This cinnamon sugar pumpkin bread recipe is your new go-to for cozy baking! It’s incredibly moist, packed with warm pumpkin spice, and topped with a delightful crunchy cinnamon sugar layer. You’ll love how easy it is to make and how quickly it disappears.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions:
- Pumpkin Puree: Use 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. No good substitutes here, it’s essential!
- Neutral Oil: Vegetable oil or canola oil works best. Applesauce can be a healthier substitute for half the oil.
- Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves create that classic pumpkin spice flavor. If you have pumpkin pie spice blend, you can use that instead.
- Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and depth. Granulated sugar can be used, but brown sugar is preferred.
Ingredients:
For the Pumpkin Bread:
* 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* ½ teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
* ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
* ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* ½ cup packed light brown sugar
* ½ cup neutral oil (like vegetable or canola)
* 2 large eggs
* 1 cup pumpkin puree
For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
* ¼ cup granulated sugar
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
How Much Time Will You Need?
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55-65 minutes
- Total Time: 70-80 minutes
- Servings: 8-10 slices
- Tools Needed: 9×5 inch loaf pan, mixing bowls, whisk, spatula.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan, or line with parchment paper leaving an overhang for easy removal. This helps your cinnamon sugar pumpkin bread release easily.
2. Whisk Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Make sure there are no lumps and all the spices are well distributed.
3. Combine Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, and pumpkin puree until smooth. This mixture will be the base for your incredibly moist pumpkin bread.
4. Mix Wet and Dry
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make your cinnamon sugar pumpkin bread tough. A few small lumps are perfectly fine.
5. Fill Pan & Prepare Topping
Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. In a small bowl, combine the ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon for the topping. Sprinkle this mixture generously over the top of the batter.
6. Bake the Bread
Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the topping starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely tent the loaf with foil.
7. Cool and Serve
Let the cinnamon sugar pumpkin bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before carefully transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps prevent sticking and makes slicing easier.
Storage Instructions:
Store leftover cinnamon sugar pumpkin bread tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze individual slices for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature or gently warm in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
- Can I use canned pumpkin pie filling? No, make sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree. Pie filling has added spices and sugar.
- My bread looks too dark on top. What happened? The cinnamon sugar topping can brown quickly. Next time, loosely tent the loaf with foil after about 30 minutes of baking.
- Can I add mix-ins? Absolutely! Chocolate chips, chopped nuts (like walnuts or pecans), or dried cranberries would be delicious additions. Add about ½ cup with the dry ingredients.
- How do I know if my pumpkin bread is cooked through? Insert a wooden skewer or toothpick into the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, it’s done.
- Can I make this recipe into muffins? Yes, you can! Bake at the same temperature for 20-25 minutes.
- Is this cinnamon sugar pumpkin bread gluten-free? This specific recipe is not, but you can likely substitute a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.
