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This fluffy, warmly spiced, and perfectly sweet Vegan Pumpkin Loaf is the ultimate fall breakfast or dessert. Drizzle the easy maple glaze over top to make every slice completely irresistible! Vegan, Gluten-Free and Oil-Free Options.
One taste and you’ll be head over heels for this cozy Vegan Pumpkin Bread. Baked to tall and fluffy perfection, it’s a melt-in-your-mouth treat that’s just sweet enough and spiced with warm pumpkin pie spices, while the velvety cream cheese maple glaze glistens on the outside. It’s so unbelievably delicious, you’ll be tempted to eat the whole loaf yourself!
Table of Contents
Indulge in the Flavors of Fall
To me, fall means one thing: pumpkin in everything! I wait all year for this winter squash to be socially acceptable in season. There’s no denying that pumpkin in a creamy pasta sauce or fluffy baked goods takes it to the next level, whether you’re as pumpkin-obsessed as I am or not.
Speaking of next-level pumpkin recipes, this Easy Vegan Pumpkin Bread Recipe is a must-try. It’s made with only 10 fall baking staples, loaded with real pumpkin and cozy spices, and topped with a cream cheese maple glaze to make it the perfect drool-worthy breakfast or fall dessert!
Indulge in a slice (or two) whenever a pumpkin craving hits. It’s perfect for sharing with friends and family or enjoying all to yourself.
Ingredients for Vegan Pumpkin Bread
This cozy fall bread is a breeze to make from scratch using 10 simple ingredients:
- All-Purpose Flour: the moderate amount of protein in AP flour gives the bread a sturdy structure, a soft and tender crumb, and an impressive rise.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: this staple fall spice blend lends the signature warm and cozy vibes to this pumpkin bread as well as this Pecan & Pumpkin Custard Pie, these Pumpkin Spice Waffles, and countless other fall goodies. I highly recommend making your own pumpkin spice blend, which you can learn how to do in this recipe!
- Pumpkin Puree: make sure you use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Check out my Canned Pumpkin Comparison before you go shopping—this detailed guide will point you to the best pumpkin puree to give you the best-tasting pumpkin bread.
- Brown Sugar: it gives the bread a warm, rich flavor while the added molasses lends an eye-catching golden color. Coconut sugar also works!
- Apple Cider Vinegar + Baking Soda: these two create gas bubbles when combined in the batter, helping the bread rise and fluff up.
- Cream Cheese Maple Glaze: the glaze is optional, but highly recommended for irresistible slices. It’s easy to make with dairy-free cream cheese, maple syrup, and powdered sugar, so there’s no pressure to put it together ahead of time.
How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Bread
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. In a separate smaller bowl, combine the wet ingredients.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Mix well to combine, then pour the batter into a bread pan and smooth out the top.
- Bake the bread until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Set it aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, make the maple glaze by whisking the ingredients in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bread.
- Slice and serve the bread immediately or store it for later.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- The best way to measure flour: I swear by my baking scale for perfectly measured flour but another sure-fire way is the spoon and level method. By using a spoon to gently scoop the flour into a measuring cup and sweeping the excess from the top with the back of a knife, you avoid packing too much flour into the cup and making a dry and dense pumpkin loaf.
- Use fresh baking soda: Apple cider vinegar/lemon juice + baking soda = gas bubbles in the baked quick bread. These gas bubbles help the bread rise! So, before baking, check that your baking soda is new/fresh, or else this won’t happen. Here’s how to tell if your baking soda is fresh or not.
- Wait for the bread to cool completely: You’ll avoid soggy-bottomed quick bread by allowing the loaf to cool on a wire rack after baking. When, and only when it’s completely cool, should you slice the bread. Otherwise, the knife will smush the warm bread and cause it to crumble.
Serving Suggestions
Fall is, obviously, the perfect time for pumpkin bread. Enjoy a slice with a hot cup of coffee or an iced chai for breakfast, grab a slice for your afternoon pick-me-up, or top it with a scoop of vegan ice cream or a drizzle of this Pumpkin Spice Maple Syrup for dessert. It doesn’t matter the time of day—this sweet pumpkin treat is never a bad idea.
If you’re looking for more indulgent vegan pumpkin recipes, you’ll also love these Pumpkin & Chai Spiced Donuts, these Healthy Pumpkin Truffles, and these Pumpkin Apple Muffins!
How to Store Vegan Pumpkin Bread
Keep the loaf of eggless pumpkin bread in an airtight container on the kitchen counter for up to 5 days. Try not to store it in the fridge, if you can help it. Refrigerated quick breads almost always become incredibly dense and will no longer be soft and fluffy.
You can also slice and freeze the bread without the glaze for up to 2 months. Wait for it to fully cool before slicing, then wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a large, freezer-safe bag or airtight container.
Thaw the slices at room temperature for a couple of hours before serving or gently warm them in a toaster or toaster oven.
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-Free Option: Replace the all-purpose flour with 2 1/4 cups of oat flour to make gluten-free vegan pumpkin bread instead. The gluten-free version will not rise as much but it will still look and taste great.
- Oil-Free Option: Replace the neutral oil with 1/2 cup nut or seed butter to keep it oil-free. The finished loaf will be slightly more dry and dense, but still delicious.
- Mix-In Ideas: Even though I haven’t tested it, folding 1/3 cup of vegan chocolate chips or chopped nuts, like walnuts or pecans, into the batter could be tasty in the loaf.
- Maple Glaze Substitutes: You can swap the maple glaze for a simple glaze made from 1 cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of non-dairy milk. Optional: Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract to turn it into a vanilla glaze.
- More Decoration Ideas: After decorating with a glaze, top the loaf with pumpkin seeds, walnuts, or my Stovetop Candied Pecans to take the presentation up a notch. You can also omit the glaze entirely and gently press pumpkin seeds or nuts into the top of the batter before baking.
Recipe FAQs
This can happen when you use expired baking soda and/or when you overwork the batter.
Yes, fresh pumpkin puree should work here, although it hasn’t been tested. Check out my Homemade Pumpkin Puree recipe if you’d like to try it.
Yes, this recipe should make around 18 vegan pumpkin muffins. Pour the batter into a lined standard muffin tin and bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Vegan Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
For the Bread:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice*
- 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie mix
- 1 cup brown sugar loosely packed
- 1/3 cup avocado oil or other neutral oil
- 1/3 cup unsweetened plant milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
For the Cream Cheese Maple Glaze (Optional):
- 2 ounces cream cheese softened (I used dairy-free)
- 2 tablespoons grade A maple syrup
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350F and grease or line a 9″x5″ bread pan and set aside.
- Dry Ingredients: In the meantime, add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl. Mix well and set aside.
- Wet Ingredients: In a small bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, sugar, oil, milk, and vinegar until the sugar has dissolved. Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients; mix well until no clumps remain. Pour the batter into the bread pan, smoothing the top off with a spatula.
- Bake: Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown, and a toothpick comes out cleanly or with minimal crumbs. Remove from the oven and carefully transfer to a cooling rack.
- Make the Maple Glaze (Optional): Add the softened cream cheese and maple syrup to a medium bowl and whisk vigorously until mostly smooth. Add in the powdered sugar and whisk again, until a smooth glaze forms. Drizzle on top of the pumpkin bread once it has cooled.
- Serve & Store: Allow to cool completely before slicing. Enjoy immediately, or store any leftovers in a container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also pre-slice and freeze this vegan pumpkin bread for up to 2 months.
Recipe Notes
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: If you do not have this spice blend in your pantry, here is an easy recipe to make your own!
- Baking Soda: The lemon juice and baking soda create gas bubbles once combined / placed in the oven to help the bread rise. It’s important to make sure your baking soda is new/fresh, otherwise this will not happen. Here’s an easy way to test it.
- Gluten-Free: Replace the all-purpose flour with 2 1/4 cups of oat flour; the bread will not rise as much but will still be delicious!
- Oil-Free: Replace the oil with 1/2 cup nut or seed butter; the finished bread will be slightly drier and more dense
- Regular Glaze: If you don’t wish to make the maple glaze you can make a simple glaze by combining 1 cup of powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of plant based milk
I’m happy to report that this turned out beautifully with King Arthur’s GF measure for measure flour. I used a 1:1 ratio subbing for the all purpose flour (so 2 cups). It’s sooo good I ate half the loaf in a day. Don’t forget the maple glaze!!
I’m so happy to hear it worked!!
I used oat flour as a gluten free option and coconut sugar instead of brown sugar, but my “bread” never set. I had it in the oven for over 90 minutes and it was gooey in the middle. Baking soda and powder not expired. Help please!
I haven’t tested this with oat flour so I can’t say for sure, but it sounds like it doesn’t work well for this recipe!
This is perfection!! I made a double batch and divided it into a 12-muffin tin (baking time 25 mins) and a loaf pan (baking time 60 mins). I baked them separately, one after the other (not at the same time in the oven). Thank you, Caitlin <3 I can always count on your recipes.
soooo glad you loved it, V!