Themes⚙
Pumpkin Bread with Brown Sugar Glaze
Bake pumpkin bread with brown sugar glaze easily at home; a one-bowl spiced loaf perfect for fall breakfasts and snacks.
Warm Pumpkin Bread with Brown Sugar Glaze is a moist, spiced quick bread that combines canned or freshly roasted pumpkin purée with all-purpose flour, eggs, butter or oil, and classic autumn spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Sweetened primarily with granulated and brown sugars, the batter bakes into a tender loaf that is finished with a warm brown-sugar glaze enriched with butter, vanilla, and a touch of cream for shine and caramel-like flavor. Served sliced while still slightly warm, it is commonly enjoyed as a seasonal breakfast treat, afternoon snack, or casual dessert throughout fall and winter months, particularly around holidays when pumpkin-based dishes are most popular.
Pumpkin Bread with Brown Sugar Glaze
This loaf comes together in a single mixing bowl, making cleanup minimal and weeknight baking totally doable. The brown-sugar glaze sets into a thin, crackly shell that locks in moisture, so slices stay bakery-soft for days or freeze beautifully for last-minute gatherings.
Prep Time
20 minutes
20 minutes
Cook Time
65 minutes
65 minutes
Total Time
85 minutes
85 minutes
Ingredients
All-purpose flour, 1 ¾ cups
- Baking soda, 1 teaspoon
- Baking powder, 1 teaspoon
- Fine sea salt, ½ teaspoon
- Pumpkin-pie spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon + ½ tsp ginger + ¼ tsp nutmeg + pinch cloves), 1 tablespoon
- Unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, ½ cup (1 stick)
- Granulated sugar, ½ cup
- Light brown sugar, packed, ½ cup
- Large eggs, room temperature, 2
- Pure pumpkin purée (not pie filling), 1 cup
- Pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
- Whole milk (or buttermilk), ¼ cup
- Brown-Sugar Glaze:
- Unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons
- Light brown sugar, packed, 2 tablespoons
- Heavy cream (or half-and-half), 2 tablespoons
- Pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon
- Fine sea salt, pinch
- Confectioners’ (powdered) sugar, sifted, about ¼ cup (adjust for desired thickness)
- Optional / suggested add-ins or toppings:
- Chopped toasted pecans or walnuts, ½ cup
- Coarse sparkling sugar for sprinkling, 1–2 tablespoons
- Extra pumpkin-pie spice, a light dusting
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and set it aside
- Whisk flour baking soda baking powder salt cinnamon nutmeg ginger and cloves in a medium bowl
- Beat eggs granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl until blended
- Whisk pumpkin puree vegetable oil and vanilla into the egg mixture until smooth
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until no streaks of flour remain
- Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top
- Bake the bread until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean about 55 to 65 minutes
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes
- Turn the loaf out onto a wire rack
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat
- Stir brown sugar into the melted butter and cook until the sugar dissolves
- Pour milk into the saucepan and bring the mixture to a gentle boil
- Take the pan off the heat and whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla until the glaze is smooth
- Cool the glaze until it thickens slightly but is still pourable
- Place the warm bread on a rack set over parchment paper
- Drizzle the glaze over the top of the loaf allowing it to drip down the sides
- Let the glaze set for about 15 minutes
- Slice the pumpkin bread
- Serve the bread while warm
Nutrition (whole recipe)
Calories
3200 kcal Protein
40 g Fat
140 g Carbs
447 g Fiber
13 g Sugar
275 g
3200 kcal Protein
40 g Fat
140 g Carbs
447 g Fiber
13 g Sugar
275 g
Notes
For deeper flavor, brown the butter for the glaze—let it cool 2 minutes, then whisk in the sugar and cream; the nutty notes make the loaf taste like pumpkin-spice caramel. If you’d like crunch, fold ½ cup toasted pecans into the batter just before baking; they stay crisp under the glaze and add welcome texture.
why this recipe
This pumpkin bread with brown sugar glaze is the kind of treat that instantly transforms an ordinary afternoon into a cozy, bakery-worthy moment; the loaf emerges tender and fragrant with cinnamon, nutmeg, and real pumpkin purée, while the warm glaze melts over the golden crust, seeping into every crack for pockets of buttery caramel flavor. Its inviting aroma fills the kitchen long before the first slice is cut, and the contrast between the moist crumb and glossy glaze delivers a balance of comfort and indulgence that commercial breads simply can’t match. Best of all, the recipe is straightforward enough for a weeknight bake yet impressive enough for holiday brunch, guaranteeing compliments from anyone lucky enough to share a piece.
FAQs
FAQ acf
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I store the pumpkin bread to keep it moist, and how long will it stay fresh?
Once the loaf and glaze have cooled completely, wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container at room temperature; the crackly glaze will lock in moisture and keep the crumb soft for 3–4 days. For longer storage, freeze well-wrapped slices or the whole loaf (up to 2–3 months) and thaw at room temperature, still wrapped, to retain maximum moisture.
Can I substitute fresh pumpkin purée for canned, and what adjustments should I make to the recipe?
Yes—use the same 1-cup quantity of homemade purée, but roast (not boil) the pumpkin and blot or strain it until it’s as thick as canned. If your purée is still on the loose side, simply reduce the milk in the batter by 1–2 tablespoons so the loaf bakes up just as moist, not gummy.
Can I bake this recipe as muffins, and what baking time should I use?
Absolutely—divide the batter evenly among a 12-cup muffin tin lined with papers, filling each about ⅔ full. Bake at the same 350 °F until the centers spring back and a toothpick comes out clean, 18–22 minutes (mini muffins take 10–12). Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then glaze the warm tops just as you would the loaf.