When fall hits, you know it’s time for all things pumpkin! This 5 ingredient pumpkin bread recipe is a favorite around our house – it’s tender, packed with pumpkin flavor, and easy to make. It’s also vegan-friendly, making it a great option if you follow that type of diet or have family/friends that do.
Does the top look a little uglier than a regular loaf of pumpkin bread? Yes. Is the batter weirdly thick? Also yes. But the flavor is on point and this recipe is SO EASY to make!
Ingredient Notes
Here’s a photo of the ingredients you’ll need, along with ingredient notes:
- Canned Pumpkin – You’ll want plain canned pumpkin puree for this recipe, not canned pumpkin pie filling (the later is pre-sweetened and has spices added, which will mess with the proportions for this recipe). You can also use homemade pumpkin puree if you prefer.
- Vegetable Oil – This neutral oil adds fat and moisture to the quick bread. If you prefer, you can substitute with canola oil or avocado oil.
- Brown sugar – For sweetness, obviously! 🙂
- Self-rising flour – This flour already has a leavening agent and salt added to it, which makes it easy to use for minimal ingredient recipes. If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can substitute 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. (Do not substitute all-purpose flour without adding the baking powder and salt or the recipe will not work).
- Pumpkin pie spice – You’ll use a full tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice to add just the right amount of warm, aromatic spice to this bread.
While that’s five ingredients, I do recommend adding an optional mix in – I love chocolate chips, but you can also mix in something like nuts or dried cranberries.
Instructions
You’ll find the full recipe amounts and instructions in the recipe card below – this recipe is so simple! But here’s a helpful overview with photos and tips.
Start by mixing together the pumpkin, oil, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl.
Then add the self-rising flour and stir until combined. If you’re planning to add chocolate chips (or another mix-in), fold that in now.
Pour that batter into a greased loaf pan. The batter will be very thick but this is normal. Spread it down with the back of a spoon if necessary.
Bake it at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes. It’s done when a toothpick pulls clean from the center of the loaf.
Let that cool in the pan fully, then slice and enjoy!
Recipe FAQ
Here are some common questions that may come up as you’re preparing this recipe:
If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can substitute it with a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves or allspice. For 1 ½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice, use 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon cloves or allspice.
Store the loaf in an airtight container or resealable zip top bag for up to 2-3 days at room temperature. If you plan to store it longer than that, freeze it for up to 3 months (for best quality).
Yes. You can freeze pumpkin bread as an entire loaf and allow it to thaw at room temperature the day you’re planning to serve it. You can also freeze in individual slices. Pop one slice in the microwave to defrost it whenever you’re craving a piece.
Pumpkin bread tastes amazing with a healthy drizzle of peanut butter. Or, try some dairy-free butter on top!
Allergens in this Recipe
Disclaimer: Always double check ingredients and labels yourself prior to making a recipe. While I try to check all ingredients for allergens, there’s always the chance I may miss something, or manufacturer formulations can change.
As written, this dairy free pumpkin bread recipe is dairy free, egg free, and nut free (unless you’re topping it with peanut butter, a la my photo above!).
This recipe does contain wheat/gluten in the flour. I do not recommend using a gluten-free substitute in this particular recipe; instead I would find a recipe specifically designed for a gluten-free blend. (Both eggs and gluten typically provide structure in a recipe, and with this recipe already egg-free, I have a feeling a gluten-free flour blend would cause the loaf to crumble when cut).
This recipe also contains soy in the vegetable oil, though this is highly refined soybean oil and thus not required for allergen labeling. However, I know some families with soy allergies still stay away from this, so that’s why I’m mentioning it here. This can be easily eliminated by using a different oil, like avocado oil.
More Pumpkin Desserts
If you’re looking for more pumpkin recipes, be sure to give one of these a try:
- Dairy free pumpkin pie
- 3 Ingredient pumpkin muffins
- Fudgy rich pumpkin brownies
- Old fashioned pumpkin donuts
- Pumpkin fluff pie
I hope you enjoy this 5 ingredient pumpkin bread as much as my family does. We just packed this for a recent plane ride and my kiddo was so excited to have this to snack on while onboard the plane! If you get a chance to try it, feel free to leave a recipe rating or comment below.
5 Ingredient Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 cups self-rising flour
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk until well combined.
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Add the self-rising flour and stir until combined. (The batter will be very thick; this is normal).
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Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan. Smooth out the top with the back of a spoon. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes, until cooked through and a toothpick pulls out clean from the center.
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Let cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Slice and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
- If desired, add ¾ cup of dairy-free chocolate chips or chopped nuts to the recipe. It tastes delicious.
Nutrition analysis (without chocolate chips): 285 calories, 11.5 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 310 mg sodium, 44 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 23 g sugar, 3 g protein, Vitamin D: 0%, Calcium: 9%, Iron: 11%, Potassium: 3%
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