Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Bread
Updated Sep 18, 2026
Copycat Starbucks pumpkin bread made with real pumpkin and warm spice, topped with pumpkin seeds. An easy loaf that tastes like the cafe slice for less.
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I can go into Starbucks fully planning to just get coffee, and then I see the pumpkin bread sitting by the register, and that plan is pretty much over. So I finally made a copycat Starbucks pumpkin bread at home, pumpkin seeds on top and all. Making it myself means I can cut the slices as thick as I want, which is usually thicker than what I’m getting at Starbucks anyway. I’ll have a slice with coffee in the morning, and if there’s any pumpkin bread left after a couple of days, I like to slice and freeze the rest so I can pull one out whenever I want it.
Recipe testing notes
For the past 10 years, I’ve tested every recipe multiple times before sharing it! These notes give you a peek into my process of developing and testing.
I tried lightening this pumpkin bread up a few different ways, but every time I cut back too much on the pumpkin, butter, or sugar, it got drier than I wanted. A full cup of pumpkin ended up being the sweet spot for getting closer to that soft Starbucks-style pumpkin loaf, so I stopped trying to mess with it.
Once the flour goes in, I mix just until everything comes together. If I keep going, the bread gets heavier and denser, so this is one of those times when less mixing is better.
I also start checking the top before the loaf is fully baked because it can get pretty dark while the middle is still catching up. If that happens, I loosely cover it with foil and let it finish. And as tempting as it is, don’t slice it right away. I’ve done that, and it basically falls apart. Let it cool first, and you’ll get much cleaner slices.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
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Starbucks Pumpkin Bread Ingredients
- Pumpkin: I use pumpkin puree for this recipe, not pumpkin pie filling, which has added sugars and spices. You need 1 cup, so measure it out rather than adding the whole can.
- Dry ingredients: All-purpose flour, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- Wet ingredients: Unsalted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Let the butter soften at room temperature so it creams easily with the granulated and light brown sugars. It should give slightly when pressed but shouldn’t look melted or greasy. Room-temperature eggs will blend into the butter mixture more easily, too.
- Pepitas: For a true copycat Starbucks pumpkin bread, I use pepitas, which are green pumpkin seeds that don’t require shelling. You should be able to find them at most grocery stores.
How to Make Starbucks Pumpkin Bread
These step-by-step photos walk you through how to make copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Bread. For the full ingredient list and detailed instructions, head to the recipe card below, or skip straight to the → Starbucks Pumpkin Bread recipe below
1. Cream butter & sugars
Beat the softened butter with both sugars for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. A stand mixer or a handheld mixer works here.
2. Beat in the eggs
Add one egg at a time, letting each one blend in before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything mixes evenly.
3. Mix in the pumpkin
The mixture will turn orange and loosen up as you beat in the pumpkin purée and vanilla. Keep mixing until they’re evenly incorporated.
4. Add the dry ingredients
With the mixer on low, gradually work in the flour mixture. Stop as soon as the flour streaks disappear, scraping the bottom of the bowl to check for any dry pockets.
5.Fill the loaf pan
Transfer the batter to the greased pan and use a spatula to spread it evenly into the corners.
6. Top with pepitas and bake
Sprinkle the seeds on top of the pumpkin loaf, if using. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, then let the loaf cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Full Starbucks Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Starbucks Pumpkin Bread Recipe
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 granulated sugar
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 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 the butter, cane sugar, and light brown sugar until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Add the canned pumpkin and vanilla extract and mix to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until no streaks of flour remain. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds, if using.
- Bake 50–55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the bread cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Chocolate chips: Fold ½ cup into the finished batter before transferring it to the pan. My kids love this variation!
- Nuts: Fold ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans into the finished batter. You can leave off the pepitas if you don’t want both.
- Cream cheese: Pour half of the batter into the loaf pan, then spread a thin layer of cream cheese (about 4 ounces) in the middle of the batter. Cover with the remaining batter and bake.
Recipe Tips
- Grease the loaf pan with oil or cooking spray. If you use butter, it can burn and cause the bread to stick. You can also line it with parchment paper so the pumpkin spice bread is easy to remove.
- Don’t overmix the batter. For moist pumpkin bread, when you add in the dry ingredients, mix them with the wet ingredients until just combined. If you overwork the flour, the gluten will overdevelop, and the finished loaf will be dense.
- Cover the top if it browns too quickly. Loosely tent the pan with foil if the surface is getting dark while the middle still needs to bake.
- Wait before slicing. The pumpkin bread needs time to set as it cools. Cutting into it while it’s hot can leave you with slices that crumble or look gummy.
Troubleshooting
An underbaked center can sink as the bread cools. Check the middle of the loaf with a toothpick rather than judging by the browned top. Measuring the pumpkin and baking soda carefully also helps avoid a loaf that rises and then collapses.
Too much flour or too much time in the oven can dry it out. Spoon and level the flour instead of scooping it directly from the bag, and begin checking for doneness at the start of the baking-time range.
Comments
This recipe is spot on! I love how dense the Starbucks pumpkin bread is & this recipe doesn’t disappoint. I think it’s even more moist than Starbucks.
So happy this has the texture you love in the Starbucks version! I’m glad to hear it was spot on for you. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review, Justine!
Loved this recipe. Did not use the pepita on top. (Wasn’t sure if our company would like those) Appreciated that, like the pumpkin oatmeal cookies, it was not “too sweet”. Also appreciated the option of printing it with the metric units for weighing the ingredients. (This may be a newer option based on some of the older reviews). Your recipes never disappoint!
So happy the sweetness was just right for you in both recipes! Glad the metric option made measuring easier, too. It means so much to hear you’ve been enjoying my recipes. Thanks for sharing, Gail!
A question, what size loaf pan was used for this recipe? Thank you for your help! Looking forward to trying this recipe. It looks wonderful!
Hi! I use a 1 pound loaf pan. This is my favorite!
Would a regular baking dish work? Like a glass Pyrex square or rectangular one? Just didn’t want to have to go buy a loaf pan if I could use what I already have on hand. Thanks!
Hmm, it can probably work but I haven’t tried it myself so I’m not sure how you might need to adjust the bake time. Please let me know how it turns out if you end up trying it!
Are the pepitas unsalted or salted dry roasted or raw? Thank you
I use raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds.
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.
This recipe is great. Really moist and delicious. I have seen a lot of other Starbucks pumpkin bread recipes that use oil. I prefer this one that uses butter in place of the oil. I think making your pumpkin puree from scratch is best too and prefer the kabocha pumpkins to do this (personal taste). I try to find small ones because they have the best sweet flavor.
Thank you so much!!
Did it and loved it ! Everything is …so good ! The spice, the texture… I added chopped pecans on tops of it. Thank you Yumna !
You’re so welcome! So happy to hear that you liked it!
This is my new “go to” pumpkin bread recipe. I made a double batch and used half coconut sugar and half regular cane sugar. The spices in this bread and spot on, and the texture is as well. I added chocolate chips to one loaf and chopped pecans to the other.
It was a huge hit with the family.
Thanks for the recipe!
Oo I love that idea!! Thank you for making the recipe!
What temp and how long if using a glass loaf pan or disposal aluminum loaf pan?
Thank you!
For the disposable pan, I would follow the cooking directions as written. For glass, I would bake it at the same temperature but you could start checking for doneness around 45 minutes.
Hello! What will happen if you use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin? Because that’s all that I have, and I don’t want to waste it if it wont work.
Pumpkin Pie filling contains sweeteners and additives that may impact the final texture of this bread. The recipe was developed and tested with pumpkin puree, which is simply pumpkin so that is what I recommend using.
Brought this to a Halloween party and it was the first item to be finished. Will definitely make it again.
So glad to hear this! Really happy you enjoyed it!
Can you substitute butter for oil? thanks
I want to make this recipe however, I’m wondering, will white sugar make a difference? Thanks for anyones help.
That should be just fine to add all white sugar. I like to use a mix as the brown sugar adds a nice depth of flavor, but using all white sugar should not really impact the texture too much.
Made this tasty cake for Thanksgiving. Everyone loved it especially the 2 year olds. It’s going to be my go to recipe next year.
So happy to hear that this made it on your Thanksgiving table and that even the kids loved it! Thank you for letting me know.
Delicious! I used freshly baked pumpkin, mashed with fork and added a bit of almond milk. I believe this gave the bread a nice texture. Great recipe, thank you!
You’re so welcome!
Hey! How much maple syrup can I use if I don’t want to use any sugar
The sugar will really help to bind it better than the maple syrup. Unfortunately I haven’t tested it without sugar so it’s hard to tell if it’s a 1:1 swap or if it will hold well together.
I’m bookmarking this website. Finally … a site where I don’t have to scroll down 75 pages to get to the actual recipe! Well done! I will be back! Thank you very much.
Looking forward to hearing what you think of my recipes, George!
Hi! Can we use coconut sugar instead of the cane and light brown sugar?
Yes, coconut sugar should work well!
so I made it with the coconut sugar and it turned out absolutely incredible!! Literally amazing, it was so moist and fluffy, everybody loved it and it was gone in less than 24 hours!!! Thank you! I will be making this again for sure.
Woohoo! So happy to heat that!
Would it be possible to add chocolate chips and walnuts to this recipe? Or is that not recommended?
You can add them in!
It’s great 👍
Thank you, Todd!
I like a simple and quick recipe, but need to ask a small favour. As an international reader, I’d be very happy with measurements by weight, rather than by volume. Thanks in advance!
Thank you for the feedback! I am constantly trying to better my website, so I’ll take that into consideration.
I agree, I’m American but prefer international weights as they are much more accurate and easier to follow! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
This is a basic recipe for a quick bread, with pumpkin puree. It’s not a copycat for the Starbucks loaf. For that, you need vegetable oil instead of butter, a lot more spice (including freshly grated nutmeg), a lot more sugar, and dough conditioners/emulsifiers which are necessary to maintain that moist texture. All of this can be reverse-engineered by looking at the publicly available nutritional facts and ingredients.
I say it’s a copycat because of the flavor rather than the ingredients 🙂
Delicious and easy to make…My kids love it ..It takes just like starbucks.
I love that! Yay!!
Nice recipe
Thank you!
This pumpkin bread is so delicious! It comes together very quick, it’s not too sweet or too spicy, and the pumpkin seeds on top add the perfect amount of crunch. Thanks Yumna for developing the perfect copy-cat recipe!
Thank you! I love that so much! You’re so welcome!
This is 100% just like Starbucks’ pumpkin bread. SO good 🙂
I followed the recipe exactly but didn’t have pumpkin seeds on hand. Delicious!!
That’s great to hear! Yay!!
Hi, I am wondering if I could use fresh pumpkin Since it sort of hard to get can pumpkin wherr I live..If so do I just boil of steam the pumkin and mashed them into puree..
If you use fresh pumpkin, make sure to squeeze out as much water from it as possible!