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If you don’t want to go to Starbucks but you’re craving their popular pumpkin bread, you have to try my copycat recipe. You can make this loaf easily in one bowl and the result is a super moist texture with a perfect pumpkin taste! I might even say it’s better than the Starbucks version, especially since the ingredients are simpler!
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This pumpkin bread is great when you’re in the mood for something with pumpkin that’s sweet and light. It’s also great if you have a random 1 cup of pumpkin puree leftover because the rest of the ingredients are pretty much staples you’ll always have. I love making this in the fall and taking it to friends’ for gatherings.
Recipe At a Glance
Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Oven
Dietary Info: Vegetarian
Key Flavor: Pumpkin
Skill Level: Easy
Why This Is So Good
- Moist, tender, and perfectly spiced. Pumpkin spice not only adds that warming flavor that all about fall but also brings out pumpkin’s natural sweetness, and the pumpkin keeps the bread moist.
- Fail proof. I created a video of the pumpkin bread on Instagram rushing through the steps and not properly mixing the butter and sugar first. And even though the butter looked lumpy going into the oven, the final result was a gorgeous moist delicious loaf!
- Versatile. This bread is not just for breakfast; it can be a snack, a dessert, or even a treat with afternoon tea.
Ingredients to Make Pumpkin Bread
- Flour: For best results use all-purpose flour. I haven’t made this recipe with a 1:1 gluten-free flour, but I’m pretty sure it will turn out well.
- Pumpkin pie spice: A little pumpkin pie spice adds a warming sweetness to the bread. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, use ¼ teaspoon each of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
- Baking soda and salt: so that the bread rises when it is baked in the oven and isn’t dense.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter for the best results. Allow it to soften before using so that it mixes well with the other ingredients and you have an even texture.
- Sugar: I use granulated sugar and light brown sugar in this recipe for layers of sweetness.
- Eggs: To bind the ingredients together.
- Pumpkin: Use pure canned pumpkin to make this recipe. Don’t use a pumpkin pie filling which has added sugars and spices.
- Vanilla extract: For flavor and sweetness.
- Pumpkin seeds: The pumpkin seeds are sprinkled on top of the bread before being baked. They are optional but add a great texture and look so pretty – like the Starbucks bread!
How to Make Pumpkin Bread
Tips for Baking Pumpkin Bread
- Use a stand mixer to make this recipe. This is the quickest and easiest way to make the pumpkin bread dough. You can make it by hand, but it will take a little longer to make sure that the wet ingredients are fully mixed and easily combined.
- Don’t over mix the batter. When you add in the dry ingredients, mix together until just combined. If you overwork the flour the gluten will overdevelop and the finished loaf will have a heavy and dense texture.
- Use oil or cooking spray to grease the loaf pan. If you use butter it can burn and cause the bread to stick. You can also line it with parchment paper so that it is easy to remove from the pan.
- Let the pumpkin bread cool fully before removing it from the pan. Place the pan on a cooling rack so that the air circulates all around to cool it completely.
Frequently Asked Questions
After allowing the pumpkin bread to cool down completely, it’s best to store it in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. This keeps it fresh and prevents it from drying out. The bread will last for up to 5 days at room temperature and a week in the fridge. If you find yourself wanting to enjoy a warm slice of bread, there are a couple of options you can choose from. Preheat the oven to 350°F, wrap a slice in aluminum foil, and warm it for about 5-10 minutes. Or, you can microwave a slice for about 15-20 seconds.
For sure! After it’s cooled down, slice it into individual servings, wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap, and then place them in a large freezer bag or an airtight container. It will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy a slice, thaw it in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours. You can then warm it up in the oven or microwave using the reheating instructions above.
Yes, you can make muffins using this batter! Divide the batter evenly into a greased or lined muffin tin, and bake at 350°F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
More Quick Breads Recipes:
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread
- Carrot Banana Bread
- Cranberry Orange Bread
- Lemon Zucchini Bread
- One Bowl Banana Bread
- Lemon Blueberry Bread
- Date Bread
If you try this feel good Starbucks Pumpkin Bread recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
Starbucks Pumpkin Bread
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup cane sugar
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, mix butter, cane sugar and light brown sugar until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Add canned pumpkin and vanilla extract and mix to combine.
- Add dry ingredients and mix until no streaks remain. Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds if using.
- Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 50-55 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack before slicing.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
How much is one can of pumpkin? Is it one cup?
The recipe uses 1 cup of canned pumpkin.
Hi, can I use fresh pumpkin? If so, what ratio would it be? Thanks
Absolutely! You can make your own pumpkin puree (here is my recipe for How to Make Pumpkin Puree) and use 1 cup (same as the recipe says). Hope that helps!
Hi!! This looks great!! But my oven is broken, doesn’t always work on 350. What do you suggest?
Hi Nicole, I’m not sure how to make this recipe without a working oven. So sorry!
Will almond flour work same as all purpose flour? What will be ratio for almond flour?
Almond flour will change the texture and make it more dry. If you use almond flour, I recommend using a combination of almond flour and all-purpose flour (maybe 50/50?) to maintain the bread-like consistency. Hope that helps!
This pumpkin bread is sooo good!! It came out so moist. In my opinion it tastes better than Starbucks 🤩
Wow, thank you so much!! So happy you love it, Cristina!
It baked up and looks really nice, but it was fairly dry.
Hi Jenni, I’m sorry to hear that. Is it possible you overmixed the batter? The bread can end up too heavy and dense if you overmix.
HOLY MOLY! This recipe is incredible & uber delicious!!! AND- much cheaper than buying from SBux- THANK YOU!
Yay!! So happy you loved it, Dena!
I have cooked this twice. It has a very strong egg flavor. Also, it’s impossible whisk butter and sugar together. Use the regular mixing attachment.
Hi there, so sorry this didn’t work out well for you. What size egg are you using? Also, the recipe calls to use a stand mixer or hand mixer to cream the butter and sugar together.