The Best Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread Recipe

This gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe is just what you need to satisfy your autumnal cravings for all things pumpkin, especially for those who can’t eat gluten. It‘s a comforting and relatively healthy gluten-free snack with all the texture and flavor of traditional pumpkin bread.

So, if you are looking for the best gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe, look no further! This recipe (which was originally shared with me by my lovely neighbor Sharon) was an instant hit with not only my son Kell but the whole family!

It’s moist and flavorful and the texture is just right. (And once you’ve experienced this GF pumpkin bread, check out what I believe is the best gluten-free bread recipe around!)

This gluten-free pumpkin bread is delicious, but it may not be suitable for every specialized diet. This is not vegan or paleo pumpkin bread, but it is wonderful comfort food!

“My sister just found out she had a gluten allergy and so far she loves your recipes that I made for her. Thanks!”

– OGT Reader Dawn

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread Ingredients

Brown Rice Flour

Brown rice flour has a nutty flavor that’s perfect for fall treats like pumpkin bread.

Cornstarch

Cornstarch is a staple in many gluten-free baking recipes, helping to absorb excess moisture and improve the stability and firmness of the finished product. Without it, gluten-free breads can be crumbly and difficult to handle.

Sugar

The combination of brown and white sugar in this pumpkin bread recipe strikes the perfect balance between sweetness, tenderness, and moisture. It’s a simple yet effective trick!

Cinnamon

Cinnamon adds a warm, comforting flavor and enticing aroma to this pumpkin bread. It also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties!

Baking Soda

Baking soda (along with lemon juice) helps this bread rise, giving it a fluffy and tender texture. It also aids in browning, giving the pumpkin bread a deliciously caramelized exterior.

Xanthan Gum

Xanthan gum is another critical ingredient in gluten-free baking. In this recipe, xanthan gum helps bind the ingredients together and enhances the texture of the bread.

Eggs

Like xanthan gum, eggs also help with binding ingredients and improving structure. Eggs contain minerals, proteins, and vitamins that add nutrition to the bread.

Vegetable Oil

Vegetable oil gives a soft and moist texture to your pumpkin bread and enhances the overall tenderness, flavor, and aroma of the bread.

Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is the acidic element in this recipe that activates the baking soda and helps the bread rise. It also lends a bright, tangy flavor that balances the sweetness of the sugar and makes the bread more tender.

Pumpkin Puree

Canned pumpkin puree is perfect for this recipe, but you can make your own puree if you prefer! Just cut a pumpkin (or butternut squash, or any sort of squash, really) in half, clean out the inside, and roast on a baking sheet until the flesh is soft and scoopable. Process or blend the flesh until smooth and your homemade pumpkin puree will be ready to use.

Ingredient Substitutions For Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

Brown Rice Flour

There are so many gluten-free flours to choose from (to say nothing of gluten-free flour blends!), and they all behave and taste differently. I like brown rice flour in this recipe, but these alternatives should work well:

Almond Flour

Almond flour is a great “all-purpose” flour substitute and can usually be used in a 1:1 ratio. It’s a bit denser than wheat flour, so you may want to add an extra egg to your batter to compensate.

Coconut Flour

Coconut flour, made from dried coconut meat, is also great for baking. It has a subtle coconut flavor that works wonderfully in many baked goods. However, coconut flour does absorb a lot of moisture, so it may help to increase the amount of one or more of your wet ingredients.

Oat Flour

Oat flour tastes great in baked goods and retains moisture well.

If you have a preferred gluten-free flour blend, feel free to use it! (Note that some GF flour blends already contain xanthan gum — if you use one to make this recipe, you won’t need to add more.)

Cornstarch

In place of cornstarch, you could use ¼ cup of coconut flour, ¼ cup of almond flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, or ¾ cup of oat flour.

Sugar

In place of white sugar, try:

• 1 cup of honey
• Equal amount of coconut sugar
• Equal amount of monk fruit sweetener
• 1 cup of maple syrup

In place of brown sugar, try:

• Equal amount of date sugar
• ¼ cup of molasses
• ½ cup lucuma powder
• 2 tablespoons of molasses + 1 cup of coconut sugar

Cinnamon

If you don’t like cinnamon, you can add any of the following spices instead:

• ½ teaspoon of ground cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon of ground star anise
• Allspice

Baking Soda

I don’t recommend replacing the baking soda in this pumpkin bread recipe, as it can greatly affect the texture, flavor, and rise of your bread. If you don’t have baking soda, you can substitute three times as much baking powder (6 teaspoons, or 2 tablespoons — but that much baking powder can make the bread taste bitter, so you’ve been warned!)

Xanthan Gum

• Equal amount of guar gum
• 1-2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder
• 3 tablespoons of water + 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed OR chia seeds

Eggs

In place of each egg, try:

• ¼ cup of mashed bananas
• ¼ cup of yogurt

Vegetable Oil

You can use an equal amount of coconut oil, canola oil, melted butter, or applesauce in place of vegetable oil.

Lemon Juice

In place of the lemon juice, try:

• 4 teaspoons of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• Equal amount of orange juice or grapefruit juice

Ingredient	Substitutions
Brown rice flour	Almond flour, coconut flour, oat flour
Cornstarch	Tapioca starch, potato starch
White sugar	Coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup, monk fruit sweetener
Brown sugar	Date sugar, molasses, lucuma powder
Cinnamon	Ground cardamom, ground nutmeg, ground star anise, allspice
Baking soda	Substitutions not recommended
Xanthan gum	Guar gum, arrowroot powder
Eggs	Mashed bananas, yogurt
Vegetable oil	Coconut oil, canola oil, melted butter, applesauce
Lemon juice	Orange juice, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar
Pumpkin puree	Squash puree

How To Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 5 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 15 oz pumpkin puree

Directions:

Grease two loaf pans (about 9 × 5 inches) with butter or cooking oil and line them with parchment paper, if desired. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

Add the brown rice flour, cornstarch, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and xanthan gum to the bowl of a stand mixture and whisk to combine.

With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the eggs, vegetable oil, lemon juice, and pumpkin puree one at a time. Once everything is in the bowl, increase the speed to medium-high and mix for 2-3 minutes.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared loaf pans, then bake at 300 degrees F for about 80 minutes. You can start checking for doneness at around 50 minutes.

Let the finished bread cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serving Suggestions And Ideas

You can enjoy this gluten-free pumpkin bread with tea or coffee at breakfast or as an afternoon snack! You could even serve it for dessert topped with whipped cream, Nutella, ice cream, or caramel sauce.

Pair a piece of pumpkin bread with a glass of chocolate milk as an after-school snack, or dress it up with sliced apples or bananas, chopped nuts, and honey. However you eat it, it’s sure to be a bright spot in your day!

How to Enjoy Leftovers

To store leftover gluten-free pumpkin bread, keep it tightly wrapped (or in an airtight container) at room temperature for 1-2 days, or in the fridge for 3-5 days.

You can also freeze leftover gluten-free pumpkin bread for up to 2 months. Thaw and reheat before eating.

More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes

I love eating pumpkin-flavored everything this time of year! If you’re the same way, check out these other delicious recipes:

• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Cake
• 3-Ingredient Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

As one of my favorite gluten-free recipes, this soft, moist, and tender pumpkin bread is a delicious snack the whole family will enjoy. Enjoy the seasonal sweetness of pumpkin and the warm aroma of cinnamon in this delicious homemade bread — no gluten required!