Soft, spiced, and golden – this pumpkin bread is topped with the most wonderful streusel and smells like the first sweater day of fall đ
Thereâs something about pumpkin bread that feels like a seasonal reset button đ
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 donât. 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 đ§Ą
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 youâre 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. đ§Ą
Printable recipe
Pecan Streusel Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
For the streusel
- â cup flour
- Âź cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Âź cup chopped pecans (OR walnuts, OR skip)
- Âź cup cold butter (diced)
For the pumpkin bread
- 2 Âź 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 purĂŠe
- 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 youâre 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 8Ă4-inch loaf pans (or 9Ă5-inch – either works, but the smaller one is my favorite; the larger pans make a flatter loaf).đĄÂ 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 â¨fall baking momentâ¨đ
- 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 – doesnât that smell good already?
- Mix the wet ingredients:In a big measuring jug or another bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, pumpkin purĂŠe, and melted butter or oil.If youâre using melted butter, make sure itâs cooled a little first so it doesnât 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 thereâs 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 40â45 minutes, or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean and the tops look golden and crisp. Your kitchen will smell like fallâs 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
đŻ 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: Iâve tried both. Butter gives it that bakery aroma; oil keeps it softer for longer. Choose your own adventure.
- Pumpkin: Homemade purĂŠe is dreamy, but letâs 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 canât (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, youâll 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 doesnât 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 Iâm pretending to be the kind of person who âmeal preps baked goods,â 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 âIâm fineâ like homemade baked goods.
- As dessert: warmed slightly, with whipped cream, because rules are for people who donât bake pumpkin bread on a Wednesday.
This bread has become my fall ritual â the one thing that bridges chaos and calm. I bake it, the kids ask if itâs 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 nobodyâs looking⌠well, I wonât tell.
Made with care, from my kitchen to yours đ
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.
Joyce says
Wonderful recipe, thank you! I made one large and 8 mini loaves to give away. I baked the mini loaves for 20 minutes and they came out perfect.
Cheryl vaughn says
Got a thumbs up from my husband. Delicious.
Nora Rusev says
That’s lovely to hear, Cheryl! Thank you so much for sharing, made my day ?
Alisha says
How long would I bake this recipe for if I cooked it in 3×5 mini loaf tins?
Nora Rusev says
Alisha, I would expect them to take about 25 minutes, maybe a little longer. Make sure to check them after 25 minutes and then keep a close eye on them!
Claire says
I did the two pans 8×4 size. I’ve had to put them back in for 10 more mins twice now. It’s still completely liquid inside. I’m runngin out of time in my evening, can I take them out and finish baking later?
Nora Rusev says
Claire, I feel like there must have gone something wrong. I just checked a bunch of different pumpkin bread recipes and the flour to liquid ratio in this recipe is definitely right – this is a pretty universal recipe, and they are all about the same.
Did you read the baking tips? It says the 8×4 pans need about 10 minutes longer in the oven, so that is one factor. May I ask what kind of pans you used? I have a few different ones, and I’m serious when I say that one needs 10-15 minutes longer to bake than most others. Or did you maybe mix up the amount of flour from the streusel and the bread, and accidentally added the wrong amount of flour? (Not accusing you, just genuinely trying to figure this out – I have definitely added the wrong amount of flour to recipes before!)
Many people have very successfully made this and it’s one of my all-time favorite recipes here on my blog, so I’m very very sorry it didn’t work out for you đ
Stephanie says
do you add the steusal topping prior to baking or after?
Sandy says
Just made these.
I reduced the sugar to only 1 cup, also added a little bit of hemp hearts to the batter and pumpkin spice to the streusal itself and have to say these turned out absolutely delicious.
Jane says
can I leave the nuts out?
Nora Rusev says
Absolutely Jane!
Stephanie says
for the crumble on top – do you use salted or unsalted butter?
Nora Rusev says
I use unsalted, Stephanie! Hope that helps!
Amanda says
This was delicious and easily the best pumpkin bread yet!! I made it for my husbands job site (a bunch of construction workers) and it was DEVOURED IN SECONDS!
Kristin says
If I made this as muffins how many do you think it would yield and how long would the baking time be?
Thanks!
Nora says
Kristin, the entire recipe would make about 24 muffins, but you could easily cut it in half for 12! Baking time would be around 20 minutes, hope that helps!
Kristin says
Thank you! Trying it tonight.
Christiana says
Delicious! I halfed it (only have one tin) and swapped out the pumpkin spice for a mix of allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom. I also added in a bit of extra salt to get more contrast against the sweetness. I’ll definitely make this recipe again!
Nora says
Iâm so happy to hear the pumpkin bread turned out well for you, Christiana! Thanks for coming back to leave a review, I appreciate it.
Jean Pelletier says
This was a waste of ingredients, well over an hour and still gooey in middle its not my oven everything else bakes fine I definitely would NOT recommend
Nora says
Jean, did you maybe use one loaf tin instead of the two this recipe calls for? Thatâs how your pumpkin bread will turn into pudding. I make this all the time (just made 4 loaves last week) and they always turn out fluffy and cook in 45-50 minutes. If you only have one loaf pan this recipe is fine to halve. You can tap or click the servings in the recipe card and change it so the recipe adjusts automatically. Sorry you didnât have a better experience.
Emily Warren says
I made the mistake of baking it in one loaf pan last weekend, and it was total pudding! Tasted good but the texture and bake time
Was way off. Oops thats what I get for not reading properly!!!!! Tried again today and baked correctly in two pans and SO GLAD I did! Turns out perfect fluffy and moist, mine cooked in 49mins. Thanks for a great recipe (if made right, whoops)
Nora says
Glad you figured this out, Emily! And I’m so glad the bread turned out well in the end – it’s a favorite around here!
Gaye Fisher says
They are in the oven..I first made my own puree (for the first time) then I found your recipe. The batter tastes amazing – They have 20 minutes left and it’s 9:15 at night . I can’t wait – now to finish the dishes!!
Nora says
So glad to hear this, Gaye! I hope they came out delicious.
Lori says
Wow! SoOoo yummy! The streusel topping takes this pumpkin bread to another level for sure!
I didnât have pumpkin pie spice in my pantry so used a Tbsp of Poudre Douce instead and it was very tasty! The color and texture were wonderful! Thanks for sharing this recipe, Iâm throwing out all of the other pumpkin bread recipes!
Nora says
So glad to read this, Lori! Thanks for coming back to leave a review, I appreciate your time.
Martha in KS says
I selected this recipe because I was looking for one with a high pumpkin to flour ratio. Changes – instead of nuts used old fashioned oats in streusel. In bread used 1/4 c. butter & 1/4 c. canola oil. It was so moist & delicious!
Nora says
I’m so happy to hear your breads turned out well, Martha! I just made a batch too today, but next time I’m going to try your idea of using oats in the streusel. Thank you for sharing!
Anne says
Perfect! And love the fact it uses a whole can of pumpkin to make two loaves – I gave one to our elderly neighbor and she was so happy! Thanks for the recipe!
Nora says
Yes, same here! So often I forget about leftover pumpkin. And I bet your neighbor loved the fact that you thought of her -. how wonderful.
Peg says
Batter was thick and I was super sceptic but for no reason, just like my granny used to make!!!!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Peg! And yes, the batter is super thick from the pumpkin, but it bakes up beautifully đ
Barbara says
Found this on pinterest last weekend and already making for the THIRD time! My three boys and husband are crazy about this bread and now think I’m actually a good baker đ I found it really is SUPER important not to overmix, or it turns out dense. But it’s always delicious
Nora says
Haha Barbara, that’s a lot of pumpkin bread, but my house is the same đ glad you like it so much, and thank you for your review – I appreciate your time.
Mary says
This was delish, thanks
Nora says
I’m so glad you liked the bread, Mary! Thanks for your review, I appreciate your time.
Erica says
Hello. Can the pumpkin can be substituted for fresh pumpkin purĂŠe? And how much would it be put in?
Nora says
Hi Erica, yes you can, as long as you make sure it’s not watery. I usually make my own pumpkin purĂŠe (not this year because I have a 4 month old đ ) and this bread works great with either fresh or canned.
I oven-roast my pumpkin, I don’t boil it to avoid extra water. And I blot it dry after blending/strain it in a colander lined with a kitchen towel for a while to get all the excess water out. Then I use the same amount as directed in the recipe.
Hope that helps!
Linda T says
Very tasty and easy to make. I had all the ingredients in my pantry. Going to put this into my quick bread rotation.
Nora says
Iâm glad you enjoyed the pumpkin bread, Linda! Itâs one of our favorites for fall. Thanks for coming back to leave a review – I appreciate it!
Sheila Bradford says
I woke this morning thinking of getting into the kitchen to do some baking. I always freeze my bananas, for my banana bread, but kept thinking about a really good pumpkin bread. So, I fixed my self a cup of joe, and hit the Printrest site in hopes of finding one. I came across your recipe,and it sounds like a winner. I use to work at a school, and I would SPOIL all of the staff with my baked goods. Although, I don’t work there anylonger I still surprise them with some baked goods from time to time. I will let you know how things turn out. Can’t wait to get baking…
Kristen says
Do you know how the baking time would change if I baked in two 8.5 x 4.5 inch pans instead?
Nora says
Hi Kristen, my smaller pan bakes a little slower because the bread is higher. Maybe 3-5 minutes extra? It depends a lot on your exact pan and oven though, so I would start checking the bread about 5-10 minutes before the baking time is up, to avoid overbaking!
Cindy says
Hi.just curious.
Why does it say 1.5 c of white sugar instead of 11/2? Everything else is listed in fractions. Just want to make sure I’m not messing up.
Thanks
Nora says
Hi Cindy, no reason other than I thought the fraction looked confusing for the 1.5 cup. But I agree with you – this ways looks even more confusing, ha! I changed it too fractions. It’s definitely 1 1/2 cups – thanks for letting me know.
Jody D. says
Made this today and Wow! My friends are all talking about it. I appreciated and followed your tips. This will be a family favorite!
Nora says
I’m so happy to read this, Jody! I’m glad you and your friends liked the pumpkin bread. Thanks for coming back to tell me about it – made my day!
Liz says
You know me!!! I am so stoked to make this!!!!!! I will definitely be trying!
Nora says
Yay! I hope you’ll love it as much as we do, Liz!! Or maybe not, because then you’ll eat two loaves within a day, haha!