Spiced Pumpkin Bread Walnuts (Print Version)

Moist pumpkin loaf infused with warm spices and crunchy walnuts, perfect for autumn mornings or snacks.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

→ Wet Ingredients

09 - 1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
12 - 1/4 cup milk
13 - 1 cup granulated sugar
14 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
15 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Add-ins

16 - 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

# How to Cook:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin purée, eggs, oil, milk, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and gently fold with a spatula until just combined; avoid overmixing.
05 - Fold chopped walnuts into the batter evenly.
06 - Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
07 - Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
08 - Allow loaf to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's impossibly moist and tender, the kind of bread that stays soft for days without feeling dry or dense.
  • The spice blend feels like a warm hug, complex enough to taste special but balanced so nothing overwhelms the pumpkin.
  • Walnuts add a satisfying crunch that keeps every bite interesting.
  • It comes together in less than 20 minutes of actual work, then the oven does the heavy lifting.
02 -
  • Use pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling—I learned this the hard way when a can of pie filling resulted in overly sweet bread that tasted like dessert rather than a breakfast loaf.
  • Don't overmix once you combine wet and dry ingredients; a few flour streaks are fine and your bread will be infinitely better for restraint.
  • Baking time varies by oven, so start checking at 50 minutes with a toothpick rather than trusting the full 60 minutes blindly.
03 -
  • If your kitchen runs cool, add an extra minute or two to baking time—ovens vary, and underbaked pumpkin bread is gummy in the center.
  • Lining the pan with parchment paper is a small step that prevents sticking and makes cleanup effortless.

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