Pumpkin Pecan Bread Recipe

This pumpkin pecan bread recipe brings together pureed pumpkin, brown sugar, pecans, and a small blend of warm spices in one classic fall quick bread. The loaf is simple in shape but full of the flavors that make pumpkin baking feel right for the season. A slice works well as a snack or as a breakfast option, and the loaf can be warmed slightly when you want to serve it with a little extra butter or cream cheese.

The original inspiration for this bread comes with an unexpected confession: pumpkin is not always a favorite, even for someone who loves fall. That makes the finished loaf especially interesting. The pumpkin is balanced by light brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and pecans, so the flavor is more than a plain pumpkin loaf. It is a spiced quick bread with a clear pecan finish.

Use the exact mixing order below and give the loaf time to cool. The batter comes together by separating the dry and wet mixtures, then combining them just until almost blended before the pecans are stirred in. After baking, the loaf rests in its pan first and then finishes cooling on a wire rack.

Why You Will Love This Pumpkin Pecan Bread

This is a useful recipe to keep in your fall baking rotation because it fits more than one part of the day. The finished bread is described as a perfect snack and a great breakfast option, so it does not need a special occasion to earn a place on the counter. The same loaf can be served as written or warmed just a bit for a more special presentation.

• It has classic fall flavor. Pumpkin, brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger all appear in the formula, giving the bread its seasonal character.
• The pecans are added at the right stage. Stir the chopped pecans into the batter after the dry and wet mixtures are almost blended.
• The method is straightforward. Whisk the dry ingredients, mix the wet ingredients, combine them, add the pecans, and bake in a standard loaf pan.
• It is easy to serve in different ways. A plain slice suits a snack or breakfast, while a slightly warmed slice can be spread with extra butter or cream cheese.

Ingredients

Measure each ingredient as listed. The recipe uses two groups: dry ingredients for the spiced flour mixture and wet ingredients for the pumpkin batter. The pecans are added after the two mixtures are nearly combined.

Dry ingredients

• 1 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour: the main dry ingredient in the loaf.
• 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda: the leaveners included in the dry mixture.
• 1 teaspoon salt: whisked with the flour and spices.
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger: the spice blend that gives the bread its fall flavor.

Wet ingredients and add-ins

• 2 large eggs: lightly beaten with a fork before the other wet ingredients are added.
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted: added to the eggs, pumpkin, sugars, and vanilla.
• 1 cup pureed pumpkin: the pumpkin component of the batter.
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar: the two sugars used in the loaf.
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract: mixed into the wet ingredients.
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans: stirred in after the dry and wet mixtures are almost blended.

How to Make Pumpkin Pecan Bread

1. Prepare the oven and pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a standard 9-by-5-inch loaf pan so the baked bread can be transferred cleanly after its initial cooling period.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and ginger to a bowl. Whisk them together so the leaveners, salt, and spices are distributed through the flour. Set this mixture aside.
3. Build the wet mixture. In a large bowl, beat the eggs lightly with a fork. Add the melted butter, pureed pumpkin, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix well until the wet ingredients and sugars are combined.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the large bowl. Mix until the batter is almost blended. This is the point to stop short of fully mixing in the pecans; they are added next.
5. Stir in the pecans. Add the chopped pecans and stir them into the batter.
6. Fill the loaf pan. Transfer the batter to the prepared 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and spread it into the pan.
7. Bake the bread. Bake for an hour, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean. The clean-pick test is the recipe’s doneness cue, so use the center of the loaf rather than judging only by the edges.
8. Cool in stages. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Then transfer the loaf to the wire rack and let it cool completely. Once it has cooled, slice and serve it as a snack, breakfast option, or warm treat.

Tips for Success

Keep the sequence simple and deliberate. The dry ingredients need to be whisked together before they meet the wet mixture, and the pecans go in after the batter is almost blended. That order keeps the recipe easy to follow and makes sure the pecans are incorporated at the proper stage.

Use the stated standard loaf pan rather than trying to estimate the fit in a different pan. The recipe is written for a greased 9-by-5-inch pan, and the baking time is paired with that shape. If you check the bread, insert the pick into the center.

Pay attention to both parts of the cooling instruction. The first 10 to 15 minutes happen in the pan on a wire rack. After that, transfer the loaf to the rack and wait until it is completely cool.

Keep the ingredient amounts unchanged. In particular, measure the flour, both sugars, pumpkin, butter, and pecans as listed, and keep the small amounts of nutmeg and ginger in the spice blend. Those details are part of what distinguishes this pumpkin pecan bread from a plain pumpkin loaf.

Variations and Substitutions

This recipe is built around a specific combination of pumpkin, pecans, brown sugar, and spices. Keep that base combination intact when making the loaf. A simple way to change the experience is to warm a slice just a bit and spread it with a little extra butter or a bit of cream cheese.

The bread can also be presented plainly, which keeps the pumpkin, spice, and pecan flavors at the center. Keep the batter and baking method as written, and vary the finished slice with the plain or lightly warmed serving options.

Storage and Make-Ahead

Let the baked loaf cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Serving Suggestions

Serve a slice of pumpkin pecan bread as a snack or breakfast option. For a special treat, heat a slice just a bit and spread it with a little extra butter or a bit of cream cheese.

Frequently Asked Questions

What temperature should I use for pumpkin pecan bread?

Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the loaf for an hour, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.

What pan size does this recipe use?

Use a greased standard 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. The recipe’s preparation and baking directions are written for that pan size.

How do I know when the loaf is done?

Insert a pick into the center of the bread. It is ready when the pick comes out clean.

When should I add the pecans?

Stir in the 3/4 cup chopped pecans after the dry ingredients have been added to the wet mixture and the batter is almost blended.

How long should the bread cool?

Cool the loaf in the pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Then transfer it to the wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing.

How can I serve a slice?

Serve the bread as a snack or breakfast option. For a special treat, heat a slice just a bit and spread it with a little extra butter or a bit of cream cheese.