Celebrate the fall season in the best way with this super moist cinnamon pecan pumpkin bread. If you love pumpkin, this easy pumpkin bread recipe is sure to be your new favorite fall staple!
If you love all things pumpkin you are going to love this twist on a classic pumpkin bread recipe: cinnamon pecan pumpkin bread!
Not only is it incredibly moist, but it has the best crunchy bite from the cinnamon pecan streusel topping.
You don't even need a stand mixer to make it! All you need is a bowl and a whisk, so you'll be enjoying the sweet smells of pumpkin and toasted pecans in no time.
This pumpkin loaf is perfect for the fall season and sure to please any pumpkin lover in your life, you definitely don't want to miss out on this one!!
For more fall recipes, try Chocolate Turtle Cupcakes, Cinnamon Roll Muffins, Chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies, Bourbon Pecan Pie Brownies, and Cinnamon Apple Crumb Cake.
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why you'll love this recipe
- Delicious pumpkin bread: This pumpkin loaf is ridiculously moist and tender with the perfect amount of sweetness coming from the candied pecans on top.
- Cinnamon pecan streusel topping: The cinnamon streusel has loads of chopped pecans in it that caramelize in the oven, giving the bread the best crunchy bite.
- Easy one-bowl recipe: This pumpkin batter is made in one bowl with no fancy equipment or mixer so it comes together quickly and easily. It's the perfect last-minute dessert to share with friends and family!
- Perfect for pumpkin season: Picture all of the cozy fall flavors you love like cinnamon, pecan, and pumpkin combined into one deliciously addictive quick bread! This recipe is perfect for pumpkin season, Thanksgiving, and everything in between.
ingredient notes
Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card below!
- Brown sugar: Both dark and light brown sugar is used in this recipe.
- Pecans: This recipe calls for chopped pecans, but you can also buy whole or halved pecans and chop them yourself.
- Pure pumpkin puree: Not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling! This recipe calls for Libby's Pumpkin Puree as it is the most consistent brand to bake with. I know people often have success making homemade pumpkin puree as well.
- Oil: This recipe calls for canola oil but you can substitute vegetable oil or any other flavorless variety.
recipe instructions
Here's how to make this delicious pumpkin streusel bread! You will need a whisk and a large mixing bowl to make the batter. Before you start, preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C and line an 8.5 x 4.5 loaf pan with parchment paper.
STEP ONE: Make the streusel mixture. In a medium bowl, combine the cold butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour with a pastry blender or your hands until crumbly. Mix in the pecans and set aside.
STEP TWO: Whisk the sugars and oil. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, canola oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until combined and it looks like wet sand.
STEP THREE: Mix in the wet ingredients. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree until combined.
STEP FOUR: Mix in the dry ingredients. Whisk in the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda until just combined. Do not over mix or the batter will turn out gummy and have large holes.
STEP FIVE: Bake! Pour the pumpkin bread batter into the prepared baking pan and evenly spread the cinnamon pecan streusel over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes, then take it out of the oven and loosely cover the top of the bread with aluminum foil. This will keep the pecans from burning while the pumpkin bread bakes. Return the loaf to the oven and continue baking for another 11-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center is covered in moist crumbs. If it's covered in thick wet batter, continue baking.
Let the loaf cool completely on a wire rack, then lift the loaf out of the pan, slice, and enjoy!
expert baking tips
- Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is much more accurate than cup measurements. To convert this recipe, click the "metric" button next to the ingredients title on the recipe card.
- Baking times may vary: All ovens are different, and your loaf may bake quicker or take longer than the indicated baking time. I recommend checking on it occasionally and testing for doneness!
- Cover with foil while baking. To prevent the pecans from burning, loosely cover the top of the loaf when you notice the pecans are getting dark brown. For my oven, this happened around the 35 minutes mark, but yours could be different.
- Cool before cutting. It's hard not to dig in right out of the oven! Waiting until the loaf is completely cool will make it easier to cut into slices.
- It's normal for the streusel to fall off. This pumpkin bread is loaded with streusel on top and it's completely normal for some of it to fall off once you start cutting into it. Just sprinkle it back on top of the loaf and enjoy as usual. 🙂
storage & freezing
- Room temperature: Store the baked pumpkin bread wrapped in plastic wrap inside the loaf pan or in an airtight container for 2-3 days. I recommend slicing it only when you are ready to eat or serve it otherwise it may dry out.
- Freezer: The best way to store the bread in the freezer is to first cut it into individual slices. Then individually wrap each slice in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 1-2 months. This will keep the loaf fresh and make it easier to take out a slice or two whenever you want one!
faq's
I have not tested this recipe with gluten-free flour but would love to hear how it turns out! I know many people have had success using Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour.
Absolutely! You can freeze this loaf for 1-2 months in the freezer. Follow the tips in the above section for the best results.
Yes! No need to refrigerate it, although storing it in the fridge will extend it's freshness.
I have not personally used this batter to make muffins yet but would love to hear how it turns out!
With the streusel topping, it can be hard to tell when it's done. Stick a long toothpick or skewer into the center of the loaf and pull it out. The end of it should be covered in a few moist crumbs when it's ready. If it comes out coated in thick batter, continue baking it.
more fall recipes to try
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments below, I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you're there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Recipe 📖
Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Pecan Streusel Topping
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Streusel Topping
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cubed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup chopped pecans
For the Pumpkin Batter
- 4 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup canola oil
- ½ cup dark brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup + ⅛ cup + 1 tbsp Libby’s Pumpkin Puree room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Before you start, line an 8x5 loaf pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cold butter, cinnamon, and pecans until the mixture is crumbly.¼ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ cup chopped pecans
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, oil, sugar, and brown sugar.4 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, ¼ cup canola oil, ½ cup dark brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin.1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 large eggs, ¾ cup + ⅛ cup + 1 tablespoon Libby’s Pumpkin Puree
- Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.1 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Evenly spread the crumb topping over the top of the batter.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the pecans on top are brown. Remove the loaf from the oven and loosely cover the top with aluminum foil. This will keep the pecans from burning.
- Continue baking for another 11-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center is covered in a few moist crumbs.
- Let the pan cool completely on a wire rack then slice and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is much more accurate than cup measurements. To convert this recipe, click the "metric" button next to the ingredients title on the recipe card.
- Baking times may vary: All ovens are different, and your loaf may bake quicker or take longer than the indicated baking time. I recommend checking on it occasionally and testing for doneness!
- Cover with foil while baking. To prevent the pecans from burning, loosely cover the top of the loaf when you notice the pecans are getting dark brown. For my oven, this happened around the 35 minutes mark, but yours could be different.
- Cool before cutting. It's hard not to dig in right out of the oven! Waiting until the loaf is completely cool will make it easier to cut into slices.
- It's normal for the streusel to fall off. This pumpkin bread is loaded with streusel on top and it's completely normal for some of it to fall off once you start cutting into it. Just sprinkle it back on top of the loaf and enjoy as usual. 🙂
- Room temperature: Store the baked pumpkin bread wrapped in plastic wrap inside the loaf pan or in an airtight container. I recommend slicing it only when you are ready to eat or serve it otherwise it may dry out.
- Freezer: The best way to store the bread in the freezer is to first cut it into individual slices. Then individually wrap each slice in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container or freezer bag. This will keep the loaf fresh and make it easier to take out a slice or two whenever you want one!
The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Stephanie says
I made your chocolate chip pumpkin cake already so of course I had to make this next! It was SO moist and soft and it stayed that way for days!! I’ve tried other pumpkin bread recipes before but none as good as yours. I especially loved the cinnamon pecan crumble on top, it made the bread extra special.