Looking for the best Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread? This loaf is everything you want in a fall bake - super moist, full of pumpkin flavor, and made with simple ingredients. It comes together quickly and tastes even better the next day. Slather it with maple cream cheese frosting for an extra treat. Honestly, it beats the Starbucks version any day.
Jump to:
- Recipe Ingredient Notes
- How to make Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
- Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
- Storage Recommendations
- How to freeze Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
- Substitution for canned pumpkin
- FAQ about Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
- Join my Gluten Free Community!
- Note about Salt in my Recipes
- Baking in grams
- Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures
- Substitutions and Modifications
- More Gluten Free Pumpkin Recipes to try
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Recipe Ingredient Notes
Gluten-Free Flour: I have tested this gluten free pumpkin bread recipe with my own gluten-free flour blend as well with Bob's Red Mill 1-1. Both flour blends give the bread the perfect texture and a moist crumb. I am not saying other brands will not work in this recipe. I just have not tested them in this application. Flour blends used to develop this great recipe do contain xanthan gum.
Canned Pumpkin: Please make sure to buy 100% canned pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie filling. They often sit next to each other on shelves at the grocery store and have very similar labels. As much as I love making everything from scratch, canned pumpkin is very convenient.
Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix: Pumpkin Pie Spice is a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. If you do not have it in your pantry you can substitute it with my easy homemade pumpkin pie spice blend
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Neutral Oil: The oil used in this gluten free pumpkin bread keeps the crumb moist and tender. I have not tested this recipe with melted butter or coconut oil. A neutral oil like canola oil or grapeseed oil, will work great in this recipe.
How to make Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
The best part about this delicious gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe? You will not need a stand mixer or electric hand mixer to make it. You will need a mixer, though to make the maple cream cheese frosting. I use a 8.4”x4.5”x4.1 Pullman Loaf Pan in all my quick bread recipes, but a standard 8×4 loaf pan will work as well.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside. Make sure to leave some overhang, which will help to remove the fully baked pumpkin bread from the pan.
- In a small bowl, sift together the gluten-free flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, spices and kosher salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla extract, and large eggs and whisk until fully combined.
- Add the pumpkin puree and vegetable oil and whisk until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk to combine. Switch to a flexible rubber spatula and fold everything together. While we don’t have to worry about building gluten, try not to overmix your batter.
- Pour the pumpkin bread batter to the prepared loaf pan. Use a spatula, back of a spoon, or small offset to smooth it out evenly.
- Place the gluten-free pumpkin bread in the preheated oven and bake at 350°F for 55-65 minutes.
- The pumpkin bread loaf is done when it is golden brown, and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. The internal temperature should register between 200°F and 205°F.
- Allow for it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then remove it from the bread pan, transfer it to a cooling rack, and allow the gluten free pumpkin bread to cool completely.
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Topping this gluten-free pumpkin bread with maple cream cheese frosting is optional but highly recommended. This frosting recipe contains less sugar to bring out the cream cheese flavor in the frosting.
To make the cream cheese frosting, combine the room temperature butter, cream cheese, maple syrup, salt, and vanilla in a large bowl, and with an electric mixer mix to combine. You may also do this in your stand mixer using the paddle attachment. Mix until light and fluffy.
Carefully add the powdered sugar (also known as icing sugar) – I recommend doing this in two steps (powdered sugar has a mind of its own). Remember, you can always add more sugar if the frosting is not sweet enough to your liking. Mix until light and fluffy.
Make sure to taste it before using it to top your gluten-free pumpkin bread with this luscious cream cheese frosting (quality control).
Storage Recommendations
Store any leftovers of this delicious gluten-free bread in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 3 days. Because of the cream cheese frosting, I don't recommend storing it at room temperature.
How to freeze Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
If you plan on freezing the bread, I recommend placing the individual slices of gluten-free pumpkin loaf on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Place it in the freezer for at least 2 hours or until the slices of pumpkin bread are fully frozen. Once frozen, wrap each slice in plastic wrap, place it in an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Substitution for canned pumpkin
A reader brought this to my attention (thank you, Hanne!). Canned pumpkins can be difficult to find outside of the US. BUT, butternut squash should be available. Which is the perfect substitute for pumpkin? You will just need a medium-sized butternut squash (around 24oz/700 grams), a sheet tray, an oven, and a food processor or blender.
Preheat to 400°F/200°C. Split the butternut squash lengthwise, remove seeds, and place cut-side down on a foil-lined aluminum baking sheet. Roast it until fork-tender, which can take about 45 minutes depending on the size of the squash and your oven. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool until you can handle it. Remove the “flesh” from the squash and puree it with a food processor or blender. Use this in the recipe. Please be aware that sometimes homemade squash puree is “wetter” than canned pumpkin. So you may need to plot it with some paper towels to remove the moisture.
FAQ about Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
Yes, that would be delicious. I recommend adding around 100 grams of add-ins such as chocolate chips, chopped walnuts or pecans, or dried fruit.
While Pumpkin Pie Filling seems like a time saver, it is not as customizable as canned pumpkin puree. Pumpkin Pie Filling is not only preseasoned but also heavily sweetened. As the name says, it’s best used to make Pumpkin Pie.
Combine the following blend of spices and store them in a dry container. The recipe can be doubled/tripled as needed.
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg,
½ teaspoon of ground ginger
generous pinch of ground cloves
While the pumpkin bread is not only gluten-free but also dairy-free, this recipe will not work with egg replacer.
Join my Gluten Free Community!
Note about Salt in my Recipes
I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.
Baking in grams
I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.
Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures
All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.
If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Convection oven can cause baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Since takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.
Substitutions and Modifications
Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.
More Gluten Free Pumpkin Recipes to try
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread Recipe
This Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread is soft, tender, and full of cozy pumpkin flavor. Made with simple ingredients and topped with maple cream cheese frosting, it’s an easy fall bake that’s even better than the Starbucks version.
Ingredients
Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
- 215 grams gluten-free multi purpose flour
- 20 grams cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoons kosher salt (3 grams)
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 175 grams light brown sugar
- 100 grams granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 130 grams neutral oil
- 330 grams pumpkin puree
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
- 115 grams cream cheese, room temperature
- 30 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- 60 grams powdered sugar
- 35 grams maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
How to make Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line the loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside. Leave some overhang which will help to remove the fully baked pumpkin bread from the pan.
- In a medium-sized bowl sift together the gluten-free flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and spices.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the room temperature large eggs, light brown sugar, white sugar, and vanilla extract and whisk together.
- Add the oil and pumpkin puree and whisk until smooth and mix until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a spatula until fully combined.
- Transfer the pumpkin bread batter to the prepared loaf pan. Use a spatula, spoon, or small offset to smooth it out evenly.
- Bake at 350F for 55-65 minutes. The loaf is done when it is golden brown and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow for it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then remove it from the loaf pan, transfer it to a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely.
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
- Combine the room temperature butter, cream cheese, maple syrup, salt, and vanilla in a mixing bowl and mix until light and fluffy.
- Carefully add the powdered sugar – I recommend doing this in two steps (powdered sugar has a mind on its own). Mix until light and fluffy
- Once the gluten-free pumpkin bread is fully cooled, place it on a plate or serving platter plate and top with the cream cheese frosting. Using an offset or the back of a spoon, smooth out the maple cream cheese frosting only frosting the top of the bread. Using a serrated knife, slice the pumpkin bread into thick slices and serve.
Notes
Substitute for Canned Pumpkin
Canned pumpkins can be difficult to find outside of the US. BUT, butternut squash should be available. Which is the perfect substitute for pumpkin. You will just need a medium-sized butternut squash (around 24oz/700 grams), a sheet tray, an oven, and a food processor or blender.
Preheat to 400F/200°C. Split the butternut squash lengthways, remove seeds, and place cut-side down on a foil-lined aluminum baking sheet. Roast it until fork-tender which can take about 45 minutes depending on the size of the squash and your oven. Remove it from the oven and allow for it to cool until you can handle it. Remove the “flesh” from the squash and puree it with a food processor or blender. Use this in the recipe. Please be aware, that sometimes homemade squash puree is “wetter” than canned pumpkin. So you may need to plot it with some paper towels to remove the moisture.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 400
Calories are a guestimate and randomly generated.
Hanne says
Hi! Here in Norway I can’t find pumkinpuree. And the only thing I can get now is butternut squash. Can I use this instead? Do you have a recipe that I can use to make butternut squash that is almost the same as pumkin puree that you buy?
Love your all your recipes!
Daniela says
Hi Hanne, I was just wondering what I could offer for my readers outside of the US. Let me think about this. (Also - most canned pumpkin in the US IS butternut squash)
Daniela says
Okay Hanne, this is what I would do. Preheat to 200°C. Split the butternut squash lengthways, remove seeds, and place cut-side down on a foil-lined aluminum baking sheet. Roast it until fork-tender which can take about 45 minutes depending on the size of the squash and your oven. Remove it from the oven and allow for it to cool until you can handle it. Remove the "flesh" from the squash and puree it with a food processor or blender. Use this in the recipe. Please be aware, that sometimes homemade squash puree is "wetter" than canned pumpkin. So you may need to plot it with some paper towels to remove the moisture. Does this make sense?
Hanne says
Yes! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer me. Now I’m gonna try to make pumkin bread. Have a nice day.
Daniela says
(Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I have added this to the blog post now)
Barbara Crissman USA says
Try zucchini or I’m trying banana bread today. Canned pumpkin is plentiful for us and my pumpkin bread was a big hit for our 9 year old granddaughter hardly eats anything. I added chocolate chips which were a big hit also.
elizabeth says
I have also substituted squash for pumpkin and it works great. I like buttercup squash which is a little drier, but if I use butternut, I line a sieve with cheese cloth and put the baked squash in there. Some of the liquid will drain out, yielding a thicker product. Another way of thickening it is cooking it in a large skillet over low heat. I happen to have canned pumpkin from last year in my pantry and cream cheese in the fridge, so this recipe is up next!!
Daniela says
Thank you for sharing this, Elizabeth. Very much appreciated
Maureen says
I made the gluten free pumpkin bread with maple cream cheese frosting and it was out of this world. I have never tasted something with such amazing texture and “mouth feel” that was also gluten free. Thank you so much. I will be making this often and trying many other recipes of yours.
Maureen
Tereza Zhelyazkova says
Hello,
May i substitute the white sugar with maple syrup ? I just dont want to use so much sugar in it.. ?
Daniela says
This recipe works best if made as written. Maple Syrup is just a different form of sugar.
Jodi says
WOW what a find. I usually never leave reviews but I have also never made a recipie so many times after finding it. I bake a lot and my boyfriend I both agree this is the best gluten free think I've ever made! Agree with the other comment about the mouth feel. Thank you for this recipie!
Daniela says
This makes my heart so happy ❤️❤️ Thank you!
Hanne says
Wow! I tried do bake this today and it tastes just like a normal cake. You can’t even tell that it is glutenfree! I am so glad that your recipes are in grams, it makes it so much easier for us here in Europe.
Daniela says
HOORAY! I love hearing this Hanne. And yes - grams and recipes by weight for the win. This way my recipes can be enjoyed all over the world 🙂
Linda says
Excellent recipe - my family loved it! It was easy to mix together, and was moist with great pumpkin flavor. I omitted the maple cream cheese frosting (but I won't next time I make this) and added pumpkin spice chips. And, thank you for listing ingredients in grams.
Daniela says
Pumpkin Spice Chips??? Please tell me more! Where can I find them? They sound amazing!
Linda says
As you might guess, the chips are seasonal. I don’t remember the brand name, but I found them in my local supermarket- last year. I’ve had them in my refrigerator all this time and decided to use them in this recipe. If I see them again this year I’ll get back to you with more info.
Daniela says
Thank you! I will keep my eye out for them. I have to admit, I barley go to grocery stores like "Kroger" or "Walmart". And Aldi, Trader Joe's and my neighborhood hispanic store don't carry things like that.
Maggie Raptis says
I made this to share for church today and it is fantastic. I left off the frosting, and everyone still devoured it. I used roasted, frozen, defrosted winter squash from last year and it came out perfectly. And thank you for the pumpkin pie spice recipe! I didn't have any and have a nice big batch for coffee for the next month now.
Angie Auman says
This was incredible! I used Schar all purpose GF flour mix and Just Egg egg substitute (3T per egg). Followed the recipe exactly. I can’t have gluten or eggs so finding anything vegan and GF that’s good has been difficult. This was the best GF vegan baked good I’ve ever had.
Daniela says
Angie, Thank you so much for sharing how you turned this into a Gluten Free Vegan Pumpkin Bread. And I am so glad you enjoyed it.
Cheryl says
I love the dozens of recipes I'm finding on your website, and they all sound amazing, and I KNOW they will be awesome!!! But nowhere can I find a recipe for a simple loaf of gf bread....shaped like a standard loaf of bread. that has been baked in a standard breadloaf pan. I am SO starving for a simple pb&j sandwich, or a wheaty-tasting slice of toast for breakfast. I can't wait to try the Caputo gf flour (I already have several bags). But its way too expensive to waste. So, my question here is, can I put THEIR recipe into a standard breadloaf pan and have it come out like a "good and properly-shapped-for-sandwiches" homemade loaf? 🙂 Thanks for all these wonderful recipes, and thanks for your help!!!
Daniela says
Cheryl, I am sorry you are disappointed I don't have a recipe for a standard loaf of bread. It takes a lot of time and money to create recipes that work. I am not sure about Caputo. I don't look at their recipes since many have been complaining about them.
Megan says
Made 12 delicious pumpkin muffins using this recipe! They're incredibly soft and lightly sweet! This will definitely be a fall staple.
Daniela says
Love hearing this, Megan! I am actually taking some canned pumpkin with me to Austria this week so I can make this Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread for my Mom
Allie says
Hi! I would love to try your recipes, they look so good!! I was just wondering if they could be made with regular flour, as I am not gluten free? Would that work or no? I thought maybe because the gluten free flour is trying to “imitate” gluten flour that it would be fine to just substitute with the normal all purpose flour, but is that incorrect? Thank you!
Daniela says
Hi Allie, you can make this pumpkin bread with 200 grams of All Purpose Flour. Please still add the 20 grams of cornstarch.
Dana says
This was amazing! It was a lovely, light texture and moist. My family loved it.
Julie T says
Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread was so easy to make and super moist! Delicious!!!! Will definitely make this again.
Andrea says
So I made this yesterday, but using rye flour (yeah no longer gluten free but...) and also added a spoon of honey, and mapple syrup in the batter instead of vanilla extract. Then wrapped it still warm in plastic and let it sit in the fridge overnight.
So frigging moist and delicious!!
Cynthia Kimball says
I made the pumpkin bread and pumpkin cheesecake for my church small group. They absolutely loved it!!! Very big hit! Thank you for these wonderful and delicious recipes!
Cassie Lombardi says
Loved this bread so much! I poured the batter into mini loaf pans as I was giving them as a gift. Worked out perfectly! Will be making again so I have more to eat myself. 🤣
Kim says
This is excellent - really good flavor me moist. I made it for a brunch I was invited to so I’d have something good to eat, and all the non-GF folks enjoyed it too!
Leigh says
This recipe is so tasty ! I’m recently gluten free and love baking so was a little nervous with how this would taste/ turn out , but it is sooo good ! I can’t even tell the difference. Thank you so much for a lovely recipe .
Daniela says
love hearing this. This gluten pumpkin bread really is amazing. if you love pumpkin, make sure to check out my gluten free pumpkin donuts
Rachel says
It's really, really moist, light, and fluffy. Best of all, it's really delicious and you can't tell that it is GF. AMAZING!! Thanks Daniela!
Yvonne says
Hi Daniela!
I am wanting to try this recipe soon but was wondering if you have any tips for high altitude baking? I live in Colorado, thank you so much! I tried one of your cookie recipes not too long ago and it was the best gluten free cookie I ever made xoxo
Daniela says
Sadly I am not very familiar with high altitude baking. I wish I had the magic answer for you
Tara says
Super moist and so good! I didn't make the frosting but added some leftover spiced crumble topping I had from making the apple crumb cake. I was also inspired by the pumpkin bundt cake put a little bit (~10g) of cocoa powder in for a little addition of chocolate.
Mackenzie says
This was perfect!! Super yum
Daniela says
Hooray! Love reading that you loved the Pumpkin Bread. Thank you so much for the comment
Sharon Ripps says
Just made this, used Bob’s 1:1, OMG! The texture is perfect, no aftertaste, no way you would know it is gf! I’m not a big fan of the frosting, it does need something so next time I’ll use my cream cheese frosting with no butter. I didn’t see the make your own pumpkin pie spice and used a different one from the internet…will add more next time. Thank you Daniela for another winner!
Daniela says
Hooray! You can really use any pumpkin spice you have on hand. I just like to add an option in case someone is looking for it. same with the frosting. my mom loves the pumpkin bread but no frosting 🤣
Tara says
Hi Daniela! Just wanted to say that I make this multiple times every year and it ALWAYS gets compliments. It's my go to when I need to bring something on short notice to a party or gathering. I've done it with and without the frosting and it's great either way.
Daniela says
Oh I love that. Thank you so much Tara for sharing <3