Healthy Pumpkin Bread
Healthy pumpkin bread is super moist and light, with tons of warm pumpkin and spice flavors throughout. This 1-bowl recipe is whole wheat and naturally sweetened, with some optional chocolate chips for a little fun.
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 heaping cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9x5 bread pan with cooking spray.
- Mix the dry ingredients (flour through salt) together in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients (eggs through vanilla) and combine well.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips if using.
- Pour into prepared bread pan and run a spoon over the top to smooth it out.
- Bake the bread at 350 for 40-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack and letting cool completely.
Notes
Flour: White wheat flour is lighter in texture and flavor than whole wheat. However, you can substitute whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour or use a mix of flours if you prefer.
Pumpkin pie spice: If you don’t have any, you can use this combination of spices instead: 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon plus 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon nutmeg and ⅛ teaspoon cloves.
Pumpkin puree: Make sure you are using pure pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling.
Oil: The canola oil helps keep this bread really moist - for days! You could also substitute ¼ cup melted butter or use extra applesauce if you prefer.
Chocolate chips: These add a fun little burst of chocolate flavor throughout the bread. I use about ½ cup and that’s plenty for a light sprinkling. You could up this to ¾ cup if you want more chocolate bits. (Oh, and I use semisweet, but dark chocolate chips would work, too.)
Leftovers: Leftover pumpkin bread can be stored at room temperature for up to 4-5 days. I wrap mine in plastic wrap and leave it on the counter. You can also freeze the extras for up to 6 months. Wrap in plastic wrap, then wrap in aluminum foil and freeze. (Be sure to label and date it!)
How to make vegan pumpkin bread: Use flax eggs instead of regular eggs. Swap maple syrup or agave syrup for the honey. And choose vegan chocolate chips, if using.
How to make as muffins: Prepare the batter as directed. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and spray those with cooking spray. (Yes, both! It helps the muffins stay together and not get stuck all over the liners.) Divide the batter evenly into the 12 muffin cups. They should be about ⅔ full. Bake at 325 for 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 218mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 17g
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