This gluten-free pumpkin loaf is made with real pumpkin purée and lots of pumpkin spice flavor. It's gluten-free, with a tender, moist crumb, and even gluten eaters love it. Best of all, this pumpkin bread is easy to stir together in just a few minutes.
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Back in my gluten eating days, I posted a recipe for pumpkin loaf that I made several times every fall. My family loved it and that pumpkin bread became a staple during the fall months.
So, when I decided to make that original recipe gluten-free, I had a lot of recipe testing to do in order to recreate this gluten-free version.
In gluten-free baking, the flour is very important, so I went through a lot of pumpkin bread recipes, and my family got to eat a lot of gluten free pumpkin bread. (Some good, and some just OK, and one terrible - coconut flour). I tried the recipe with almond flour, oat flour, and several other gluten-free flours.
The winner, according to my taste testers, and in my opinion, is this gluten free pumpkin loaf recipe. It's really exactly like the original recipe, which was made with regular flour.
Jump to:
Why you'll love this recipe
- Fall flavors. This easy pumpkin bread has loads of pumpkin flavor and plenty of pumpkin spice, making for a perfect seasonal treat. (Like my oat flour pumpkin muffins, or gluten-free pumpkin cookies).
- Great texture. The loaf is perfectly moist and tender, but light and fluffy. It isn't too dense, and not crumbly, either.
- Quick and easy. You can mix up the batter for this easy gluten-free bread in just a few minutes with just a few simple ingredients. No need for a stand mixer or electric mixer, either.
Ingredient notes
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour. My favorite 1-to-1 baking flour is Cup4Cup, and that's what I use to make this pumpkin loaf. Just be aware that some Cup4Cup blends contain milk powder if you are dairy free. I have also used Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1, which is dairy free, and the results are good, too. Both of those blends contain xanthan gum, which works as a binder and adds elasticity and structure, (the things that gluten does). Make sure the one to one gluten-free flour that you use does contain xanthan gum.
- Sugar. The original recipe for this pumpkin spice loaf had both brown sugar and white sugar. When I tested this gluten-free version, with both sugars, the result was dense and a bit gummy. Since both dark brown sugar (including coconut sugar), and light brown sugar add moisture, I switched to all white sugar for this gluten-free version. The pumpkin puree already provides enough extra moisture, so this recipe uses all white sugar. Don't use honey or maple syrup as the sweetener for this recipe.
- Pumpkin puree. If you want to make your own homemade pumpkin puree, it will be perfect in this recipe. However, canned, pure pumpkin puree works just fine, and it's super convenient. Just make sure not to buy canned pumpkin pie filling, which contains sweetener and spices.
- Oil. I'm actually using olive oil, because I feel that the very slight fruitiness of olive oil compliments the pumpkin flavor. However, you can use your oil of choice. Canola oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil are good options. Just don't use melted butter or coconut oil because they will change the texture of this loaf.
- Pumpkin Spice. I use my own easy to make homemade pumpkin spice blend. You can also use the individual spices, and you can find the measurements in the "Tips" section below or in the recipe card.
- Egg. For this recipe, as in most baking recipes here, you'll need a large egg.
How to make gluten free pumpkin loaf
Full instructions and ingredient quantities are in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Step one: In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.
Step two: In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, pumpkin puree, oil, egg, and vanilla extract.
Step three: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well to combine.
Step four: Spread the batter evenly in a prepared pan. (The batter will be thick). Bake until golden brown and set.
Tips and variations
- Pan size. This loaf is baked in a 9x5 inch pan. If you use a different sized pan, the baking times will change. You can use three 5-¾ x 3-inch mini loaf pans, a 12 cup muffin pan, or an 8x4 inch loaf pan. However, you will need to adjust the baking time for each. The mini loaves and the muffins will bake in less time, so set your oven timer for 15 minutes less than the recipe calls for and check every 5 minutes. For the 8x4 loaf pan, you will need to add more baking time. Add time in 5 minute intervals, checking in between.
- Pan type. I always prefer metal pans over glass pans for cakes, loaves, and brownies. They heat more quickly for even baking. Glass pans heat more slowly, but hold their heat longer. They work great for lasagna, casseroles, and other baked savory dishes.
- Pumpkin spice. I have a simple recipe for pumpkin pie spice that you can use here, or you can buy it in most grocery stores at this time of year. You can also use 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon, and ginger, and half teaspoon each of ground cloves and nutmeg.
- Allergens. This gluten-free pumpkin loaf is not dairy-free, only because the flour I used (Cup4Cup) contains milk powder. You can make it dairy-free by using another gluten-free flour blend containing xanthan gum.
- Vegan. You can use a vegan egg replacement, or a flax egg. To make a flax egg, mix one tablespoon of flaxseed with three tablespoons of water. (I have not tested this recipe with a flax egg).
- Add-ins. You can add dark chocolate chips, raisins, or, if no allergy concerns, nuts, like pecans or walnuts. (Use ¾ cup). You can also sprinkle the top of the pumpkin loaf with toasted pumpkin seeds before baking for a pretty presentation.
- Serving size. I slice one loaf into eight, one inch slices. You can cut thinner slices for more servings.
- High elevation. I am at sea level, and all of my recipes are developed for that. If you are at a high elevation, you may need to make some adjustments. This is a great resource for high elevation tips: High-Altitude Baking.
- Cooling. It may be tempting to slice this loaf while it's still warm. However, for best results allow it to cool completely for the best texture and ease of slicing.
- Storage. Store the pumpkin loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze. Wrap the completely cooled loaf, or individual slices in plastic wrap and then in a re-sealable freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature.
Notes about measuring gluten-free flour
It's important to use the right measuring cups. If you use a liquid measuring cup to measure dry ingredients like flour, you won't have a accurate measurement because the flour will pack. You'll end up with too much flour, which results in crumbly cookies.
Use nesting measuring cups for dry ingredients. The most way to measure will always be by weight, but most home cooks use measuring cups, and most recipes are written that way.
For measuring gluten-free flour, use the spoon and level method for more accuracy. Put your measuring cup on a paper towel. Use a spoon to fill the measuring cup with flour until it's a little over filled. Then use the back of a butter knife to level it. The excess flour will land on the paper towel and you can scoop it back into the bag.
More delicious quick bread recipes to try
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a rating in the comments below and let us know how it turned out. Did you make any changes? We would love for you to share and your feedback is important! Thank you for visiting The Food Blog!
Recipe
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Gluten Free Pumpkin Loaf
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice see notes
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup oil olive, vegetable, or canola
- 1 egg large
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°
- Coat a 9 x 5 loaf pan lightly with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- In another bowl, combine pumpkin puree, sugar, egg, oil, and vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top.
- Bake 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean. Depending on your oven, you may need to bake it for 5 or up to 10 minutes longer.
- Remove from oven and transfer to wire rack.
- Allow to cool 15 minutes before loosening the sides of the loaves with a knife, then removing from pans.
- Return to wire racks and allow to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Pan size. This loaf is baked in a 9x5 inch pan. If you use a different sized pan, the baking times will change. You can use three 5-¾ x 3-inch mini loaf pans, a 12 cup muffin pan, or an 8x4 inch loaf pan. You will need to adjust the baking time. The mini loaf pans and the muffins will bake in less time, so set your oven timer for 15 minutes less than the recipe calls for and check every 5 minutes. For the 8x4 loaf pan, you will need more baking time. Add time in 5 minute intervals, checking in between.
- Pan type. I always prefer metal pans over glass pans for cakes, loaves, and brownies. They heat more quickly for even baking. Glass pans work great for lasagna, casseroles and other baked savory dishes.
- Pumpkin spice. I have a simple recipe for pumpkin pie spice that you can use here, or you can buy it in most grocery stores. You can also use 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon, and ginger, and half teaspoon each of ground cloves and nutmeg.
- Allergens. This gluten-free pumpkin loaf is not dairy-free, only because the flour I used (Cup4Cup) contains milk powder. You can make it dairy-free by using another gluten-free flour blend containing xanthan gum.
- Vegan. You can use a vegan egg replacement, or a flax egg. To make a flax egg, mix one tablespoon of flaxseed with three tablespoons of water. (I have not tested this recipe with a flax egg).
- Add-ins. You can add chocolate chips, raisins, or, if no allergy concerns, nuts, like pecans or walnuts. (Use ¾ cup). You can also sprinkle the top of the pumpkin loaf with toasted pumpkin seeds before baking for a pretty presentation.
- Serving size. I slice one loaf into eight, one inch slices. You can cut thinner slices for more servings.
- High elevation. I am at sea level, and all of my recipes are developed for that. If you are at a high elevation, you may need to make some adjustments. This is a great resource for high elevation tips: High-Altitude Baking.
- Cooling. It may be tempting to slice this loaf while it's still warm. However, for best results allow it to cool completely for the best texture and ease of slicing.
Jane says
I can’t seem to find the raisins in your ingredient list. Is it just me? You refer to them and the instructions say to fold in one cup of the pecans and raisins but no measurement for the raisins. Help.
Colleen says
Hi Jane. You are so right, and thank you for bringing this to my attention. I somehow left out the raisins in my ingredient list. It's fixed now, and I hope that you will still love this recipe. Thanks again ♥
Terri says
My fave part of fall is the baking too 🙂 What a great way to use canned pumpkin puree! This looks sooo delicious and healthy!!!
Colleen says
Hi Terri, and the best part is that it makes two loaves 🙂
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking says
I bake a lot with pure pumpkin year round, but especially this time of year. And of all the things I make with pumpkin, a pumpkin loaf is one of my faves. This one looks delicious Colleen! Pinning for sure!
Colleen says
Leanne, I usually don't pay attention to pumpkin until fall, but maybe I should! Hope you enjoy!