Introducing the very best maple pumpkin bread! It’s warming and cozy, with the perfectly moist & tender texture. Flavored simply with nutty brown butter, rich maple syrup, a hint of cinnamon, and vanilla. Sliced thick and topped with a swoosh of cinnamon butter for just a little extra flavor! You can serve this bread warm or eat it at room temp. And truly…it works any time of day – for a decadent breakfast, an afternoon pick-me-up with a hot cup of coffee, or a festive dessert.
I’d say a reeeeeally good pumpkin bread is hard to come by. It’s either lacking flavor or just misses the mark on texture. And there is nothing worse than a dry pumpkin bread.
So, I set out to make a pumpkin bread that is nothing but amazing, with warming fall flavor, a rich + moist texture, and that mouthwatering, addictive quality that makes you want to keep coming back for more. I started with my banana bread recipe as a base, with the hope of achieving a similar melt-in-your-mouth texture. After testing and re-testing, I think I’ve finally landed on one of the very BEST pumpkin breads I’ve ever had.
maple pumpkin bread – the details
The recipe itself is very simple, with basically everything getting combined in just one bowl. A couple of special touches, though, help make sure the flavor is on point and the texture is irresistible.
To start things off, you’ll brown some butter (definitely key for lots of flavor). If you’re going to melt butter, you might as well do it over the stovetop and let it cook a little longer until browned. It’s one of the best flavors I could think of when it comes to fall baking, adding a layer of rich nuttiness that you just can’t get from anything else.
You’ll whisk the brown butter with sugar until smooth, and then from there you’ll layer in the rest of the ingredients one at a time (pumpkin puree of course, sour cream for richness, maple syrup for sweetness, and a splash of vanilla) mixing until a really smooth batter forms. The dry ingredients go in next, and then it’s time to bake. Easy as that.
While the maple pumpkin bread bakes, you’ll whip up some softened butter with cinnamon & maple syrup to create a decadent topping for the bread. A little goes a long way, but it’s the perfect thing to swoosh right on top. Trust me, don’t skip the butter! The recipe calls for 2 sticks, so any leftover you might have is amazing on toast or just about anything you’d like.
The bread can be eaten warm or at room temperature. I can’t really decide which I like best, but both are sure to be delicious. You can even drizzle a little extra warm maple syrup on top to drive home that perfect fall flavor.
Any way you eat it, I hope you absolutely love this maple pumpkin bread as much as I do! My family devoured (all 3 batches) in minutes, and I know it’ll be a staple recipe we make over and over each fall. Enjoy!
PrintMaple Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Butter
a moist, tender pumpkin bread full of maple syrup and brown butter, slathered with cinnamon butter
yield: 1 (10x5x3”) loaf
Ingredients
Maple Pumpkin Bread
- 1 stick (¼ lb) unsalted butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin puree
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- cinnamon butter (recipe below)
- warm maple syrup, for drizzling (optional)
- flaky sea salt
Cinnamon Butter
- 2 sticks (½ lb) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
Maple Pumpkin Bread
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 10x5x3” (or 1 ½ lb) loaf pan with butter. Line with a piece of parchment paper, allowing it to overhang by about 2 inches.
- Add the butter to a 2 qt saucepan over medium heat. Let the butter melt. Turn the heat to medium-low and continue to cook until the butter is browned, swirling often, about 6 minutes. Once deeply golden brown (with dark brown speckles running throughout), turn off the heat and let the butter cool for about 5 minutes.
- Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the sugar to a separate bowl. Whisk in the brown butter until smooth. Crack the eggs into the bowl and beat well.
- Add in the pumpkin puree, sour cream, maple syrup, and vanilla extract one at a time, whisking until smooth between each addition. Working in batches, sprinkle in the dry ingredients, whisking until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake in the oven on the middle rack for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a small knife inserted comes out just barely dry (there should be no runny batter left, but there should still be moisture). Cover the bread with a piece of foil and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Remove the foil and use the parchment to gently remove the bread. Cut into slices and serve with a swoosh of cinnamon butter (recipe below) on top and an extra drizzle of warm maple syrup, if desired. Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
Cinnamon Butter
- Combine the softened butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor (or mixing bowl).
- Blend (or whisk) until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Notes
To Serve: You can serve this pumpkin bread warm right out of the oven, at room temperature, or heated for about 10-15 seconds in the microwave.
To Store: Wrap the cooled bread tightly with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for approximately 3-4 days. Store the cinnamon butter in an airtight container in the fridge. Allow the butter to soften at room temperature before serving.
To Soften Butter: Allow the butter to sit out at room temperature until soft to the touch, usually a couple of hours, depending on the temperature of the room.
shop the dish: maple pumpkin bread with cinnamon butter
I tried this recipe and LOVED IT! I’ll try making it again using small bundt pans, I’ll post an update on how it goes 🙂
Hi Pame! Thanks for the feedback, and I’m so glad you loved it! I’m curious and excited to hear how the bundt pans work. -Kayla
I tried this and it came out amazing!! I didn’t have maple syrup so I just used regular pancake syrup and added less sugar
Love this Maple Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Butter , this recipe seems so delicious and amazing one . Thanks for sharing this recipe with us .
This just went in the oven. Can’t wait for a slice this afternoon on a cold Denver day!