By It's fall, and you know what that means! Pumpkin bread! And by that I mean protein pumpkin bread that is packed with protein, fiber, and less sugar, but is still bakery-quality. It has a bit of a long bake time, but it only takes 10 minutes to get in the oven. And I promise the longer bake time is so worth it!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you'll get fun new recipes from us every week!
I'm a pumpkin bread fan! I have fond memories of one of my best friends introducing me to Trader Joe's pumpkin bread in college. And these days, I always have pumpkin on hand and usually a freezer stash of pumpkin protein muffins or pumpkin waffles.
So it was only a matter of time before I had a pumpkin bread. This one has the same fluffy texture as the pumpkin muffins, but the most insane crackle topping! Seriously, I can eat the topping by the spoonful. But I like to keep it light for less sugar overall.
Jump to:
cover with foil
Due to the long bake time of this bread, it can start to brown a lot at the end. To avoid this, I like to top it with foil for the last 15 minutes of the bake time.
key ingredients & swaps
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted. See the recipe card for quantities.
- Almond Flour: Adds a bit of extra protein and healthy fats.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the main structure for our muffins. A 1:1 gluten-free flour will work too. Oat flour will work, but check notes for adapting the rest of the recipe.
- Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice: Must-haves for fall baked goods!
- Maple Syrup: Our natural sweetener of choice here. You can substitute this for agave or honey, but it has to be a liquid sweetener.
- Canned Pumpkin: The star of the show! Make sure you grab pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which has added sugars and spices. Use leftovers to make breakfast cookies or a pumpkin spice latte shake!
- Greek Yogurt: This adds a significant protein boost, moisture, and a lovely tang that balances the sweetness. It also helps activate the baking soda.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together, provide structure, add richness, and contribute to the protein content.
- Topping: This is just a bit of white sugar, cinnamon, and butter. You don't need much, just spread it out evenly.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
step by step: tips to nail this recipe every time
- Grease and flour your pan well! This bread can stick, so I like to spread butter all over the inside and then dust it all with flour.
- Pick a very big bowl to mix the dry ingredients first, then add the wet ingredients. But don't overmix!
- Cover with foil at the end of the bake time to ensure the top doesn't get too brown.
- Let it cool! It'll keep baking, then you can slice it beautifully!
quick recipe video
pumpkin pie variations
Feel free to mix it up by using one of these:
- Cream cheese frosting - I mean, yes!
- Chocolate chips
- Nuts like pecans, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds
how to store it
This bread is perfect for keeping in the freezer! I love to slice it into pieces and store them individually wrapped. Then, you can reheat or thaw individually as the hankering hits! Or, you can store it at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Recipe
protein pumpkin bread recipe
Equipment
- 1 bread pan
- 1 large bowl
- 1 small bowl
Ingredients
- ½ cup almond flour (or just more all-purpose flour)
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour (see notes for alternatives)
- ⅓ cup hemp seeds (or flax seeds, can omit)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup maple syrup
- 10 oz pumpkin puree (canned, please note that most cans are 15 oz)
- ⅔ cup Greek yogurt (plain, non-fat, or Skyr yogurt)
- 2 eggs
Topping
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ tablespoon unsalted butter (melted)
Before you start!
If you make this recipe, please take a moment to leave us a review. We love to hear from you!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a bread pan to ensure the bread doesn't stick.
- In a large bowl, mix together the ½ cup almond flour, 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup hemp seeds, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Then, add the ¾ cup maple syrup, 10 oz pumpkin puree, ⅔ cup Greek yogurt, and 2 eggs to the dry ingredients and mix them all together. Then, pour the batter into a bread pan.
- Make the topping by mixing the ¼ cup white sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ½ tablespoon unsalted butter (melted) in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping on top of the batter. Spread it out evenly with the back of a spoon.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 60-65 minutes. It starts to brown a lot at the end, so I like to tent it with foil for the last 15 minutes. Once a tooth pick inserted comes out clean then it's ready!Then, remove and let cool a bit. Slice and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Looking for more information?
Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
Hi! Any substitute ideas for the Greek yogurt? Would like to make this dairy free but don’t have a lot of dairy free yogurts in the shops nearby!
This bread looks delish!!
Blended tofu actually works well!
This turned out moist and delicious. The crumb on top was slightly crunchy and added just the right amount of sweetness.
Fantastic!! Thanks for the review!
I’ve made this twice now- it is so delicious! Dense, hearty and moist. I don’t make the topping though simply to just save myself time. I sprinkle the top with coconut sugar instead.
My only qualm is that it’s not really considered “protein” pumpkin bread when there’s only 9g of protein per slice and almost 38 carb (not a good ratio on its own). It’s a little misleading, but nonetheless I love it and will continue to make it all season!!
Thanks for the feedback!
This loaf of pumpkin bread is so easy to whip up and you would never know how healthy it is! I used Bob's Red Mill GF 1-to-1 flour replacement and ground flax, and it was gone in days. This will definitely be on the weekly GF treat rotation!
Fantastic to hear!!
this was delicious! I used a mix of King Arthur GF all purpose flour (no xanthan gum) and oat flour (along with the almond flour) very nice flavors, perfect spice level and nice texture on the bread. super pleased with this recipe and similar ones on this site. I am GF but the family is not and gave a thumbs up too!
Great to hear!! Thanks for letting us know it works with GF flour 🙂