Vegan Pumpkin Bread, Moist and Tender
- By Amy Dong
- Published Oct. 5, 2023
- Updated Nov. 8, 2023
This Pumpkin Bread Recipe is extra moist and tender, thanks to a secret ingredient nobody will guess. It’s the best pumpkin bread you’d ever want. Bonus: you only need to wash one bowl.
In This Article
Video: Watch Us Make This Recipe
Super Moist Pumpkin Bread
Every fall, we inhale approximately a dozen loaves of pumpkin bread. And then I bake roughly a dozen more to give away. Pumpkin bread is a fall treat that even those who haven’t jumped on Team Pumpkin won’t refuse.
Our velvety rich Best New York Style Pumpkin Cheesecake and savory Pumpkin Chili are all time favorites for dinner and dessert. Now this moist pumpkin bread is an instant people pleaser for breakfast. Pumpkin all day long and we’re 100% on board.
After all, our best pumpkin bread boasts plenty of warming fall spices, is perfectly balanced in sweetness, and teams up with a secret ingredient that gives it an incredible moistness that can’t be beat.
Why This Recipe Stands Out
- There is zero dairy needed in this recipe – no butter, no milk, and no cream of any kind.
- No eggs are required in this vegan pumpkin bread.
- Despite the above 2 facts, this vegan pumpkin bread is supremely moist.
- Your family and friends will devour this pumpkin bread, whether they’re vegan eaters or not.
- You can easily freeze this bread for later.
- You can switch up the add-ins however you like.
Key Ingredients
Your favorite pumpkin bread ingredients are wrapped inside this perfect loaf. Plus an ingredient you wouldn’t expect.
- For a tender crumb, we use all-purpose flour and baking soda.
- A mixture of dark brown sugar and granulated sugar creates the perfect balance of golden sweetness.
- Our recipe uses plenty of pure pumpkin puree. You get big pumpkin flavor and supreme moistness from 2 full cups.
- Olive oil is our choice for this pumpkin bread, as you can’t taste it and it lends great moisture to the bread.
- A double dose of cinnamon and warm fall spices give this pumpkin bread its amazing flavors.
- We love a healthy sprinkling of semi-sweet mini chocolate morsels; be sure to use the mini sized chips, as they melt deliciously into the bread.
- Secret ingredient? Coconut milk — not the trendy beverage kind. Be sure you use Thai style canned coconut milk.
About The coconut milk
It’s all about the old school canned coconut milk that’s traditionally used in Thai cooking. It’s now commonly found in Asian food aisles of major grocery stores. Be sure to use the right kind.
Go for whole coconut milk with all its creamy goodness. It provides depth and superior moistness in every bite, and it won’t end up tasting like coconut bread. Rather, your pumpkin bread will taste like the best pumpkin bread ever.
Tip: be sure to give your can of coconut milk a good shake before using, as there’s usually water/cream separation in the can.
Substitutions and Variations
- Flour: Substitute half of the all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour. We use white whole wheat flour exclusively in this super moist Honey Pear Cake. It retains whole grain goodness with a lighter texture than regular whole wheat flour.
- Oil: Use melted coconut oil instead of olive oil if you’re all in with the coconut theme. Or, substitute half the oil with unsweetened applesauce.
- Add-ins: Chop your own dark chocolate into tiny pieces or use any variety of dried fruit or nuts in lieu of the semi-sweet morsels.
Step-BY-Step-Instructions
- In a large bowl, pumpkin, oil, coconut milk, and all dry ingredients. Add baking soda and flour; Use rubber spatula to gently stir and fold until no more flour streaks remain. Don’t over mix. Stir in mini chocolate chips, if using.
- Fill prepared loaf pans evenly with batter. Bake 55-65 minutes or just until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few tender crumbs attached. If tops are browning before center is done, loosely cover top with foil.
- Let loaves rest at room temp, covered tightly with foil to keep moisture locked in. After 10-15 minutes, remove foil and let cool completely. Loosen sides carefully with thin knife and turn over to remove loaves.
What to Serve with Pumpkin Bread
- Fresh Fruit Salsa – we love all kinds of fruit to pair with pumpkin bread, Banana Bread, and Pear Bread!
- Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Chips – add cinnamon chips to go along with the fresh fruit salsa above, for some crunch in the mix!
- Homemade Bagels – serve up your quick bread with a delicious bagel bar.
- Cinnamon Sugar Candied Pecans – these crunchy candied nuts are amazing with any quick bread.
- Fluffy Coconut Pancakes (Dairy-free) – make these deliciously fluffy pancakes to serve at your breakfast spread.
- 1-Ingredient Coconut Whipped Cream (Dairy-Free) – if you’re so inclined, serve up this vegan whipped cream to dollop over your pumpkin bread.
Commonly Asked Questions
Vegan pumpkin bread is a type of bread made without any animal products. It uses plant-based ingredients instead of traditional ingredients like eggs and dairy to create a moist and flavorful pumpkin-flavored bread. Here, we use coconut milk and olive oil in place of regular milk and butter.
Common vegan egg substitutes for pumpkin bread include flaxseed meal mixed with water, mashed bananas, applesauce, silken tofu, or commercial egg replacers. For this vegan pumpkin bread recipe, we simply used Asian style coconut milk, which works like magic!
Yes, almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, and other plant-based milk alternatives can be used in place of dairy milk in vegan pumpkin bread recipes. We highly recommend trying our trick of using Asian coconut milk from a can, as it is rich and imparts a depth of flavor you can’t get with other milk substitutes.
Vegan pumpkin bread can be a healthier option compared to traditional recipes, as it typically contains less saturated fat and cholesterol. However, its overall healthiness can depend on the specific ingredients used, such as the type of sweetener and flour. To make your pumpkin bread even healthier, use a mixture of whole wheat bread, and lessen the sugar, if you’d like.
You can make gluten-free vegan pumpkin bread by using gluten-free flour blends like almond flour, rice flour, or a gluten-free all-purpose flour. Also, ensure that all your other ingredients, including spices and baking powder, are gluten-free.
You can absolutely freeze this pumpkin bread. Just be sure to seal it airtight and keep in freezer no longer than one month, for best flavor.
Did you make this?
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Vegan Pumpkin Bread, Super Moist
Ingredients
- 2 cups pure pumpkin puree
- 2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
- ⅔ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup olive oil
- ⅔ cup canned coconut milk, from Asian section of grocery stores
- 2 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp table salt
- 2 tsp baking soda, fresh
- 3 ½ cups all purpose flour
- Optional: 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate morsels, mini morsels melt nicely
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F with rack on lower middle position. Generously grease and flour two 8×4 nonstick loaf pans* and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine pumpkin both sugars, oil, coconut milk, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, and salt.. Use hand whisk to incorporate well. Add baking soda and flour; Use rubber spatula to gently stir and fold until no more flour streaks remain. Don't over mix. Stir in mini chocolate chips, if using.
- Fill prepared loaf pans evenly with batter. Bake 60-65 minutes or just until toothpick inserted in center comes out with very few tender crumbs attached. (Actual bake time depends on oven; keep in mind that if inserting where melted chocolate is, toothpick won't come out clean.) If tops are browning before center is done, loosely cover top with foil.
- Let loaves rest at room temp, covered tightly with foil to keep moisture locked in. After 10-15 minutes, remove foil and let cool completely. Loosen sides carefully with thin knife and turn over to remove loaves. Slice and enjoy 🙂
Notes
- You can fill one 9×5 loaf pan for a bigger loaf and increase bake time (start with adding 5 minutes and keep checking every 2-3 minutes.) You’ll have leftover batter for some muffins.
- Feel free to sub the mini chocolate morsels with dried fruit or nuts of your choice.
- You can sub half the regular flour with white whole wheat flour, and half the oil with applesauce. The texture will likely be a tad different, but your bread will still taste delicious.
- If you find yourself alone with this loaf of irresistible pumpkin bread, feel free to wrap it airtight and freeze for sharing later.
Nutrition (per serving)
More to Eat
- Healthy Pumpkin Bread – we added whole grains and extra nutrition to this delightful bread.
- Creamy Vegan Ice Cream (Dairy-Free, Egg-Free) – yes, delicious ice cream can be vegan and made right at home.
- One Bowl Chocolate Cake – the cake portion of this recipe is vegan! Use your own frosting to make a fantastic vegan dessert.
- Healthy Pumpkin Chili Recipe – we can’t think of a more delicious way to serve up some pumpkin; nobody will even guess.