Healthy Pumpkin Bread
This Healthy Pumpkin Bread is soft, moist, and perfectly spiced. It’s naturally sweetened with maple syrup, uses heart-healthy olive oil instead of butter, and is made with fiber-rich whole wheat flour for a nourishing twist on a classic fall favorite.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Nutritious and delicious – Made with whole wheat flour, olive oil, and pure maple syrup.
- Perfectly pumpkin-y – Rich pumpkin flavor with warm pumpkin pie spice in every bite.
- Simple and wholesome – No refined sugar, no dairy, just real food goodness.
If you are looking for more healthy recipes, try my Protein Pumpkin Muffins, No-Yeast Cinnamon Rolls, and Healthy Apple Cake.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- Whole wheat flour – Adds fiber and a hearty, nutty flavor.
- Baking soda – Helps the bread rise and stay soft.
- Salt – Balances sweetness and enhances flavor.
- Pumpkin pie spice – Gives it that warm, classic pumpkin flavor.
- Pumpkin puree – Keeps the bread moist and tender.
- Maple syrup – Naturally sweetens with rich, caramel notes.
- Olive oil – Adds moisture and healthy fats.
- Eggs – Provide structure and a light, fluffy texture.
- Vanilla extract – Deepens sweetness and ties the flavors together.
- Optional mix-ins – raisins, dried cranberries, chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds, or chopped nuts
How to make healthy pumpkin bread:
(The full written and printable recipe is further below.)
Step #1) In a medium bowl, toss together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt.
Step #2) In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, olive oil, eggs, and vanilla.
Step #3) Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in any mix-ins if desired.
Step #4) Transfer the batter into a 9×5″ greased loaf pan. Top with nuts or seeds if desired. Bake at 325F for 1 hour.
Storing & freezing instructions:
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerate: Keep up to 1 week for longer freshness – just warm slices slightly before serving.
- Freeze: Wrap the whole loaf or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To thaw: Let sit at room temperature for a few hours or warm slices in the microwave for 20–30 seconds.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes! You can use the same amount of all-purpose flour if that’s what you have on hand.
Absolutely – just melt it first and let it cool slightly before mixing.
Yes, just replace the eggs with flax eggs (1 Tbsp ground flax + 3 Tbsp water per egg) and it works perfectly.
Definitely! Bake the batter in a lined muffin tin at 350°F for about 18–22 minutes.
If you’ve tried this Healthy Pumpkin Bread Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Healthy Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- ½ cup maple syrup, or honey
- ⅓ cup olive oil , or avocado oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup raisins, dried cranberries, chocolate chip, or chopped nuts, optional
- 1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F and grease a 9×5" loaf pan.
- In a medium bowl, toss together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt.1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour, 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, olive oil, eggs, and vanilla.1 cup pumpkin purée, ½ cup maple syrup, ⅓ cup olive oil, 2 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in any mix-ins if desired.½ cup raisins, dried cranberries, chocolate chip, or chopped nuts
- Transfer the batter into a 9×5" greased loaf pan. Top with nuts or seeds if desired.1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds
- Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Cookie and Kate
