This truly is the Best Vegan Pumpkin Bread EVER, heck best pumpkin bread period, I’ve ever had! It is perfectly moist, naturally sweetened, fluffy, firm, healthy and totally oil-free! The texture is an absolute dream and it is only 8 ingredients and low-fat as a bonus! Yup, no oil!
BEST VEGAN PUMPKIN BREAD
I used to be seriously addicted to the Pumpkin bread from Starbucks and ate it all the time before I went vegan. I now have the most perfect fluffy, moist and oil-free pumpkin bread I’ve ever tasted. Amazing that it is not only just as delicious, but is healthier and low-fat as well. Although, it doesn’t taste it one bit.
While this recipe is made with spelt flour, so that it is a healthier whole grain option, if you need gluten-free pumpkin bread, try my Vegan Gluten-free Pumpkin Bread!
Pumpkin season is always exciting around here. When I’m not making this vegan pumpkin bread, then I am making these Vegan Gluten-free Pumpkin Waffles or Gluten-free Pumpkin Pancakes for a delicious vegan breakfast.
For dessert, I’m making this Vegan Pumpkin Cake, Best Vegan Pumpkin Pie or these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. For when I’m in the mood for chocolate, I’m making these Pumpkin Chocolate Cake Brownies.
Seriously, look at that texture!
The flavor is so rich in spices thanks my perfect mix of pumpkin spices. I am not a fan of pumpkin baked goods weak in the spices, sorry! One very, very important spice needed to truly get the best pumpkin bread flavor is cloves. It is NOT even remotely the same without it. My daughter and I were polishing this off and she declared it one of her favorite desserts she’s ever had.
What is crazy exciting about this vegan pumpkin bread is that it is also oil-free, nut-free AND low-fat!! Only 1 gram of fat per slice! It wasn’t my goal to make it low-fat, but the recipe just ended up being that way and why mess with perfection? And contrary to most pumpkin breads out there that rely heavily on oil or butter, which I find makes them too greasy, it is not needed!
Since my Vegan Gingerbread Cake made with spelt flour is one of the biggest hits on my blog and loved by all readers so much, I used that recipe as inspiration to create this pumpkin bread. I removed the molasses and increased the syrup and of course used pumpkin instead of applesauce and added some milk, pumpkin spice blend and voila, the perfect pumpkin bread was born!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
(Only 8 main ingredients needed. Full details and measurements on the recipe card below.)
- Spelt flour: Just like with my Vegan Gingerbread Cake, I used spelt flour here. It is THE perfect flour for magical texture. It makes the bread so moist and soft. Since this bread is low-fat, spelt is important here, as it makes baked goods more moist.
- Cornstarch: This is what replaces eggs, in addition, to making it fluffy and giving it the most perfect, firm texture. This is how you are able to hold this beautiful loaf in your hands and break off a piece without the whole thing crumbling in your hands.
- Baking soda: This makes the pumpkin bread rise and give it tenderness and a beautiful browning color.
- Pumpkin spices with an extra bit of cloves: Obviously, this gives the bread it’s addicting flavor and aroma. See post above for why I use extra cloves. We want lots of spice and flavor here, since fat is not used for flavor. OR, you can just sub the 4 teaspoons of pumpkin spice for my Homemade Pumpkin Spice and it will be perfect, no need to add anything extra.
- Black pepper: Extra secret ingredient to the flavor and NO, it’s not spicy whatsoever, nor do you taste the pepper. It just gives an overall depth of flavor and enriches all of the pumpkin spices.
- Pure Maple Syrup: This is the sweetener I used for the bread. Enriches all of the spices and gives moisture and a depth of flavor. This bread is PERFECTLY sweetened, definitely not too sweet, or under-sweetened. Just right.
- Lite Coconut Milk: Since I use no nuts and no oil in this bread, we need just a tiny bit of fat to ensure it’s moist and not dry out. There is ONLY a 1/4 cup of this in the whole loaf, so it’s a very small amount that makes a big impact, so please do not sub. I highly recommend the Thai Kitchen brand, it’s the creamiest and not watery at all. Make sure to shake the can really well before measuring. You do NOT taste coconut. If you are allergic to coconut, you can try another high fat milk, maybe macadamia or cashew, but it will likely not be as moist or fluffy/light since coconut is very buttery when baked. Do NOT use soy milk, the high protein will make the bread too chewy and it’s already a firm bread, like a pound cake texture.
- Pumpkin: I don’t think I need to explain why we need this one, lol.
- Vanilla extract: Extra flavor of course.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN PUMPKIN BREAD
Step 1: To a large bowl, add the syrup, coconut milk, pumpkin and vanilla. Whisk until completely smooth. Set aside.
Step 2: To a medium bowl, combine the spelt flour, cornstarch, baking soda, pumpkin spices, black pepper and salt. Whisk very well.
Step 3: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the liquid and stir gently, folding until it all comes together into a moist, cohesive batter. Don’t over-mix, just until combined and smooth.
Step 4: Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper going in both directions cut to fit so that it lies flat in each direction.
Step 5: Pour the batter into the pan. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out the top flat and evenly out to the corners.
Step 6: Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (177°C) for 40 minutes or until a toothpick is completely clean from the center.
Cool 45 minutes before slicing. This is hard to wait, I know, but the loaf must finish cooling. If you cut it too early, it will be a bit underdone in it’s texture.
HOW TO SERVE
Serve with coffee of a dollop of dairy-free whipped cream or powdered sugar and pumpkin seeds. Cover the completely cooled loaf in plastic wrap to keep it moist. If you would like to glaze this for guests for extra oomph and presentation, use the Cream Cheese Glaze from my cinnamon rolls!
MORE VEGAN PUMPKIN RECIPES
- BEST Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Vegan Pumpkin Cream Cheese
- My Favorite Vegan Pumpkin Muffins
- Pumpkin bread from Starbucks
- Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream
- Pumpkin Chili
- Red Lentil Pumpkin Chili
Best Vegan Pumpkin Bread EVER!
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups (224g) whole grain spelt flour (this flour is what gives the perfect texture and moisture)
- 2 tablespoons (16g) cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (please see post why this is added, it does NOT make it spicy)
- 4 teaspoons my homemade pumpkin spice blend (OR SEE NOTE BELOW!)
- 3/4 cup (240g) pure maple syrup
- 1 cup (240g) canned pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup (60g) canned "lite" coconut milk (shaken first, I love the Thai Kitchen brand)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Optional: pumpkin seeds for topping and powdered sugar
NOTE
- Of course, as always, I recommend highly to use a scale to prevent room for error. You don't need cups or to compare the weights to cups, just simply follow the weights listed, as this is exactly how the recipes are tested and made. Make sure to zero out before adding each ingredient.
- I use this scale.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a 9×5 loaf pan (I used stone so it's more moist) with parchment paper going in both directions cut to fit so that it lies flat in each direction with a slight overhang.
- To a large bowl, add the syrup, coconut milk, pumpkin and vanilla. Whisk until completely smooth. Set aside.
- To a medium bowl, combine the spelt flour, cornstarch, baking soda, pumpkin spices, black pepper and salt. Whisk very well.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the liquid and stir gently, folding until it all comes together into a moist, cohesive batter. Don’t over-mix, just until combined and smooth. It will be thick.
- Pour the batter into the pan. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out the top flat and evenly out to the corners. If desired, sprinkle raw pumpkin seeds on top of the loaf now.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick is completely clean from the center to the bottom of the pan. Ovens will vary, so yours may take longer, but mine was perfect at 40 minutes.
- Cool 45 minutes to an hour before slicing. This is hard to wait, I know, but the loaf must finish cooling. If you cut it too early, it will be a bit underdone in it’s texture. Lift the loaf out with the parchment paper and slice with a very sharp knife.
- Cover the completely cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap and at room temperature so it will stay moist. I loved this with coffee! If you would like it to be glazed or extra fancy for guests, use this cream cheese glaze from my cinnamon rolls or try it with my 3 Minute Pumpkin Spice Caramel Glaze or Pumpkin Spice Sauce!
Notes
- PUMPKIN SPICE: I recommend my homemade blend because it truly is the best and will give the most amazing flavor. The key to this loaf having the best flavor is the spices, of course. Pumpkin pie spice is a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger and cloves and is sold at most grocery stores in the baking/spice isle. If you want to use a store-bought blend, that is fine, but ADD an extra 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves to the blend. As noted in the post, the secret to the best pumpkin bread flavor is that tiny bit extra of cloves. The store-bought blends don't have enough. If you don't want to make my whole batch blend, you can just use these measurements for this one time loaf: Combine the following well with a fork and add to the recipe: 2 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves. You do not add an extra 1/4 tsp cloves to MY blend, just the 1/2 teaspoon.
- COCONUT MILK: For the coconut milk, I highly recommend the Thai Kitchen or Taste of Thai brands, they are high quality, the creamiest and not watery at all. Make sure to shake the can well before measuring. You do NOT taste coconut. If you are allergic to coconut, you can try another high fat milk, maybe macadamia or cashew, but it will likely not be as moist or fluffy since coconut is very buttery when baked. Do not use soy milk, the high protein will make the bread too chewy and it’s already a firm bread, like a pound cake texture.
Nutrition
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I love your gingerbread recipe and I don’t know why I never made your pumpkin bread until today. I was craving Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins and made these as muffins. I used Trader Joe’s reduced fat coconut milk and I used a scale to measure the ingredients. The recipe made 10 muffins and I baked them 22min. They were delicious!!! Thank you..
Oh by the way, when I licked the bowl I thought the batter was too sweet and I should reduce the maple syrup next time. But once they baked, cooled down and I tried them, they were perfect, not too sweet at all. Like 1/2 the sweetness of a store bought one. Just wanted to share in case someone is curious abt their sweetness.
I don’t have coconut milk. What’s a good sub? Yogurt? Almond milk? Banana?
Just use almond milk, definitely not yogurt!
I followed your recipe to the tee, even using a scale to measure everything out except I did not have your recommended brand of coconut milk. I used Trader Joe’s brand of organic coconut milk (not reduced fat), which was a combination of liquid & cream, despite shaking the can beforehand. So, I blended the coconut milk mixture before adding it to the dry ingredients. The batter came out a little runnier than what you described as a thicker batter so I put a little extra spelt flour (maybe 1/4 cup). It was still a little thinner than what I am use to (I bake a lot of quick breads) but I stopped there for I did not want it to turn gummy. I was skeptical of how it was going to turn out. Additionally, it took a tad longer to bake at 55 minutes but I must say this was by far the best & by best I mean taste, texture, & moisture, of any pumpkin bread I have made thus far. For that matter, my wife said it was quite delicious although maybe too moist. I say it can’t be too moist unless it’s crumbling, which is was not. It was almost identical to Starbucks’ moist pumpkin bread without the dairy & refined ingredients. I’ll accept any recommendations you might have but nonetheless, this will always be my go-to pumpkin bread recipe. Thank you!!
I’m so happy to hear this was the best pumpkin bread you’ve ever had Brian!! If you used the full fat coconut milk that may have been why it was a bit extra moist, because the fat content is much higher. The batter should be thicker like in the photos though. But glad to hear it still turned out fabulous!! Did you use sprouted spelt flour, by chance? That could also make it runnier/more moist.
hi Brandi! I bought sprouted spelt for future use, so do I need to adjust the recipe if I want to use sprouted spelt flour? Thanks!
Hi Oz! So happy you loved the bread! Yes, batters always taste way sweeter than the finished baked goods! Sprouted spelt flour tends to add a lot more moisture, so it may need longer to bake. It may be more dense and less fluffy.
This pumpkin bread 100% deserves the title “Best Pumpkin Bread Ever.” The spice and texture are spot on- it’s full of flavor!
I’m excited to try this! Can I reduce the maple syrup and still achieve the same texture? I was thinking more like a 1/2 cup?
The syrup is part of the liquids to have the right consistency and texture, so reducing it would affect the finished product. It will be more bitter too. You can try replacing the 1/4 cup of syrup with 3 tablespoons water, but I don’t know how it’ll affect the results.
I scoured the comments to see if anyone had made this with AP flour and didn’t see any comments about it, but figured I’d give it a shot since I didn’t have spelt and I wanted to have a yummy cozy breakfast. It turned out perfect in my opinion. My very picky non-vegan 18 yr old daughter declared it delicious and she commented on it having a great texture (texture for her is the biggest determinant on if she likes a food or not). So this was a win. My mom-vegan husband also really liked it. Win win all the way around. Very impressed with the end result given that it has no oil or sugar!!
So very happy to hear all of this, thank you so much Kristen!!
Can I use a gluten free flour since I can’t eat spelt?
For this version, no, but I already linked to my tested gluten-free pumpkin bread in the post!
If the recipe is from Brandi, then I know it will be PERFECT❣️
You are my go to for the best recipes, not once have you failed me! I can make any of your recipes and know that it will be perfect!
And your pumpkin bread – perfect for fall weather. Thank you❤️ Flavor is divine!
Thank you, Brandi!
Can date paste be subbed for maple syrup in this recipe??
Hi LouAnn! You can use agave in place of syrup, but I wouldn’t use date paste. It’s too thick and would make the bread too dense.
The perfect, WFPB pumpkin bread. Spiced just right, moist, and light, this bread is sure to be a hit with all of you pumpkin lovers out there!
This is my second review, because is worth it. I’ve made this a dozen times as is and have also changed it up. Puréed banana and/or mango (same gram weight as pumpkin) is also divine. I swap out pumpkin pie spice when doing this and it is perfect every time.
I have also made it into muffins with perfect results at 18-20 min.
Finally, you can evenly sub arrowroot when you run out of cornstarch.
Thank you for this masterpiece. If you can figure out the gluten free version, I’ll adore you even more!
So wonderful to hear Caroline!! Yes, there is a gluten-free pumpkin bread linked in the post!
Will almond milk work as well?
It should be ok, it has less fat, but I think it’ll still be good!
Bread is fantastic! Had difficulty finding the flour. Bought it on Amazon.
How long does the bread last? Does it stay moist if refrigerated?
Thanks for another great recipe!
Woohoo, so glad you loved it! It will last fresh about 3 days, it will last longer in the fridge, it just will get a bit harder of course.