Grain-Free Pumpkin Spice Bread
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Paleo
Fall is here! It’s that time of year again! We know you can’t get through the season without your pumpkin spice fix. Pumpkin spice cookies, pumpkin spice latte, and most importantly, pumpkin bread. Is it a dessert, a snack, or breakfast? You decide. We’re here to tell you how to make it, how you eat it is up to you.
Of course, don’t feel limited to fall. This gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe is so easy to make you can bake it whenever you get the craving for homemade, light and fluffy comfort.
Pumpkin not your flavor? Try our Banana Bread instead! Or if you still want more spice, check out our Easy Snickerdoodle Cookie recipe.
Now for those of you who love pumpkin, let’s make some bread!
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup avocado oil
- 1 ⅓ cups coconut sugar or granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (store-bought or make your own!)
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 ¼ cup Otto’s Naturals - Cassava Flour
- ¼ teaspoon Otto's Naturals Grain-Free Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅔ cup chopped nuts (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Mix the oil and sugar together with an electric mixer until well incorporated.
- Add eggs, water, and pumpkin puree and mix thoroughly.
- In a separate bowl, blend the cassava flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and cloves together.
- Gradually add dry mix to the pumpkin mixture. Fold in nuts if desired.
- Pour into a greased and floured (or parchment-lined) 8x4-inch loaf pan and bake for 65-70 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Note: Remember to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix. You can make your own from a fresh pumpkin (directions below!) or buy canned puree.
How to make pumpkin puree from scratch
Making pumpkin puree from scratch is easy. Make sure you get a small baking pumpkin. They are also known as “pie pumpkins,” “sweet pumpkins,” or “sugar pumpkins.” Like their name implies, they’re sweeter than the big ones used for decorating or pumpkin carving. Assume you’ll get about a cup of puree per pound of pumpkin.
To make the puree, simply cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds (you can throw some salt on them and bake them later if you wish). Scoop out the stringy fibers as well. Then bake the pumpkin face down on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake until the flesh is pulling away from the skin, about 40-60 minutes at 400°F.
Once the pumpkin is baked, take it out and let it cool. Then scoop it into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add the puree to anything that needs more pumpkin. You can try throwing any extra you have in an autumnal smoothie!
Go nuts!
Nuts are optional in this pumpkin bread, but you can add pecans or walnuts to complement the pumpkin flavor without distracting from it. You could even try topping it with pumpkin seeds for a festive crunch. If nuts and seeds aren’t your thing, you could add chocolate chips or a chopped bar for chocolatey pumpkin bread.
Health benefits of pumpkin
Did you know pumpkin doesn’t just add flavor? It has been linked to numerous health benefits. Pumpkin is rich in vitamin A, C, and E which can even boost your immune system! We need all the vitamins we can get these days, especially in the middle of cold and flu season. Pumpkin also contains antioxidants (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and more) which fight free radicals in your body. Pumpkin may even help skin health and improve eyesight. Is there anything this beautiful orange gourd can’t do?
What else do you put pumpkin in? What other gluten-free recipes should we try? Let us know in the comments.
