This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
A copycat for Starbucks Pumpkin Bread Recipe!
The easiest pumpkin bread with 12 ingredients! This bread can be made in muffin, mini muffin or mini loaf pans. Scroll down to view the how-to video!
Starbucks has changed their pumpkin bread over the years, so this copycat recipe is for their old school pumpkin bread, circa 2013.
With over 150 comments, this easy starbucks pumpkin bread recipe is a classic fall recipe that will soon be a favorite in your family!
Quick breads and muffins are some of my favorite baked goods because you can eat them any time of the day. Morning. Afternoon. Snack. Dessert. Yum.
If you want a better-for-you option, try this healthy pumpkin chocolate chip bread or healthy pumpkin muffins!
Pumpkin Everything
The pumpkin spice craze has unleashed for the the season.
The most notable pumpkin spice item is probably the pumpkin spice latte (PSL!). We should thank coffee shops everywhere for creating the best fall beverage ever.
There are definitely some PSL haters out there who want nothing to do with pumpkin spice. I personally love the craze, within reason. But I found some weird products that definitely shouldn’t have been pumpkin spiced. Yes, I just made it into a verb. Here’s my take on the good and the ugly of all things pumpkin spice.
GOOD: PSL, pumpkin spice coffee creamer, pumpkin sugar cookies, pumpkin spice pudding, pumpkin spice almonds, pumpkin spice kettle corn, pumpkin whipped cream.
UGLY: pumpkin spice dental chews for pets, pumpkin spice pringles, pumpkin spice lasagna, pumpkin spice seltzer water, and pumpkin spice skittles.
Do you have something to add to the list, on the good or ugly side?! Leave a comment telling us!
If you can’t get enough pumpkin baked goods, check out our pumpkin muffins, pumpkin scones, pumpkin donuts, or soft pumpkin cookies!
What You’ll Need
- all purpose flour – flour is necessary to build structure
- baking soda and baking powder – helps to leaven and lift the batter
- cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg – adds warmth and classic spice flavor
- salt – just a pinch to balance the sweetness and enhances the other flavors
- granulated sugar and brown sugar – adds sweetness, flavor, and moisture
- milk – adds fat and moisture
- eggs – binds the batter together by providing structure
- pumpkin puree – adds pumpkin flavor and acts as a binder
How to Make Pumpkin Bread
The best part about this Starbucks pumpkin bread recipe is that you’ll only dirty up 3 things – a small bowl, a larger bowl, and the loaf pan.
In a small bowl combine all of the dry ingredients.
In a larger bowl combine the sugars and all wet ingredients, stir to combine.
Gently mix in the flour mixture.
Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350ºF for 55-60 minutes.
Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Bread
This copycat version of Starbucks pumpkin pound cake rivals the real deal, so much so you won’t have to fork over $2-3 for a single slice anymore.
Bake up a whole loaf in your own kitchen in under 90 minutes, which the majority of that time is baking and cooling, aka a great time to watch Fixer Upper!
Gluten Free Starbucks Bread
I’ve made this bread with both regular and gluten free flour with awesome results on multiple occasions. I recommend King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour. Use it as a one for one substitute for regular flour.
How to Store
Store the bread in an airtight container on the counter. To keep the bread extra moist, wrap in plastic wrap then place inside the container.
How to Freeze Quick Bread
To freeze the whole loaf: allow it to cool completely, then wrap well in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Place inside a ziplock bag. To thaw, place the wrapped bread in the fridge overnight.
To freeze individual slices: allow the loaf to cool completely and slice. Wrap each slice in plastic wrap then in aluminum and place inside a ziplock bag. To thaw, place a slice in the fridge overnight. Or unwrap and microwave for 30 second intervals.
Pro Tips
1. DO NOT OVER MIX THE BATTER
I have been guilty of this myself and I am learning to be okay with lumps in my batter. For quick bread, do not use your electric mixer to beat in the dry ingredients, using a spatula and mixing by hand will give you more control.
“Mix just until incorporated” means mixing the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until you can just no longer see any flour streaks. Yes you should still scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl, but do that as you’re mixing in the flour.
2. DO NOT OVER BAKE
Sometimes the bread can trick you, it can look done on the outside but still be doughy in the middle. That’s when tenting the bread with aluminum foil comes in handy. It protects the top from becoming too brown, overcooked or crusty.
3. LOAF PAN SIZE MATTERS
There’s two popular loaf pan sizes – 9×5 and 8.5×4.5. Even though the numbers are similar, the pans actually differ in size by 15%. The 8.5×4.5 pan will yield a tall, more domed bread and will take 5-10 minutes longer when baking.
More Pumpkin Desserts
Tap stars to rate!
Starbucks Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour, gluten free all purpose flour works great!
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup milk, I used skim
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree, use a 15 oz can – you’ll have a little leftover in the can
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, and nutmeg.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar, brown sugar, milk, and egg whites with a spatula or whisk. Add in the canned pumpkin, and mix together well.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, stirring until everything is combined.
- Throughly spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan before removing.
- Store in an air tight container.
Video
Notes
- For regular muffins bake at 425ºF for 7 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350ºF and bake for 12-14 minutes.
- This recipe turned out great using gluten free flour too! We love King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour.
- Get our recipe for Pumpkin Muffins!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Hi Beth! As you might have read in my previous comment, I made a double batch – 1 regular loaf for me and 2 smaller loaves for other people to give. My question is: is this freezable, and do you think it would taste just the same once thawed? It would be frozen for about a week, then delivered. This is my 2nd time making this and the house smells SO good afterwards!
Hi Ericka! I think it would freeze just fine, at long as you protect it from getting freezer burnt. I hope whoever gets this loaf loves it!!
Thank you for your response! I’ve got it wrapped up in parchment paper, then foil, then in a ziploc bag. Good thing the recipient loves food as much as I do! BTW, I mentioned to a Starbucks barista that I had made a “copycat Starbucks” recipe for this (the closest thing they had was a pumpkin slice of bread, with some seeds on the outside. Granted, we were at a Safeway and I’m sure the selection might’ve been limited because of that); the barista shook his head and said the recipes are given out like that (lol) and that they actually don’t make them, some company in TX makes them. I said oh ok, can i sample your loaf of bread still? HAHA
Hahaa, thanks for the inside news!
What size (15 oz. or 29 oz.) can of pumpkin did you use? I’m guessing the smaller one, but I’d hate to underestimate such a key ingredient!
14.5 oz but you only need 1 cup!
Just made it! It’s in the oven.. I’ll let ya know how it turns out!
Mmm I can smell it now!
In the oven right now, smells delicious. I used fresh pumpkin because canned s only available by mail order and very expensive. I also substituted soy milk. I never have a problem using soy instead of regular milk as long as there are flavourings such as cinnamon. Can’t wait to try it, your blog looks great.
Thanks for your sweet comment Katy, I hope you love the bread!
I just pinned this! I will have to make some soon. It looks and sounds delicious.
Goodness Beth, this looks so good! I feel like smelling my screen and reaching for at least a crumb! hmmm I can just imagine having a slice with melted butter and coffee! Thanks so much for sharing! Pinning for sure!
Tried the recipe. Love it! Thank you so much
Thanks a lot! After some time willing to, yesterday I made my own pumpkin puree (those pumpkins were steering at me from the shelves and I did not feel in the mood for a soup of cream…). And so I needed a sweet recipe to use it. Just before baking I simply felt about muffins, so no loaf but 12 beautiful muffins! We are having them in todays breakfast.
Enjoy Patricia!
I am making this right now! I doubled the recipe and baked it in mini loaf pans to give out to my colleagues before we close for Christmas break! Thanks for the recipe – it smells devine!
Geez, I wish I worked with you! Fun idea Molly!
this is in the oven now — its being done in mini loaves – and i added 1/4 tsp ginger – i must say i was shocked there were no added fats. i won’t ignore your instructions to grease the pan next time — even non-stick pans stuck a wee bit. baked for 30 min in mini loaf pan was perfect. thanks very much.
I love the addition of the ginger, that sounds tasty! Glad you enjoyed it!