Chef John’s Pumpkin Bread Recipe: The Greatest Fall Dessert
There’s just something so great about the aroma of pumpkin bread baking—spices filling your own kitchen and drifting out into the air, as golden loaves rise and fill the kitchen with that warm fall smell. Chef John’s version of this old favorite is the best to go back to when you require a fall dessert: moist and rich, perfectly spiced, and easy to make. Having this recipe on hand when cooking Thanksgiving or entertaining a fall brunch, you’ll be happy you do.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour : 1 ¾ cups
- Baking soda : 1 teaspoon
- Salt : ½ teaspoon
- Ground cinnamon : 1 ½ teaspoons
- Ground nutmeg : ¼ teaspoon
- Ground cloves : ¼ teaspoon
- Ground ginger : ½ teaspoon
- Granulated sugar : 1 ½ cups
- Brown sugar (packed) : ½ cup
- Pumpkin puree : 1 (15 oz) can
- Vegetable oil : ½ cup
- Eggs : 2 large
- Vanilla extract : 1 teaspoon
- Water : ⅓ cup (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat and Prep
Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper for easy removal.
Step 2: Blend Dry Ingredients
Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices—cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger—into a big bowl. Blending the spices is what gives the spice and heat to the bread.
Step 3: Blend Wet Ingredients
Combine brown sugar, white sugar, pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract in separate bowl and combine until lump-free. Batter has to be creamy and thick.
Step 4: Bring It All Together
Combine wet and dry ingredients in small increments. Fold very, very gently with wooden spoon or spatula just until combined. Thin a bit with some ⅓ cup water if batter too thick—but not required.
Step 5: Bake
Grease pan and fill with batter. Level top of batter with spatula. Bake 55–65 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of the loaf will be clean.
Step 6: Cool and Slice
Let loaf cool in pan 15 minutes, then on wire rack. Let cool to room temperature before cutting. Flavors allowed to meld together during cooling, second-day slices even better!
Serving Suggestions
- Warm with Butter: Warm with generous pat of butter for sheer comfort.
- With Cream Cheese Frosting: Sweetly frost with frosting for dessert idea.
- Toasted with Coffee: Breakfast delight—slice and toast with coffee in morning.
Variations to Try
- Nutty Pumpkin Bread: ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- Chocolate Chip Delight: ¾ cup dark chocolate chips
- Maple-Glazed Version: Brushed with maple glaze after cooling
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl: Swirl with sweetened cream cheese before baking
Storage Tips
Chef John’s Pumpkin Bread best stored in:
- Room Temperature: Store, covered with plastic wrap or foil, 3 days.
- Fridge: Store, tightly sealed container, in fridge for 1 week.
- Freezer: Wrap and store frozen 3 months. Serve thawed, room temperature.
Why This Recipe Works
- Balance of Moisture: Oil and pumpkin puree create a soggy bread that’s nearly too wet.
- Best Spice Mixture: Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves are holiday heaven without overkill.
- No Diddly Device Necessary: Simple to stir up using a spoon and two bowls!
Words to Finish
John’s Pumpkin Bread is not a holiday dessert – it’s a dessert for any time of year that fills your oven and your senses with holiday cheer. Bake to serve, serve it to your guests at your dinner party, or treat yourself to tea – whichever way, this bread will be your new favorite.
Bake and snuggle up!