Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
Warm spices, chewy raisins, crunchy pecans, and a streusel topping make this Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread more than just your average loaf.
Muffins or Bread?
I was riffling through my mom’s recipe box a few weeks ago in search of some new ideas, and I was not disappointed. I have a S.T.A.C.K of recipes cards sitting on my counter just waiting for me to bake and cook my way through them. The first recipe I tackled was my great aunt’s pumpkin muffins.
The original recipes yields 24 pumpkin muffins. While I could freeze some of the muffins, or give them to my husband to take to the hospital where he works, I just did not feel like dealing with 24 muffins. Hey, at least I’m being honest.
I thought about making a 1/2 batch, but the first time I test a recipe I like to make it “as is” and not alter measurements or ingredients so I have a baseline to tweak from there.
So I took the easy route and turned the pumpkin muffins into gluten free pumpkin bread. No changes needed to the recipe except for the baking time (i.e. cake/bread will always take longer than muffins to bake).
PRO TIP: if you ever come across a muffin recipe that yields 24 muffins, you can always pour the batter into a loaf pan and make it into a bread. Just adjust the cooking time.
What’s In Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread?
I’ve discussed this before in my pumpkin cheesecake bars recipe, but I think canned pumpkin gets a bad rap. It’s a really versatile ingredient, not just something for basic white girls to consume in their lattes. Canned pumpkin, or pumpkin puree, adds great flavor and moisture to baked goods and can take on either a sweet or savory flavor, depending on the dish.
And this gluten free pumpkin bread is no exception when it comes to canned pumpkin. The addition of classic pumpkin pie spices gives the canned pumpkin that quintessential “pumpkin pie” flavor.
Chewy raisins and crunchy pecans add texture and another layer of flavor to the bread as well.
But to me, the secret ingredient is the small amount of molasses in the batter. It adds moisture, like the canned pumpkin, but also a rich, sweet flavor you wouldn’t get from brown sugar alone.
Tips for Making Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
- Don’t let the baking time scare you! Because the batter has a lot of add-ins and is made with GF flour, the bread takes a long time to bake.
- Just like my apple crisp, use cold butter for the streusel, otherwise you’ll end up with something more like a dry bowl of porridge than streusel.
- I find clean hands to be the best tool for mixing up the streusel and cutting in the butter. If you have a pastry blender, that works well too. Just remember, the butter will be cold, so it’s a little more difficult to work with, which I why I prefer to use my hands to break it up.
- After about 50-60 minutes in the oven, cover the top of the gluten free pumpkin bread loosely with foil. This allows the bread to continue to cook all the way through, but prevents the streusel from burning.
- Let the bread cool completely in the pan before cutting. I find lining the entire pan with one sheet of parchment paper works really well. That way you can just lift the bread out in one piece once cooled.
- Store any left over gluten free pumpkin bread covered at room temperature for about 5 days. You can also wrap slices individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer safe resealable bag for about 2-3 weeks.
Let’s Eat!
And there you have it – Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread. My favorite way to eat it is warmed up, with a little butter on top and a hot Chai latte. Delicious! Easy to make and perfect on a chilly fall morning.
Be sure to tag me on social if you make this! Cheers to you, friend!
Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- ½ cup King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup gluten free old fashioned oats
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
Pumpkin Bread
- 2 cups King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 eggs room temperature
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup raisins
Instructions
- To make the streusel, combine flour, brown sugar, oats and kosher salt in a medium size bowl. Add butter and cut in using your hands or a pastry blender until crumbly and butter is the size of peas. Set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 350° and line a loaf pan (8x4 or 9x5) with parchment paper.
- Sift together dry ingredients in a medium size bowl (flour through ground ginger). Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine next 7 ingredients (eggs through canned pumpkin) and beat well with a whisk.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients all at once. Stir with a rubber spatula to combine, then fold in chopped pecans and raisins.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and top with streusel.
- Bake uncovered for 60 minutes. Cover the loaf loosely with aluminum foil and then bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool completely before serving.
Notes
- I find clean hands to be the best tool for mixing up the streusel and cutting in the butter. If you have a pastry blender, that works well too. Just remember, the butter will be cold, so it’s a little more difficult to work with, which I why I prefer to use my hands to break it up.
- Covering the bread in the last 15-20 minutes allows the bread to continue to cook all the way through, but prevents the streusel from burning.
- Let the bread cool completely in the pan before cutting. I find lining the entire pan with one sheet of parchment paper works really well. That way you can just lift the bread out in one piece once cooled.
- Store the bread covered at room temperature for about 5 days. You can also wrap slices individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer safe resealable bag for about 2-3 weeks.
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