This Healthy Pumpkin Bread Recipe is moist, warmly spiced, and made with pumpkin, Greek yogurt, and oat flour for the perfect fall treat.
author’s note
The Pumpkin Bread I Had to Get Just Right!
My family is OBSESSED with all things pumpkin. The second fall rolls around, we’re making everything from Pumpkin Cheesecake to my classic Pumpkin Bread. And while we absolutely love that traditional pumpkin bread, I also wanted a version I could make more often for breakfasts, snacks, and lunchboxes.
This recipe took quite a bit of testing to get right. Healthier quick breads can go wrong fast. They can be dry, dense, gummy, or taste like you’re very obviously eating the “healthy version.” I wanted none of that.
The final loaf is incredibly moist, nicely spiced, and sweet enough to still feel like a treat. Pumpkin and Greek yogurt keep it soft, oat flour adds heartiness, and coconut oil gives it plenty of richness.
And if you add the dark chocolate chips? Even better.
Healthy Pumpkin Bread Recipe Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swaps & Tips |
|---|---|
| Pumpkin puree | Use plain canned pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling. I like Libby’s because the consistency is reliable. |
| Vanilla Greek yogurt | Stick with Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt. I especially love Greek Gods Honey Vanilla here. |
| Coconut oil | Measure it after melting and let it cool before adding it to the batter. Another mild-flavored oil can also work. |
| Brown sugar | Lightly pack it into the measuring cup. I haven’t tested reducing or replacing it, so I recommend making the recipe as written. |
| Oat flour | Make your own in seconds by blending old-fashioned or quick oats into a fine powder. |
| All-purpose or white whole wheat flour | Either works. Avoid regular whole wheat flour, which can make the bread much heavier and denser. |
| Warm spices | If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, use my homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice recipe. |
| Dark chocolate chips or nuts | Either makes a great optional add-in. Use your favorite chocolate chips or chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts. |
How To Make Pumpkin Bread Healthy
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a 4.5 x 8.5-inch bread pan.
- Whisk together all wet ingredients in a large bowl.
- Mix dry ingredients in another bowl; add chocolate chips or nuts if desired.
- Combine dry mix with wet, avoiding over-mixing.
- Pour batter into the pan; sprinkle with brown sugar (optional).
- Bake for 40-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let it cool, cut into slices, and then enjoy each bite!
chelsea’s recipe tip
My Top Tips For Success
- Don’t overmix: Stir just until the dry ingredients disappear.
- Use the right pan: An 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan gives this bread the best rise and bake time.
- Watch the top: If the bread is getting too brown before the center is finished, loosely cover it with foil.
- Check the very center: A toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
- Let it cool before slicing: This is hard, but worth it! The center continues setting as the bread cools, so cutting too soon can make it crumble.
Featured Comment
“I make pumpkin bread every year using a recipe that, while delicious, calls for lots of white sugar and oil. My son plays college football and misses that bread but eats much more healthy now. I made this today and HOLY MOLY. It’s fantastic. He won’t miss the other one AT ALL! Would be just as great without chocolate chips, too! I love that it’s healthier but still so very delicious. Thank you!”
– Jill
Quick Tip
What’s the difference between canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie filling? Canned pumpkin is pureed pumpkin, while pumpkin pie filling has added sweeteners and spices. For Healthy Pumpkin Bread and most non-pie recipes, use plain canned pumpkin.
Storage
Store this Healthy Pumpkin Bread Recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for 2–3 days. For longer storage, wrap individual slices and freeze. Reheat frozen slices in the microwave for 10–15 seconds, or until warmed through.
Other Healthy Pumpkin Recipes:
Desserts
Healthy Pumpkin Cookies
Desserts
Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
Cakes And Cupcakes
Healthy Pumpkin Cake
Shakes And Smoothies
Pumpkin Protein Shake
Healthy Pumpkin Bread
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin see note 1
- 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt see note 2
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil see note 3
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice see note 4
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour or white-whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup oat flour
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped nuts, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 4.5 x 8.5-inch bread pan and lightly flour. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients until smooth and well combined.
- To make oat flour, blend either old-fashioned or quick oats until they form a fine powder that resembles flour. Measure out the required amount after blending.
- In a separate bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients. If you’re adding chocolate chips or nuts, fold them in now.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just blended. Avoid overmixing to prevent the bread from becoming too dense.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Optionally, sprinkle 2 tablespoons brown sugar on top for a crunchy crust! Bake for 40–55 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a fork or toothpick into the center; it should come out clean or with moist crumbs. If the bread’s top starts to brown too quickly, shield it with foil.
- Let bread sit in pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing or it will crumble.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this healthy pumpkin bread last night and it was fantastic! I used roasted pumpkin from the garden, subbed white whole wheat flour for the oat flour (I was too lazy to grind oat flour…) and used roughly 1/2 cup of sugar but I don’t think any of those things changed the recipe appreciably. Thanks for putting in the hours coming up with a healthier pumpkin bread recipe that I don’t have to cringe in giving to my littles 🙂
Awe you are so sweet, thanks for the kind comment! So glad you all enjoyed these 🙂
Very delicious and moist! I used whole wheat pastry flour (plus the oat flour – thanks for the tip on grinding my own), plain Greek yogurt, and I subbed raisins and chopped walnuts for the chocolate chips and cut down the brown sugar by a quarter cup. It didn’t rise quite as much, probably, but it still had a light texture and a delicate crumb. Not sure if I can wait for breakfast!
Yeah!! So great to hear! 🙂 Isn’t oat flour the easiest?! And raisins + walnuts sound amazing. Thanks for the comment Amanda!
Looks delicious!!!!! Did I miss the size pan to use?? Thanks so much, cant wait to try!!!!
8-1/2 by 4-1/2
Yum! I doubled the recipe and it made 6 mini loaves, great for gifting. I accidentally forgot to double the sugar, and honestly I don’t miss it! I used canola oil and it was fine. Delicious spread with a little cream cheese or goat cheese!
Yeah so great to hear!! And isn’t that the best feeling — less sugar and it’s still tasty?! Thanks for your comment! And yum on the cream or goat cheese!
Love all the healthy swaps. With chocolate and pumpkin in the mix, what could be better? Thanks for the recipe.
You are welcome!! Thanks for the comment!
I loved how this turned out! I was wondering, would this apply to a muffin tin as well or would I have to adjust the time/temperature? I see that you have a {Skinny & Healthy} Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Muffins recipe, so I probably should just follow that one. Just wondering, why no greek yogurt for that one?
So glad you enjoyed this bread!! I’m not sure about converting the bread to muffins as I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. The reason the muffins don’t have Greek yogurt is because they would be too wet/moist with the pumpkin and the yogurt. I haven’t been able to figure out a recipe (yet!) where oat flour can bake well with that much moisture which is why this bread combines oat flour and white whole wheat flour with the pumpkin and yogurt.
This was lovely! I messed around with the recipe to make it gluten-free. Everything the same except:
2 large eggs
1 1/2 c. Bob’s Red Mill GF Baking Flour
1 tsp. xanthan gum
no coconut oil — I melted it in my microwave but then forgot to add it! The loaf came out lofty and moist even without. (Must have been the extra egg.)
Using a ceramic loaf pan I had to bake for an extra 20 minutes, and I tented with foil after an hour to keep the top from burning.
Thanks so much for leaving a comment and telling others how you made this GF — I’m sure this will help a lot of people 🙂 Glad to hear you enjoyed the bread!!
Oh, almost forgot — also added 1/2 tsp. baking powder.
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it.
Do you have any suggestions for alternatives to using coconut oil? I unfortunately have a coconut allergy.
Thanks so much!
Thank you Emily! Unfortunately I haven’t tried anything in place of the coconut oil so I can’t say for sure what would perfectly replicate the taste and texture. In some of my other recipes I have had readers comment that canola oil has successfully worked in place of the coconut oil so perhaps that would work here as well too. Sorry to not be of more help! I typically use coconut oil instead of adding something like butter or shortening so those two could perhaps work in place as well, but I can’t say for sure without further recipe testing.
I always replace the oil with apple sauce!
How pumpkin should be prepered before stiring ? 😀
I’m sorry, not quite sure I’m understanding your question..
I think they mean they don’t understand how to prepare the pumpkin. The answer is just canned pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling but regular pumpkin)
Thank you Simone! 🙂
Yay for fall baking. This looks fantastic and it’s healhty too, YUM! Pinned!