Pumpkin Yeast Bread Recipe (2024)

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Indulge in the irresistible aroma and flavors with this homemade Pumpkin Yeast Bread recipe. This easy-to-follow recipe combines the rich, earthy sweetness of pumpkin with the fluffy texture of freshly baked bread. Perfect for autumn gatherings or any time you crave a warm and comforting treat.

This recipe was originally posted on November 10, 2015, so it was time for an upgrade. I’ve added some new photos and clarified some steps. No changes were made to the recipe.

Pumpkin Yeast Bread Recipe (1)

Fall on the horizon makes me think of harvest. Growing up in a rural community, we often shared the task of putting up fruits and vegetables so we could make delicious recipes including this easy pumpkin yeast bread recipe.

I don’t go to all of that work anymore, and rely on the Farmer’s market or in this case, canned pumpkin from the grocery store.

Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Yeast Bread Rolls

Fluffy bread. Pumpkin Yeast Bread is so light and tender.

Versatility. You can make two loaves, one loaf, and 16 rolls, or you can make all rolls.

Beauty. The color of this bread is perfect for my Thanksgiving table or any Fall meal.

Equipment Needed to Make Yeast Pumpkin Bread

  • Instant Read Thermometer. Test the temperature of the bread.
  • Loaf Pan. The pan is your preference, but you can use any pan that works to form a loaf or rolls.
  • Muffin Tin. Make three small balls of dough per muffin tin to make cloverleaf rolls.
  • Round Pan. Fill the pan with individual rolls.
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Yeast Bread Vs. Quick Bread

What is Quick Bread?

Quick bread doesn’t mean quick as in fast. Quick bread uses leavening agents other than yeast or eggs such as baking soda and baking powder. This is a yeasted bread recipe which means it uses yeast to rise.

Ingredients for your Pumpkin Yeast Bread Recipe

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  • Instant Yeast.
  • Milk. Make this pumpkin bread recipe dairy-free by replacing the milk with any milk alternative or even water.
  • Large Egg.
  • Pureed Pumpkin.You can use fresh pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin. Don’t use canned pumpkin pie filling. That’s a very different product.
  • Vegetable Oil. Canola oil will also work.
  • Unbleached All-Purpose Flour.
  • Brown Sugar. You can substitute all or a portion of brown sugar with white sugar. Dark brown sugar gives this bread a touch of molasses flavor but light brown sugar works just as well.
  • Salt.
  • Ginger.
  • Cardamom.

Please note, that the printable recipe card has ingredient quantities, complete instructions, and nutritional information. The following is a quick overview of the recipe.

How to Make Pumpkin Yeast Bread

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Bread dough ingredients

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Kneaded dough

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Risen bread dough.

Step One. Mix all of the ingredients in one large bowl. Hand mix.

Step Two. Knead for eight minutes.

Step Three. Let the dough rise and double.

Step Four. Gently deflate and divide your pan of choice.

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Shape into loaves

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Risen loaves

Step Five. Let the dough rise again.

Step Six. Bake the bread.

Step Seven. Cool completely before storing.

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How long should you knead bread?

While some bread recipes become dense if they’re not kneaded long enough, this pumpkin bread recipe requires minimal kneading.

What to Serve With Your Pumpkin Yeast Bread Rolls

These lovely rolls are the perfect addition to any Fall or holiday meal! They taste so incredible you will want to make them again and again. We especially love this delicious bread with soups and chili, especially our Award Winning Chili.

Substitutions and Additions

This bread is a sweetened bread. I added cardamom and ginger which went well with the brown sugar used to sweeten this bread. You could add cinnamon, nutmeg, or a pumpkin pie spice blend.

Raisins, dried cranberries, and nuts (walnuts, pecans) would work well in this bread. I recommend no more than 1 cup of combined add-ins. Bread can also be topped with oats or seeds such as poppy seeds.

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How To Reheat & Store Pumpkin Yeast Bread

Best Way To Store Yeast Pumpkin Bread

Store completely cooled bread or rolls in well-wrapped plastic wrap at room temperature or freeze.

How Long Will This Pumpkin Yeast Bread Recipe Last In the Fridge?

Keep leftover rolls in the refrigerator in a sealed plastic bag.

Can I Freeze/Thaw Pumpkin Bread?

Yes. You can freeze cooked rolls or raw dough in sealed freezer-quality plastic bags for up to three months. Thaw to eat or cook.

How To Reheat Pumpkin Yeast Bread Rolls

Place leftover rolls on a plate in the microwave for ten to fifteen seconds to reheat them and enjoy warm.

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Pumpkin Yeast Bread FAQs

What kind of oil do you use for pumpkin bread?

I recommend using a neutral cooking oil such as canola or vegetable. Coconut oil would also be a great substitution.

Why did my pumpkin loaf not rise?

Any time a yeast bread doesn’t rise, the yeast is the most likely culprit. Expired yeast is common. Yeast can also get killed when it is stored near the cooktop in your kitchen or becomes overheated during the mixing process. Make sure the liquids you use are lukewarm and not hot enough to kill the yeast.

Should I Sift flour for pumpkin bread?

While sifting can improve the texture of some pumpkin bread recipes, it’s not necessary for this recipe.

Tips to Make the Perfect Yeast Pumpkin Bread

Do not over-knead the bread. Too much kneading will cause the bread to be tough or chewy, or potentially not rise correctly.

If you have a “proof” setting on your oven, it will work perfectly to raise the dough the first time, and raise your bread or rolls the second time. Make sure to adjust the rack in the oven to allow the dough to double in size.

Using an Instant Read Thermometer ensures that the bread is perfectly baked at 190ºF.

Other Recipes You Will Love

  • Pumpkin Apple Bread with Streusel Topping
  • Warm Spice Pumpkin Muffins Recipe
  • Baked Pumpkin Donuts
  • Pumpkin Bundt Cake
  • Cranberry Walnut Bread with Yeast

Don’t Forget To Come Back And Let Me Know How Your Pumpkin Yeast Bread Turned Out!

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Pumpkin Yeast Bread Recipe

Author: Hostess At Heart

Light and delicious Pumpkin Yeast Bread makes a beautiful addition to any meal. This recipe is easy, versatile, and perfect for your holiday table. You can make delicious loaves, rolls or both!

5 from 8 votes

Print Recipe Collect Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Keyword: Pumpkin Yeast Bread

Servings: 16 slices

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp instant yeast
  • 1/2 cup milk lukewarm
  • 1 large egg
  • 1-1/2 cups pureed pumpkin fresh or canned
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 6-1/2 cups Unbleached All-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2-1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Hand mix until dough holds together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, approximately 8 minutes.

  • Place dough in a large lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap that has been lightly greased, and allow to rise for 60-75 minutes or until doubled.

  • Gently deflate, and turn out on to a lightly greased work surface. Divide in half.

  • Shape each half into a loaf and place into 9×5 inch loaf pans. Alternatively, shape half into a loaf and the other half into 12 to 16 rolls, which can be placed into two 8″ greased round pans or into a 9″x13 pan. Or, make all dough into 24 to 32 rolls.

  • Preheat oven to 350 °F. Cover the pans and allow to rise another 45 minutes, or until doubled.

  • Bake loaves 30-35 minutes or rolls 20 minutes, or until bread registers 190°F with an instant read thermometer.

  • Remove from the oven and turn out onto a baking rack. Cool completely.

  • Store completely cooled bread or rolls in well-wrapped plastic wrap at room temperature or freeze.

Notes

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Nutrition

Calories: 140kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 3gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 155mgPotassium: 72mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1219IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

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This pumpkin bread is perfect for your holiday table. this year? Another recipe idea for your holiday table would beHerb Topped Sweet Potato Biscuits.
This recipe was developed for my Bread Baker’s blogging event. Take a look at what my fellow bakers bake for their Family Feast Breads.

#BreadBakers is a group of bread-loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to [emailprotected].

Looking for more bread recipes? Here’s some beautiful bread perfect for any table.

  • Cherry Almond Kugelhopf Bread Recipe
  • Spiced Apple Star Bread Recipe
  • Caramelized Onion Gouda Casatiello Bread
Pumpkin Yeast Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you put too much pumpkin in pumpkin bread? ›

You might think you could overcome the lack of flavor by adding more pumpkin purée to your recipe, but you'd be mistaken: By the time you've added enough purée to taste it, your baked good would have a soggy texture on account of all that moisture.

Why is my pumpkin bread not moist? ›

There are a number of reasons your pumpkin bread came out dry. It's possible the particular flour you used was extra “thirsty” for liquid. Try cutting the amount of flour, or adding more milk. It's also possible your oven was too hot, or you baked the pumpkin bread for too long.

What happens if you put too much yeast in homemade bread? ›

Too much yeast could cause the dough to go flat by releasing gas before the flour is ready to expand. If you let the dough rise too long, it will start having a yeast or beer smell and taste and ultimately deflate or rise poorly in the oven and have a light crust.

Why is my pumpkin bread so dense? ›

Pumpkin bread can become dense if there is not enough hydration or wet ingredients in the recipe. Another cause is overcooking the bread which can cause it to dry out. Remember, it's always easy to keep cooking if it isn't done but impossible to take cooking time back.

What happens if you use too much baking soda in pumpkin bread? ›

It's important not to use too much baking soda in recipes, as it can result in a metallic, soapy flavor. It is much more powerful than baking powder – you only need about 1/4 teaspoon baking soda per cup of flour to leaven baked goods.

How to tell if pumpkin bread is done baking? ›

So, to know when pumpkin bread is done, look for the crack on the top of the bread, which is a tell-tale sign it's either done or close to being done. Then stick a skewer or toothpick into the center of the bread. If it comes out clean, it's ready to come out of the oven.

Why did my pumpkin bread come out gummy? ›

If your pumpkin spice bread is gummy or undercooked in the center, it's typically because it either 1) needed more time to bake in the oven or 2) the batter was too wet, which led the bread to collapse in on itself a bit (this happens if you measure ingredients by volume, rather than by weight: it's easy to ...

Why is my pumpkin bread still raw in the middle? ›

When the toothpick comes out clean, the bread is done. If not, bake 5-10 minutes longer and recheck. PRO-Tip: Do not pull the loaves out without doing a toothpick check. If you remove the loaf too early, the middle will be raw.

What makes bread extra moist? ›

For example, fats like butter or oil can help keep moisture in, while sugars will help to caramelize on the outside and create a golden crust. These ingredients can also play an essential role in keeping your bread moist when added in smaller quantities.

How much yeast do I use for 4 cups of flour? ›

Depending on the recipe and rising time, you may use as little as 1 teaspoon, or up to 2 1/4 teaspoons (sometimes more) of instant yeast per pound (about 4 cups) of flour.

What kills yeast in bread making? ›

Ultimately, if you've waited for a bit and your dough isn't rising and you think your yeast is dead, don't blame the salt: Yeast can lose its effectiveness if it's improperly stored, or if it's combined with water that's too hot (over 139°F).

What happens if there is not enough yeast in bread? ›

Just remember: the less yeast, the longer the rising time (and/or the warmer the rising temperature). Start by cutting the yeast in your recipe by 50 percent and if the results are reasonable, lower the amount even more next time.

Why did my pumpkin bread come out dry? ›

Overmixing can affect your dough by pushing in too much air and kickstarting extra gluten production, both things that can lead to gummy, dried out batter. Our Every Day Life notes that setting your oven too high and baking your bread too long could also be the source of dryness.

How can I make my bread lighter and fluffy? ›

Add Sugar

Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.

Why didn't my pumpkin bread rise? ›

Why didn't my pumpkin bread rise? It could be one of these three reasons: Expired (old) baking soda or baking powder. Adding too much batter to the pan.

What are the side effects of too much pumpkin? ›

When taken by mouth: Pumpkin is likely safe when eaten in foods. It is possibly safe to take pumpkin seed or pumpkin seed oil in medicinal amounts. Side effects from pumpkin products are rare, but might include stomach discomfort, diarrhea, and nausea.

Why did my pumpkin bread deflate? ›

The bread could've had stale leavening ingredients, or the time/temperature needed to be changed because of elevation. Sometimes in higher elevations the dough rises too quickly and then ends up falling before it can be baked and stays that way.

Why is my pumpkin bread undercooked? ›

When the toothpick comes out clean, the bread is done. If not, bake 5-10 minutes longer and recheck. PRO-Tip: Do not pull the loaves out without doing a toothpick check. If you remove the loaf too early, the middle will be raw.

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