This Pumpkin Streusel Bread is simply the best, most moist and delicious classic pumpkin bread you’ll make this season. I guarantee it! It’s easy to stir together, and then it bakes up to a big beautiful loaf perfect to give as a homemade gift, or to serve as a breakfast or snack any day of the week! The crunchy and buttery crumb topping add irresistible sweetness you’ll want to bake up over and over again.

A loaf of pumpkin streusel bread, cut into slices and laid on a black patterned baking sheet

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! It’s pumpkin season! And it’s time to get baking. This is an older recipe I created in the fall of 2013, that I wanted to revisit this fall and share again here on the blog. I have updated the recipe slightly so you can make it in a loaf pan. And I have added a video and new photos for you today. This post contains affiliate links. 

Why We Love This Pumpkin Streusel Bread

When I originally developed this recipe to appear here on Healthy Seasonal Recipes, I was inspired to make it taste like an “eggnog cake” my mom used to make for celebrations around the holidays. She had sent me the recipe and upon reading the ingredient list (which was basically a box cake tricked out with nutmeg and cream sherry) I had vowed to make it better healthier and from scratch. 

How I decided to add in pumpkin, I honestly don’t know, but I am so glad I did! The pumpkin puree makes the bread really moist, without adding a lot of extra calories and zero fat. Also, it was a great discovery to find that the flavor combination of cream sherry, pumpkin and spice is beyond good!  Read on to find out how to make this easy pumpkin bread and check out my cooking video too!

Which Mixing Method To Use For Pumpkin Quick Bread 

In bake shop class in culinary school we learned all the different ways of mixing batters and doughs. Here’s the main three ways to make sweet batters or doughs. 

The Creaming Method:

First there’s the creaming method which starts with beating butter (or shortening) and sugar. This is a method that’s common for cookies or cake batter. This is great for a high fat content baked good such as cake or cookies. Many times for the creaming method cake batters the dry ingredients are added into the creamed ingredients alternating with any liquids. 

The Biscuit Method:

This mixing method uses solid fat such as butter or shortening cut into the dry ingredients as you would for biscuits. You would do this to make pie dough, biscuits or scones. It is most commonly used for doughs that are very thick and do not have much liquid added to them. I have even done this for pancakes and waffles too. It yields a flaky “short” texture and is useful when you don’t want a chewy texture.

The Muffin Method:

  • Like most quick bread recipes, this Pumpkin Streusel Bread batter uses the “muffin method” of mixing the batter.
  • This is my go-to mixing method for a number of reasons. Most importantly because the muffin method uses liquid fat which is healthier fat than a solid fat due to lower saturated fat levels. You can read more about why I am watching my saturated fat here
  • The other reason I like to use the muffin method is that it is so easy! The way to make it is to mix the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another then just stir them together! That’s all there is to it. 
  • The reason the muffin method is useful for quick breads is that they are typically higher in moisture than other batters. In the case of this quick bread there is an entire can of pumpkin added so it is quite moist!
A loaf of pumpkin streusel bread on a cake stand, with a slice removed to reveal the texture of the crumb

How To Make The Pumpkin Bread Batter

As I said, this mixing method is so easy and really there is not much to it.

Use Whole Wheat Flour

  • I am always looking for ways to make my recipes healthier, so I used mostly whole-wheat flour for the base of the bread.
  • Whole wheat flour is higher in fiber and contains the whole kernel of wheat so it is better for your digestion.
  • I love white whole wheat if you can find it. I use King Arthur flour white whole wheat. I love that it doesn’t darken the bread as much as regular whole wheat, and it has a very light wheat flavor that doesn’t compete with the flavor of the pumpkin and spices.

Mix The Wet and Dry Ingredients Separately

  • Use two bowls to mix the wet and dry mixes separately. I usually mix the dry ingredients first and set that aside. Then I mix the wet ingredients. As I said in my post for Healthy Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips, I do this so that I don’t have to wash and dry the whisk. 
  • Granulated and brown sugar, are considered a wet ingredients because they melt into the wet ingredients. They’re heavier than flour, so if you tried mixing them into the flour the sugar would settle out slightly.
  • Note: In this batter I used a combination of melted butter and oil for the best flavor. If you prefer to use all one or the other, feel free to do so.
  • To do some of the bread prep in advance, you can refrigerate the wet mix for a day in advance. The dry mix can sit on the counter in a bag or resealable container. I do this when I am entertaining, and need to get work done ahead of time. 
  • I jump ahead and make my streusel before mixing the wet and dry. That way the leavener will not give off all of it’s gas before it goes into the oven. When you are ready to bake your bread, mix the dry into the wet, and just stir it until it is moist. But don’t overwork it! This bread is relatively low in fat and sugar, compared to many, so it could become tough if you stir it too much. 
The full loaf of pumpkin bread from the side

Streusel Topping for Pumpkin Bread

Streusel without Nuts

Not Nuts: Streusel in its most basic form has butter, sugar and flour mixed together until it is crumbly. Many streusels have nuts added to them. This one doesn’t because I wanted this recipe to be a good option for a homemade gift for the holidays, and there are so many nut allergies out there.

If you love nuts, you can add 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans to the streusel topping! 

Add oats: I did add oats to the streusel topping though. I actually love to add oats to my streusel topping for apple crumb pie or apple crisp. It’s such a homey old fashioned touch, and adds a little boost of nutritious oats to help extend the streusel a bit further. 

How To Mix the Streusel

Use Softened Butter

The key to making the streusel is to have butter that is room temperature. It will blend into the flour and sugar easily, without becoming greasy. The reason you want to use butter instead of oil is that it will prevent the streusel from becoming too dark. Oil can get hotter than butter because it doesn’t have any water content, so the sugar and flour can burn. Besides the butter tastes great! 

Blend Together with Hands

Wash your hands then use your fingertips to work the butter and flour into the sugar. You’ll need to pinch the butter and break it up as it gets coated in the flour and sugar. As you continue to work it, it’ll soften more and break into smaller and smaller pieces of butter and flour and sugar.

It takes about a minute, and you just have to keep working to get it to form a nice clumpy crumb consistency. You’ll know it’s the right texture and you’ve mixed enough if the crumbs seem evenly moist, and if you can squeeze it and it holds together slightly.

slices of pumpkin streusel bread from overhead

How To Store Pumpkin Streusel Bread

The nice thing about quick breads is that they hold at room temperature for several days. Once it is completely cool, I just wrap it in several layers of plastic wrap and set it on the counter. 

There is no need to refrigerate the pumpkin bread, and doing so may actually speed up the staling process by drying it out.

To Freeze The Pumpkin Streusel Bread

I like to wrap it in plastic wrap first. Normally I would use foil because I think it is even more protective, but the foil is too stiff for the streusel and will knock the crumbs right off the bread. So I do a few layers of plastic instead. Then I seal it in a Ziplock freezer gallon bag. Tip: press the air out of the bag before sealing it shut! You can freeze this bread for up to a month without any changes to the breads texture.

How To Thaw The Streusel Bread

To thaw the bread, take it out of the bag and unwrap it. Set it on a wire rack and let thaw at room temperature for two to three hours. Note: If you try to let it thaw while it is still wrapped the sugar in the streusel topping will become wet. 

To Warm The Bread Up: Once it is thawed, you can rewarm it in the oven. Set it on a baking sheet or wrap it in foil, then warm it in the oven for 20 minutes at 300 degrees F. I also like to take a slice and just pop it in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds to bring it back to life.

All these need is a bit of cellophane and a ribbon and you have a great healthy gift from the kitchen!

More Baking Recipes To Try This Fall

Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!

Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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a close-up look of the pumpkin streusel bread- the texture of the inside

Pumpkin Streusel Bread


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 18 servings 1x

Description

Perfect healthy gift from the kitchen for the holidays, whole grain pumpkin bread with classic eggnog flavor, topped with cinnamon streusel.


Ingredients

Units Scale

Bread

  • 1 14ounce can pumpkin puree, or 1 3/4 cup home-made pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 tablespoons cream sherry or dark rum
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil or organic canola oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat or whole-wheat pastry flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Cinnamon Streusel

  • 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a loaf pan with cooking spray.

Make Bread Batter

  1. Beat pumpkin, brown sugar, sugar, egg, melted butter, sherry or rum, oil and vanilla in a mixing bowl on medium speed until creamy and smooth.
  2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Add dry mixture to the pumpkin mixture and gently blend on slow until just combined. Spread batter in loaf pan.

Make Streusel Topping

  1. Mix oats, 2 tablespoons all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, softened butter and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bow until crumbly. Top the batter with the streusel topping.

Bake Bread

  1. Bake until the center is puffed and set. It will spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out with moist crumbs attached, 55 to 60 minutes. To remove from the oven, slide onto a pizza peel or un-rimmed baking sheet to handle. Let cool completely on wire rack.

Notes

This bread can be kept at room temperature for three to four days. Once it is completely cool, wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap.

To Freeze the Pumpkin Bread: Wrap in several layers of plastic wrap then seal it in a resealable freezer gallon bag. Tip: press the air out of the bag before sealing it shut! You can freeze this bread for up to a month without any changes to the breads texture. To thaw it, unwrap it and let it sit on a wire rack for two to three hours.

To rewarm the bread, wrap it in foil or set it on a baking sheet. Place it in a 300 degree oven for 20 minutes.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Category: Snack
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/12 loaf
  • Calories: 277
  • Sugar: 21 g
  • Fat: 10 g
  • Carbohydrates: 41 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Protein: 5 g
Pumpkin bread on a black cookie sheet