We think the best kind of baked good is the snack-y sort. Something not too sweet but definitely cozy—more suited for breakfast or an afternoon coffee than a decadent after-dinner dessert. And it’s gotta be gluten-free!
Many quick breads fit the bill, but our favorite is pumpkin bread. The winter squash is the ideal cake filling: It’s super moist, full of flavor and naturally sweet. This gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe, which reminds us of the Starbucks pumpkin bread, is perfectly tender and delicious.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread Ingredients
- Gluten-free flour mix: The simplest option is to use a store-bought all-purpose gluten-free flour blend, or try making a homemade gluten-free flour mix.
- Specialty gluten-free flour (optional): Unlike classic yeast breads, quick breads are flexible! If you have a wide selection of gluten-free flours in your pantry, go ahead and experiment. Consider swapping a half-cup of the all-purpose mix with a flavorful whole grain flour like buckwheat or teff.
- Xanthan gum: This ingredient acts as a binder to give structure to gluten-free breads. If your flour mix already includes a binding agent (like xanthan gum or guar gum), you may omit it.
- Canned pumpkin: Though it seems like a shortcut, it’s best to use canned pumpkin in bakes. The consistency of flavor, texture and moisture simply can’t be beat.
Directions
Step 1: Sift dry ingredients
Preheat your oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt.
Step 2: Mix wet ingredients
In a separate bowl, stir together the eggs, pumpkin, sugars, oil and water.
Editor’s Tip: Forgot to let your eggs come to room temperature before baking? Set them (uncracked) in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes before using.
Step 3: Combine wet and dry ingredients
Pour the pumpkin mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix until the batter is a uniform color and no pockets of flour mix remain. Don’t worry about over-mixing: Gluten-containing quick breads can get tough if over-mixed, but gluten-free quick breads like this pumpkin bread will not.
Step 4: Bake
Transfer the batter into a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake 60 to 75 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. To prevent over-browning, cover with foil halfway through.
Let the pumpkin bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
How to Store Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
Store leftover pumpkin bread, tightly wrapped, at room temperature for two or three days. Gluten-free baked goods tend to get stale more quickly than their gluten-containing counterparts, so if you know you can’t eat your bread soon, consider freezing leftovers. Freeze the entire bread or individual slices, tightly wrapped, for up to two months.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread Tips
Can you use pumpkin pie filling to make gluten-free pumpkin bread?
Pumpkin pie filling is cooked, mashed pumpkin with sweeteners and spices added. Technically, you could use it in the pumpkin bread, but the result will be very sweet unless you reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe, which would impact the final texture of the bake. We recommend saving the filling for a pumpkin pie and sticking with plain canned pumpkin in this recipe.
How do you measure gluten-free flour?
Gluten-free flour should be measured like traditional flour: Lightly fill a measuring scoop, then level off the top with a knife. Don’t overpack the measuring cup.
What are the best mix-ins for gluten-free pumpkin bread?
It’s easy to add extra flavors or texture to a quick bread recipe like this gluten-free pumpkin bread. Chocolate chips, coconut flakes, chopped pecans or other nuts, raisins or chopped dried fruits would all work well.
Why should the ingredients be at room temperature?
Room temperature baking ingredients mix together well, resulting in a well-blended batter that holds the proper amount of air. Cold ingredients tend to clump, curdle or lump, resulting in an unevenly mixed batter that won’t have as pleasing a texture when baked.
How do I make dairy-free, gluten-free pumpkin bread?
This pumpkin bread recipe is already dairy-free! To make a vegan version, consider replacing the eggs with a flax egg, or try our vegan pumpkin bread recipe.
