Cinnamon Sugar-Topped Pumpkin Spice Bread — 🎃🍁🍂 Super soft, tender, moist pumpkin bread with a slightly crunchy cinnamon sugar topping that is the BEST part! The mini loaves are EASY, they bake quickly, are brimming will fall flavors, and totally IRRESISTIBLE (and accidentally vegan)!
Table of Contents
Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Moist, homemade pumpkin bread is such a quintessential fall treat.
A slice of freshly baked pumpkin bread with warm coffee or tea in hand is wonderful. And if you can do enjoy it while sitting on the couch curled up with a blanket, even better.
Rather than making one big loaf, I made three mini loaves (I’ve given instructions on how to make one regular loaf as well!). Mini food is my jam.
These adorable little cinnamon pumpkin bread loaves are brimming with the flavors of fall like pumpkin pie spice and molasses. Plus, they have a cinnamon sugar topping that gets slightly crunchy while the loaves bake. It’s the perfect contrast to the soft, tender, ultra moist pumpkin bread.
It tastes more like cake than bread, which I’ll never complain about.
This cinnamon sugar pumpkin bread recipe is easy, you don’t even need a mixer, and it’s great if you’re trying to get friends and family together around this time of the year and have something for everyone to eat and enjoy.
Here’s what readers are saying:
Beth G. said:
This was a hit at Thanksgiving! Vegan and non-vegan enjoyed it! Did I mention that I put pecans on top? They got toasted and so, so good. 😊
Abbey said:
Omg!! This was sooo good. I have accidentally eaten half the tray already. I will definitely be saving this recipe and making it million times haha
Pumpkin Spice Bread Ingredients
For this cinnamon pumpkin bread recipe, you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Pumpkin pie spice – a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and more for quintessential pumpkin spice vibes.
- Salt
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Pumpkin puree
- Vegetable oil
- Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almondmilk – I’m a huge Silk fan and use it all the time in my cooking, baking, and smoothie-making. But you can use the milk of your choice.
- Molasses – use a mild molasses for this recipe. Do not use blackstrap molasses.
- Vanilla extract
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Bread
This spiced pumpkin bread might be my easiest recipe yet! Here’s how the homemade pumpkin bread is made:
- Combine the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry in another.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined.
- Turn the quick bread batter into three greased mini loaf pans, then sprinkle liberally with cinnamon sugar.
- Bake the pumpkin bread until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool before slicing with a butter knife.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, this cinnamon pumpkin bread can be made as a single loaf instead of three minis. You’d want to use a 9×5-inch loaf pan and it will likely need 55-60-ish minutes in the oven (since the mini loaves need about 40 minutes). I haven’t made this as a single loaf yet, so I’m just using my best guesstimate.
Please do! Mini chocolate chips would contrast nicely with the crunchy cinnamon topping, but chopped nuts or dried fruit would also be a welcome addition. I suggest starting with 2/3 to 3/4 cup and seeing how that looks and then adding a bit more, if necessary.
Yes, if you don’t have almond milk or prefer not to use it you can substitute any other milk you have on hand. Just make sure the milk is unsweetened and fairly neutral in flavor.
No, you MUST use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling for this recipe. Pumpkin pie filling is sweetened and spiced and will mess up the flavor of this bread.
Go for it! I suggest making the topping from either my Apple Pie Bread or Pumpkin Crumb Cake. Both toppings will work for this pumpkin bread!
Yes, this spiced pumpkin bread freezes incredibly well. Let it cool to room temperature and then wrap it in plastic wrap. To thaw it, simply place the loaf on your counter overnight.
Recipe Video Tutorial
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Cinnamon Sugar-Topped Pumpkin Spice Bread
Equipment
- 3 5x3x2 mini loaf pans OR
Ingredients
Bread
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil, canola oil, or liquid-state coconut oil (melt in microwave if necessary to liquify)
- ¼ cup Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almondmilk , (or your favorite kind of milk such as 2%, oatmilk, soy, etc.)
- 2 tablespoons mild or medium molasses
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided 3 ways
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, divided 3 ways
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Spray three 5x3x2-inch mini loaf pans very well with floured cooking spray or grease and flour the pans; set aside.
- To a large bowl add the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and whisk together; set aside.
- To a separate large bowl add the sugars, pumpkin, oil (I used coconut) milk, molasses, vanilla, and whisk until combined.
- Pour the wet pumpkin mixture over the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined; don’t overmix.
- Evenly distribute batter between the 3 prepared pans, filling each about 2/3-full.
- Evenly sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over each of the 3 pans.
- Evenly sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon over each of the 3 pans and place pans on a baking sheet (easier than dealing with 3 separate small pans in a hot oven).
- Bake for about 40 to 43 minutes, or until tops are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Baking Tips – Start checking at 30 minutes because all mini pans, ovens, and climates vary. If you think that the top of the loaves are browning a bit too quickly before the centers are setting, loosely drape a large sheet of aluminum foil over the top of all the loaves which will reduce the browning on top.
- Allow bread to cool in pans for about 15 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Pumpkin Bread Recipes:
My FAVORITE PUMPKIN RECIPES on my blog!
My cookbook, Cooking With Pumpkin: Recipes That Go Beyond the Pie is my second cookbook and there are over 50 pumpkin recipes including sweets, savory, drinks, and a photo for nearly every recipe. I’d be super grateful if you headed over to Amazon to check it out!
The Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread – Super soft, moist, rich pumpkin flavor, and loaded with chocolate chips! Easy, no mixer recipe that’s the BEST!
Cream Cheese-Filled Pumpkin Bread – Pumpkin bread that’s like having cheesecake baked in! Soft, fluffy, easy and tastes ahhhh-mazing!
Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaves — Super soft, tender, moist pumpkin bread that’s loaded with chocolate chips!! The mini loaves are EASY, brimming will fall flavors, totally IRRESISTIBLE, and accidentally vegan!!
Pumpkin Nut Bread with Crumble Topping — Super soft, tender, moist pumpkin bread with a pecan crumble topping!! The mini loaves are EASY, brimming will fall flavors, totally IRRESISTIBLE, and perfect for entertaining or gift-giving!!
Vegan Pumpkin Bread with Streusel Topping — Moist pumpkin bread is flavored with five kinds of spices for maximum fall flavor and topped with an irresistible streusel topping!
Pumpkin Banana Bread — This pumpkin banana bread is topped with a homemade browned butter frosting. It’s super moist thanks to the mashed bananas, pumpkin, yogurt, and melted butter in the batter!
Originally posted September 11, 2017 and reposted September 17, 2021 and October 4, 2024 with updated text.
Hi Averie,
I made these today. You said to fill the 3 pans 2/3 full. My batter was not even half way up in the pan. I used the same pans you recommend. I also have hard edges. I will turn oven down to 375 and check them at 25 minutes.
Thanks for any idea why I did not get my pans at least 2/3 full
Gayle
It is really difficult to troubleshoot what happens in someone else’s kitchen, after the fact, since I wasn’t there. It sounds like your pans were bigger than mine. Or something was mis-measured.
You would want to fill any baking pan about 2/3 (maybe 3/4) way full, the muffin principle. You need to leave space for expansion. But sounds like you didn’t fill them enough, based on what you’re describing. And/or that you spread the batter among one too many. Again, very hard to say. Use your instinct when filling your pans since they sound different than mine.
great
why did my bread fall flat in the middle? Any recommendations for the next time?
Old or not optimal baking powder
Mismeasured the flour
Underbaked and internal temp never got hot enough to set the loaf and give it struture
great
great
Omg!! This was sooo good. I have accidentally eaten half the tray already. I will definitely be saving this recipe and making it million times haha
Omg!! This was sooo good. I have accidentally eaten half the tray already. I will definitely be saving this recipe and making it million times haha
Omg!! This was sooo good. I have accidentally eaten half the tray already. I will definitely be saving this recipe and making it million times haha
Glad you loved it and will be making it again!
Can you substitute the molasses? Maybe with maple syrup?
Others have done this and yes I think it is fine. I personally prefer the taste more of molasses in this bread though.
Hi! Is there any brand of molasses you like to use for this? I tried looking through the comments but only see where you address potentially subbing for molasses (which I see you don’t really recommend subs as it adds to the richness and flavor). I noticed that you have a note to use a mild molasses and not blackstrap but I can’t seem to find one other than blackstrap in my local store so would like to look at ordering online :) thanks!
I tend to use Grandma’s https://amzn.to/2NeUURu It’s cheaper though in any of my local supermarkets than on Amazon but that’s what I use.
We love this pumpkin bread! Simple and tastes wonderful!
Last year I was challenged to do gluten-free and vegan desserts. This was an amazing hit.
I used Bob’s RED Mil 1 to 1 gluten-free flour. My SIL loved them and requested them again this year too.
I made 12 mini loaves each of the gluten-free and regular. Huge hit for us here! Thank you
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad that you love this bread! Glad that you also made it GF using Bob’s as a 1:1 to regular flour and it’s a huge hit!
Any thoughts on raisins/craisins?
I think craisins could be a nice touch.
Everytime I make this I get rave reviews and interrogated to share the recipe…it’s that good! And vegan?!? Double bonus for my vegan friends and kiddo who is allergic to cows milk and eggs. Thank you for sharing this incredibly delicious pumpkin bread ❤️
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad you get rave reviews whenever you make it!
I made this! It’s ridiculously good. I made muffins instead of loaves because I didn’t have loaf pans. Also, I recently had a bad experience with a cinnamon sugar topping — the sugar cooked, the rest did not, lol — so I used a basic streusel with just cinnamon, flour, sugar, and oil (safflower). I really love that the recipe calls for oil instead of vegan butter — makes the recipe so much more economical. And no flavor sacrificed! Thanks for the recipe! It’s going in my arsenal for sure.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad this is going in your arsenal!
I made this yesterday and it is super moist and delicious! For all those asking about baking in one loaf pan, I baked a single loaf for 40 mins and it came out perfectly. Definitely recommend!
Glad that worked out great for you. Thanks for sharing what you did!
I made this in a regular size loaf pan, and for the same time as mini pans…way over cooked. I planned on just checking at the stated time, but by then it was too late. It’s very dry and tough around the sides. The inside is nice and moist, but next time I’ll bake at least 10 min less.
All ovens do vary but it sounds like your oven is running on the very hot side. I would check into that for your future baking soda things turn out as planned. Thanks for trying the recipe.