Best Vegan Pumpkin Bread Recipe (Easy!)

Delicious, easy vegan pumpkin bread topped with dairy-free cream cheese frosting. Includes instructions for making mini loaves.

There are so many things to love about fall: the cooler weather, the stunning colors in nature, and PUMPKIN (of course.) I am not afraid to admit that I am totally one of “those people” that love pumpkin spice everything – including pumpkin pancakes and pumpkin pie. (And, honestly, my husband loves it more than I do!)

After testing and perfecting these vegan pumpkin muffins earlier in the season, my boys requested that I make vegan pumpkin bread – and I knew that the muffin recipe could easily be converted into a loaf.

To make this recipe extra special, let’s top it with some vegan cream cheese frosting! It’s totally optional, but the frosting takes the bread to the next level. You could also just top it with nuts (or nothing at all if you like things simple!)

Ingredients

This recipe is really as simple as mixing together the dry and wet ingredients separately, then combining them into a batter before baking in a loaf pan. Reminder: You can find the printable, detailed recipe in the recipe card below.

• Flour: I use all-purpose flour.
• Cinnamon & nutmeg: You could also use an equal amount of pumpkin pie spice.
• Baking powder & baking soda: For lift & leavening.
• Vegan butter: I always use Earth Balance Buttery Sticks for baking, partially because they are packaged like regular butter with the measurements on the wrapper. Makes life easier! Let the butter rest at room temperature until softened.
• Sugar & brown sugar: Use organic to make sure the sugar is vegan.
• Pumpkin purée: Canned 100% pure pumpkin purée. Don’t use pumpkin pie filling.
• Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract is the best, but imitation will work if you’re on a budget.
• Non-dairy milk: I always use oat milk, but any kind of unsweetened vegan milk will work (like almond, cashew, soy, etc.)

How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Bread

How to Make Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

Storage

Store the pumpkin bread in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for 5-6 days.

Substitutions & Variations

• Oil-free: Substitute the butter with an equal amount of applesauce. This will result in a more dense bread with a slightly different texture (but still delicious.)
• Gluten-free: I have not tested this bread with a GF flour, but find that Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour typically works fine as a replacement in baking.
• Vanilla icing: If you’d rather top your bread with icing than frosting, you can find a simple recipe for vanilla icing in this pumpkin cookie recipe post.
• Mini pumpkin bread loaves: Reduce the cooking time by 15 minutes if using mini loaf pans.
• Chocolate chips: My son very much prefers his pumpkin bread with a little chocolate! Fold in one cup of vegan chocolate chips after mixing together the wet & dry ingredients.