Perfect Christmas Pumpkin Bread — The Spiced Holiday Quick Bread

Pumpkin bread is the warm, spiced bread that bridges fall and Christmas. With pumpkin pie spices, it's the perfect breakfast bread, dessert, or gift for the holiday season.

The classic recipe (makes 1 loaf)

Ingredients

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Grease a loaf pan
3. Whisk pumpkin + oil + sugars + eggs + vanilla
4. In separate bowl: flour + baking soda + salt + spices
5. Combine wet and dry
6. Fold in pecans
7. Pour into pan
8. Bake 60-70 minutes
9. Cool 10 minutes; turn out

Variations

With cream cheese swirl

• Mix 4 oz softened cream cheese + 1/4 cup sugar
• Swirl through batter before baking

With chocolate chips

• Add 1 cup chocolate chips
• Kid favorite

Mini loaves

• Divide into 4-6 small pans
• Bake 25-30 minutes
• Perfect for gifting

Glazed

• Drizzle powdered sugar glaze over cooled bread
• Extra indulgent

Make-ahead

• 2 days at room temp wrapped tightly
• 1 week refrigerated
• 3 months frozen

Cross-references

For perfect Christmas banana bread — adjacent.

For perfect Christmas cinnamon rolls — adjacent.

For Christmas neighbor gifts — gift context.

For Christmas cookie recipes — broader.

Perfect Christmas pumpkin bread is the warm spiced bread. Pumpkin pie flavors. Moist; tender. The Christmas bread that fills the house with autumn-to-holiday aromas.