This Healthy Pumpkin Bread is soft, moist and packed with warming autumn spices, with plenty of pumpkin purée in every slice. It is a little lighter and lower in sugar than a traditional pumpkin loaf, with dark chocolate chips dotted throughout for just enough sweetness.
As soon as the weather starts turning cooler, this is exactly the kind of baking I want to do. Cinnamon and ginger make the whole kitchen smell amazing, and using 320 grams of pumpkin purée gives the loaf a lovely soft texture and plenty of pumpkin flavour.
It is also a really useful recipe if you have bought canned pumpkin for autumn recipes and are wondering what to do with it. This uses a good amount of a can in one go and the small amount left over can easily be added to pumpkin porridge, pumpkin overnight oats, pumpkin smoothies or even a pumpkin spice latte.
Despite the name, pumpkin bread isn't a bread you would use for sandwiches. It is a sweet pumpkin loaf cake, similar to banana bread, and is perfect with a coffee for an afternoon snack, packed into lunchboxes or sliced and frozen for another day.
My kids love it too, so slices often end up in packed lunches throughout autumn and winter.
Recipe update: This recipe was originally published on 18 September 2023 and was fully retested in September 2026 to check the cooking time and ingredient quantities. The original recipe still worked well, but I've expanded the instructions, tips and FAQs.
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Jump to:
- Why You'll Love It
- Recipe Overview
- Ingredients and Substitutions
- What Makes This a Healthier Pumpkin Bread
- Healthy Pumpkin Bread Variations
- How to Make Healthy Pumpkin Bread
- Using Canned Pumpkin Puree
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage
- Dannii's Top Tips
- Troubleshooting Guide
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Canned Pumpkin Recipes
- Recipe
- Feedback
Why You'll Love It
- Perfect autumn baking - Pumpkin, cinnamon and ginger give this all those cosy flavours that make me want to start baking as soon as September arrives.
- Uses plenty of pumpkin purée - You need 320 grams, making this a really useful recipe when you have stocked up on canned pumpkin.
- Lower in sugar - I use a lower-calorie brown sugar alternative rather than standard brown sugar.
- Soft and moist - The pumpkin gives the loaf plenty of moisture without making it heavy.
- Easy to make - There is only around 10 minutes of hands-on preparation before it goes into the oven.
- Easy to adapt - Add nuts, dried fruit or extra chocolate chips depending on what you have.
- Freezer friendly - I like freezing individual slices so there is always something homemade ready for a quick snack.
Recipe Overview
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: Approximately 60 minutes
- Serves: 10
- Tin: 900g/2lb loaf tin (approximately 23×13 cm / 9x5 inches)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Main ingredient: Pumpkin purée
- Flavour: Pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and dark chocolate
- Texture: Soft, moist and fluffy
- Best for: Autumn baking, snacks, breakfast and lunchboxes
Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Flour - Plain flour (all-purpose flour) gives the lightest, fluffiest result. You can replace up to half with white whole wheat flour if you prefer, although the finished loaf will be a little denser.
- Baking soda - This gives the pumpkin bread its rise. Check that yours is still fresh, as old baking soda is a common reason for quick breads not rising properly.
- Cinnamon and ginger - These give the loaf its warming autumn flavour. You can add nutmeg or cloves as well, or replace the individual spices with pumpkin pie spice.
- Vanilla - Use vanilla extract rather than essence if possible. It works really well with pumpkin and all those warming spices.
- Salt - Just a pinch helps to balance and enhance the sweeter flavours.
- Eggs - I use medium eggs and bring them to room temperature before mixing.
- Brown sugar alternative - I use Truvia Brown Sugar Alternative to keep the amount of sugar lower than in a traditional pumpkin bread. Regular light brown sugar can also be used, but this will change the nutritional information.
- Coconut oil - This gives the loaf richness and helps create a soft texture. Melt it first and allow it to cool slightly before mixing it with the other ingredients. You can use butter instead if you prefer.
- Milk - A small amount loosens the batter. We use semi-skimmed milk, but another milk should work too.
- Dark chocolate chips - Pumpkin and dark chocolate are such a good combination. I don't add huge amounts, as I still want the pumpkin and spices to be the main flavours. we love these Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Chips, but any dark chocolate chips will work..
- Pumpkin purée - You need 320 grams, so pumpkin really is the star here. Canned pumpkin gives the most consistent result. Make sure the can contains pure pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie filling, which already contains sugar and spices.
❗ The picture of the canned pumpkin above is definitely pumpkin purée, despite having a picture of pumpkin pie on it! This is why it is important to check the can when buying it.
What Makes This a Healthier Pumpkin Bread
"Healthy" can mean different things to different people, so I prefer to think of this as a lighter, lower-sugar version of a classic pumpkin bread rather than trying to turn cake into something it isn't.
The main change is the brown sugar alternative, which reduces the amount of sugar compared with making the recipe with the same quantity of regular brown sugar.
There is also plenty of pumpkin purée in the loaf, and you can replace up to half of the plain flour with white whole wheat flour if you want to add more whole grains.
I use coconut oil because I like the texture it gives the bread rather than because it is inherently healthier than butter. You can use butter if you prefer.
It is still a sweet bake, but one that works really well as an everyday autumn snack rather than being covered in frosting or a thick glaze.
Healthy Pumpkin Bread Variations
Pumpkin spice - Replace the cinnamon and ginger with pumpkin pie spice for an even more traditional pumpkin-spice flavour.
Nuts - Chopped walnuts or pecans add a lovely crunch. They can be mixed into the batter or scattered over the top before baking.
Dried fruit - Cranberries, raisins or dried cherries all work well and add extra sweetness and texture.
More chocolate - Add some extra chocolate chips if you want this to feel a little more indulgent.
Glaze - For a more dessert-style pumpkin bread, mix icing sugar with a little maple syrup and milk and drizzle it over the completely cooled loaf.
How to Make Healthy Pumpkin Bread
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C(fan)/350°F/Gas 4. Grease and line a 900g/2lb loaf tin.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Sieve the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt into a large mixing bowl (a), then stir everything together (b).
- Combine the eggs and sugar: In a separate bowl, add the eggs and brown sugar alternative (a). Whisk until combined and lighter in texture (b).
- Add the remaining wet ingredients: Add the pumpkin purée, melted coconut oil, vanilla and milk to the egg mixture and fold everything together.
- Combine everything: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold gently until there are no obvious pockets of flour. Do not keep mixing once everything is combined.
- Add the chocolate: Add the dark chocolate chips (a), reserving a few for the top. Fold them into the batter (b).
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin, level the top and scatter over the remaining chocolate chips (a). Bake in the centre of the oven for around 60 minutes (b).
- Check the bread: If the top is becoming too dark before the centre is cooked, loosely cover it with foil. The pumpkin bread is ready when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Depending on your oven and loaf tin, it may need another 5-10 minutes.
- Cool: Leave the bread in the tin for 10-15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Using Canned Pumpkin Puree
This recipe is one of my favourite ways to use canned pumpkin purée because you need 320 grams of it.
Make sure you are buying plain pumpkin purée rather than pumpkin pie filling. They look similar, but pumpkin pie filling contains added sugar and spices and would completely change the finished loaf.
Canned pumpkin also tends to give more consistent baking results than homemade purée because homemade pumpkin can vary a lot in water content.
If you do want to use homemade pumpkin purée, make sure it is thick rather than watery before adding it to the batter.
If you have a standard 425 gram can, you will have roughly 100 grams left after making this loaf. Don't throw it away. A spoonful can go into Pumpkin Overnight Oats, Pumpkin Porridge or a Pumpkin Smoothie, or use some in a Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte. My Ninja CREAMi Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream is another really good way to use a smaller amount.
Serving Suggestions
Honestly, my favourite way to eat this is still slightly warm with a big mug of something hot. It is one of my favourite afternoon snacks when it is cold and miserable outside.
For the full autumn experience, serve a slice with a Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte. A Chai Tea Latte, Cinnamon Coffee or Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate would all work really well too.
The pumpkin bread is delicious by itself, but you can also:
- Toast a slice and spread it with a little butter or cream cheese.
- Add some Homemade Almond Butter for a more filling snack.
- Serve it with Greek yogurt and berries for breakfast.
- Drizzle over a little maple syrup if you want extra sweetness.
- Crumble a small piece over yogurt or porridge.
- Freeze individual slices and warm one when you need a quick snack.
Storage
Store: Let the pumpkin bread cool completely before storing it. Keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Refrigerate: If you want it to last longer, keep it covered in the fridge for up to a week. Bring a slice back to room temperature or warm it slightly before serving for the best texture.
Freeze: Pumpkin bread freezes really well for up to 3 months. I prefer to slice it first and freeze the slices individually, as you can then remove only what you need.
Defrost: Leave individual slices at room temperature or defrost them overnight in the fridge.
Reheat: Warm a slice briefly in the microwave or toaster before serving.
Dannii's Top Tips
- If your eggs and milk are fridge-cold, let them come closer to room temperature before mixing. Very cold ingredients can make melted coconut oil start to solidify.
- Leave enough baking paper hanging over the sides of the tin to use as handles when lifting the loaf out.
- Try not to open the oven door during the first part of baking, as a sudden temperature drop can affect the rise.
- Once completely cooled, use a serrated knife for cleaner slices without squashing the soft crumb.
- If you are making this ahead, I think the flavour is even better once the spices have had a little time to settle into the loaf.
Troubleshooting Guide
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Pumpkin bread is dense | Batter was overmixed | Fold only until the flour has disappeared |
| Centre is wet or gummy | It needs longer in the oven, or the pumpkin purée was particularly wet | Continue baking in 5-10 minute intervals and loosely cover the top with foil if needed |
| Bread is dry | It has been overbaked or too much flour was added | Start checking at 55-60 minutes and weigh the flour for the most accurate result |
| Top is browning too quickly | The outside is cooking before the centre | Loosely tent the loaf with foil |
| Bread falls apart when sliced | It was cut while still too warm | Cool fully on a wire rack before slicing |
| Bread did not rise well | Old baking soda or overmixed batter | Use fresh baking soda and mix gently |
| Bread sticks to the tin | Tin wasn't lined sufficiently | Grease and line the loaf tin with baking paper |
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional pumpkin bread can contain quite a lot of added sugar and fat, so it depends entirely on the recipe. This is a lighter, lower-sugar version that uses a brown sugar alternative and plenty of pumpkin purée, but it is still a sweet bake and is best enjoyed as part of a balanced diet.
American-style pumpkin bread is a type of sweet quick bread, similar to banana bread. Despite being called "bread", the texture is much closer to a loaf cake than sandwich bread and it doesn't contain yeast.
You can, but homemade pumpkin purée can contain more water than canned pumpkin. Make sure it is thick and well drained before using it or the centre of the loaf can take much longer to cook.
I wouldn't recommend swapping the plain flour directly for almond flour or coconut flour, as they behave very differently in baking. I haven't tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, so I can't guarantee the same result. If you want to experiment, a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend would be a much closer substitute than almond or coconut flour.
This usually happens when the centre isn't completely cooked before the loaf comes out of the oven. Too much moisture, old baking soda or opening the oven repeatedly during baking can also affect the rise.
For a tested muffin recipe, try my Healthy Pumpkin Oat Muffins instead. They have the same cosy pumpkin and chocolate-chip flavours but the ingredient ratios and cooking time have been developed specifically for muffins.
More Canned Pumpkin Recipes
If you've tried this pumpkin bread recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy and use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Healthy Pumpkin Bread
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 200 g (1 ⅔ cups) of Plain flour
- 1 teaspoon of Baking soda
- 1 tablespoon of Ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon of Ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon of Fine sea salt
- 2 Eggs - medium; room temperature
- 250 g (1 ¼ cups) of Truvia For Baking Brown - or another equivalent spoon-for-spoon brown sugar alternative
- 320 g (1 ⅓ cups) of Pumpkin puree - canned
- 1 teaspoon of Vanilla extract
- 110 ml (½ cups) of Coconut oil - melted
- 60 ml (¼ cups) of Semi-skimmed milk
- 60 g (⅓ cups) of Dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C(fan)/350°F/Gas 4. Grease and line a 900g/2lb loaf tin.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Sieve 200 g of Plain flour, 1 teaspoon of Baking soda, 1 tablespoon of Ground cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon of Ground ginger and ¼ teaspoon of Fine sea salt into a large mixing bowl. Mix it all together.
- Combine the eggs and sugar: In a separate mixing bowl, add 2 Eggs and 250 g of Truvia For Baking Brown. Whisk together until pale and fluffy.
- Add the remaining wet ingredients: To the egg/sugar mixture add 320 g of Pumpkin puree, 110 ml of Coconut oil, 1 teaspoon of Vanilla extract and 60 ml of Semi-skimmed milk. Fold everything together.
- Combine everything: Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and fold together.
- Add the chocolate: Add most of the 60 g of Dark chocolate chips. and fold them in.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the lined loaf tin and top with the remaining chocolate chips. Bake in the centre of the oven for around 60 minutes.
- Check the bread: If the top is becoming too dark before the centre is cooked, loosely cover it with foil. The pumpkin bread is ready when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Depending on your oven and loaf tin, it may need another 5-10 minutes.
- Cool: Leave the bread in the tin for 10-15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Notes
- If your eggs and milk are fridge-cold, let them come closer to room temperature before mixing. Very cold ingredients can make melted coconut oil start to solidify.
- Leave enough baking paper hanging over the sides of the tin to use as handles when lifting the loaf out.
- Try not to open the oven door during the first part of baking, as a sudden temperature drop can affect the rise.
- Once completely cooled, use a serrated knife for cleaner slices without squashing the soft crumb.
- If you are making this ahead, I think the flavour is even better once the spices have had a little time to settle into the loaf.
Nutritional Information
Where nutritional information is provided, it is approximate and calculated using online tools. Values can vary depending on the ingredients and brands used, but we endeavour to be as accurate as possible.
All timings are a guide and may vary depending on the ingredients, equipment and, where relevant, the appliance used. Changing the serving size may also affect the time needed.
Kushigalu says
A must-try recipe this fall season. So delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Neha says
I absolutely love the color and texture of this bread. Doesn't look one bit healthy to me. ;) So trying this one out!
Anjali says
I made this pumpkin bread for breakfast today and it was so delicious!! It was perfectly spiced, sweet but not too sweet, and went great with my morning coffee!
Andrea says
Warm spices and low sugar, this is a perfect pumpkin bread for my family. I love all the suggestions for add ins too.
TAYLER ROSS says
I made this pumpkin bread this morning and we all loved it! Perfect for a fall breakfast or even dessert!