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    Home » Baking

    Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread

    Published: Jan 17, 2022 · Modified: Apr 14, 2022 by Kelli Avila · This post may contain affiliate links ·

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    Wholesome, moist, and tasty, this Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread is simple to put together (just one bowl needed!) with just the right amount of spice. It uses whole grains, maple syrup, and olive oil to make it just a wee bit healthier, while still keeping the flavor and texture exactly how you'd expect pumpkin bread to be.

    A pumpkin quick bread.

    Healthy Pumpkin Bread

    In our home, pumpkin is a fall and winter affair because everyone in our family just loves it. So pumpkin bread is something I make during all those long cold-weather months and have on hand for an afterschool snack or to serve with breakfast.

    Because it's served so frequently, I like to have a bit more wholesome ingredients in it. This version uses all whole wheat flour, olive oil, and maple syrup to make it slightly healthier, but it still has that classic pumpkin bread flavor you expect. It's super moist, tender, and really all about the spiced pumpkin flavor.

    So let's get to making it! The text below offers some tips for making it, or you can scroll down to the bottom for the complete recipe.

    Sliced whole wheat pumpkin bread.

    Ingredients Needed and Substitutions

    Here is a brief overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. The full recipe with quantities is listed below this text in the recipe card. If substitutions are available for this recipe, they'll be listed here. If you don't see a substitution you are looking for, feel free to leave a comment below.

    • whole wheat flour (you can use traditional whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour)
    • canned pumpkin puree (make sure to use 100% pumpkin puree)
    • eggs
    • light olive oil (this is a flavorless olive oil that I use in place of canola oil or vegetable oil, but you can sub in those if you need to)
    • light brown sugar
    • pure maple syrup (make sure you are using the real deal maple syrup here)
    • baking soda + baking powder
    • pumpkin pie spice (if you don't have pumpkin pie spice you can use 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg and a pinch of cloves in place...or really any other spice combination you'd like)

    Optional Add-Ins

    Feel free to add in ½ cup of chopped nuts, chocolate chips or raisins to the bread if desired.

    Tools Needed

    Here are the tools used in this recipe. You won't necessarily choose to use them all, but sometimes tools make for quicker work in the kitchen! Some of these links may contain affiliate links.

    • large mixing bowl
    • whisk
    • spatula
    • 9x5" loaf pan
    • parchment paper
    • Wet ingredients in a bowl for healthy pumpkin bread.
    • Whole wheat flour in a bowl on top of wet ingredients for pumpkin bread.
    • Whole wheat pumpkin bread batter.

    How to Make One-Bowl Baking Work

    Many baking recipes can be easily made using only one bowl, but often times recipes call for using two bowls; one being used to mix the "wet" ingredients and one being used to mix the "dry" ingredients. This is so that the leaveners and other dry ingredients can be whisked together without overworking the batter.

    But, there is still a way to do that using just one bowl! The trick is to add the dry ingredients that need to be evenly distributed (we are talking about the baking soda and baking powder) in with the wet ingredients, and then, after they are all mixed thoroughly together, add in the flour.

    One small tip is to add the dry ingredients on top of the brown sugar. This will help ensure there is no clumping of the baking soda or baking powder in the wet mixture.

    And as always, once you add your flour into the wet ingredients, do not over mix. Overmixing will result in gluten build-up which will then translate to tough bread.

    • Whole wheat pumpkin bread batter in a loaf pan.
    • A baked whole wheat pumpkin bread.

    How to Tell When It's Done

    The pumpkin bread takes just about an hour to bake in the oven. You'll know it's done when you insert a toothpick or butter knife in the middle and there is no wet batter left behind. Or an instant-read thermometer inserted in the middle of the bread reaches above 200ºF (this is my favorite method of checking for the doneness of quickbreads).

    Two slices of whole wheat pumpkin bread on a plate being picked up.

    How to Store Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread

    This bread will keep well, covered in an air-tight container for a few days at room temperature. As the days go on, it will get moister.

    This bread also freezes extremely well. It can be frozen in slices, or in loaf form. Wrap in plastic wrap tightly. When ready to eat, let it defrost at room temperature for a few hours.


    Making the recipe? Be sure to leave a comment with a star review on your experience! Have a question? Leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you as quickly as I can!

    Print
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    Two slices of whole wheat pumpkin bread.

    Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread

    • Author: Kelli Avila
    • Prep Time: 00:10
    • Cook Time: 00:60
    • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    • Yield: 8-10 servings
    • Category: quickbreads
    • Method: bake
    Print Recipe
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    Ingredients

    • 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
    • 2 large eggs
    • ⅓ cup light olive oil
    • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
    • ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • 1-½ teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
    • 1-¾ cup (266 grams) whole wheat flour (see note)

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and lightly coat a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan with baking spray. If desired you can line it with parchment paper to more easily remove the bread after baking.
    2. Add all the ingredients, except for the whole wheat flour to a large bowl. Whisk together until well combined.
    3. Add in the whole wheat flour and whisk together until just combined.
    4. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth over the top.
    5. Bake in the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
    6. Let cool slightly before serving.

    Notes

    Weighing your flour is the most accurate way to measure. If you aren't going to weigh it, make sure to spoon it into the cup, and then level it off. If you scoop the flour out with the measuring cup and then level, it could change the outcome of the final product.

    Keywords: Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread

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    Comments

    1. Alyssa Barclay

      January 20, 2022 at 9:48 pm

      I appreciate the one bowl concept for baking. Everytime i bake, it looks like a war zone. I also appreciate that you list the tools needed. I often lay out my ingredients, so laying out the tools helps! So excited to try this healthy version of pumpkin bread! Thank you for being so scientific with your recipes, helps educate me on the reasons we bake the way we do!

      Reply

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    I'm Kelli, the creator of Everyday Family Eats, this space where I share easy and quick recipes the whole family will love! I'm a former professional cook and baker, and full-time working mom, who is passionate about creating approachable dinner ideas that allow the whole family to gather at the table and enjoy a meal together.

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