The BEST Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

Name: The BEST Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 2 eggs, room temperature; 2/3 cup pure maple syrup, room temperature; 1/3 cup coconut oil, softened; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk, room temperature; 1 cup pumpkin puree; 1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice; 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, optional

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This is the BEST Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread! This fall favorite is filled with warm flavors of pumpkin, pumpkin spice, and maple syrup, and topped with a sprinkle of crispy, crunchy raw sugar.

It's super moist, gluten-free, dairy-free, and amazing for breakfast, or an afternoon snack with a cup of coffee.

Gluten free pumpkin bread on a white plate

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Get cozy with all the feels of fall with a big, thick slice of soft, fluffy pumpkin bread with a crunchy sugar top.

This gluten-free pumpkin loaf is so moist and delicious, it really doesn't need anything on it. But a swipe of apple butter, fruit preserves, or dairy-free cream cheese with a little cinnamon and maple syrup would be delicious!

No one will be able to tell it's gluten-free, dairy-free, and that all the sweetness in the bread comes from maple syrup - the only refined sugar is the optional sprinkle of raw turbinado on top.

All they'll know is that this is some goshdarned delicious pumpkin bread, as they help themselves to seconds.

Try these delicious gluten-free sweet treats next!

Why You're Going to Love This

This quick bread is super soft and moist, and filled with all the warm and cozy flavors of fall.

No one will be able to tell this pumpkin loaf is gluten-free and dairy-free, with very little refined sugar.

So easy to make - this easy pumpkin bread recipe takes just a few minutes to stir together.

Simple ingredients. The only "special" ingredient in this pumpkin bread is the gluten-free flour

Ingredients

Large eggs. Use room temperature eggs when you make this pumpkin bread. Just leave them out on the counter for about 30 minutes or drop them in warm water for about 10 minutes.

Pure maple syrup. There's no white sugar or brown sugar in this recipe. Maple syrup brings all the sweetness and adds warm, rich flavor.

Softened coconut oil. There's no butter or vegetable oil in this recipe, just coconut oil.

Unsweetened almond milk. Almond milk keeps this delicious gluten-free pumpkin bread dairy-free.

Pumpkin puree. This pumpkin bread is so flavorful and moist, thanks to one cup of pumpkin puree. Careful that you don't accidentally grab a can of pumpkin pie filling at the grocery store. Wondering what to do with the rest of the can? Try this pumpkin angel food cake or these fun little pumpkin gingersnap bites!

Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour. For gluten-free baking, Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 (in the blue bag) is the gluten-free flour to get. The stuff in the red bag will not work because it doesn't have xanthan gum - which is necessary to keep this gluten-free pumpkin bread from getting gummy, oddly enough.

Pumpkin pie spice. There's plenty of pumpkin spice in this bread, which add tons of warm flavor. If you realize you're all out, no problem! It's so easy to make your own with my recipe for pumpkin spice.

Turbinado sugar. A sprinkle of raw turbinado sugar adds a crispy top to the pumpkin bread. If you'd rather not have any refined sugars, you can skip this.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350.

Prepare a loaf pan with parchment paper. This will make removing the pumpkin bread from the pan easier, and help it to brown more evenly.

Step 2

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and maple syrup.

Add the softened coconut oil, vanilla extract, almond milk, and pumpkin puree and whisk until well combined.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Glaze

Step 3

Sift the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice into the pumpkin mixture.

You can also whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, if you don't have a sifter.

Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a wooden spoon until just combined. Do not over mix. It's okay if it's a little lumpy.

Step 4

Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the top, if desired.

Gluten free pumpkin bread batter in a loaf pan

Step 5

Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or it reaches an internal temperature of 195-200 degrees.

When it's done, turn the oven off, but leave the bread in for 10 minutes. This helps keep the center from sinking.

Step 6

Place the pan on a wire rack and let it cool for about 10 minutes. When the pan is cool enough to handle, lift the pumpkin bread out of the pan, remove the parchment paper, and set the loaf back onto the rack to cool completely.

Gluten free pumpkin bread on a wire baking rack

Storage & Freezing

If you have any leftovers, wrap the completely cooled pumpkin bread in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for a few days.

This pumpkin bread also freezes well. Wrap the loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, then a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature.

Expert Tips

Use room-temperature eggs, maple syrup, and almond milk when you make the pumpkin loaf. Recipes ask you to do this because when ingredients are at room temperature, they mix together more thoroughly with the rest of the ingredients. Also, if one ingredient is cold and it gets added to room temperature fats like coconut oil, the fats can harden and change the consistency of the batter.

Use Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour, the one in the blue bag. The stuff in the red bag won't work in this recipe.

To soften the coconut oil for the pumpkin bread batter, microwave it for a few seconds. It melts verrrry quickly, so I mean it when I say a few. In fact, start with 3 seconds.

Recipe FAQs

What goes in pumpkin bread?

Pumpkin seeds, dairy-free chocolate chips, or dried fruit like cranberries, cherries, or blueberries would all be delicious stir-ins for your gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe. Just stir in a handful right before you pour the batter into the loaf pan.

What should I put on my pumpkin bread?

This pumpkin bread recipe is very moist, so you might not feel like you need to add anything at all. But a little pumpkin butter, apple butter, fruit preserves, or dairy-free cream cheese with cinnamon and maple syrup would be so delicious!

Why is my pumpkin bread gummy?

Gluten-free breads can easily get gummy if the flour doesn't have the right balance of flours and starches. Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 is the one that works best for baking.

Another culprit can be overmixing. Just mix until all the ingredients are combined, being careful not to overmix, which can cause the bread to be tough or gummy.

One more thing to watch out for is your baking time. An underbaked gluten-free loaf can sink in the middle and be gummy.

How do you know when gluten free pumpkin bread is done?

You can use the ol' toothpick test, which is to place a toothpick in the center of the pumpkin loaf and, if it comes out clean, your bread is done. I don't like to rely on this method, so I use a thermometer instead. When it reads 195-200, that's when I know it's done.

Can I freeze gluten-free pumpkin bread?

Yes! You can either cut and wrap individual slices or a whole loaf. Just wrap it tightly in plastic, then again in foil, and again in a freezer bag. Freeze it for up to 4 months.