Delicious Pumpkin Gingerbread

Finding the perfect fall dessert that combines two classic flavors can feel like a tall order. After all, you want something that tastes like the season without spending hours in the kitchen, and it helps if it’s the kind of treat that works for both casual weeknight dinners and holiday gatherings with family.

Luckily, this pumpkin gingerbread hits all the right notes: it’s moist and flavorful, comes together with basic pantry ingredients, and fills your house with the kind of warm, spicy aroma that makes everyone ask what’s baking.

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What Kind of Pumpkin Purée Should I Use?

You can use either canned pumpkin purée or homemade for this gingerbread, and both will give you great results. If you’re going the canned route, make sure you’re grabbing plain pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie filling, which already has sugar and spices added. Homemade pumpkin purée works just as well if you have the time – just roast your pumpkin, scoop out the flesh, and blend it until smooth. Whichever you choose, make sure your purée isn’t too watery, as excess moisture can affect the texture of your gingerbread.

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Options for Substitutions

This gingerbread recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• All-purpose flour: You can use whole wheat flour for half of the all-purpose flour to add a nutty flavor and extra fiber. Just know your gingerbread will be a bit denser. For a gluten-free version, try a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.
• Pumpkin purée: If you’re out of pumpkin, mashed sweet potato or butternut squash work really well here. Just make sure they’re well-drained so your batter isn’t too wet.
• Butter: Coconut oil or vegetable oil can replace the melted butter in equal amounts. The flavor will be slightly different, but the texture stays nice and moist.
• Molasses: This is pretty important for that classic gingerbread flavor, so try not to skip it. In a pinch, you could use honey or maple syrup, but the taste will be less robust and more sweet.
• Spices: Don’t have all the spices? You can use 3 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice in place of the ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
• Eggs: For each egg, you can substitute with 1/4 cup applesauce or a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, let sit for 5 minutes).

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake with gingerbread is overbaking, which turns this naturally moist cake dry and crumbly – start checking for doneness about 5 minutes before the recipe time, and remove it from the oven when a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.

Using blackstrap molasses instead of regular unsulphured molasses will give your gingerbread an overpowering bitter taste, so make sure you’re grabbing the right bottle at the store.

Another common error is not properly measuring your pumpkin purée – if it’s too watery (especially with homemade), your batter will be too thin and won’t set properly, so drain any excess liquid before adding it to your mixture.

Finally, don’t skip letting the gingerbread cool completely before slicing, as cutting into it while warm will cause it to fall apart and lose that perfect dense, tender texture.

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What to Serve With Pumpkin Gingerbread?

This spiced gingerbread is perfect for breakfast with a hot cup of coffee or tea, especially on a chilly fall morning. I love serving it warm with a generous smear of softened butter or cream cheese, which melts right into the cake and balances out the warm spices. For dessert, try it with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream – the cold creaminess pairs beautifully with the molasses and ginger flavors. You can also toast leftover slices and spread them with apple butter or pumpkin butter for an easy afternoon snack.

Storage Instructions

Store: This gingerbread stays moist and delicious for days. Keep it wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Honestly, I think it tastes even better the next day once all those spices have had time to meld together!

Freeze: Pumpkin gingerbread freezes really well if you want to make it ahead for the holidays. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then again in aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. You can freeze the whole loaf or cut it into individual slices for easy grab-and-go portions.

Thaw: When you’re ready to eat your frozen gingerbread, just leave it on the counter for a few hours to thaw completely. If you want it warm, pop a slice in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds or wrap it in foil and warm it in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2000-2200
• Protein: 25-30 g
• Fat: 50-60 g
• Carbohydrates: 380-410 g

Ingredients

For the dry ingredients:

• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (freshly ground preferred)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the wet ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raisins (optional but recommended)
• 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
• 1 tbsp finely minced candied or fresh ginger
• 3 tbsp water
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten (room temperature)
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (I use Libby’s)
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted (and cooled)

Step 1: Prepare the Loaf Pan

Grease a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray or butter to ensure the baked bread releases easily after baking.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until everything is evenly combined.

This helps distribute the leavening and spices uniformly.

Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted (and cooled)
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
• 1 tbsp finely minced candied or fresh ginger
• 2 eggs, beaten (room temperature)
• 3 tbsp water

In a separate large bowl, use a wooden spoon to mix together the pumpkin puree, melted and cooled unsalted butter, dark brown sugar, unsulphured molasses, minced candied or fresh ginger, beaten eggs, and water until just smooth.

I like to use fresh ginger for an extra fragrant kick.

Step 4: Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients and Add Raisins

• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2
• wet ingredient mixture from Step 3
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional but recommended)

Add the dry ingredients from Step 2 into the wet ingredient mixture from Step 3.

Stir gently with a wooden spoon or spatula just until everything is incorporated—do not overmix or the bread may turn out dense.

Fold in the raisins if using.

Step 5: Bake the Pumpkin Gingerbread

• prepared loaf pan from Step 1
• batter from Step 4

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a bamboo skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

I find that checking at the 50-minute mark is best, as ovens can vary.

Step 6: Cool, Remove from Pan, and Slice

Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Then, gently run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert the loaf onto a rack to fully cool before slicing.

The flavor deepens as it rests—if you slice it while warm, use a bread knife as it may be more crumbly.

Delicious Pumpkin Gingerbread

Delicious Delicious Pumpkin Gingerbread recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 24 minutes mins

Cook Time 48 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 12 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 2100 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the dry ingredients:

• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (freshly ground preferred)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the wet ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raisins (optional but recommended)
• 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
• 1 tbsp finely minced candied or fresh ginger
• 3 tbsp water
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten (room temperature)
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (I use Libby's)
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted (and cooled)

Instructions

 

• Grease a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray or butter to ensure the baked bread releases easily after baking.
• In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until everything is evenly combined. This helps distribute the leavening and spices uniformly.
• In a separate large bowl, use a wooden spoon to mix together the pumpkin puree, melted and cooled unsalted butter, dark brown sugar, unsulphured molasses, minced candied or fresh ginger, beaten eggs, and water until just smooth. I like to use fresh ginger for an extra fragrant kick.
• Add the dry ingredients from Step 2 into the wet ingredient mixture from Step 3. Stir gently with a wooden spoon or spatula just until everything is incorporated—do not overmix or the bread may turn out dense. Fold in the raisins if using.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a bamboo skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. I find that checking at the 50-minute mark is best, as ovens can vary.
• Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, gently run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert the loaf onto a rack to fully cool before slicing. The flavor deepens as it rests—if you slice it while warm, use a bread knife as it may be more crumbly.