Last Updated August 5, 2024

Pumpkin Bread. No, not that wonderful, dense, quick-bread pumpkin bread, but a light, yeasted bread made with PUMPKIN and spiced with nutmeg and ginger!!! And a beautiful cinnamon swirl. It makes a-may-zing toast. I think I say that about all my bread recipes. But it’s the truth. And I love toast.

Do you want to know something really sad, though? (You’re maybe thinking, uh no, scrolllll.) I’m blogging about this bread, and I can’t even eat it. (By choice, I guess I like to punish my body??) I’m going to tell you about it.

Ever heard of Whole30? Me neither, up until last year. Actually, New Year's Eve. (Yes, only 2 weeks ago. I know, I know, those "last year" jokes are so old, but I still get SO much entertainment out of them. Too much.) Anyway, I read about the Whole30 in an email from this informative and entertaining fitness site called Greatist. Like all normal people, my first thought when I see things like ice cream and strange diets is to say, "I WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT." Actually, I prefer the ice cream to be a part of me, meaning I ate it.

I am not normally a spontaneous person by any means, but two days later I had commenced my very own #Whole30January. Without even reading all the way through the guidelines. It's almost easier to list what you can eat than what you can't. But I'll start with what you can't, just because it's fun and I like to complain about it. It's not even all that hard. Especially with a buddy. Just ask my Mom, she just loves doing this with me.

Not allowed:

grain (not even quinoa)
dairy (guess that ice cream is not going to become a part of me after all)
sugar (say no to stevia)
soy (watch out for sneaky ingredients like soy lecithin)
alcohol (put down the vanilla extract)
legumes (think beans and peanuts)
sketchy preservatives like carageenan

That leaves you with veggies, fruits, eggs, nuts, meat, and all the sadness you want. But you may not take any of those approved items and combine them to create something in the "cheat" category. For example, you cannot combine eggs and bananas and pour it onto a griddle because that would be a pancake. The goal is to break you of unhealthy relationships with food. So instead of replacing everything you normally eat with healthier versions (because at the end of the 30 days you will most likely go back to the exact same way you ate before, and then nothing has changed) the goal is to explore and create new delicious and nutritious (and sad) food. Ha ok I'm done being sardonic. If you want to read more about Whole30, click here.

So in the midst of these January blues and food sadness, I will share with you this recipe for pumpkin cinnamon swirl bread so you can eat it in my stead. While you're at it, would you also eat some cheese and every other kind of bread that exists for me? Thanks.

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Recipe adapted from Cooking Classy

More Bread:

Morris House Rolls (Parker House Rolls)

Fresh Mozzarella and Tomato Sandwich

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

Buttermilk Bread

Whole Wheat Bread

Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Bread

IPA Pretzel Bread

Baked Egg Baguettes

Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:

For the Bread

2 1/4 tsp / 7g active dry yeast
1/4 cup / 60g warm water, 110°F / 43°F
1/4 cup / 50g + 1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup / 60g warm milk, 110°F / 43°C
2 Tbsp / 42g molasses
3/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp / 14g oil
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1 egg
1 cup / 246g pumpkin puree
3 1/2 - 4 cups / 420g - 480g all-purpose flour

For the Cinnamon Swirl

1 1/2 Tbsp / 21g butter, melted
1/3 cup / 67g brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Make the Bread

Oven 375°F / 190°C. 1 greased bread pan, approximately 9x5in / 23x13cm.

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine yeast, water, and 1/2 tsp of sugar. Allow to sit until yeast starts to bubble, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the milk, molasses, remaining sugar, salt, oil, nutmeg, ginger, egg, and pumpkin until combined.
Switch to a dough hook and slowly add flour. Continue adding flour until a soft, but not too sticky dough is achieved.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 1-2 minutes.
Place in an oiled bowl, flip so that both sides are oiled, and cover with a towel. Allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
While the bread is rising, whisk together brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
When the bread is doubled in size, punch down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a rectangle, about 22x8in / 56x20cm.
Spread melted butter over dough, going within 1/2in / 1cm of edge. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over butter.
Starting from one of the short sides (the approximate 8in / 20cm) roll dough into a loaf. Place in prepared loaf pan seam side down.
Cover with a towel and let rise again until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until bread sounds hollow to the tap and an internal temperature reaches about 190°F / 88°C.

Jenny's Notes:

If using instant yeast instead of instant active dry yeast, you can skip step 1. and add all the ingredients from step 1. and 2. together, then proceed to step 3. The reason for this is because active dry yeast is dried and needs to be reactivated in some warm liquid and a bit of sugar before adding to the rest of the ingredients. Instant yeast is ready to be added in without any extra prep.
This bread is delicious toasted! And if you're really a pumpkin fan, might I mention pumpkin butter?