Ladies and gentlemen, gather around the oven because today we are diving into the world of whole wheat pumpkin bread. There are a few things that scream fall: leaves changing color, cool evenings, cozy sweaters, and PUMPKIN everything! This whole wheat pumpkin bread is our family’s favorite. We don’t just eat it once … we eat it a bunch.
Remember when restaurants would give your table a bread basket to snack on before they brought your dinner? When I was dating my husband, we visited the Sojourner Restaurant with his Grandma. The Sojourner included pumpkin bread in their bread basket. After dinner, Duke commented that the pumpkin bread was his favorite. I found it interesting that a strapping young man liked pumpkin bread so much. My dad wasn’t a pumpkin lover … that was a little dating surprise which was fun to discover.
Why Pumpkin?
Now, why pumpkin? First of all, if you haven’t noticed, pumpkin is basically the Beyoncé of vegetables. I mean, it dominates an entire season. Not even brussels sprouts get that kind of love. But beyond its cult following, pumpkin is the perfect addition to bread because it adds natural moisture, a subtle sweetness, and that rich golden color that makes your loaf look like a million bucks. Plus, it’s packed with vitamins A and C, which means this bread basically counts as a vegetable, right? (This is where you nod and agree, especially if you’re looking for an excuse to have a second slice.)
Let’s Begin (Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread)
I adapted this recipe from one I originally found in “The Martha Stewart Cookbook: Collected Recipes for Every Day.” I loved that it made three loaves. We could eat some right away, and have some bread for later … or share with a friend. More importantly, this bread was moist and delicious. My husband likes it better than the Sojourner’s pumpkin bread (at least that’s what he says for marital harmony).
To get ready to make this bread, make sure you have three loaf pans available. If you don’t, then you can always make some pumpkin muffins. Or just make all pumpkin muffins – why not!
Prepare your pans or tins. You will want to grease them very well (or, if you’re like me and constantly forget, just hope for the best). It is a huge bummer when the bottom of the bread sticks to the pan. Now is a good time to preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Wet Ingredients (for Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread)
Here is where we get to the good stuff – the recipe. Now you will want to put the softened butter, molasses, and sugar in your mixing bowl. I always forget to get my butter out so that it naturally softens on the counter. I highly recommend figuring out how to perfectly soften butter in your microwave. My microwave has a setting for softening butter. If your microwave doesn’t have a setting, then mess around not only with the length of time but also the percentage of power.
Mix the butter, molasses, and sugar until they are light and fluffy. This will only take a minute or two. Then add the eggs to the butter mixture. Add one egg at a time and beat well after adding each egg. Once all the eggs are in the mixture, keep beating the batter until it is light and maybe even a little lemon-colored. This is the moment when you’ll feel like a professional baker. Own it!
Next, you will add the orange juice and pumpkin puree. For the pumpkin puree, you can roast a pumpkin to make your own puree. This is next level and very cool of you! You can also use the store-bought can of pumpkin puree. Either of those is a great option. Mix the juice and pumpkin into the batter.
Dry Ingredients (for Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread)
At this point, I am supposed to tell you to sift the dry ingredients together. Is that the proper way? Yes, it is. Am I going to tell you to do that? No, I am not. I always add my dry ingredients directly to the batter. Could this lead to lumps? Yes, it does … but that rarely happens.
I always add the flour to the batter last. Since I don’t sift my dry ingredients, I want to mix the other dry ingredients into the batter very well. If you add the flour too early it will be overbeaten and gluten will start to form. This will produce a tough bread.
First, add these ingredients to your batter:
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
Mix these ingredients very well. Remember, since you didn’t sift the ingredients this is the perfect time to get all the lumps and bumps broken apart.
Flour Discussion (for Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread)
If you have had the chance to read any of my other blog posts, you will know that I am a Fan-Girl of fresh milled flour! There are so many health benefits and it tastes so much better. If you decide to use fresh milled flour, I love to use ½ hard red wheat berries and ½ soft white wheat berries. The hard red wheat gives it a nutty deep flavor. The soft white wheat makes the bread soft and gives it a bakery shop vibe.
For fresh milled flour, you will want to weigh 440 grams of wheat berries. (I love my kitchen scale! #ad) This will be a little bit more than the 3⅓ cups that the recipe calls for. I find that fresh milled wheat acts a little bit differently in recipes than store-bought flour. The bran and germ in the flour absorb a little less liquid, so you need a smidge more flour. I use 220 grams of hard red wheat berries and 220 grams of soft white wheat berries. Then you will want to put them into your grain mill and grind them to a fine texture. That’s all folks! It literally will only take you 2 ½ minutes to have fresh wheat containing 40 of the 44 nutrients your body needs to live its best life.
Of course, you are welcome to use store-bought whole wheat flour. You can use 100% whole wheat – this will be a bit tough. A fluffier idea is to make the bread using 50% whole wheat and 50% white all-purpose flour. You could also use some fun add-ins like oats or almond flour to lighten things up.
Flour and Optional Mix-ins
Gently stir the flour into the batter. Mix it until it is well combined. Try your best not to mix at warp speed … we don’t want this to be a brick.
At this point if you really want to go wild, throw in a handful of dried cranberries. If you want to go bonkers, throw in another handful of fresh cranberries, chocolate chips, pecans, currants, or raisins. Has anyone ever tried blueberries in pumpkin bread? Let me know in the comments below. I am curious if that would be delicious.
Final Step
Spoon the batter into the loaf pans. If you’re feeling bold, spoon with flair and pretend you’re on a cooking show.
This year I was inspired by Starbucks’ pumpkin bread. They put pepitas on the top of their pumpkin loaf. I was surprised at how cheap pepitas were at the supermarket (ya can’t say that very often!). I sprinkled a few tablespoons on the top of my loaves of bread.
If you happened to make your pumpkin puree. Then you could be a rockstar by roasting your pumpkin seeds. The pepitas would basically be free to you … even cheaper than the supermarket.
Bake this bread for about 50 minutes (or 20ish minutes if you are making muffins). While it bakes, take this time to marvel at how your house smells like a fall candle’s dream come true.
The Toothpick Test: At the 45-minute mark, poke the center of the bread with a toothpick or a knife. If it comes out clean, your bread is ready. If it’s still gooey, leave it in for a few more minutes and try not to stare at the oven door like a sad puppy. When the toothpick comes out clean, the edges of the bread will be a little browned … this is a good thing.
Cool the bread loaves in the pans for 5-10 minutes (or, you know, until you lose all patience and cut a slice while it’s still warm). If you successfully waited, then turn the loaves onto wire racks to complete the cooling process.
Pairing Suggestions (Because You’re Fancy)
This bread is a one-stop shop for fall comfort, but if you’re feeling extra indulgent, here are a few ways to take it to the next level:
- Smear on some cream cheese: Think of it like frosting for breakfast—no one’s judging.
- Toast it and add butter: Because you’re an adult, and butter makes everything better.
- Make it French toast: Yes, pumpkin French toast is a thing, and it’s life-changing.
- Top with yogurt and granola: This way you can pretend you’re making a healthy choice, even though we all know it’s just a prelude to the second slice.
Final Thoughts (about Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread)
Whole wheat pumpkin bread is the perfect fall treat that makes you feel warm and cozy at the same time. It’s like the yoga of bread—good for your body, but also totally about the feels. So next time you’re torn between indulging in a sugary pumpkin treat or sticking to your healthy eating goals, remember: you can have your pumpkin bread and eat it too. And hey, if you top it with a scoop of ice cream, we’ll just call it “balance.”
Now go forth, bake (not just once, but bunches of times), and let your house smell like you’ve got it all together—at least until the loaf is gone.
Pumpkin Bread (optional fresh milled flour)
Cozy up with this deliciously moist and flavorful Pumpkin Bread! Made with a blend of warm spices, this fall favorite is perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a midday snack. Freezes like a champ. Quick, easy, and irresistible – it’s the perfect way to welcome the season.
Recipe adapted from "The Martha Stewart Cookbook: Collected Recipes for Every Day." by Martha Stewart 1995
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons molasses
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- ⅔ cup orange juice or water
- 1 can pumpkin puree (15 oz.)
- 3 ⅓ cups whole wheat flour OR 440 grams of wheat berries, finely ground
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cloves
- 1 cup dried cranberries, optional
- ¼ cup pepitas, optional to sprinkle on top
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease three loaf pans (9x5).
With a mixer, cream the butter, molasses, and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs until light.
Add the orange juice and pumpkin puree. Mix well.
Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Add dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Mix until thoroughly combined. Stir in dried cranberries, if using. If using fresh milled flour, allow the mixture to hydrate for 20 minutes.
Evenly spoon into three loaf pans (or two if you prefer bigger loaves ...will need to cook a little longer). Sprinkle pepitas on top, if using.
Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn onto wire racks.
Notes
Freeze: Cooked bread freezes very well.
Storage: 4 days in an air tight container.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 491Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 529mgCarbohydrates: 84gFiber: 7gSugar: 49gProtein: 9g
Please note that I did help calculate this nutritional information. I used a third party program.
Some sentences or ideas may be from chatgpt.
2 responses to “Pumpkin Bread: Whole Wheat and Delish”
Delicious pumpkin bread recipe! Loving the fall content!
So glad you’re enjoying the pumpkin bread and the fall vibes! There’s nothing like cozying up with a slice of pumpkin bread when the weather cools down. Thanks for your sweet comment!