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Cinnamon Crusted Pumpkin Bread

posted by Liz Berg on November 1, 2013 (updated 10/21/22)

Cinnamon-crusted pumpkin bread is a delicious twist to a traditional pumpkin bread recipe! It makes me a wee bit wary when I shake up our tried and true pumpkin bread recipe. But no worries, as this Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe was a hit!

Two slices of cinnamon topped pumpkin bread on a white plate.

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5 Frequently Asked Questions

6 You May Also Like:

7 Cinnamon Crusted Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Why You Must Make

Once fall arrives, it’s time to start baking with pumpkin! It would be excellent on Thanksgiving morning, too.
This easy pumpkin bread recipe will make your house smell amazing.
Plus, adding the extra cinnamon sugar topping gave it a delicious boost!

Recipe Tips

This is a Quick Bread, meaning it uses baking powder, baking soda, or both instead of yeast as a leavening agent.
PRO-Tip: Always use room temperature eggs for baking. They incorporate more easily into the batter. Just bring them out of the refrigerator about 2 hours before you want to start mixing. You can also place them in a bowl of hot tap water to speed the process along.
PRO-Tip: Do not overmix or your bread will have tunnels instead of a nice even crumb. You can use a hand mixer, but once the flour and leavening are added, only mix on a very low speed. Or use a wooden spoon.
PRO-Tip: Prep your pan well. There’s nothing worse than having your bread stuck in the pan. Use a flour and oil baking spray like Baker’s Joy and line the bottom with a rectangle of parchment paper.
Cool for about 10 minutes on a cooling rack before removing the loaf from the pan. Any shorter than that and the crust doesn’t get a chance to solidify. Much longer and it could get stuck!
Note: These pumpkin loaves bake up with a flat, crackled top, instead of the typical rounded top quick bread. This is normal for this recipe!

A partially sliced loaf of a pumpkin bread recipe.

How to Make

If you’re new to making quick bread (also known as soda bread), which is bread made with baking soda and/or baking powder instead of yeast. The batter does not require proofing or resting time like a yeast dough. The procedure for any quick bread, like this pumpkin bread recipe, is generally very similar.

First, beat or whisk together the liquid ingredients like the eggs, water, oil, and in this case, pumpkin.
Next, whisk together all the dry ingredients like flour, sugar, baking soda, spices, and salt.
Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Do not use a mixer or whisk vigorously.
Overmixing or beating will over-activate the gluten and add air to the batter. This can result in tunnels throughout the loaf and small air pockets. When making muffins, over-mixing also causes them to bake up with peaked tops instead of rounded tops.
Divide the batter into 2 prepped loaf pans filling 2/3-3/4 full. Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar.
If you have any extra batter, put it in a greased ramekin or two for some muffins. Bake for about 20 minutes.

Slices of pumpkin bread on around white plate next to cinnamon sticks.

Helpful Tools:

Affiliate Links: Stainless Steel Loaf Pan
Parchment Paper
Spatulas
Mixing Bowls
Wire Whisk

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Know When Your Pumpkin Loaf is Done?

Using a toothpick is the best test. First, eye the cracks across the top and look for visible batter. Add more cooking time if you spot any. After 10-15 minutes, recheck. Repeat by adding more time if needed.

But before pulling the loaves from the oven, use a toothpick to test a few spots in each loaf. When the toothpick comes out clean, without any batter or moist crumbs, the bread is done.

Can You Freeze Pumpkin Bread?

Definitely! Pumpkin bread keeps well at room temperature for about 3 days and a little longer in the refrigerator. But you might like to freeze the second loaf for later.

Make sure the bread is cooled completely. Then place it in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag, remove any excess air and place it in the freezer. Alternatively, you can also wrap the loaves in plastic wrap, then foil to freeze.

Make sure to mark the date you freeze the bread on the bag.
Your pumpkin loaf will keep at least 3 months in the freezer. You can easily defrost the bread overnight in the refrigerator.