This pumpkin bread is rich and flavorful, full of pumpkin, warm spices, and maple, with a buttery-crunchy topping. Serve this delicious quick bread for breakfast, dessert, or as a midday snack.
If you want your pumpkin bread with a little something extra, this is the recipe for you! The combination of pecans, maple, and pumpkin make this recipe a winner. Try our Maple Gingerbread Cake and Spice Cake, too!
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This recipe is
Soft and moist: Pumpkin puree and vegetable oil keep this bread moist with a tender crumb.
Packed with seasonal flavor: An incredible combination of pumpkin, warm spices, maple, and pecans.
Easy: Even with three components this recipe comes together quickly and easily. No special equipment needed.
Piled high with toppings: The star of this bread is the buttery-crunchy topping which gets covered in a sweet maple icing.
Recipe overview
Pecan topping: Combine pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and melted butter. Place the topping in the fridge while you proceed with the bread batter.
Bread: Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another. Combine the two and spread into a greased 9×5 loaf pan.
Assemble and bake: Add the pecan topping on top of the batter. Bake for 50-60 minutes.
Icing: Combine powdered sugar, milk, and maple extract. Drizzle over the cooled bread.
Ingredient spotlight: maple extract
Maple extract can be purchased on the spice aisle in grocery store near the vanilla extract. It has a very concentrated maple flavor that stands up well to the other flavors in this recipe.
Maple extract is used twice, in the bread itself as well as in the icing.
Tips: baking with pumpkin
Canned pumpkin puree is recommended for this recipe. It produces a consistent result when used in baked goods. Libby’s is my favorite brand. I have tested recipes with generic and even organic brands and Libby’s is almost always superior.
Be sure to buy pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling which comes sweetened and spiced.
Serving and storage
Serve at room temperature or slightly warm.
Store leftovers tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days.
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Recipe
Maple Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
Topping:
- ½ cup finely chopped pecan or walnuts
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Bread:
- 1-¾ cups all purpose flour*
- 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1-¼ cups canned pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup milk
- 1¼ teaspoons maple extract
Maple icing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon maple extract
Instructions
Topping:
- Stir together all ingredients with a fork. Transfer to the refrigerator while you proceed with the bread.
Bread:
- Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the center of the oven. . Grease a 9×5 loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, oil, pumpkin puree, maple extract, and milk until combined. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined, being careful not to over-mix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle the nut topping over the batter. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs on it. I loosely tent the pan with foil during the last 20 minutes of bake time to keep the top from getting too dark. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool.
Icing:
- Whisk all ingredients until smooth. Adjust the consistency as necessary by adding more powdered sugar (to thicken) or more milk (to thin). Remove the bread from the pan and place it on a wire rack set over a piece or parchment paper. If any nuts come off the top just lightly press them back on, the icing will act as glue. Use a spoon to drizzle icing over the top of the bread. Allow the icing to firm up a bit before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Katie says
I’ve never paired maple with pumpkin bread, and it’s totally a hit! So cozy and perfect flavors for fall.
Kris says
Oh my goodness the topping on this bread was out of this world! So good.
Allison says
I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Laura says
Super moist will be making it again. Family loved it. It was a hit!
Allison says
I’m so glad! Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Joe Ann Kingdon says
Looks fabulous! Can I use gluten free flour in this recipe? Thanks!
Allison says
Hi! I’ve only made the recipe as written, so I can’t say for sure. If you do try it I recommend using a 1:1 gluten free baking blend.
Paola M says
Easy and tasty recipe! Friends and family enjoy it ! Thank you 😊 happy holidays
Allison says
That’s great to hear! Happy holidays to you as well. 🙂
Becky says
This was delicious!! Can you freeze this bread?
Allison says
I’m glad you enjoyed it! I haven’t tried freezing it (we always eat it all, haha!) but I would assume you could freeze it with no problem. Thanks for stopping by!
Anna says
Literally my favorite thing ever. Had to keep myself from eating the entire loaf myself. Best recipe ever and now my favorite thing
Allison says
Haha! Thanks for the kind review, Anna. 🙂
Tonya says
Delicious will definitely be making again. I used dark brown sugar instead of white but absolutely delicious
Allison Mattina says
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Brenda says
Not a fan. I thought it sounded good, but in my opinion the maple just did not work well with the pumpkin. Darn it! My guests didn’t like it either.
Allison Mattina says
Sorry to hear that.