Soft, spiced, and golden – this pumpkin bread is topped with the most wonderful streusel and smells like the first sweater day of fall 🍂
There’s something about pumpkin bread that feels like a seasonal reset button 🎃
Every October, I find myself reaching for the same things: my faux candles (don’t judge, it’s cozy minus the danger of a kid or a pet ignoring an open flame), my softest sweatshirt, and this bread – a cozy, golden loaf that makes the kitchen smell like I actually have my life together. (Spoiler: I don’t. But this helps.)
Whenever I bake this pumpkin bread, my whole house smells like a Yankee candle but in a good way. I can attest to this 100% because right now, I’m sitting in my house with pumpkin bread cooling on the counter.
The bread 🧡
This pumpkin bread is soft, cozy and not too sweet – the streusel does the heavy lifting there. It bakes into two loaves, which I fully believe should be a life rule: if you’re already dirtying bowls and measuring flour, make two.
I first shared this recipe here in 2017, and I’ve been baking it ever since. It really is that good!
Warm from the oven and sprinkled with streusel, this pumpkin bread feels like a hug in loaf form. 🧡
Printable recipe
Pecan Streusel Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
For the streusel
- ⅔ cup flour
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup chopped pecans (OR walnuts, OR skip)
- ¼ cup cold butter (diced)
For the pumpkin bread
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 (15-oz) can pure pumpkin purée
- ½ cup melted butter (OR oil)
Instructions
- Prep:Preheat the oven to 350°F. Get your ingredients ready.If you don't have brown sugar for the streusel, granulated is fine! And if you don't have pumpkin spice, you can use all cinnamon and it will still be wonderful.
- Make the streusel:In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts. Add the cold butter and crumble it in with your fingertips (or a fork, if you’re feeling fancy) until it looks like damp sand with little clumps – no dry flour left.Pop it in the fridge while you make the batter; chilled streusel holds its shape better and gives that perfect bakery-style crunch.
- Prep your pans:Grease and line two 8×4-inch loaf pans (or 9×5-inch – either works, but the smaller one is my favorite; the larger pans make a flatter loaf).💡 Note: This recipe makes two loaves. If you bake it in one pan, the center will stay gooey forever. If you only have one pan, just halve the recipe.Yes, my photo shows the same pan twice, but I figured I better make it visually crystal clear before I ruin your ✨fall baking moment✨🙈
- Combine the dry ingredients:In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.Pause for a second – doesn’t that smell good already?
- Mix the wet ingredients:In a big measuring jug or another bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, pumpkin purée, and melted butter or oil.If you’re using melted butter, make sure it’s cooled a little first so it doesn’t scramble your eggs – learned that one the hard way.
- Make the batter:Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently fold them together with a spatula or a wooden spoon. Stop as soon as there’s no dry flour visible – a few lumps are fine. Overmixing is what turns soft bread into a chewy brick.
- Assemble and bake:Divide the batter evenly between your two pans. Sprinkle the chilled streusel on top – all the way to the corners.Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean and the tops look golden and crisp. Your kitchen will smell like fall’s greatest hits – cinnamon, pumpkin, and a little triumph.
- Cool: Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing the breads onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
🕯 Tips I follow personally when I make pumpkin bread:
Look, I’m hardly the pumpkin bread oracle, but I have been baking this exact recipe since 2017, so I guess I can say a few helpful things about it:
- Butter vs. oil: I’ve tried both. Butter gives it that bakery aroma; oil keeps it softer for longer. Choose your own adventure.
- Pumpkin: Homemade purée is dreamy, but let’s be honest – I have a bunch of kids with school assignments and a house that doesn’t clean itself, and half the time the pumpkin is still in decorative form on the porch. Canned works just fine. But when I have an extra 20 minutes to spare (ha!), nothing beats fully homemade.
- Pumpkin spice: If you think you can eyeball the spices, trust me, you can’t (ask me how I know – the wrong ratio with these kinds of spices makes baked goods nearly inedible). Use a mix, plain ground cinnamon – or my homemade one if you want to live deliciously but without the taste of an overdose of cloves in your mouth for the next ten years.
- Two pans, always: Yes, this makes two loaves. If you try to squeeze it into one, you’ll end up with a gooey center that could double as wall insulation.
If I happen to have leftovers to store, this is how I do it.
If your family doesn’t devour it in 24 hours (which is harder considering it’s two loaves, but I would be lying if I said it never happens), wrap the loaves snugly in plastic or a clean tea towel, or tuck them in a tin. They stay just fine on the counter for 2 days.
If I’m pretending to be the kind of person who “meal preps baked goods,” I wrap one loaf for the freezer.
Cozy ways to enjoy it
- With coffee: preferably in silence, if such a thing exists in your home.
- As a gift: wrapped in parchment and tied with string, because nothing says “I’m fine” like homemade baked goods.
- As dessert: warmed slightly, with whipped cream, because rules are for people who don’t bake pumpkin bread on a Wednesday.
This bread has become my fall ritual — the one thing that bridges chaos and calm. I bake it, the kids ask if it’s cake (technically yes), and for at least an hour, the house smells like cinnamon and comfort.
And if you sneak the crunchy streusel crumbs straight off the top while nobody’s looking… well, I won’t tell.
Made with care, from my kitchen to yours 🎃
More pumpkin recipes
I first shared this recipe in 2017. I updated it several times with new photos and more helpful text, the last time in October 2025. The recipe has always remained the same.
lisa says
What would you suggest for cook time if I want to make small individual loaves for gifts?
Nora says
Depends on the size of your mini loaves, Lisa! If they are a little larger than muffin-sized, I would start checking at 15-18 minutes and estimate that they will take about 25 minutes in total. Hope this helps!
Brittany says
This recipe never fails! Been making it for a few years now and it’s my go-to pumpkin bread recipe. I love that it makes two loaves, and they freeze exceptionally well! Just cool the loaf and slice and wrap each slice in plastic wrap and pop them in a freezer bag. When I want a slice I unwrap a frozen slice and microwave for 30 seconds to get the perfect piece!
MAXINE BICKERSTAFF says
This is fabulous. Everyone raved about it and it’s going into my regular fall rotation.
MAXINE says
This is delicious. Easy, and uses a whole can of pumpkin. This will be my go-to fall recipe. Everyone loved it!
LIz says
Soooo good, really good taste and just right for moistness. We are loving this bread
Jen says
Have made this multiple times every season for years now! Easy and always loved by all!
Peggy says
Delicious!! I’ve made this several times now, and it’s been wonderful each time!
Peggy says
So yummy!!!
Lisa says
Can I use fresh cooked pumpkin instead of the can?
Nora says
Lisa, as long as the consistency matches canned pumpkin (thick, not wet or sloppy) it is fine. I can’t vouch for results though, as home cooked pumpkin puree is just so irregular in consistency.
Cathy says
Perfect recipe. Delicious, very moist and great topping. Would love more loaf bread recipes that are as highly rated.
Janelle says
I decided to make this recipe for a friend’s birthday and was glad the recipe makes two loaves so that I could try one myself. We both enjoyed the bread!! The recipe is now in my stash of “recipes to keep” and my friend also asked for the recipe. Thank you for sharing, Nora!!
Catherine says
Amazing and moist pumpkin bread. The best I have ever had. The only thing I did different was double the spices which I do in all recipes I make. Just as moist the second day. Fabulous. Thank you!
Joy Guliani says
How many mini loaf pans should i use for one recipe (compared to two larger pans)? Six?
Nora says
Joy, it REALLY depends on the size of your mini loaf pans. If they are 2 cup capacity mini loaf pans, you would probably need closer to 8. Hope this helps!
Genia says
Turned out so perfect! My whole family loved it. I did have to use a butter substitute for the streusel because of a dairy allergy but it worked great. I made the full recipe in a 9×13 pan instead of two bread pans. It was perfectly done in 40 minutes. I have a bad habit of burning the bottoms of quick breads so I always cook them in a 9×13 now and I no longer have that problem.
Nora says
I’m so glad you liked it, Genia! Thanks for sharing how you baked it, I’m sure others will appreciate it.
Elizabeth says
Delicious pumpkin bread! Thank you Nora!
Nora says
Always glad to be of help, Elizabeth!
Tiffany says
Absolutely loved this! I left out the pecans because I’m allergic to them but it was so good without them. I will try with the 8×4 pans because you were right the 9×5 does make a very flat loaf.
Nora says
I’m so glad, Tiffany! And yes, the 8×4 pans are definitely my favorites for this recipe 🙂