Pumpkin Pecan Bread

Name: Pumpkin Pecan Bread
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 27 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 210 grams / 1 & ¾ cups Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour; 1 TBLS Pumpkin Pie Spice (store-bought or homemade); ½ TSP ground Cinnamon; ½ TSP Fine Sea Salt; 1 TSP Baking Soda; 240 grams / 1 cup canned Pumpkin Puree (not pumpkin pie filling); 100 grams / ½ cup granulated White Sugar; 100 grams / ½ cup packed Light Brown Sugar; 118ml / ½ cup Extra Light Tasting Olive Oil (or melted coconut oil), plus more for greasing loaf pan; 93 grams / 1/3 cup Greek Yogurt (full fat preferred for best texture, but low-fat will work too); 1 Extra Large Egg (64-68 grams); 1 TSP Vanilla Extract; 1 cup (about 100 grams) unsalted raw Pecans – chopped

by Lavina // posted October 26, 2020

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This Pumpkin Pecan Bread is incredibly soft and moist, sweet without being overly sweet, and full of toasty pecans! It is perfectly spiced, has less eggs and sugar than most other recipes, and is full of the BEST fall flavors!

Top view of loaf and two slices of pumpkin pecan bread on parchment paper.

Do you love pumpkin bread? I do, and I especially love making it and having its aroma linger in my home for a few hours on days that I make it during this spectacular season that is fall. 💛 🍁 🍂

When I first made this Pumpkin Pecan Bread, my family and cousins were skeptical and confused about why I was making a bread with pumpkins. They’d never heard of the concept before. 🙄 My mom said, “I’ve never eaten pumpkin bread or anything pumpkin in my whole life! Am I supposed to put this in the toaster and then dip it in my tea?” 😂

Anyways, once they all tried it and loved it, they realized that pumpkin bread was simply a sweet and delightful spiced cake. There. I said it. Quick breads taste like cakes, not bread. (It’s kind of like an unspoken fact, but I’m putting it out here!)

But this one does so even more because it’s super soft and fluffy thanks to using oil instead of butter, and also one of my favorite secret baking ingredients – Greek yogurt!

Why This Recipe Works

It’s easy to make and doesn’t require a mixer.
It’s sweet without being overly sweet, and has less sugar than most pumpkin bread recipes.
Greek yogurt makes the bread incredibly moist, and gives it a soft cake like texture. This makes it perfect for a midday sweet treat or dessert in addition to breakfast!
You’ll get a good dose of protein from the delicious crunchy pecans and Greek yogurt in each slice.
It’s perfectly spiced, has wonderful cinnamon-y notes, and full of lovely fall pumpkin flavors!

I guaranteed it’ll give you warm fuzzy feelings on the inside this season, and have you coming back for more!

Ingredients

Pumpkin Puree: I use canned pumpkin puree, but you’re welcome to use homemade pumpkin puree if you have it on hand.
Pumpkin Pie Spice: I use a store-bought blend which has cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, mace, and cloves. Feel free to use either a store-bought or homemade blend.
Greek Yogurt: I use a 10% fat one, and I recommend using a full fat Greek yogurt instead of non-fat for best texture. I haven’t tried it with a low-fat Greek yogurt, but think it could work well too.
Oil: I use extra light tasting olive oil, but feel free to use vegetable or melted coconut oil if you prefer.

Full ingredient list and amounts are in the recipe card below.

Two diagonally placed plates with a slice of pumpkin bread, and a fork in the back.

How to Make Pumpkin Pecan Bread

1. Combine dry ingredients: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, fine sea salt, and baking soda in a large measuring cup (or bowl).

2. Combine wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, granulated white sugar, light brown sugar, extra light tasting olive oil, Greek yogurt, egg, and vanilla extract until combined well. (It’s okay if there are still a few Greek yogurt lumps – they should disappear in the next step.)

Wet ingredients combined in a large mixing bowl with a rubber spatula, and measuring cup with combined dry ingredients and a spoon.

3. Combine the dry with wet ingredients: Sift the flour mixture into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined, and until there are no flour streaks visible. It’s okay if there are still some lumps, just be careful not to overmix!

4. Add nuts: Fold the chopped pecans into the batter until just combined.

Photo collage: Batter in bowl with rubber spatula, and batter in bowl topped with chopped pecans and rubber spatula.

5. Bake: Transfer the batter to a 9 x 5-inch glass loaf dish/pan and smooth out the top with a rubber spatula (or the back of a large spoon). Bake in a preheated 325°F/165°C/Gas Mark 3 for 70-80 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center of the loaf comes out clean. (Note: Bake at 350°F/175°C/Gas Mark 4 for 55-65 minutes if using a nonstick metal or aluminum steel loaf pan.)

6. Cool: Transfer to a wire or steel cooling rack and allow the loaf to rest for 10 minutes. Then run a knife around the edges of the loaf and invert it onto the cooking rack. Carefully set it upright again and allow to cool completely.
Slice and enjoy: Once the loaf has completely cooled, slice and enjoy!

Collage of unbaked batter and baked loaf in a glass loaf dish.

Full detailed instructions in the recipe card below.

Close up top view of loaf and two slices of pumpkin pecan bread on parchment paper.

Cook’s Tips

Use a digital kitchen scale. I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale to measure out the ingredients for accuracy. Different cups will yield different amounts, so using a scale and going by weight for baking is best.
Fluff the flour before measuring it. Don’t dip your measuring cup into the flour bag/bin and scoop it out. This will compact the flour, and you’ll end up with more flour than needed. Instead, fluff the flour using a spoon and spoon it into a measuring cup. Then level off the excess by running a knife over the top of the measuring cup. Again, use a kitchen scale if you have one to ensure you’ve measured out the flour correctly.
Do not overmix. Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, avoid overmixing as it will cause more gluten and air bubbles to form. This in turn will will yield a dryer loaf.
Slice the loaf once completely cool. If you slice while it’s still warm, it may fall apart as it’s delicate and soft on the inside thanks to the Greek yogurt. Once it’s completely cool, you should have no trouble with slicing.

Close up of a fork on a plate with a bite of pumpkin pecan bread.

FAQs

Why does my bread crack?

Cracking on the surface is normal and a desired result when baking quick breads such as this Pumpkin Pecan Bread. However, excessive cracking and long tunnels can be caused by overmixing. To avoid excessive cracking, mix until the dry ingredients are JUST combined with the wet ingredients. There may be some lumps in the batter, but that is completely fine.

But rest assured, the cracks in the bread will not alter the flavor and it will still taste delicious!

Can I freeze the pumpkin pecan bread?

To freeze the loaf: Wrap the loaf tightly in cling wrap after it cools completely, and wrap it again in aluminum foil for an extra layer of protection. (Or place the cling wrapped loaf in a sealed Ziplock bag.) Freeze for up to three months. To thaw, unwrap the loaf and place it on a paper towel lined cutting board on the counter. The loaf will take around 2 hours to fully thaw. Then slice, and heat the slices in the microwave for a few seconds if desired. Serve and enjoy!

To freeze individual slices: Follow the same procedure for freezing the loaf. It will take around 30-60 minutes to thaw the slices. Microwave for a 10-15 seconds to enjoy warm if desired, and enjoy!

How long will it keep?

It’ll keep for 3-4 days. Wrap the loaf or slices in cling wrap and store in a sealed airtight container in a cool dry area for 3-4 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Fork with a bite of bread and close up of two slices of bread. Text overlay "Pumpkin Pecan Bread".

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