Easy One Bowl Vegan Pumpkin Bread Recipe (Gluten Free)
Super moist and tender, this vegan pumpkin bread recipeis also gluten-free. Made in one bowl, it’s easy to make at home and tastes like the classic — no one will know this pumpkin loaf is vegan! I’ve topped it with homemade vegan cream cheese frosting, which takes this tasty loaf to an entirely new level!
Why this vegan pumpkin bread is even better than Starbucks
You can stop the search. The best vegan pumpkin bread is officially here. And it’s even better than Starbucks, TRUST ME.
With fall coming in very fast, you might be craving that classic Pumpkin Spice Latte and a good slice of Starbucks pumpkin bread. Unfortunately, Starbucks doesn’t have a vegan version of their pumpkin bread. But don’t worry- we can make it at home just as easily and naturally vegan.
This vegan pumpkin bread is every bit as moist and tender in texture, with sweet warming spices that come through for the ultimate pumpkin flavor.
Made in just one bowl and with just a few simple ingredients, this is easily one of my easiest vegan quick bread recipes (though the vegan banana bread and vegan gingerbread loaf are favorites! Check out my vegan cookbook for even more!) and the perfect cozy fall breakfast treat that you need this holiday season.
Wonderful after a Thanksgiving dinner with a cup of coffee, or even for Christmas morning breakfast!
Ingredients & Substitutions:
I am quite obsessed with how simple this easy vegan pumpkin bread is. It’s so incredibly quick to throw together, and your kitchen will smell just absolutely amazing throughout the process.
Plus, the ingredients are so incredibly simple. All you’ll need for this super moist yet oil free vegan pumpkin bread is:
- Flour: you can use all purpose, gluten free 1:1 baking flour, or oat flour. I’ve tested both and they work perfectly!
- Organic sugar & brown sugar: you can also use coconut sugar to be refined sugar free.
- Pumpkin spice: This is a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom. You can purchase it in stores or make it yourself!
- Dairy free yogurt: This is our vegan egg replacement. You can also swap in applesauce or more pumpkin puree. I personally like it in place of flax egg.
- Vegan butter: You can also swap in coconut oil.
- Pumpkin Puree
- Leavening agents: don’t forget the baking powder and baking soda!
How to make vegan pumpkin bread (overview)
For the full written instructions and ingredient measurements, see the bottom of this post in the recipe card. You can also hit the “jump to recipe” button at the top of this post! Here, we’ll go over a brief overview of the steps, along with providing visuals for a better understanding of the recipe.
To make a vegan pumpkin bread:
- If you’re making a streusel topping, prepare that first! Then onto the pumpkin bread.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Then add in the dry ingredients, and whisk gently into the wet ingredients. Mix the batter JUST until all of the dry is mixed into the wet. You don’t want to over mix the batter
- Pour the pumpkin bread batter into the loaf pan.
Now for this next part, you can either add a cinnamon streusel on top for a vegan pumpkin bread with streusel topping or you can just bake it as a regular (but still absolutely amazing) vegan pumpkin loaf!
Once baked, remove the loaf from the oven and cover it to let it cool for 10 minutes before serving!
Make a vegan gluten free pumpkin bread:
If you’d like to make this a vegan gluten free pumpkin bread, simply swap in gluten free 1:1 flour.
I’ve tested both methods with nearly identical results. If you’re going the gluten free route, I highly recommend using King Arthur Measure for Measure. It’s really quite amazing, and makes this vegan gluten free pumpkin bread unbelievably gluten free!
Optional add-ins:
You can, of course, jazz up your vegan pumpkin bread with a few of these optional stir ins:
- Vegan chocolate chips
- Walnuts
- Cranberries
- Pumpkin seeds or pepitas
- Pecans
How do you keep pumpkin bread moist?
The question everyone is asking! So because this is an eggless pumpkin bread, you might be thinking it’s impossible to get a moist pumpkin bread.
Nope! In fact, because this is a vegan pumpkin bread, it’s actually extraordinarily moist, thanks to the applesauce. Even though we’re not using any oil in the actual loaf, the applesauce provides a lot of moisture to help from drying out the bread.
That being said, here’s a trick for making sure that your pumpkin bread is always moist:
- Cover the vegan pumpkin loaf immediately after your remove it from the oven!
I like to use a piece of tinfoil (the same one I use to keep the streusel from burning- if you’re using the streusel!) and just gently place it over the loaf pan. Allow the vegan pumpkin bread to sit for 10 minutes covered, then carefully remove it from the pan.
How to know when vegan pumpkin bread is done
Typically, pumpkin bread, whether vegan or not, usually cracks at the top, and that’s how you’ll know it’s done.
However, if you’re going with the cinnamon streusel route on top of this vegan pumpkin bread, I recommend sticking a toothpick into the middle of the loaf to check the doneness. The toothpick should be completely clean when removed.
Either way, the toothpick method is a very good and tried-and-true method. If you’re not doing the cinnamon streusel topping, though, another trick you can do is towards the end of the suggested bake time, lightly press the top of the pumpkin bread.
If it bounces back, then you know it’s ready. If it’s sort of slow to bounce back, it still needs some time.
Can I substitute pumpkin in pumpkin bread?
Yes, this is a pumpkin bread recipe, but what if you’re all out of pumpkin and can’t run to the store? Not a problem!
You can easily swap in an equal amount of pureed sweet potato or pureed butternut squash. The bread will taste slightly different, but not by much.
Storage & Reheating
- Room Temperature: Because this pumpkin bread is so moist, you can store it easily at room temperature for 2 days. I recommend wrapping it tightly with plastic wrap to ensure that it keeps as long as possible.
- Fridge: Alternatively, you can keep this pumpkin quick bread in the fridge, wrapping it in plastic wrap the same day. The vegan pumpkin bread will last for about 5 days with this method (although I bet you’ll finish it before then!).
- Freezer: If you want to have pumpkin bread for weeks after you make it, not a problem! I recommend slicing the pumpkin bread and storing in a freezer safe bag for up to a month. To reheat the pumpkin bread, simply place a slice on a piece of tin foil and heat in the oven at 350F for 5-7 minutes.
You are just going to absolutely love this super soft & tender vegan pumpkin bread! This fall inspired bread is:
- Super easy to make
- Simple in ingredients
- Naturally vegan, eggless, dairy free, and nut free
- Easily refined sugar free and gluten free
- Perfect with a cup of coffee
- Full of warming spices
- Naturally lower in fat
- Tastes BETTER than Starbucks!!
As always, I love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there!
Happy Pumpkin Bread Baking!
Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!
Watch how to make vegan pumpkin bread:
One Bowl Easy Vegan Pumpkin Bread Recipe (Gluten Free)
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 60
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Super moist and tender, this vegan pumpkin bread recipe is also gluten-free. Made in one bowl, it’s easy to make at home and tastes like the classic — no one will know this pumpkin loaf is vegan! I’ve topped it with homemade vegan cream cheese frosting, which takes this tasty loaf to an entirely new level!
Ingredients
- 2 cup (250 g) all purpose flour or gluten free 1:1 baking flour
- 1 tbsp pumpkin spice blend
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup (260 g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 3/4 cup (150 g) organic granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (150 g) brown sugar
- 2/3 cup (125 g) dairy free yogurt
- 1/2 cup (113 g) salted vegan butter, melted and cooled
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Optional: streusel topping (from the vegan coffee cake)
Vegan Cream Cheese frosting:
- 1/4 cup (65 g) vegan butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (65 g) vegan cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Please read through all instructions before beginning.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F and grease an 8″ or 9″ loaf pan and line with parchment paper. Measure out all ingredients before beginning.
- If using a the streusel topping: Make the topping according to instructions, then set aside.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, sugar, brown sugar, dairy free yogurt, melted vegan butter, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar. Mix until combined.
- Make the pumpkin bread batter: Add in the flour, pumpkin spice blend, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk until the dry JUST combines with the wet. Be careful NOT to over mix. It’s okay if there are still some clumps- the batter shouldn’t be entirely smooth, just no dry mixture showing.
- Bake the pumpkin bread: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Place the pumpkin bread into the oven to bake for 55-60 minutes. Remove the pumpkin bread once fully baked and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Slice and serve: allow the pumpkin bread to cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes before carefully transferring to a cooling rack to cool for another 10 minutes. If using the frosting, cool entirely before topping with frosting.
- Cream cheese frosting: To make the frosting, use a hand mixer to cream together the vegan butter and vegan cream cheese. Then add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and mix just until combined. Top the pumpkin bread with the frosting, slice and enjoy!
- Storage: wrap the pumpkin bread in plastic wrap and allow it to sit at room temperature for up to 2 days or store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Alternatively, you can freeze the bread by slicing it and placing the slices into a freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month. To reheat, place a piece on a piece of tin foil and heat for 5 minutes at 350F.
Notes
Gluten free: use gluten free 1:1 baking flour to make this a vegan gluten free pumpkin bread.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 173
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 121.9 mg
- Fat: 2.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 34.7 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 2.6 g
- Cholesterol: 6.3 mg
Keywords: vegan pumpkin bread, vegan pumpkin bread recipe, gluten free vegan pumpkin bread, pumpkin bread with streusel topping
oh my yum… even the batter taste amazing!!!
★★★★★
Aw so happy to hear it!!! ENJOY!
Suggestions on baking as muffins?
Hi Samantha! You can definitely bake these into muffins- it will bake faster, so check them after 25 minutes to see where they are in the process. Alternatively, there’s also a pumpkin muffin recipe that’s very similar to this one! Here is the link: https://thebananadiaries.com/healthy-pumpkin-muffins/
What can replace the coconut sugar?
Hi Hadley! You can use brown sugar or regular sugar here instead 🙂
Hi there,
can you replace applesauce with coconut oil or vegan butter? If so, would the measurement be the same?
thanks!
Hi Charlotte! I haven’t tried entirely replacing the coconut oil/vegan butter with applesauce. I imagine the bread might be a bit “gummier,” but if you want a lower in fat pumpkin bread, you’re more than welcome to try- I just can’t guarantee results! If you try it, the measurements will be 1:1!
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.
★★★★★
Aw I’m so happy to hear it! Enjoy! Thank you!
I have this in the oven. It smells amazing. The only thing I want to mention is in the instructions there is three times it says to add the coconut sugar. It seems like it was once too many. So I omitted one of the times.
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Hi Frances!! So glad it came out well, but I’m so sorry for the confusion in the instructions!! Going to edit that now to be more clear 🙂 Enjoy!
Hi! What can I do to replace the yogurt? Add an egg if I’m not vegan?
You can use applesauce if you’d like! In theory, yes you could use 2 eggs, but I haven’t personally tested this as I’m vegan!!
Amazing!!! best vegan bread ever!
★★★★★
WOO! So happy to hear it! It’s my favorite too 🙂 Just made another loaf this past weekend!! Always a hit!
Can this be made as mini loaves instead of one big loaf? I made it for work, because one of my co-workers is vegan and I wanted her to be able to enjoy it, and we all loved it!! Even us non-vegans! I want to make a bunch of mini-loaves to give them next weekend, as it’s our last weekend working together. Would I change anything about the baking?
★★★★★
Oh my goodness, this is wonderful to hear!! So glad!! Yes, absolutely, this can definitely be made into mini loaves! Are you using the mini Williams Sonoma pans? I’ve used those before, it takes about 30-35 minutes for the loaves to each bake! I would check your oven after about 25 minutes!
Hello this looks DELISH! Can you tell me what kind of vegan yogurt you used? Brand and/or type (coconut, soy, cashew etc)? Or even what brands/types you tested it with that worked the best? I find vegan yogurts in baking are not all created equal so any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you Kelly
Aw I’m so happy to hear it!! I’ve used cashew-based, almond, coconut, oat, and soy, all with great success. For brands, I love Forager Project, but when I make it nut-free for family members I use Silk or Chobani oat!
Thank you Britt! I am excited to try it tonight with the yogurt options. I actually made it last night using 1 flax egg and the rest applesauce. Now I baked it for 48 min and put in my toothpick and it came out clean so I took it out. I also did the touch bounce back test and it bounced back. But after being out of the oven for 20 min in totally caved in in the middle and so I cut it and it was still raw I would say for about the top 1/4 part of the loaf. Any thoughts on this? Was it just not in oven long enough or was the replacement ingredients? The ends were cooked through and were SOOOO good, so I am hopeful with the yogurt option, but would love any feedback on if this was just not in oven long enough or what? Just weird that tooth pick came out clean in multiple spots. oy! Thank you thank you!
Hi Kelly!! Hmm it sounds like it definitely could have used a bit more time! Sometimes, flax eggs can be finicky so I’m wondering if that was the issue, causing a need for more baking time. I would try the yogurt this time, that should do the trick! If you’re ever in doubt, a few more minutes in the oven (3-4) won’t hurt the bread!
Hi Britt,
I just made this bread but it didn’t turn out. It seems the conversion from cups to grams is off. I’m giving this recipe 5 stars though because the taste is spot on. I’m definitely going to make this again – maybe even today!! 🙂
★★★★★
Hi Lisa!! I’m so sorry about this!! Did you happen to use the recipe card toggle “m” and “US”? Those for whatever reason aren’t reading accurately, so I included the metric measurements in parentheses- I’m so sorry for the confusion! The parentheses will be the most accurate!
The first time I tried with the metric, the 2nd time I used US measurements. Neither came out. We have a new convection oven, so maybe that’s the problem. I will try again until I get it right! I’m determined!! 🙂
★★★★★
Oh that could definitely be it!! When we moved a year ago, we installed a brand new convection oven, and it took me a few weeks to figure out why everything was baking weirdly 😅 Please let me know how it goes!
Hi Britt,
When you made this recipe did you use grams or cups? I tried both ways and it failed both times, next I am going to try using the King Arthur flour to see if that makes a difference (I previously used Red Mill). The conversions listed don’t appear to be correct so I want to use what you used in the hopes it turns out a third time since we really loved the flavor. Also, can you please verify the oven temp & cooking time in case that is my issue? TIA!! ❤️
★★★★★
Hi Lisa!
I’m so sorry to hear this, I’m not sure why that’s happening! The one thing I was thinking…are you making it in a toaster oven with the option for convection oven? Because I decided to try out my banana bread recipe in a toaster oven for the first time (I’ve seen people comment that that’s how they bake so I thought I’d give it a go to see if it’s really a good swap!) and my bread baked WAY too fast on the top and under baked in the middle. This might not be yours!
You’re correct when the conversions convert, the recipe card hasn’t updated that correctly, which is why I provide my own! So those should be correct! For the oven temp, it should be convection oven, 350F, bake for 55-60 minutes!
Hi Britt,
Thanks for your reply. The oven I am using is a stovetop oven with both a regular and convection option. I tried another blogger’s pumpkin bread recipe and it cooked more, but still not thoroughly, and it definitely was not as tasty as yours so I’m going to keep trying your recipe until it works! I will just cook it longer until it cooks through, and I read somewhere not to use the convection for this kind of recipe. 😉
★★★★★
Hi Lisa! Oh interesting note on the convection oven use with a loaf recipe! I hope you do, I’m so sorry it’s been finicky! Cooking it a bit longer can help!