This pumpkin bread is the closest I could get to the real deal Starbucks pumpkin loaf, made without gluten, dairy or refined sugar. I tested 11 loaves to get this just right! Everyone will love this pumpkin bread, it is super moist, full of warm spices, pumpkin puree and topped with roasted pepitas!
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS GLUTEN FREE PUMPKIN LOAF
It has the same moist cake-like texture and pumpkin spice flavor of your favorite Starbucks pumpkin bread loaf
It is a quick bread so no yeast needed
Secretly gluten free, dairy free and no refined sugar
All eaters will love this bread
Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea
It makes your house smell amazing when it's baking!
(this loaf is made with gluten free flour)
INGREDIENTS IN COPYCAT STARBUCKS PUMPKIN LOAF
Oat Flour
Fine Blanched Almond Flour (or replace both with Gluten Free 1:1 Flour)
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Baking Soda and Powder
Sea Salt
Pure Pumpkin Puree
Coconut Sugar, or Granulated Sugar
Eggs
Refined Coconut Oil
Vanilla Extract
SUBSTITUTIONS AND SWAPS
1. Both the oat flour and almond flour can be swapped for a little less gluten free 1:1 flour.
2. If you do not have Pumpkin Pie Spice Seasoning on hand, you can make your own blend and store it in a jar by mixing:
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3. Coconut sugar may be swapped for other granulated sugar. Just keep in mind it may change the sweetness level and flavor of the bread! Coconut sugar is a low glycemic sweetener and isn't as sweet as white sugar.
4. No other oils may be swapped for the coconut oil, the texture will not be the same. I think the best swap here would be non-dairy butter. But refined coconut oil will work the best.
5. Unfortunately the eggs cannot be replaced in this recipe, they are needed for the density and texture of this copycat Starbucks' pumpkin bread. There are plenty of other vegan and vegan friendly recipes on my site!
6. I used canned pumpkin puree, the pure pumpkin not the pumpkin pie mix. Different brands tend to have more water content, so some will yield more moisture in the bread than others. I have used 365 brand and Farmer's Market in my tests.
(this loaf is made with almond and oat flour)
HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE PUMPKIN BREAD:
(see recipe card below for full recipe)
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.
Mix the coconut sugar with the melted coconut oil, then whisk in the rest of the wet ingredients.
Mix dry into wet until just combined and no flour remains
Quickly transfer into prepared loaf pan and top with pepitas, or shelled pumpkin seeds
Bake for 55-60 minutes until toothpick comes out clean and top is a light brown and cracked.
TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT LOAF:
I made this gluten free pumpkin bread loaf 11 times to get the taste and texture just right! Here are some tips to achieve the perfect loaf:
1. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature. If anything cold hits the coconut oil it will clump up and ruin your bread results.
2. Line the loaf pan with parchment paper or spray really good with cooking spray to ensure it will not stick.
3. This is a quick bread, so to ensure a good rise, place in oven as soon as the wet ingredients mix into the dry ingredients. The baking soda will activate and we want that to happen in the oven!
4. This pumpkin bread is made with 1 cup of pumpkin. I tested it with 1 1/2 cups of pumpkin and the flavor was even better, but it made the bread a little too moist at the bottom. If you like a very moist bread I would use 1 1/2 cups of pumpkin because the flavor is amazing!
FAQs
Can I make gluten free pumpkin loaf also vegan?
Unfortunately 3 eggs are needed in this recipe to create the cake-like density of Starbucks pumpkin bread. I have not tried any other substitutes but do not think it would yield the same result. I do have plenty of vegan recipes on my site, just search 'vegan' on the home page!
What is the difference between using oat and almond flour vs gluten free flour?
The texture is almost identical, but the almond and oat version tends to have more pumpkin flavor than the gluten free flour version, and it's a little darker in color. I like using almond and oat flour for a lower carb option and also gum free! But both come out great.
Why did my pumpkin bread come out too moist and heavy?
This could be due to the brand of pumpkin used, some have more water content than others. If the bread seems too moist, it's not too late to cover it with foil and place back in a hot oven for another 15-20 minutes. Using 1 cup of pumpkin should not give you an overly moist bread. If you opt to add more than a cup (as noted in recipe below), it will give you a very moist bread and you will have to bake it another 10 minutes.
What brands of pumpkin work the best for gluten free pumpkin bread?
I have used Whole Foods 365 brand, Farmer's Market Brand and Trader Joe's Brand canned pumpkin. They all work, but 365 brand seemed to have the least amount of water content and the texture of the bread came out the best!