Nothing better than pumpkin bread a cold, winter day. I could eat pumpkin bread year-round! But a lot of times pumpkin bread recipes are made with too much sugar and gluten. That’s why I love this gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe, it’s delicious and not too decadent.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread Recipe
When I started trying to eat less gluten, I really missed pumpkin bread. My story about eating reduced or gluten-free is here in this post).
But anyone who limits their gluten intake or is completely gluten-free knows how hard it can be to get the same foods you once loved. You can’t go into Starbucks and simply order a piece of their pumpkin bread because it’s not only filled with gluten but it also has a ton of sugar and that’s another thing I’m carefully watching.
My A1C (blood glucose) level has fluctuated since I got sick from Subacute thyroiditis in 2012. Thankfully, my thyroid has made a complete recovery so I wasn’t one of the 15 percent of people who developed hypothyroidism after having thyroiditis and then needed thyroid replacement hormones.
But, the illness was a HUGE wakeup call that brought me back to eating more plant-based foods and avoiding foods that can irritate my digestion, cause inflammation, high blood glucose, and even conditions like Leaky Gut. Who wants that?! Learn more about improving your gut health by reading my blog on Plant-Based Diet for Gut Health.
Health Benefits of Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread and a Little History
Pumpkin bread has long been a favorite in American baking, rooted in early recipes that used pumpkin for natural sweetness and moisture. Today, it remains popular not just for its cozy fall flavor and its nutritional benefits—especially in a gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe. Pumpkin puree is rich in beta-carotene, fiber, and antioxidants, which support immune, eye, and digestive health while helping keep the loaf moist without excess oil. Combined with warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, this gluten-free pumpkin bread offers plant-based nutrients and classic flavor in every slice.
Practice And Substitute Ingredients
But let’s face it, every now and then you still want to be able to eat what everyone else is eating–especially around the holidays. But you don’t want the awful health issues that come after eating the food everyone else is eating.
Finding healthy food substitutes is what keeps me eating clean and feeling great!
I’ll admit that they don’t always taste exactly the same BUT, as my taste buds changed and I got used to eating less sugary foods, the natural sweetness and goodness of the replacement foods tasted great and, in many cases, even better than the other manufactured foods.
A large part of this is because when you’re not loading your food with sugar, gluten, and dairy, you actually feel better after consuming it and YOU DON’T OVER EAT!
The food also doesn’t have that addictive quality because it’s made fresh and with ingredients that are healthier for you.
However, I’ve found when you’re first getting started with subbing out one food for another, you have to get creative and you have to have patience.
I’ve tried some recipes that looked delicious and the reviews online were good but when I followed the recipe precisely, I found it barely edible.
Maybe that was just my taste buds or maybe the recipe really wasn’t good; either way, the point is, take the recipes you find here on The Plant-Based Diet or anywhere else and make them your own by adding or subtracting ingredients… just aim to keep the ingredients healthy.
So, this pumpkin bread recipe is one I like but, when I make it again, I will try making it with other gluten-free flour to see how it affects the taste and density of the bread. Also, note that I use a lot of spices, so if you don’t like that, you can decrease the spices, but if you do, after baked, the flavor may be too weak.
Gluten-free flour varies and will have a big impact on how the bread turns out. I’m sure you’ve had really bad gluten-free bread before. It’s challenging to make it right. So experiment and see what delights your taste buds.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ cups Gluten-Free Flour ( I used but you could try as well)
- 3 eggs or egg substitute
- 1 cup Pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 to 1 cup Raw Organic Agave (or 1 cup sugar)
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1-2 teaspoon cinnamon (I love cinnamon so I go for close to 2 teaspoons))
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds or other nuts ((optional))
- 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
- balsamic glaze ((optional) I use Trader Giotto’s Balsamic Glaze – Set of 2 (Each 8.5 fl oz))
- Fresh raspberries to garnish ((optional))
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Lightly grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan,
- In a medium bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- In a medium bowl or in a beat together the eggs, pumpkin puree, and all wet ingredients.
- Add the sugars and all the spices to the pumpkin puree mixture and mix together.
- Fold in the flour mixture…mix well.
- Pour into greased loaf pan.
- Sprinkle nuts on top.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick that you insert in the center can be pulled out clean.
- Let cool for 10-20 minutes and serve warm topped with dairy-free butter or for a dessert, I serve it with raspberries and drizzle balsamic on the fruit.
2 Comments
Tasty recipe.
Thank you!