This vegan pumpkin bread recipe is packed with plenty of cozy pumpkin flavor, along with protein, fiber, and healthy fats. It's also low in sugar, so it’s the perfect fall breakfast!
Pumpkin bread is a staple in the fall, and it’s one of those recipes that seems like it should be healthy—I mean, it’s made with pumpkin!—but the traditional version is a total sugar bomb. A single loaf can have as much of a cup of sugar in it, along with a cup of oil too.
Friends, we can do better, and this vegan pumpkin bread recipe proves it! This healthy pumpkin bread is not only vegan, but it's also naturally gluten-free, packed with healthy fats, fiber, and protein, and it uses just 6 tablespoons of added sweetener!
(Looking for more vegan pumpkin recipes? Try my Skinny Pumpkin Quinoa Muffins, Pumpkin Pie Quinoa Breakfast Cookies or 90-second Pumpkin Pie Quinoa Breakfast Bowls!)
Why This Vegan Pumpkin Recipe Works
Here’s how you can take the processed sugar, eggs, and dairy out of traditional pumpkin bread and still end up with a delicious treat!
- A blend of flours. The trick is to use almond flour and quinoa flour together as they're both naturally high in protein (helping to give the bread some lift), but also higher in healthy fats so they help keep this vegan pumpkin bread moist.
- Flax egg. When you whisk together ground flax and water, it takes on a gel-like consistency similar to egg white. It also works like eggs in baked goods! Flax egg acts as a binder and stabilizer.
- Arrowroot powder. Arrowroot powder also works as a binder, and it helps make vegan cakes and breads light and fluffy.
- Just enough sweetener. The natural sweeteners I use here—coconut sugar and maple syrup—don’t just sweeten the recipe, but they also add depth to the flavor, with notes of caramel and maple. Pumpkin has some natural sweetness on its own, so you really don’t need to add a ton of sugar to get good results!
What You’ll Need
Here are all of the ingredients you’ll need to make vegan pumpkin bread. Make sure to check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page to see the exact quantities for each ingredient.
- Flaxseed meal – Our substitute for eggs.
- Water
- Blanched almond flour – Don’t substitute almond meal! It’s not the same.
- Quinoa flour – Learn more: How to Use Quinoa Flour for Baking and Cooking
- Arrowroot powder
- Coconut sugar – You can substitute brown sugar if you don’t mind processed sugar in your vegan pumpkin bread.
- Coconut flour
- Baking powder and baking soda – Quick breads are leavened with baking powder, soda, or both instead of yeast.
- Sea salt
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Pumpkin puree – You won’t use the whole can here, but you can use the leftovers to make pumpkin cookies!
- Maple syrup
- Non-dairy milk – Any kind you like, as long as it’s unsweetened and unflavored.
- Olive oil
- Apple cider vinegar – Vinegar reacts with the baking soda in the recipe to give your pumpkin bread a little extra lift.
- Turbinado sugar and pumpkin seeds – For garnish.
How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Bread
As with most quick bread recipes, this vegan pumpkin bread is easy! Here’s what you’ll need to do.
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Make the flax egg. Whisk 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal with water in a mixing bowl. Let this sit for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk all the dry ingredients in a second mixing bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients. To the bowl with the flaxseed eggs, add the pumpkin, syrup, non-dairy milk, oil, and vinegar. Add the dry ingredients and beat until smooth.
- Bake. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the top with sugar and pumpkin seeds, if desired. Bake on the center rack for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top has turned golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool. Let the bread cool in the pan for 1 hour, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Tips for Success
These tips will help you make sure your vegan pumpkin bread turns out perfect!
- Don’t make substitutions. If baking is a science, gluten-free vegan baking is AP chemistry! Changing any ingredient here can affect how your pumpkin bread turns out.
- Use canned pumpkin. You want the unsweetened puree here, not canned pumpkin pie filling, which has spices and sweeteners added to it.
- Be patient. While a piping hot slice of pumpkin bread is super tempting, the bread will hold together much better if you let it cool completely first.
Variations
While you shouldn’t make any alterations to the base of this vegan pumpkin bread recipe, you can stir in some tasty add-ins before baking the batter. Fold in chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, or dried cranberries for some extra flavor and texture.
Serving Suggestions
For serving, I'm always partial to slathering on some sort of nut butter!
I particularly love my maple cinnamon mixed nut butter, but it's also amazing with some honey roasted peanut butter and apple slices on top. If you're not a nut butter fan, it's super tasty with some coconut yogurt or even just a non-dairy buttery spread.
How to Store
Store this vegan pumpkin bread wrapped tightly at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
You can freeze vegan pumpkin bread for up to 3 months. Wrap it well and let it thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Healthy Quick Bread Recipes
- Healthy Blueberry Banana Bread
- Perfect Paleo Banana Bread
- Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread
- Coconut Flour Pumpkin Bread
- Cinnamon Apple Banana Bread
Vegan Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup flaxseed meal divided
- 6 tablespoons water
- 1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/2 cup quinoa flour
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoon coconut flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Turbinado sugar + pumpkin seeds to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Whisk together 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal with the water. Set aside to gel for at least 5 mins.
- Meanwhile, add the dry ingredients to the bowl and whisk to combine.
- To the bowl with the flaxseed eggs, stir in pumpkin, syrup, non-dairy milk, oil and vinegar and beat until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips if desired.
- Transfer batter to the prepared loaf tin, sprinkle with sugar and pumpkin seeds if using, and bake on the center rack for 50 – 60 minutes until the top has turned golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 1 hour then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.
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