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 have tried so many pumpkin bread recipes and every year I always come back to this one! It truly truly is THE BEST EVER! Thank you for this amazing recipe! It is my favorite way to start my fall baking 🙂
Aww yay, this makes me so happy to hear Emily, thank you!!
It reminds me more of a spice cake. I really couldn’t tell there was pumpkin in it. It came out very soft, moist, sweet, and lacking any earthy or savory element. There’s definitely some room to cut down the maple syrup. Texturally it held up well and the omni family likes it, which is all that matters.
Glad you enjoyed it. It’s not supposed to be savory. Growing up my mom always made sweet pumpkin bread rich in spices, so that’s exactly how I love it! Never had pumpkin bread any other way, actually, haha!
Hi Brandi–is it possible to sub arrowroot for corstarch? If so, how much would you use? Thank you!
Hi Heather! I’ve never tried arrowroot, so I’m not sure. Sometimes arrowroot makes things gummy, but if you try it, let me know!
Can I switch out date paste for the maple syrup??🤞
Hi! Date paste is much thicker than syrup so it would make the bread more dense and the batter quite thick. So I’m not too sure know that would work out. If you could make the date paste more the texture of syrup, that might work.
Can i use date syrup? Or agave?
Maple syrup is very expensive where i live so i keep it for pancakes ect. Thank you
You can use agave, but I wouldn’t use date syrup. It’s too thick and would make the bread too dense!
Ohhhhh yes! This IS the best vegan pumpkin bread EVER!!!!! AND your pumpkin spice blend is AWESOME! I make this recipe often for my husband and myself! My husband who eats a SAD can’t believe it’s vegan! LOL Thank You ever soooo much for this and all of your awesome recipes!!!
This is a wonderful quick bread! I’ve made it twice and both times the texture was just wonderful. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
So very happy to hear that Shipra!
I’ve made this several times and it’s perfect. Makes a great seasonal gift too. Today I subbed pumpkin for banana and changed up the spices. Made a perfect spring banana bread!!
Hands down the BEST pumpkin bread, vegan or otherwise!
Thank you for this amazing recipe ! The bread is amazing !! I had to force myself to stop after three slices… 🙂
Perfect! Follow this recipe exactly including the extra cloves and you won’t be disappointed!
The best texture and just the right amount of spice. Delicious!
So happy you loved it Michelle!!
So many recipes online are prefaced with “best” and end up being so disappointing. NOT THIS ONE! This pumpkin bread is truly the best one I’ve made, plant based or not. I have been wfpb for one year, and was highly skeptical of any oil-free, egg free baked goods, and then I discovered thevegan8. I cannot speak highly enough about Brandi’s recipes, especially the baked goods. I recently gifted The Vegan 8 Cookbook to my college-aged niece who is working her way from vegetarian to wfpb. I will continue to prepare and rave about Brandi’s wonderful recipes.
Thank you so so much Merryl for this glowing review! I’m so happy this truly is the best you’ve ever made! I love proving that a dessert can taste the best and not have any of the typical ingredients…white flour, sugar, oil, eggs, etc. It’s much more challenging to create these results without resorting to these easy choices, but it’s so much fun for me and makes me such a better well-rounded baker for it. And then getting reviews like yours just solidifies all the work I do to test these recipes, so thank you so much!
I just have to say, this is the BEST recipe for anything pumpkin I’ve ever made. I literally make a loaf every month and slice and freeze it so I always have a slice available.. like, always. I cannot believe how good this tastes! I love everything on this blog but this recipe blows me away. Unreal.
Oh wow, you made my day Madeline with this amazing review!! What a compliment, thank you so much. So happy this is made monthly in your home!
Delicious!! Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!! Fall is my favorite season, and this bread brings on all the feels.
So thrilled to hear that!
Ooooh! I really want to try this out! But my husband and daughter are GF. Curious to know if the oat flour/rice flour blend turned out? I am SUPER excited to try this recipe! 🙂 Thanks for sharing your talents with the world!
Coming very soon!!
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! It has become my go to recipe during the Pandemic, as I have found the recipe to be very flexible in accommodating the ingredients I have on hand. For example, today I made this using whole wheat flour, applesauce (one cup to replace the pumpkin), dried apple bits pre-soaked in water, and only the cinnamon spice, and of course the same amounts of maple syrup, lite coconut milk, corn starch and baking soda as in your original recipe. It came out great! I have also made it with a cup of mashed ripe banana instead of the pumpkin, sometimes adding vegan chocolate chips and/or cocoa powder (to make the cake chocolate). And, I have also used cooked mashed sweet potato instead of the pumpkin. Truly a versatile recipe that results in a dense, moist loaf.
Thank you so much Sue, so happy to hear you’ve been enjoying this pumpkin bread, in varying ways, during this quarantine!!
This bread is divine! I love pumpkin bread and am so happy to now have a vegan and oil free option!
I made this for company and it was excellent. couldm yhis batter be used in muffins?
Hi Mike, so glad to hear that! I wouldn’t make this as muffins since it’s really firm and meant to be a loaf. However, this pumpkin cake is VERY similar, as it was this bread recipe I used to adjust for a smaller cake, which also works great as muffins. They will be softer. Follow this recipe instead: https://thevegan8.com/vegan-pumpkin-cake-with-low-sugar-frosting/
^ P.S. The dimensions of the pan are 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 X 2 3/4; made of metal.
Hi Gina, I used a 9×5 loaf pan so yours is only slightly smaller and will work just fine! The baking time should not make a big difference, so just follow the directions for when to check for doneness!
Hi…I finally got all ingredients, dusted off the loaf pan (got a “fancy” Gold Touch pan at Williams Sonoma 3 years ago and never used!!), and realized that it is an 8″, not a 9″. How do I adjust cooking time?
Thank you 🙂
Do you recommend any certain bread pan (metal,ceramic, silicone)?
Hi Ness, yes, I mention that I used stone in step 1! So a ceramic of some kind is best.
Can you freeze this.? I would like to make this and take it on our rv trip
Hi Lisa, I’m so sorry I missed this comment! I have never tried freezing it, personally, so I’m not sure! I suppose if it’s wrapped really tightly and sealed well, it should be ok.
The look on my husband’s face when he tried this bread was priceless. It is truly the BEST!! He immediately said “We are going to be baking this again!”. I agree. It was fun to include my daughter in the making of it and with the grams listed the mess is less and requires fewer dirty measuring cups, etc. Such a fan of that! I also love that Brandi will typically cover substitution options in the recipes. Helps tremendously. This pumpkin bread is the BEST we’ve ever had and I didn’t even make a frosting for it!! I did add the pumpkin seeds on top.
Aww this was so sweet Shelley, thank you for the lovely review!!
Thank you so much! What an amazing bread. Made it for Thanksgiving and got rave reviews. Just made another two loaves for hubby, gave him 3 choices of bread and he chose your pumpkin bread.
Woohoo, that is a wonderful testimony from your hubby!!
This bread is truly delicious. The combination of moist texture and deep rich pumpkin spice flavor cannot be beat. I have tried several vegan pumpkin bread recipes and this is the overwhelming favorite. I love baking with spelt flour and here is another great example of how it’s delicate texture lends itself to delicious and tender baked goods.
I used Penzey’s pumpkin pie spice blend and then added the extra 1/4 tsp of ground cloves that you recommended, as well as the ground black pepper. Amazing flavor! Thank you so much. This recipe will be on repeat every “pumpkin season”! I thought the flavor actually developed overnight and the bread was even better the second day!
PS – The spice flavor developed even more overnight and I think the bread is even better the second day, if that’s possible.
Another home run! I’ve made enough of your recipes by now to know that none of them are ever duds (people… if you haven’t bought her book, what are you waiting for?!), so I’m totally confident that they’ll turn out great… to the point where I doubled this recipe and gave a loaf to my neighbors before even tasting the one I kept for us.
For those looking to cut back on maple syrup, either due to cost or sugar content, I used half maple syrup and half date syrup (made myself from 1 cup Medjool dates and 1 cup water in the Vitamix). I haven’t compared it to 100% maple-syrup, but I think it’s delicious.
I made this a day or two after it was posted, and I just pulled a piece out of the freezer. Still delicious, and not dry at all! I wrapped each piece in parchment paper, then put them all together into a Ziplock bag. I’m thanking my September self for stashing some away even though I could have eaten the entire loaf. 🙂