Mini Pumpkin Bread

This mini pumpkin bread recipe makes a single small loaf of soft and moist pumpkin bread with a ridiculously good cinnamon sugar crust.

Monday I shared my favorite pumpkin bread recipe on the blog.

Today, for all my small-batch friends, I have a mini pumpkin bread recipe so you can make pumpkin bread all season long whether you’re baking for a crowd or just one or two.

Loaf of mini pumpkin bread sliced on parchment paper. - 1

Everything I wrote about the full-size version of this recipe is true for this miniature one.

The batter is super quick and simple to throw together, and it makes a very cute single small loaf of pumpkin bread that’s soft, moist, and perfectly pumpkin spiced.

Equipment and Ingredient Notes

5.5 x 3-inch loaf pan: I used a 5.5 x 3-inch pan , but any mini loaf pan should work. Just be sure to fill the pan no more than ⅔ full so it doesn’t overflow in the oven.
Pumpkin puree: If you don’t regularly buy canned pumpkin puree, you can usually find it in the baking aisle near the premade pie crusts and pie filling. (Be sure you’re grabbing pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling!) The recipe won’t use up an entire can of pumpkin puree, so see my post What to Do With Leftover Pumpkin Puree for storage tips and recipe ideas for the leftovers. I recommend whipping up a little batch of Pumpkin Snickerdoodles.
Spices: If you don’t keep pumpkin pie spice stocked, you can replace it with ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, a generous pinch of ground cloves and a generous pinch of ground ginger.
Cinnamon sugar: I love a good cinnamon sugar crust on pumpkin bread, but if you don’t want the added sweetness, you can skip the cinnamon sugar.

How to Make a Mini Loaf of Pumpkin Bread

Collage photo of mini pumpkin bread batter being made.. - 4

Collage photo of mini pumpkin bread batter being made.. - 5

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a mini loaf pan and line it with a parchment paper sling. This will make it easier to lift your pumpkin bread out of the pan without dislodging any of the cinnamon sugar topping.
Whisk dry ingredients (minus sugar) together in one bowl, and the wet ingredients along with the sugar in a second bowl.
Pour the dry mixture into the wet ingredients and use a wooden spoon to stir until just mixed and there is no dry flour in the bowl. Don’t overmix! Overmixing can cause your bread to become tough. Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan.

Collage photo of mini pumpkin bread being baked. - 6

Collage photo of mini pumpkin bread being baked. - 7

Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top of the batter and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean and the top of the bread springs back when lightly pressed.
Cool in the pan until cool enough to handle and then transfer to a cooling rack. Cool for an additional 10 minutes, serve, and enjoy!

Variations

Glazed: For a simple glaze, combine ¼ cup of powdered sugar with 1 teaspoon milk, plus a couple drops of vanilla or maple extract. Stir together until a smooth glaze forms, adding just a bit more milk or powdered sugar as needed to reach a drizzling consistency.
Streusel: If you’d like to top your bread with streusel, try the half-batch measurements for my favorite streusel recipe . Be sure to fill the loaf pan no more than ⅔ full or the streusel crumbs can overflow the pan.

Had picking up mini slices of pumpkin bread. - 8

Had picking up mini slices of pumpkin bread. - 9

I love this loaf, can I make a full-size version?

You sure can. I posted the full-size version of this pumpkin bread recipe earlier this week.

I don’t have a mini loaf pan. What can I use instead?

If you don’t have a mini loaf pan, go make my small-batch pumpkin muffins . They use the same ingredients but are designed to be baked into muffins instead of a loaf pan.

Sliced mini pumpkin bread on a plate. - 10

Sliced mini pumpkin bread on a plate. - 11

How to store pumpkin bread?

Store the bread tightly wrapped at room temperature for 3-4 days.

More Small-batch Favorites

Pumpkin Cupcakes
Apple Crumb Muffins
Small-batch Cinnamon Rolls
One Banana Banana Bread

Had picking up mini slices of pumpkin bread. - 12

Equipment

5.5 x 3-inch loaf pan*
Parchment paper

Ingredients

Cinnamon Sugar Topping (optional)

▢ 1 teaspoon ( 4g ) granulated sugar
▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pumpkin Bread

▢ ½ cup ( 65g ) all-purpose flour
▢ ¼ teaspoon baking soda
▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
▢ 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice *
▢ ½ cup ( 100g ) granulated sugar
▢ ¼ cup ( 61g ) pumpkin puree
▢ 1 large egg
▢ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
▢ 1 tablespoon milk any percentage

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a mini loaf pan and line it with a parchment paper sling.

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Pumpkin Bread

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, pumpkin puree, egg, vegetable oil, and milk.
Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and use a wooden spoon to stir until just mixed. Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan.
Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top of the batter.
Bake for 32 to 38 minutes, until toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean and the top of the bread springs back when lightly pressed.
Cool in the pan until cool enough to handle and then transfer to a cooling rack. Cool for an additional 10 minutes, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

This easy pumpkin bread recipe makes a soft and fluffy loaf of pumpkin bread with a crumbly crunchy streusel topping and maple glaze.

The number one request was for pumpkin bread (an excellent choice), so I’m here today with the recipe for my very favorite pumpkin bread.

Pumpkin bread with streusel sliced. - 13

Pumpkin bread with streusel sliced. - 14

This is a classic recipe. It’s the one I grew up with, and over the years, I’ve found that when people tell me they have an old family recipe for pumpkin bread, written in their grandmother’s handwriting on a well-used recipe card, it’s usually this one.

And there’s a reason this recipe’s a classic. It makes some really good, really easy pumpkin bread.

The batter comes together in about 5 minutes, and you get a perfectly soft and fluffy loaf that bakes up beautifully and makes your kitchen smell like fall.

An Upgraded Classic

And because I think that even the classics can be improved upon, I’ve added my favorite brown sugar streusel and a maple glaze to the bread.

This gives the top of the loaf a completely irresistible crumbly crunch that makes a sweet and simple slice of pumpkin bread feel like a decadent treat.

Ingredient Notes

Cool room-temperature butter: You’ll need softened butter for the crumble topping, but if your kitchen is warm, be careful not to let the butter get too soft or it will be difficult to work with. You should just be able to press an indentation into it with a little force. It should not be greasy or at all melty. The recipe is written using salted butter, but if all you have is unsalted, add a generous pinch of salt along with the flour and sugar.
Pumpkin puree: This recipe will use about half a can of pumpkin puree. Not sure what to do with the leftovers? Check out my post What to Do With Leftover Pumpkin Puree (I recommend a batch of Pumpkin Pancakes ).
Spices: The recipe calls for a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger, but if you have pumpkin pie spice , you can replace the spices with 1½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.

How to Make Classic Pumpkin Bread

Collage photo of pumpkin bread batter being prepared. - 17

Collage photo of pumpkin bread batter being prepared. - 18

Make the streusel by combining flour, brown sugar, and butter. Use clean hands or a fork to mix the ingredients until they clump into crumbs and no dry flour or sugar is left at the bottom of the bowl.

Place the streusel in the freezer while you make the bread (chilled streusel will give you prettier, more defined streusel crumbs after baking).

Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. In a second bowl, combine pumpkin puree, eggs, vegetable oil, milk, and granulated sugar. Whisk until well-combined.
Pour flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir until just combined. There should be no dry flour left in the bowl, but don’t overmix or your bread can become tough.

Collage photo of pumpkin bread batter being baked. - 19

Collage photo of pumpkin bread batter being baked. - 20

Transfer batter to a greased baking dish lined with a parchment paper sling. The parchment paper sling will allow you to lift the bread out of the pan without disturbing any of the streusel on top.
Remove streusel from the freezer and sprinkle it over the batter. If the streusel pieces are too large, gently break them up. If they’re too small, smash them together in your hand to form larger crumbs.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
Whisk together powdered sugar, extract of choice, and milk and drizzle glaze over the warm bread. Allow at least 20 minutes for the glaze to set and the bread to cool before cutting and serving.

Pumpkin Bread Variations

Classic pumpkin bread: If you don’t want the extra sweetness, you can skip the glaze and streusel and bake the bread without any added toppings.
Cinnamon sugar: Combine 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Sprinkle over batter just before baking.
Vanilla or maple glaze: Double the glaze in the recipe below and spread it over the bread while it’s still warm.
Mini pumpkin bread: For a mini loaf of pumpkin bread, go check out my small-batch version of this bread.

I love this bread! Can I double the recipe?

Go for it. To change the recipe yield, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.

If doubling the recipe, you can use a single 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree to make 2 loaves of bread. You will be slightly shy of the 2 cups a double batch would call for, but your bread will still come out beautifully.

Can you freeze pumpkin bread?

Absolutely! Pumpkin bread freezes well. Wrap slices individually in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. To eat, defrost unwrapped at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Slices of pumpkin bread on a small plate. - 23

Slices of pumpkin bread on a small plate. - 24

What’s the best way to store pumpkin bread?

Store pumpkin bread tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze slices.

More Fall Favorites

Dutch Apple Pie Cinnamon Sugar Baked Pumpkin Donuts Cinnamon Apple Crumb Muffins White Hot Chocolate

Recipe Notes

Streusel can make checking for doneness a little challenging. If you’re not sure your bread is ready to come out of the oven, give the top a little press with your finger. When the bread is done, it will spring back when lightly pressed. If it stays sunken in, it’s not ready. Give it more time in the oven.

Equipment

9x5-inch loaf pan
Parchment paper

Ingredients

Streusel (optional)

▢ ½ cup ( 65g ) all-purpose flour
▢ ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons (75g ) packed brown sugar
▢ 4 tablespoons ( 56g ) salted butter cut into 1-inch cubes and softened to cool room temperature*

Classic Pumpkin Bread

▢ 1¾ cups ( 228g ) all-purpose flour
▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
▢ ¾ teaspoon salt
▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon *
▢ ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
▢ 1½ cups ( 300g ) granulated sugar
▢ 1 cup ( 244g ) pumpkin puree
▢ 2 large eggs
▢ ½ cup vegetable oil
▢ ⅓ cup milk any percentage

Glaze (optional)

▢ ½ cup ( 60g ) powdered sugar
▢ ¼ teaspoon maple or vanilla extract
▢ 1 tablespoon milk or cream plus more as needed

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line it with a parchment paper sling. Set aside.

Streusel

In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and butter. Use clean hands or a fork to mix the ingredients until they clump into crumbs and no dry flour or sugar is left at the bottom of the bowl.
Place the streusel in the freezer while you make the bread.

Pumpkin Bread

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, vegetable oil, and milk. Whisk until well-combined.
Pour flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir until just combined.
Transfer batter to prepared baking dish. Remove streusel from the freezer and sprinkle it over the batter. If the streusel pieces are too large, gently break them up. If they’re too small, smash them together in your hand to form larger crumbs.
Bake for about 60 to 70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
Allow to cool in the baking pan until cool enough to handle and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Glaze

In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, extract of choice, and milk. If needed, add milk by the ¼ teaspoon until the glaze reaches your desired consistency.
Drizzle glaze over the warm bread and allow at least 20 minutes for the glaze to set and the bread to cool before cutting and serving.
Enjoy!

Notes

Cinnamon sugar: Combine 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon. Sprinkle over batter just before baking.
Vanilla or maple glaze: Double the glaze in the recipe above and spread it over the bread while it’s still warm.

This easy streusel topping is crumbly, crunchy, sweet, and perfect for topping muffins and quick breads.

A good streusel recipe immediately improves anything you sprinkle it over.

It adds texture, crunch, and a buttery sweetness that can take a boring old muffin or loaf of quick bread and make it feel like a total treat.

Streusel topping over pumpkin bread. - 26

Streusel topping over pumpkin bread. - 27

Today I’m sharing my favorite streusel recipe with you. I’ve used it on a few recipes here in the past, on pumpkin bread , donuts , and muffins , but it’s so good I figured it was time to give it a stand-alone recipe.

The Ideal Streusel Recipe

Where some streusel recipes use melted butter, this recipe uses softened room temperature butter, which creates more tender crumbles that almost melt in your mouth.

They’re the perfect combo of crunchy/crumbly and buttery/sweet, and you’ll probably be tempted to add a little streusel to every muffin that comes out of your kitchen for the rest of forever.

Tool and Ingredient Notes

A medium to large bowl: When making the streusel, use a slightly larger bowl than you think you’ll need. It helps to have extra room when mixing so you don’t have to worry about getting flour and sugar all over.
Cool room temperature butter: Your butter should be softened to cool room temperature. If your kitchen is warm, keep a close eye on the butter and don’t let it get too soft or it will be difficult to work with. You should just be able to press an indentation into it with a little force. It should not be greasy or at all melty. The recipe is written using unsalted butter, but if all you have is salted, simply omit the extra salt called for in the recipe.

How to Make Streusel Topping

Collage photo of streusel topping being made. - 30

Collage photo of streusel topping being made. - 31

Mix ingredients: Combine all your ingredients and use a fork or clean hands (I always use my hands) to mix until crumbles form and no dry flour remains in the bowl.
Refrigerate or freeze: Chill for at least an hour in the refrigerator or 15 to 20 minutes in the freezer. Cold streusel maintains its shape better when it hits the heat of the oven.

Collage photo of streusel being added to pumpkin bread and being baked. - 32

Collage photo of streusel being added to pumpkin bread and being baked. - 33

Bake: Prep the batter for your muffins or favorite quick bread recipe and transfer to the baking pan. If this is your first time making this particular recipe with streusel, be sure to fill the tin no more than ⅔ full. If the pan is overfull and rises too high too quickly, it can cause some of the streusel to overflow, which is never fun.

Once your batter is ready, drop streusel over the top in crumbles, gently breaking up pieces if they are too large or squeezing small sandy bits together to form larger pieces.

Bake according to batter recipe instructions. If at any time the streusel begins to get too dark in the oven, you can tent it with foil to protect it from burning.