Irresistible Bakery-Style Pumpkin Bread

Originally Published 1/29/2015 Updated 9/25/2023

Welcome to the ultimate guide for recreating that beloved Starbucks Pumpkin Bread right in your own kitchen! If you’ve ever found yourself craving the moist, perfectly spiced, and slightly dense texture of a slice from your favorite coffee shop, but wished it was even better and made with love at home, then you’ve come to the right place. This isn’t just a recipe; it’s a fall tradition waiting to happen, a warm hug in bread form, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that truly rivals the original. Prepare to discover your new go-to pumpkin bread recipe, one that delivers on flavor, moisture, and pure autumnal bliss.

Why You’ll Adore This Homemade Starbucks Pumpkin Bread

Forget the calorie counting for a moment and indulge in the sheer joy of this extraordinary pumpkin bread. While it’s generously loaded with delightful calories, every single bite is an absolute treat that’s entirely worth it. This recipe isn’t just good; it’s a revelation, offering a superior experience to anything you’ll find pre-made.

• **Unmatched Moisture and Flavor:** Experience a bread with an incredibly moist, tender crumb that melts in your mouth, bursting with rich, authentic pumpkin spice flavor. It’s more akin to a pumpkin pound cake, providing a satisfyingly dense yet soft texture that’s simply irresistible.
• **A True Fall Favorite:** As soon as the leaves start to change, this pumpkin bread becomes a staple. Its warm, comforting spices evoke all the cozy feelings of autumn, making it the perfect treat for cool mornings or a festive gathering.
• **Effortlessly Easy to Make:** You’ll be amazed at how simple it is to bring this bakery-quality bread to life. With straightforward steps and readily available ingredients, you’ll want to bake a fresh loaf every week!
• **Save Money, Savor Quality:** Why pay premium prices for a slice of pumpkin bread when you can create an entire loaf that’s fresher, more flavorful, and significantly more economical right at home? Homemade truly is best.
• **The Perfect Gift:** A freshly baked loaf of this Starbucks-inspired pumpkin bread makes an incredibly thoughtful and cherished gift for friends, neighbors, or anyone in need of a little comfort. Who wouldn’t be delighted to receive such a delicious, homemade gesture?

Beyond this incredible pumpkin bread, we have many other fall favorites to help you celebrate the season. Be sure to explore our recipes for Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Bread, a comforting Pumpkin Spice Latte, the decadent Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Filling, fluffy Jumbo Pumpkin Muffins, elegant Maple Glazed Shortbread Cookies, delightful Baked Pumpkin Donuts, and fun Monster Eye Cookies.

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Pumpkin Bread

Crafting the perfect pumpkin bread starts with understanding the role each ingredient plays. You’ll find a detailed list with precise measurements in the recipe card below, but let’s delve into what makes this recipe shine.

• Dry Ingredients: Our foundation includes all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda. The combination of these leavening agents is crucial; they work together to give the bread its ideal rise and contribute to a light, airy, yet still moist texture.
• Aromatic Seasonings: This bread truly comes alive with a generous blend of ground cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg, balanced with a touch of kosher salt. These warm, earthy, and sweet spices are the heart of its autumnal flavor, infusing every bite with that unmistakable fall essence. There’s no need to buy pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice when you have these individual spices on hand, allowing you to fine-tune the flavor profile to perfection.
• Pure Pumpkin Power: The star of the show is, of course, pumpkin puree. It’s vital to use pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix or pumpkin pie filling. Pure pumpkin offers an unadulterated pumpkin flavor and is key to the bread’s incredible moisture and tender crumb. The high water content in the puree helps keep the bread from drying out during baking, ensuring a delightful softness.
• Rich Enhancers: Large eggs, a neutral vegetable oil (like canola oil), granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar complete our wet ingredients. Eggs act as a powerful binder, providing structure and contributing to the bread’s rich moisture and golden hue. The duo of granulated and dark brown sugar offers balanced sweetness, with the brown sugar adding depth and subtle caramel notes that beautifully complement the pumpkin and spices. The oil is particularly important for moisture; it creates a more tender crumb compared to butter, which can sometimes yield a denser, drier result in quick breads.

Pumpkin Bread Recipe Video

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How to Make the Best Starbucks-Style Pumpkin Bread

This recipe is incredibly simple, making it one you’ll want to bake again and again!

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare an 8×4 or 9×5 inch loaf pan. You can grease and flour the pan (baking spray with flour works wonderfully for this), or line it with parchment paper or aluminum foil, ensuring you leave an overhang on the sides. This overhang acts as “handles” making it super easy to lift the finished bread out of the pan once baked.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine all your dry ingredients: the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and kosher salt. Use a whisk to thoroughly combine everything, ensuring the spices and leavening agents are evenly distributed. Set this bowl aside.

In a separate, large bowl, begin by beating the room temperature eggs, both granulated and dark brown sugars, and vanilla extract together. Use an electric mixer on high speed for about 30 seconds. This step aerates the mixture, creating a light and fluffy base for your bread. If you don’t have an electric mixer, don’t worry—a sturdy whisk and a little elbow grease will also work perfectly.

Next, add the pumpkin puree and vegetable oil to the wet ingredients in the large bowl. Mix thoroughly with your electric mixer (a handheld mixer is ideal for this) until all ingredients are well combined and the mixture is smooth. Remember, hand mixing is also an effective option if you prefer.

Finally, gradually add the whisked dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter at this stage; overworking the flour can develop the gluten too much, leading to a tough and dense bread rather than the wonderfully moist and tender texture we’re aiming for.

Pour the prepared pumpkin bread batter evenly into your greased and floured (or parchment-lined) loaf pan. If you like, you can sprinkle the top with pumpkin seeds for an added crunch and visual appeal before baking. Place the loaf pan into the preheated oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf; it should come out clean. If it comes out with wet batter, continue baking for a few more minutes and retest.

Once baked, let the pumpkin bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes. This allows the bread to set and prevents it from crumbling when removed. After this initial cooling, carefully lift the bread out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang or invert it onto the wire rack to cool completely. While it’s tempting to slice into it right away, allowing it to cool fully improves its texture and makes for cleaner slices. However, if you’re like us, a warm slice fresh from the oven is often too good to resist!

There’s nothing quite like staying home on a crisp fall day, pouring yourself a cup of freshly brewed coffee, and savoring a warm, comforting slice of this homemade pumpkin bread, brimming with rich pumpkin and spice flavors. Be warned: this truly is the best pumpkin bread recipe, so addictive you might find yourself baking it all year long!

Expert Tips and Delicious Variations

Tips for Success

• **Measure Flour Accurately:** This is crucial for quick breads. Always aerate your flour by fluffing it with a fork or spoon before gently spooning it into your measuring cup. Then, level off the top with a straight edge (like a knife). Scooping directly from the bag can compact the flour, leading to too much flour and a dry, dense loaf.
• **Do Not Overmix:** Once you’ve added the dry ingredients to the wet, mix only until just combined. A few lumps are perfectly fine! Overmixing develops gluten, which can result in a tough, rubbery texture instead of the desired tender crumb. Think “gentle folding” rather than vigorous beating.
• **Use Pure Pumpkin Puree:** Ensure you are using 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix or pumpkin pie filling. These pre-mixed products contain added sugars and spices that will alter the flavor and texture of your bread significantly. Check the label carefully.
• **Stick with Oil for Moisture:** This recipe specifically calls for vegetable or canola oil because it is key to achieving that incredibly moist texture. Unlike butter, which contains water and milk solids, oil is 100% fat and contributes to a more tender, longer-lasting moist crumb in quick breads. Do not try to substitute melted butter, as it will change the chemistry and result in a different texture.
• **Resist Reducing Oil Content:** Over the years, many bakers try to reduce the oil or increase the pumpkin in recipes for health reasons. While admirable, for *this specific recipe’s* signature moist texture and rich flavor, the original oil quantity is essential. Altering it can compromise the very qualities that make this bread so special.

Creative Variations to Try

• **Spice It Up Your Way:** If you prefer, you can substitute the individual spices in the recipe with 2 teaspoons of pre-made pumpkin pie spice, along with ¾ teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Keep in mind that pumpkin pie spice blends can vary, so adjust to your taste.
• **Delightful Toppings:** For an extra layer of texture and flavor, sprinkle the top of your batter with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, turbinado sugar (for a crunchy crust), demerara sugar, or simply a little granulated sugar before baking.
• **Add-Ins for Every Palate:**
  • Chocolate Lovers: While not a classic pairing for everyone, if you enjoy chocolate with pumpkin, feel free to fold in about 1 cup of chocolate chips (dark, milk, or white) into the batter just before pouring it into the pan.
  • Fruity & Nutty: For a delightful chew and added richness, mix in ½ to 1 cup of raisins, chopped pecans, or walnuts. These additions complement the pumpkin and spices beautifully.
• **Mini Loaves for Gifting:** This recipe adapts perfectly to mini loaf pans. The baking time for mini loaves is typically around 30 minutes, but always use the toothpick test to confirm doneness, as oven temperatures can vary. Mini loaves are fantastic for gifting or portion control.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

More Irresistible Pumpkin Recipes

Better Than Starbucks Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Moist, tender, and loaded with pumpkin fall flavors – this homemade recipe is simply irresistible.

Average: 4.24 from 114 votes

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Course: Bread, Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings: 9

Calories: 397 kcal

Author: Leigh Harris

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
• 1 teaspoon Baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 4 large Eggs (room temperature)
• 1/4 cup Dark brown sugar (packed)
• 1 cup Granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup Pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup Canola oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1/4 cup Pumpkin seeds (optional, for topping)

Units: US Customary

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Grease and flour an 8×4 or 9×5 inch loaf pan, or line with parchment paper leaving an overhang. Set aside.
2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, and vanilla extract together on high speed for about 30 seconds using an electric mixer. Then, add the pumpkin puree and canola oil, and mix well until smooth.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet pumpkin mixture. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds on top, if desired.
5. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
6. Let the pumpkin bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes before carefully removing it. Allow it to cool completely on the wire rack before slicing for best results.

Notes

• Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix or pumpkin pie filling, as these contain added sugars and spices that will alter the recipe.
• This recipe relies on oil for its signature moist texture. Do not substitute melted butter, as it will yield a different result.
• If using pre-made pumpkin pie spice instead of individual spices, we suggest using about 2 teaspoons. Adjust this amount according to your personal taste preferences.
• This recipe can also be baked in 4 small (mini) loaf pans. The baking time for mini pans is approximately 30 minutes; always test for doneness with a toothpick.
• Storing: To keep your pumpkin bread moist, allow it to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Store at room temperature for up to 4 days. Storing it in the refrigerator is not recommended as it can dry the bread out faster.
• Freezing: For longer storage, cool the pumpkin bread completely, then wrap it securely in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe resealable bag. It can be frozen for up to 2 months for the best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for several hours before enjoying.

Nutrition Facts (Approximate per serving)

Calories: 397kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 283mg | Potassium: 141mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 3283IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg

We hope you enjoy this phenomenal homemade pumpkin bread recipe. It’s a taste of fall that brings warmth and comfort with every slice!