in the fridge, it will stay good for a few extra days!
How to Freeze
Wrap the cooled bread in a layer of aluminum foil followed by a layer of plastic wrap. It will stay good in the freezer for up to 2 months! When you're ready to enjoy your frozen pumpkin quick bread, just thaw it on the counter overnight before serving.
Eleanor -
I made this last week and my husband loved it! Making a double batch today. Thank you!
Olivia -
Yum, this came out so delicious! Thanks for the recipe!