This Easy Braided Pumpkin Bread Recipe is a soft and moist yeast-based pumpkin loaf that is perfect to serve up alongside cold weather favorites like soups and stews.
This braided pumpkin bread is a loaf we’ve been making for years. You can use sweet potato or pumpkin puree in the recipe. We know that when you hear “pumpkin bread” you go straight to a quick bread like banana bread. Not so with this baby. This is a soft, tender yeast loaf with a subtle pumpkin flavor that is totally delicious served along side a hot soup.
Pumpkin bread recipes often refer to pumpkin quick breads. This recipe is a yeast based pumpkin bread and is NOT a traditional pumpkin quick bread. This makes a killer french toast that you can also freeze for easy breakfasts. Serve it up with a little cinnamon syrup and it is practically heaven on a plate!
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Yeast Breads vs. Quick Breads
Yeast breads require yeast for leavening, or the rising of the bread. Quick breads traditionally use baking soda or baking powder as the leavening agent. Yeast breads generally require a significant amount of time to rise, at least 1 hour or more, while quick breads require no rising time, but generally have a much longer baking time. The term “quick bread” is a bit of a misnomer. The bread is usually quick to get into the oven, but requires 45 minutes or more of baking time. -
Fresh pumpkin vs. Canned Pumpkin:
Using canned pumpkin puree is quick and easy, which is why we call for it in this recipe. However, if you would like to use fresh pumpkin, you can replace 1:1 with freshly roasted and pureed pumpkin. -
Can I Make Braided Pumpkin Bread Dairy Free?
Yes, you can make this recipe dairy free. Substitute the milk with your preferred plant based milk. For the butter, you will want to substitute with plant based butter sticks, and not a margarine or tub style butter alternative.
If you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other delicious pumpkin recipes:
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, Facebook Watch, or our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
This recipe is amazing, I used fresh butternut purée that I bought at the store and my bread turned out exactly like on your pictures (you made me proud)!!! This bread is deliciously moist.
Rachel you have definitely achieved your goal with your website. I am so grateful for what you have been bringing to my family with all your amazing recipes. My family is always excited when I say it’s Rachel’s recipe. There is not a few days going by without me making one of them. Your recipes always turn out great and so easy thanks to your step by step videos. Thanks so much for sharing your passion <3
I made the loaf already twice and loved it. I wonder if I could make rolls? Any experiences with turning the recipe into dinner rolls?
I’ve done it as rolls, didn’t change anything about the recipe itself, just keep an eye on the bake time. Check them at ten minutes and go from there.
Liked this recipe! Already making a second batch. Thank you!