Bread Machine Pumpkin Bread is super easy to make and uses simple, delicious ingredients like pumpkin puree, warm spices, flour, sugar and oil. Since it's made in the bread maker all you need to do is add the ingredients to the machine and let it do the work for you! This sweet pumpkin bread is a guaranteed crowd pleaser and a must-have addition to your Fall baking and Thanksgiving dessert table.
Table Of Contents
This pumpkin bread is one of my favorite recipes to make during the Fall. It's incredibly easy and flavorful and can be customized to make a pumpkin walnut bread (or other nut bread) and pumpkin chocolate chip bread. You can also make pumpkin bread in the Instant Pot if you prefer.
It's made using the quick bread cycle and doesn't even require mixing the ingredients in a bowl. The bread machine does it all. The outcome is a scrumptious and sweet pumpkin bread. And you barely have to lift a finger. While I use my Cuisinart Automatic Bread Maker, any bread machine with a cake or quick bread cycle will work with this recipe. It makes a large 2 lb loaf that can be cut into approximately 12 slices.
If you love pumpkin breads and desserts, you can cook a whole pie pumpkin, turn it into puree and use that here! You should also try these delicious desserts: pumpkin cream cheese muffins, chocolate pumpkin bread, and pumpkin spice cheesecake.
Ingredients
To make pumpkin bread you need:
- Oil or butter: you can use unsalted butter or any neutral oil like extra virgin olive oil, vegetable or canola oil. I prefer using extra virgin olive oil in a lot of my baking to keep our delicious treats a little more wholesome.
- Pumpkin puree: canned pumpkin or homemade pumpkin puree both work great, but don't use pumpkin pie mix. I usually buy lots of pie pumpkins, cook them in the Instant Pot and then puree the insides in my blender to use throughout the season.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour rather than bread flour. In sweet, quick breads all-purpose flour creates a more tender, soft loaf. Bread flour is best for sandwich style breads like this white bread or garlic flavored bread.
- Spices: my pumpkin bread is full of warming autumn spices, like nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. You can substitute with a store bought pumpkin pie spice blend.
- Sugar: depending on your preference, use any type of granulated sugar, such as unrefined brown coconut sugar, white sugar, light brown sugar or dark brown sugar. My preference is unrefined coconut sugar, again to keep it refined sugar free.
- Vanilla extract: I also make my vanilla extract at home and use throughout the season. You can add a bit of cinnamon extract to this recipe too.
- Eggs
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Optional mix-ins: such as walnuts, pecans, cranberries, raisins, chocolate chips, etc.
Equipment
You'll need a bread machine for this recipe. For slicing and storing, here are the items I recommend and love using. They will make serving easy and keep your bread fresh for as long as possible.
- Bread knife: this Calphalon bread knife is my favorite.
- Bread box: to keep the bread stored in optimal conditions. I love Laura's Green Kitchen boxes.
- Bread bag: Plastic bread bags are good for everyday or if you want a disposable option. Reusable cloth bags are eco-friendly and great for gifting pumpkin bread during the holidays.
Recipe Variations
Make this basic pumpkin bread even more delicious by adding ½ cup to 1 cup of:
- Cranberries: give it a tangy, fruity taste by adding dried cranberries.
- Walnuts: make pumpkin walnut bread by adding chopped walnuts to the batter and/or the top.
- Pecans: pumpkin pecan bread? Yes, please!
- Chocolate: white, dark, or milk chocolate chips will create an even sweeter bread- and what doesn't taste better with a little chocolate?
If adding to the batter, put them into the bread machine last. If adding to the top of the loaf, wait until the bread has started to bake so they do not sink to the bottom of the batter.
Instructions
- Spray the bread pan with olive oil or grease with butter. Add all ingredients to the pan in the order listed (for Cuisinart bread makers). For other brands, check your manual for the right order to add ingredients.
- Secure the bread pan to the bread machine. Plug it in and set to the "quick bread/cake" cycle. Choose the 2 pound loaf option and crust color preference. Press start. *If your machine does not have a quick bread cycle, check your manual for the comparable setting.
- The machine will begin mixing. This takes about 5 minutes. While it's mixing, scrape flour on the sides into the batter using a spatula. *When done mixing, you should also remove the paddle. Doing so will make the bread easier to remove when it's done. Cuisinart machines will beep when the mixing stage is done as a reminder to do this. If you forget, the paddle can be removed once the bread has cooled.
- When the baking cycle is complete, unplug the bread maker and wait 10 minutes. Then transfer bread to a wire rack to cool for at least 1 hour. Carefully remove the kneading paddle if you haven't done so and cut into approximately 12 slices.
How To Store
Store at room temperature wrapped in plastic wrap, in an airtight container, or bread bag for up to 3 days. It can be stored in the fridge for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. It's easiest to slice the bread before storing or freezing so it can be defrosted or warmed individually.
Recipe Tips
- This recipe was tested using Cuisinart bread machines. Other brands may require you to add the ingredients in an order different than listed here.
- Choose the correct bread machine setting for your brand bread maker. This pumpkin bread is a quick bread and should use the "quick bread" cycle for machines that have it. Some bread makers label this as "quick bread/cake" or just "cake". Check your manual to identify which setting is used to make quick breads.
- While it's mixing, scrape the sides of the pan to incorporate any excess flour into the batter.
- To avoid having to scrape flour off the sides of the bread pan or to prevent any flour clumps from not mixing in thoroughly, you can premix the ingredients. However, this adds an extra step and an extra dirty bowl to clean.
- Don't be tempted to open the lid while it's baking! This can impact whether the bread becomes fully cooked at the end of the cycle. Most bread machines have a window that you can peek through, so use this instead. If you can't see the bread clearly, wait until it's finished.
- When it's done, remove the bread pan from the machine and let it rest for 10 minutes. Keep the bread in the pan during these 10 minutes. Then remove it carefully and let completely cool on a wire rack. Use oven mitts when handling the bread pan, as it will be very hot!
Recipe FAQs
The correct ratio of oil, eggs and pumpkin puree to flour will make a perfectly moist bread. Always use a trusted recipe. If the ratio is off, you'll end up with bread that is either too dry or too soggy.
Pumpkin quick bread can be refrigerated. It will last for about 7 stays in an airtight container.
Recipe
Bread Machine Pumpkin Bread - Quick Bread Recipe
Equipment
- bread machine
- bread knife
- bread storage bags
- wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- ¼ cup oil or butter unsalted butter, olive oil, or other neutral oil
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sugar unrefined coconut sugar, light brown sugar, dark brown sugar or white sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup crushed walnuts optional
Instructions
- Spray the bread pan with olive oil or grease with butter. Add all ingredients to the pan in the order listed (for Cuisinart bread makers). For other brands, check your manual for the right order to add ingredients (see notes).
- Secure the bread pan to the bread machine. Plug it in and set to the "quick bread/cake" cycle. Choose the 2 pound loaf option and crust color preference. Press start. *If your machine does not have a quick bread cycle, check your manual for the comparable setting.
- The machine will begin mixing. This takes about 5 minutes. While it's mixing, scrape flour on the sides into the batter using a spatula. *When done mixing, you should also remove the paddle. Doing so will make the bread easier to remove when it's done. Cuisinart machines will beep when the mixing stage is done as a reminder to do this. If you forget, the paddle can be removed once the bread has cooled.
- When the baking cycle is complete, unplug the bread maker and wait 10 minutes. Then transfer bread to a wire rack to cool for at least 1 hour. Carefully remove the kneading paddle and cut into approximately 12 slices.
Joii
Why did my bread come out so soft and not quite bake almost like a pie.. tasty but not near as a bread texture
Kristina Tipps
It sounds like it needed to bake for longer.
Treasa
My bread machine doesn't have the "quick bread" option. What would you suggest? (Mine is West Bend, older model)
Kristina
Hey there! I took a look at the machine you have, and the settings are intended for yeast breasts and all have a lengthy rise time. This makes them not ideal to use for a quick bread. There are 2 options. 1 is to use the bread machine to mix and knead only and then transfer the dough to a loaf pan and bake it in the oven for about 45-60 minutes. The second is to skip the bread machine altogether and make it by hand (easiest). Making it by hand will take no time at all! You can mix the dry ingredients together, then combine them with the wet ingredients and bake it in a greased loaf pan at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes (adding the walnuts to the top after about 15 minutes).