Made entirely with oat flour, this gluten free twist on pumpkin bread uses wholesome ingredients and is packed with pumpkin and spice. Likely to become your new favorite pumpkin bread it is naturally sweetened and dairy free as well.
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Over the past few years, I've baked almost exclusively with oat flour and I love it! Made from whole grain oats, it contains more fiber and nutrients than all purpose flour, is naturally gluten free (though if gluten is a concern for you or others eating it, be sure to use certified GF oat flour) and is also more flavorful.
However, it is a bit more finicky to get the texture right and so I've taken it as a personal challenge to develop oat flour specific recipes for all sorts of favorite baked goods.
From cookies and muffins to brownies and pancakes, you can find all sorts of perfected oat flour recipes here on The Nessy Kitchen and now some quick breads as well.
As a bigger baked good (and therefore, more prone to crumbling), it definitely took a few attempts to get this recipe right but now that I've perfected it, I'm so excited to share it with you because it's:
- Healthy: Naturally sweetened and packed with wholesome ingredients like oat flour and pumpkin, this bread is a snack (or treat) you can feel good about (as are these pumpkin oatmeal bars).
- Gluten + Dairy Free: If you need something that is friendly for those with dietary restrictions, it's naturally dairy-free and gluten-free (as is oat flour banana bread).
- Cozy Flavor: With warm spices and the comforting taste of pumpkin, it's like autumn in bread form, and it's perfect for chilly days. (For a savory pumpkin fix, try some Pumpkin Rice).
- Moist and Fluffy: Developed to be made with oat flour, this recipe strikes the perfect ratio of wet to dry ingredients and turns out incredibly moist, fluffy and cake-like.
- Easy: Simple to make with everyday ingredients, this recipe is beginner-friendly and sure to become a staple in your fall baking lineup.
So let's make some pumpkin bread with oat flour!
The Ingredients
- Oat Flour- Ensure that you are using certified gluten free oats/oat flour if you need the recipe to be gluten-free.
- I recommend sifting the oat flour first if it is lumpy so that you don't have to overmix the muffins.
- For best results, use store-bought oat flour.
- To Measure Oat Flour: If you have a kitchen scale, that is best for most accurate measurements of oat flour. But if you are measuring by hand, I have found that I can consistently achieve 120 g per cup of oat flour by scooping the oat flour into a measuring cup, lightly packing it down and then levelling off the top. See this ultimate oat flour guide for more details. *Select "metric" on the recipe card below the ingredients list to see the measurements displayed in grams.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder- Because oat flour isn't structurally the same as regular flour, it needs a little extra help to achieve the same soft texture and rise.
- Fine Sea Salt
- Pure Maple Syrup- Honey or agave will also work but I don't recommend using a granulated sweetener for this recipe. For more info, check out this post on Maple Syrup Substitutes.
- Avocado Oil- Melted coconut oil, canola or olive oil can be used instead. If using melted coconut oil, it is imperative that all of the ingredients be at room temperature so that it doesn't harden in the batter.
- Eggs- The eggs are very important to the structure so be sure to use large eggs. If using medium eggs, you may need to use 4 rather than 3.
- Pumpkin Puree- Make sure that you're using pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling which has sugar and spices already added. (If you have a bit leftover, use it to make some Pumpkin Pie Hummus!)
- Pumpkin Pie Spices- If you have a premixed pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can use 2 tablespoons in place of the spices called for in the recipe.
- Vanilla Extract
The Method
1. Mix dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together oat flour with baking soda, powder, spices and salt.
2. Mix wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine the maple syrup with the oil, pumpkin puree, eggs and vanilla extract.
3. Combine. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the dry mixture and stir until just combined.
4. Pour into loaf pan. Line a 9x4 inch loaf pan with a silicone liner or parchment paper. Pour the loaf batter into the pan and shake it lightly back and forth to help it settle in an even layer.
5 . Bake. Bake at 350 F for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean and the pumpkin bread bounces back slightly when you press on the center. If the top appears to be browning too quickly, you can tent it with aluminum foil.
*TIP: Place your oven rack in the bottom third of the oven so that the top of the loaf doesn't brown too quickly.
6. Cool and enjoy. Allow this moist gluten-free pumpkin bread to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes and then use the parchment/liner to lift the loaf out and move it to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice when cooled and enjoy!
Leftovers and Storage
To Store: Cool oat flour pumpkin bread completely and then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
*Oat flour baked goods tend to dry out faster than wheat flour equivalents so note that the pumpkin loaf will be fine to eat on day 4 but will be noticeably less moist than on day 1. For best results, I recommend enjoying it within the first couple of days or freezing it.
To Freeze: Cooled loaf can be frozen for up to 3 months. Slice it beforehand in order to be able to just thaw and enjoy portions at a time.
Make it Your Own
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread: Fold in 1 and ½ cups chocolate chips after combining the batter.
- Pumpkin Nut Bread: Stir in up to 1 and ½ cups of toasted and roughly chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Top Turbinado Sugar: Give your loaf some sparkle by sprinkling on some coarse turbinado sugar before baking.
- Oat Flour Pumpkin Muffins: Check out my oat flour pumpkin muffins recipe instead! Same delicious flavor but developed to be baked as a muffin.
- Make it Sweeter: As written, this bread has a touch of sweetness but is certainly not at a dessert level. If you'd like a sweeter bread, you can add ¼ cup of a granulated sweetener (such as coconut sugar or brown sugar) with no other additional changes needed. Don't add more liquid sweetener though as that will throw off the texture.
Serving Ideas and Uses
Enjoy a slice of oat flour pumpkin bread on its own for a snack or quick breakfast or top it with:
- Butter
- Honey
- Peanut Butter or Macadamia Butter
- Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Or for a more creative use, if you find yourself with leftovers, turn your pumpkin bread into French toast by using it in place of sourdough in this recipe.
Tips for the Best Oat Flour Pumpkin Bread
- Cool Completely Before Slicing- Oat flour baked goods are a bit more fragile than their wheat counterparts so if you slice the loaf before it is completely cooled, it will likely be a bit crumbly.
- Use Store-bought Oat Flour- While you can make your own oat flour by grinding oats, I find that unless you have a very high powered blender, it is difficult to achieve the fine consistency that we need. You can give it a try, but for best and most duplicatable results, I recommend sticking with store-bought.
- Don't Overmix- Over-mixing any muffin or quick bread batter can result in tough, unevenly baked goods. Mix until the flour mixture is just incorporated. Sifting the oat flour can help it to mix in better.
- Don't Under-bake- Oat flour baked goods tend to turn out gummy if under-baked. The pumpkin bread should be golden on top, spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
More Oat Flour Recipes...
Recipe Card
Oat Flour Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 2 and ½ cup oat flour certified Gluten Free, if needed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 and ⅓ cup pure pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line a 9x5 or 9x4 inch loaf pan with parchment or a silicone liner.
- In a large bowl, whisk together oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.
- In a medium bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, pumpkin puree, eggs and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the pan and shake it lightly back an forth to help it settle in an even layer. Bake for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean and the loaf bounces back slightly when you press on the center. If the top appears to be browning too quickly, you can tent it with aluminum foil.*TIP: Place your oven rack in the bottom third of the oven so that the top of the loaf doesn't brown too quickly.
- Allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes and then use the parchment/liner to lift the loaf out and move it to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Want to learn more about oat flour? Check out these resources!
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