Healthier Pumpkin Bread

Author: Half the Sugar Baker

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This pumpkin bread is the perfect way to celebrate pumpkins and has all the cozy fall flavors that I love. It is just as moist and delicious as traditional pumpkin bread even though it is made with less oil and sugar! It is such a wholesome breakfast, and it is my family’s favorite fall treat. The best part is that it is so easy to make!

Often times, I feel like commercial pumpkin bread just has too much sugar – it’s pretty much a pumpkin cake (which is also delicious)! Sometimes you can’t even taste the pumpkin! This pumpkin bread is less sweet and really lets the pumpkin shine.

Why I love this healthier pumpkin bread:

I love this healthier pumpkin bread for so many reasons! The first is that it is just so delicious. This pumpkin bread is full of warm spices and real pumpkin flavor. The texture is super moist, fluffy, and tender.

Another reason I love this healthier pumpkin bread is because it is so easy to make! Everything comes together with simple ingredients and tools. I can make the batter and get it into the oven in under 15 minutes! That means it’s perfect for a quick and easy fall dessert, breakfast, or snack!

Lastly, I love how this pumpkin bread uses whole wheat flour and less oil and sugar than traditional pumpkin breads. This recipe calls for extra pumpkin puree to replace some of the oil, which keeps the pumpkin bread super moist. It’s filling and perfect for breakfast! I also love the subtle but rich flavor that comes with the whole wheat flour.

Pumpkin Puree vs Pumpkin Pie Filling:

When you go to the grocery store, you will probably see two different canned pumpkin products. One is pumpkin puree and the other is pumpkin pie filling. For this recipe, you will need pumpkin puree. Pumpkin puree is basically just blended up pumpkin, so the only ingredient on the label should be pumpkin! On the other hand, pumpkin pie filling already has spices and sugar added to it.

Homemade pumpkin puree:

Although I usually prefer to make this healthier pumpkin bread with store-bought pumpkin puree, I have also made it with homemade pumpkin puree with great results. If you want to try making homemade pumpkin puree, I recommend starting with sugar pumpkins because they are sweeter than the common halloween pumpkin.

Tips and notes for this healthier pumpkin bread:

Room temperature ingredients in this healthier pumpkin bread allow it to rise super tall in the oven, which leads to an extra fluffy texture

If you want to use a premade pumpkin spice blend instead, simply use 1 1/2 teaspoons in place of the

individual spices.

I think the walnuts and raisins match perfectly with this pumpkin bread, but I also recommend trying pecans or chocolate chips. If you want plain pumpkin bread, feel free to just leave these ingredients out!

Make sure not to over mix the batter as it could lead to a dense loaf.

It can be hard to resist, but it’s important to let this pumpkin bread cool for at least 20 minutes. The longer you let it cool, the easier it will be to slice it.

If you want to serve this healthier pumpkin bread as a more decadent dessert, try adding a cream cheese frosting or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

If you liked this recipe for healthier pumpkin bread, you might also like…

• Healthier Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
• Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Sheet Cake
• Mini Pumpkin Pies
• Healthy Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
• You can find all of my fall recipes here!

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5 from 1 vote

Healthier Pumpkin Bread

This pumpkin bread is just as moist and delicious as traditional pumpkin bread, even though it is made with less oil and sugar! Best of all, it's so easy to make!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Keyword: bread, fall, healthy, pumpkin, pumpkin bread

Servings: 1 loaf

Author: Half the Sugar Baker

Ingredients

• 10 oz pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs room temperature
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup water room temperature
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• ¾ cup whole wheat flour or sub all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ cup chopped nuts I used pecans and walnuts, optional
• 1/4 cup raisins or chocolate chips optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350º Farenheit. Grease a 9×4 inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until well combined.
• In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
• Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a spatula. Mix until just combined. Add the nuts and raisins and stir until incorporated. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the loaf is browning too fast on the top, cover loosely with aluminum foil and continue baking.
• When done baking, remove the loaf from the pan and let cool for at least 20-30 minutes on a wire rack before enjoying.

Notes

If you want to use a premade pumpkin spice blend instead, simply use 1 1/2 teaspoons in place of the individual spices.

Make sure not to over mix the batter as it could lead to a dense loaf.

If there is any leftover pumpkin bread, store in a covered container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave for around 20 seconds before enjoying.