Here is my favorite pumpkin butter bread recipe, with a moist, tender crumb, warm fall spices, and that rich pumpkin butter flavor baked right into every slice.
This pumpkin butter bread has become our go-to autumn treat around here. I love making a couple loaves at once so we can freeze one for later. There’s something so cozy about the smell of this bread baking in the oven on a crisp fall morning.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Butter Bread
- Moist and flavorful – The pumpkin butter jam keeps this bread incredibly tender while adding deep, spiced pumpkin flavor that’s way better than regular pumpkin puree.
- Perfect fall comfort food – With warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, this bread fills your kitchen with cozy autumn aromas that make your house feel like home.
- Simple one-bowl mixing – No fancy equipment needed – just mix everything together in one bowl and pop it in the oven for an easy homemade treat.
- Great for breakfast or dessert – This bread works perfectly with your morning coffee or as an after-dinner sweet, making it a flexible addition to your baking rotation.
- Loaded with texture – The raisins and toasted walnuts add nice chewy and crunchy bits that make every slice interesting and satisfying.
What Kind of Pumpkin Butter Should I Use?
For this recipe, you’ll want to use a good quality pumpkin butter that has a thick, spreadable consistency similar to apple butter. You can find pumpkin butter at most grocery stores during fall season, or you can make your own by cooking down pumpkin puree with spices and a touch of sweetener. If you can’t find pumpkin butter specifically, you can substitute with pumpkin puree mixed with a bit of brown sugar and extra cinnamon, though the texture will be slightly different. Just make sure whatever pumpkin butter you choose isn’t too watery, as this could affect the bread’s texture and baking time.
Options for Substitutions
This pumpkin butter bread is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need to make changes:
- Pumpkin butter jam: This is the star of the recipe, so I wouldn’t recommend substituting it. However, if you can’t find pumpkin butter, you can make your own by mixing 1 cup pumpkin puree with ½ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon each of nutmeg and cloves.
- Apple juice: You can swap this with orange juice, milk, or even water if needed. Apple cider works great too and adds a nice fall flavor.
- Walnuts: Pecans, chopped almonds, or even pumpkin seeds make good substitutes. If you’re not a nut fan, just leave them out or add extra raisins instead.
- Raisins: Dried cranberries, chopped dates, or mini chocolate chips work well here. You can also skip them entirely if you prefer.
- Brown sugar: White sugar works fine, though you’ll lose some of that molasses flavor. You can also use coconut sugar or maple sugar for a different taste.
- Ground cloves: If you don’t have cloves, add a bit more nutmeg or cinnamon. You could also use pumpkin pie spice (about 2 teaspoons total) instead of the individual spices.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking
The biggest mistake when making pumpkin butter bread is overmixing the batter once you add the flour, which can lead to a tough, dense loaf instead of the tender crumb you’re after – mix just until the ingredients are combined and you still see a few streaks of flour.
Another common error is not checking for doneness properly, since the pumpkin butter makes the bread naturally moist and dark, so rely on a toothpick inserted in the center rather than just looking at the color.
To prevent your raisins and walnuts from sinking to the bottom, toss them in a tablespoon of flour before folding them into the batter, and make sure your oven temperature is accurate since pumpkin breads can easily overbake on the outside while staying raw in the middle.
Finally, resist the urge to slice into the bread right away – let it cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before turning it out, as the residual heat helps it finish cooking and makes for cleaner slices.
What to Serve With Pumpkin Butter Bread?
This spiced pumpkin bread is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack, and it pairs beautifully with a hot cup of coffee or chai tea. I love serving thick slices with a pat of butter or cream cheese spread on top, which really complements the warm spices and sweet pumpkin flavor. For a cozy fall breakfast, try it alongside scrambled eggs and crispy bacon, or make it extra special by serving it with maple syrup for drizzling. It’s also great on its own as a grab-and-go snack, especially since the walnuts and raisins already give it plenty of texture and flavor.
Storage Instructions
Store: This pumpkin butter bread actually gets better after a day or two! Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. The flavors really meld together nicely, and the texture becomes perfectly moist.
Freeze: You can freeze whole loaves or individual slices for up to 3 months. I like to wrap the cooled bread in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil before freezing. For slices, just pop some parchment paper between each piece so they don’t stick together.
Serve: Let frozen bread thaw at room temperature for a few hours, or individual slices for about 30 minutes. If you want it warm, just pop a slice in the toaster or microwave for 10-15 seconds. It’s also delicious served at room temperature with a little butter or cream cheese spread on top.
| Preparation Time | 15-20 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 50-60 minutes |
| Total Time | 65-80 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Medium |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 2600-2800
- Protein: 28-32 g
- Fat: 80-95 g
- Carbohydrates: 450-480 g
Ingredients
For the batter:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup jackie’s pumpkin butter jam
For the filling and add-ins:
- 3/4 cup jackie’s pumpkin butter jam
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Loaf Pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease and flour a 3×7-inch loaf pan, ensuring all sides are coated to prevent sticking.
This will help the bread release easily after baking.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves.
Stir well to evenly incorporate all the leavening agents and spices.
Set this bowl aside for later use.
Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup Jackie’s Pumpkin Butter Jam
In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg until smooth.
Whisk in the packed brown sugar, apple juice, melted unsalted butter, and half of the pumpkin butter jam (about 3/4 cup) until fully blended and smooth.
Step 4: Incorporate Dry Ingredients and Add Mix-Ins
- dry ingredient mixture from Step 2
- wet ingredient mixture from Step 3
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
Gradually stir the dry ingredients from Step 2 into the wet mixture from Step 3, mixing until just combined and no lumps remain.
Then gently fold in the raisins and toasted, chopped walnuts for extra texture and flavor.
I like to toast the walnuts first—it brings out their nutty aroma and crunch.
Step 5: Layer the Batter and Pumpkin Butter Jam
- prepared batter with mix-ins from Step 4
- 3/4 cup Jackie’s Pumpkin Butter Jam
Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan from Step 1.
Spread the remaining 3/4 cup of pumpkin butter jam evenly over the batter layer.
Then, carefully spoon the remaining batter on top, smoothing it out to cover the jam.
Step 6: Bake the Bread
Place the loaf pan on the middle rack of your preheated oven.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
If the top seems to brown quickly, you can tent it with foil midway through baking.
Step 7: Cool and Serve
Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes to allow it to set.
Then, carefully remove it from the pan and place it on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
I like to let it cool fully—it makes slicing easier and the flavors really come together.
Irresistible Pumpkin Butter Bread
Ingredients
For the batter:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup Jackie’s Pumpkin Butter Jam
For the filling and add-ins:
- 3/4 cup Jackie’s Pumpkin Butter Jam
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 3x7-inch loaf pan, ensuring all sides are coated to prevent sticking. This will help the bread release easily after baking.
- In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves. Stir well to evenly incorporate all the leavening agents and spices. Set this bowl aside for later use.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg until smooth. Whisk in the packed brown sugar, apple juice, melted unsalted butter, and half of the pumpkin butter jam (about 3/4 cup) until fully blended and smooth.
- Gradually stir the dry ingredients from Step 2 into the wet mixture from Step 3, mixing until just combined and no lumps remain. Then gently fold in the raisins and toasted, chopped walnuts for extra texture and flavor. I like to toast the walnuts first—it brings out their nutty aroma and crunch.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan from Step 1. Spread the remaining 3/4 cup of pumpkin butter jam evenly over the batter layer. Then, carefully spoon the remaining batter on top, smoothing it out to cover the jam.
- Place the loaf pan on the middle rack of your preheated oven. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top seems to brown quickly, you can tent it with foil midway through baking.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes to allow it to set. Then, carefully remove it from the pan and place it on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. I like to let it cool fully—it makes slicing easier and the flavors really come together.
