Spice up your fall with a loaf of this easy gluten-free pumpkin bread! This gluten-free dairy-free pumpkin bread recipe is as delicious as it is healthy, made with whole grain flour, less sugar than most, and no xanthan gum. Thanks to Bob's Red Mill for sponsoring this post!
Procrastibaking My Way to the Best Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
Prior to sharing a preview of this recipe on Instagram Stories, I didn't realize what a *thing* pumpkin bread is. I love pumpkin desserts as much as the next person. But over the years I've tended toward baking pumpkin into muffins, cake, brownies, puddings, and pies of all stripes. The thought of pouring the batter into a loaf pan never occurred to me.
Until last week, when I found myself procrastibaking rather than working on more pressing deadlines. This is undeniably when I do my best baking. I wanted – nay, needed – to see whether my gluten-free carrot cake recipe could be morphed into a gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe. My gluten-free carrot cake has the most lofty, pillowy texture kissed with gentle spices. When I envisioned my ideal gf pumpkin bread, I wanted it to be a close carrot cake cousin.
Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Pumpkin Bread
The carrot cake formula is unusual because it uses an extra egg where dairy (buttermilk, yogurt, or sour cream) would normally be. The protein in the eggs makes the batter bake up extra fluffy, helping the cake form a lofty crumb. This means the recipe is naturally dairy-free in addition to being gluten-free.
So I swapped pumpkin puree in for the grated carrots and adjusted the spices to make them more pumpkin spice-friendly. I added a touch more flour after whisking together the batter because it seemed slightly too thin. I poured it into a loaf pan and popped it in the oven.
The scent of warm, baking spices was sheer torture. I could hardly wait for the loaf to cool before cutting into it. I think I lasted about 20 minutes. What greeted me was the loftiest, fluffiest, lightest, featheriest pumpkin bread I've ever tasted.
I shared a quick snap of the recipe on social media and people got REALLY EXCITED about it. More excited than I expected anyone to get about a plain-looking loaf. But the flavors were anything but. Not only did my kitchen smell like pumpkin spice heaven, there was also a fall flavor party happening in my mouth.
I tested the recipe 5 more times, making the gluten-free pumpkin loaf a bit more dense and moist, and playing with the amounts to form a tall, handsome loaf that wouldn't overflow a standard size bread pan.
So by popular demand, I'm thrilled to share my best gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe today.
Ingredients & Substitution Suggestions
- A trio of gluten-free flours – millet flour, oat flour, and sweet rice flour – work together to create a fine, sturdy crumb like you might get from a blend of white and whole wheat flours. I use Bob's Red Mill flours which are milled in a certified gluten-free facility. Each flour plays a specific roll. For my celiac readers who can't tolerate oats, try trading the oat flour out for sorghum flour by weight.
- Tapioca flour makes the crumb extra plush and pillowy.
- Baking soda and baking powder add lift.
- A good dose of fine sea or kosher salt pops the flavors of sugar and spice. If iodized table salt is all you've got, dial it down by half. Table salt has finer crystals meaning you get more in a teaspoon than irregularly-shaped fine sea or kosher salt crystals.
- Close to a whole can of pumpkin puree goes into this gluten-free pumpkin bread. I use an organic brand from my co-op that is always thick and bright orange. You could definitely use homemade squash puree if you preferred; see down below for instructions!
- Four large eggs help this gluten-free pumpkin loaf bake up extra fluffy. The protein in the egg whites creates a cakey crumb while the egg yolks add tenderness. For my dear readers with egg allergies, I'd recommend getting your hands on some Just Egg – a magical vegan egg-like substance made from mung beans and other ingredients. I tested Just Egg in a vegan version of my gluten-free pancakes and they worked brilliantly. Try using 3/4 - 1 cup of Just Egg in place of the 4 eggs.
- Granulated sugar works better than brown sugar here as it keeps the color bright. I use organic granulated sugar, which is blond in color with a hint of molasses still in the crystals. Just seven-eighths of a cup makes this gf pumpkin bread perfectly sweet to my taste.
- A neutral oil (I prefer sunflower or suncoco oil) makes this gluten-free pumpkin cake divinely moist. Unlike butter-based cakes, this one stays soft even when refrigerated.
- Spices: I like my pumpkin desserts heavy on bright spices like ginger and cinnamon with a backbone of allspice and nutmeg to bolster them up. You could certainly try this recipe with a premade pumpkin spice blend, but it might not taste exactly like the original. I also add a little turmeric to enhance the golden hue of this loaf.
- A touch of vanilla extract adds floral notes.
How to Make Moist Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
This easy gluten-free pumpkin bread comes together with just one bowl and a whisk. Simply whisk together the wet ingredients, whisk in the dry ingredients, pour into a loaf pan, and bake!
Maple Glaze for Pumpkin Bread (and Donuts, Bundt Cakes, and Other Desserts)
Also called maple syrup glaze, maple butter glaze, and maple icing recipe, this buttery maple glaze reminds me of old-school doughnuts. And you could certainly use it as such. Drizzle it on this gluten-free dairy-free pumpkin bread or just lick it off the spoon – I definitely did.
This maple glaze recipe uses just three ingredients:
- maple syrup (the darker the better)
- powdered sugar
- butter (vegan if you like)
I use Miyoko's vegan butter here to keep the loaf dairy free and it works beautifully. To make the glaze, whisk together the ingredients until smooth. Let the glaze cool if needed to thicken so it doesn't run right off the bread – it should be thicker than you think it needs to be. Test a little on the loaf before dumping it all on in case it's still too thin.
I like to place the pumpkin loaf on a wire rack and then a plate to catch the drips. We scoop up the extra glaze from the plate and slather it on slices of pumpkin bread. No maple glaze left behind!
Healthy Pumpkin Bread with Gluten-Free Whole-Grain Flours
This gluten-free dairy-free pumpkin bread is healthier than most. It gets fiber and nutrients from a good dose of whole grain flours (oat and millet). It doesn't need any xanthan gum to hold it together – the protein in the eggs take care of that along with some sticky sweet rice and tapioca flours.
While this gluten-free pumpkin loaf definitely tastes like dessert, it has less sugar than most at seven-eighths of a cup of granulated sugar for the full loaf. Some recipes this size contain twice as much sugar. The maple glaze adds more sweetness, but you can leave it off if you want to cut the sugar content even more. I enjoy slices of plain pumpkin bread slathered with a little crème fraîche or plain yogurt.
This recipe uses oil instead of butter. I usually use sunflower or suncoco oil (sunflower + liquid coconut oil) but you can use any neutral cooking oil that you like the taste of.
This recipe uses a hefty 1 1/3 cups of pumpkin puree. Pumpkin is high in fiber, antioxidants, and nutrients. Its natural sweetness means you can dial down the refined sugar in recipes such as these. It also adds moisture that keeps the crumb of this gluten-free pumpkin bread soft and tender.
How to Keep Pumpkin Bread Fresh
Store leftover GF pumpkin bread covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. I like to slice the bread and layer the slices with parchment paper in a large container. Since it's humid where I live in San Francisco, I refrigerate my pumpkin bread after a day. It keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let the slices come to room temperature before serving to bring out the flavors.
Can I Freeze Pumpkin Bread?
You can! I found that the glazed loaf is tricky to defrost because the icing melts if you try to defrost a slice in the toaster oven (my preferred method). But here are two options for freezing pumpkin bread that work well:
- Bake an extra loaf, but don't glaze it yet. Tuck the whole loaf into a large freezer bag and freeze until needed, up to a month or two. When you're ready to enjoy, defrost the loaf (either in the refrigerator or at room temperature) then glaze the loaf, slice, and enjoy.
- Bake the loaf, but don't glaze it yet. Cut the loaf into slices, lay the slices on a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easy clean up. Layer any overlapping slices with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together. Freeze the slices. Tuck the frozen slices into a freezer bag and freeze until needed, up to a month or two. When you're ready for a slice, pop one into a toaster oven and toast until defrosted and warmed through. Enjoy a warm slice with a scoop of ice cream. Or make a batch of glaze to drizzle over the slice as you toast them.
- If you're freezing slices of pumpkin bread that have already been glazed, let the slices defrost slowly at room temperature so that the glaze stays firm.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake or Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins
This pumpkin "bread" is really just cake in a loaf pan. You could absolutely bake the batter in cake pans and slather the layers with my less-sweet cream cheese frosting or vegan cream cheese frosting. I think you could use two or three 8-inch pans or two 9-inch pans, decreasing the bake time as needed. If you try this, please let me know!
This pumpkin loaf could easily be baked into gluten-free dairy-free pumpkin muffins. Divide the batter among 12-16 muffin cups lined with paper liners, filling them two-thirds full. Decrease the bake time to 20-30 minutes. (Disclaimer that I haven't tested this yet, but I will update the recipe with specifics when I do!)
How to Make Pumpkin Bread with Fresh Pureed Pumpkin
I actually prefer making squash puree for gluten-free pumpkin bread and other pumpkin desserts from butternut squash. Butternuts tend to be more consistent than culinary pumpkins which can sometimes be watery and bland.
To make your own squash puree, cut a butternut in half lengthwise and leave in the seeds for now. Place the squash cut-side down on an oiled rimmed baking sheet and roast at 375ºF until collapsing and super tender, 45 minutes or as needed. Let cool, scoop out the seeds and strings and discard (this is way easier to do post-baking). Scoop the flesh into a food processor, and blend until super smooth. Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for longer storage.
What to do with extra pumpkin puree?
You'll have a scant 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree leftover after making this recipe. (For the record, I tried putting the whole can in the loaf. Trust me, this version is much better!) Here are some ideas on how to use it up:
- make an easy vegan pumpkin spice latte from Minimalist Baker
- put it into your favorite oatmeal recipe, or try this pumpkin oatmeal from Bakerita
- cook it into pumpkin butterscotch pudding
- make GF pumpkin pancakes from Snixy Kitchen
- whip up a batch of easy pumpkin granola from Salted Plains
*Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this gluten-free dairy-free pumpkin bread, I’d love to see. Tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*
Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Pumpkin Bread with Maple Glaze
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Pumpkin Bread:
- 1 teaspoon softened vegan butter or coconut oil, for the pan
- 1 1/3 cup (300 g) pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons (190 g) organic granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup (125 g by weight) sunflower oil (or other neutral vegetable oil)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (110 g) Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oat flour
- 2/3 cup (105 g) Bob's Red Mill sweet rice flour
- 2/3 cup (95 g) Bob's Red Mill millet flour
- 3 tablespoons (22 g) Bob's Red Mill tapioca flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea or kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon turmeric (optional, mostly for color)
- ½ teaspoon packed freshly ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Maple Glaze:
- 4 tablespoons (55 g) vegan or dairy butter, melted
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar, sifted if clumpy
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- big pinch salt if using unsalted butter
Instructions
Pumpkin Bread:
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºRub a 9x5 loaf pan with the butter or coconut oil and line the bottom and sides of the pan with two pieces of parchment paper cut to fit.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
- Place a mesh strainer over the bowl (or over a different medium-sized bowl) and sift in the oat, sweet rice, millet, and tapioca flours along with the baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric (if using), nutmeg, and allspice.
- Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the pumpkin bread until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs, 55 to 65 minutes. Check the loaf after 45 minutes and rotate if it’s browning unevenly or move it to the lower rack if it’s browning too quickly.
- Remove the loaf from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour.
Maple Glaze:
- While the loaf cools, make the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, and maple syrup until the mixture is smooth. Let cool until thickly pourable, about 20 minutes.
- Place the pumpkin bread still on the wire rack on a large plate. Pour the glaze over the pumpkin cake letting it drip down the sides. We like to scoop up extra glaze that collects on the plate and slather it on slices of pumpkin bread.
- Let the glaze set until firm (you can pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes to speed this up). Slice and enjoy.
- Store this pumpkin bread covered at room temperature for up to 1 day, or refrigerated for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
More Pumpkin Dessert Recipes:
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pouding Chomeur (baked pudding cake)
- Pumpkin Ice Cream
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Buttermilk Pie
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
- Butterscotch Pumpkin Pudding
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cranberry Bread (from Alternative Baker via Foolproof Living)
- Somewhat Fussy Pumpkin Tart
- Pumpkin Challah
- Brown Butter-Glazed Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Coffeecake
More Gluten-Free Cake Recipes:
- Gluten-Free Apple Cake with Brown Butter & Hazelnut
- Gluten-Free Blueberry Coffeecake
- Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
- Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cake {all-natural}
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
- Gluten-Free Banana Cake with Chocolate Ganache
- Gluten-Free Upside-Down Cake with Poached Quince
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- Gluten-Free Pound Cake with Lemon and Berries
- Gluten-Free Pear Cake with Chai Spices
- Gluten-Free Peach Cake
- Gluten-Free Plum Cake
- Gluten-Free Lemon Almond Cake
Debbie Feely says
I need to try this. It really makes me miss eggs, but I’m eating similar muffins recreated from your Chai Nectarine Skillet cake in your book. Half a cup applesauce and half a cup sour cream in place of the eggs here. I’m sure these proportions would be even better. Maybe some day I’ll be brave and try Just Egg but soy and chickpea allergy make that a scary and expensive test.
Alanna says
Those muffins sound so good! I can't imagine that applesauce and sour cream would be bad here - that's what I love to put on my blintzes! Please let me know if you try an egg-free version of these. I would start with a half-batch in case you need to experiment some more. Such a bummer about your soy and chickpea allergy too - that sounds really challenging!
Debbie Feely says
Alanna! I made this into muffins and they are delicious! I did sub applesauce and sour cream for the eggs. The flavor and crumb are exceptional. Thank you! You make my life more enjoyable.
Alanna says
Oh amazing! I'd love to see a photo of the cake crumb because I'm so curious, if you still have a slice left?
Debbie Feely says
I can’t figure out how to add a photo here.
Larraine says
Banana squash has the richest flavor if you want to substitute. Great recipe . Thx
Alanna says
I've never tried that one - thanks for the tip!
Theresa Balchus says
Hello,
I would like to thank you for this recipe as I have a horrible allergy to gluten. I also have the same horrible allergy to rice, so what would be a good replacement?
Just FYI - rice has a protein in it that reacts with the body like gluten.
https://www.glutenfreesociety.org/gluten-mimicking-foods/
In gratitude,
Theresa A Balchus
Alanna says
That's awful! I know some celiacs who are NOT sensitive to rice, but I know that it can effect people differently, with some preferring grain-free. Are you good with oats and oat flour? To sub for the sweet rice flour, you could try a blend of sorghum flour with a little more tapioca added in. That would be my best guess! Coconut or almond flours could also work, but they absorb moisture differently so you'd need to experiment. Coconut flour soaks up moisture like a sponge so you'd only want to use 1/4 or 1/3 cup in place of the sweet rice flour. Please let me know if you experiment.
Alison V says
I saw this post on instagram and COULD NOT WAIT to try it, and I am so glad I did! I used a mild and buttery-tasting extra-virgin olive oil for the oil, and it works well with the pumpkin and spices. Very light and lofty, but the crust does have a bit of an eggy taste. Next time I will try one less egg but add some vegan egg replacer for the extra lift and stick-um. I think the glaze is necessary for the extra hit of sweetness, but doesn't overpower. I wonder if it would work as a banana-bread, with a little less sugar......
Alanna says
Aw thanks for trying my recipe! I'm so glad you liked it despite the eggy taste of the crust. Please let me know how it turns out if you try it with some egg replacer. And I love the idea of turning it into banana bread! Such a good idea.
Alison V says
Update: the eggy taste dissipated after a day or so, and the glaze also helped with that!
I haven't yet tried it with egg replacer, but I did try it with banana: I used 350 g banana (it was frozen, so easiest to measure this way), and subbed 130g brown sugar for the granulated sugar to allow for the banana's sweetness. I also added a quarter cup of uncooked millet for texture. Turned out great! Beautiful crumb and not too sweet, so I don't feel like I'm eating cake for breakfast. :)
To be completely transparent, I started with just 300 g banana, but found this didn't taste "banana-y" enough for me, so I added a few more chunks. Yes, I tasted the raw batter--I live on the edge.
Alanna says
Ha! What a rebel you are. ;) These modifications sound delicious - I'm so glad you liked it!
Alison V says
Hey, thanks for always having such reliable recipes! I gave four copies of your book away last xmas--and made sure everyone knew it's worth it for the brownie recipe alone!
Alanna says
Awww that makes my day!! Thanks for sharing the Alternative Baker love!
Jay Doane says
I for one am not at all disappointed that you made 6 versions of this bread, and that I've been able to try each one. So tasty!
Alanna says
I'll make more if you do the dishes ;)
Vivian Drew says
And for those of us who still love regular unbleached white flour........what are the measurements?
Alanna says
You could try swapping in AP wheat flour for all of the other flours and tapioca. It's 332 grams or about 2 1/3 cups. Please let me know how it comes out if you try it!
Carole says
Made this yesterday and YUM!!! Came out just like the pictures and it made the house smell incredible. Next time, I will use this to make cupcakes! Thank you for another wonderful recipe. With your cookbook and this blog, life is good.
Alanna says
Awwww that makes me so happy! Very glad you're enjoying the book, the blog, and this pumpkin bread! :)
Meg says
Could I use just a normal self raising GF flour? Or would that not work? I live in the middle of nowhere in Scotland and all I have in my cupboard is the GF self raising flour and a bag of Coconut flour.
Also any good recipes for pumpkin thats fresh from the pumpkin ? I have a rather large pumpkin at home and would hate to throw out the innards when we carve it.
Thanks so much!
Alanna says
Hi Meg! I've never worked with GF self-rising flour before. But according to this article, it looks like you would just swap all of the flours here for an equal amount by weight (332 g) of GF self-rising flour, and also omit the baking powder and salt. Please let me know if it works, I'm very curious now!
Claire Legas says
Oh my goodness! I have friends staying with me and I needed comfort food for both GF and dairy free. Holy Moly, this hit the spot.
Everyone (even those who can eat gluten) agreed that this was delicious, just the perfect amount of spice (even though I didn't have any allspice.) and the pumpkin flavor was spot on.
I didn't have millet flour so I substituted a GF blend. And my organic pumpkin, while beautiful was a bit more watery.
Overall it turned out moist and delicious.
And that glaze! Yummy!!!
Alanna says
Awww thank you so much for trying my recipe Claire! I'm SO glad it was a hit. Thanks a bunch for the sweet note. :)
Claire Legas says
This was delicious Alanna! Even though I didn't have millet flour (and subbed a GF blend) and my pumpkin was much more liquid-y than the Libby's version, it turned out great. Both the GF and the gluten-ful around the house loved it.
And that glaze! Oh wow. How delicious.
Well done!
Ruthie says
I did find organic brown rice flour but not organic sweet rice. Since I only purchase organic flours, can I substitute brown rice flour for the sweet? Grazie
Alanna says
I feel you - I prefer organic flours myself. But I don't know that brown rice flour will work as well here, since it's the stickiness of the sweet rice flour that plays a large role in the crumb of the cake. You could try adding in more tapioca flour if you try it with the brown rice, but I'd recommend making it as written first if possible.
Trish says
I love your recipes! This is soooo good! Tender, gently spiced - just perfect, and a big hit at our house. I also took some to a meeting this morning and they loved it! It makes a very generously sized loaf which means there’s a lot to share. I love that because otherwise I’d eat way too much and sharing it makes me a popular person! ;-)
Alanna says
I feel that! Thanks a million for trying my recipe and for the sweet note!
TBG says
This is soo delicious! I have been looking for a DF GF pumpkin bread recipe that has the right texture. You would have no idea that this is GF. I did not make the maple glaze even though I am sure it is delicious- instead I used large chocolate chunks in the batter because I LOVE chocolate chip pumpkin bread. I will try the maple glaze soon. Making this again today- twice this week
Alanna says
Aw I'm so glad you're loving this recipe! How much chocolate did you use in the batter? I'd love to add that as a variation for fellow chocophiles like myself! :)
Cindy love says
I’m doing keto so I replaced flours with 2 cups almond and 1/3 cup coconut flour. Then I replaced the sugars with swerve granulated and swerve powdered. Sugar free maple syrup. And olive oil for the veg oil. I only had the smaller pan so I used the leftover batter to make 6 donuts. Both turned out great !
Alanna says
Amazing! I'm so glad those modifications worked out. Thanks a bunch for the note!
Nora says
Stunning cake! My kids were absolutely bonkers for it. Worked just fine with Trader Joe’s canned pumpkin but I will use roasted honey nut squash next time. Thanks for the great recipe.
Alanna says
That sounds delicious! Thanks a bunch for the note and for trying my recipe. :)
Cindy Rice says
Beautifully moist and the glaze adds just the right amount of sweetness and maple flavor. I made it in advance and froze it for a few days before adding the glaze. After thawing and glazing, it kept really well tightly wrapped in the fridge for 3-4 days. Everyone loved it!
Carol says
Delicious and looked exactly like the pictures. I was impressed by how tall and voluminous it was; you'd never know it was gf!
Tamara says
Hi! I have a question! I am allergic to oats, and typically just use bobs red mill 1:1 gluten free flour, would that and the tapioca flour work? Or, what would you suggest as an alternative? I’m allergic to wheat, corn and coconut and oats. Thanks in advance!
Alanna says
That's my favorite GF blend too! I think it would probably work. Not sure if you'd need to add the tapioca or just swap out all the flours for the same amount of Bob's (preferably by weight). Will you let me know if you try it?
Joelle says
I made this with my girls and it was amazing. Perfectly moist and delicious and of course, the glaze was a big hit with the kids. We accidentally skipped the sifting step and beyond the tiny bite of baking soda I got, it was perfectly fine.
Patty says
Outstandingly moist, flavourful and pretty. I adorned with just a few raw pumpkin seeds :-).
Alanna says
Aw that must look beautiful! Thanks a bunch for the note and for trying the recipe. :)