You need to make this Pumpkin Molasses Bread for dessert on Thanksgiving this year. Trust me. It’s really easy to whip up (who needs something complicated on Thanksgiving? NO ONE), it’s super delicious, and it totally tastes like Autumn. The deep flavor of molasses brings extra richness to the pumpkin spice flavor and keeps the loaf deliciously moist and tender. Plus this pumpkin spice bread will make your house smell better than any autumn flavored candle, hands down. ;)
Originally posted 11/14/2012, updated 11/5/2021.
Recipe Updates
I made some significant changes to this recipe, since many readers had a difficult time getting their bread to cook all the way through. I reduced the ratio of molasses and other wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and reduced the cooking temperature slightly in order to help the bread bake more evenly. The result is a tender but moist crumb, without any pockets of unbaked batter in the center.
What Kind of Loaf Pan to Use
I used a standard loaf pan, which is 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.5 inches. My loaf pan is made of metal, which heats quickly in the oven. You can use a ceramic or glass loaf pan, but you may find that you need to bake your bread slightly longer.
How Do You Know When the Bread is Done?
Ovens can vary a little bit so it’s always best to test your bread to make sure it’s cooked through. There are a couple of different reliable methods.
- The Toothpick Method: insert a clean toothpick into the center of the bread. If the toothpick is coated with raw batter when you pull it out, the bread needs to bake longer. If it just has a few moist crumbs stuck to it, the bread is finished baking.
- An Instant Read Thermometer: The same instant read thermometers used to check the doneness of meat can also be used to check the doneness of quick breads! For quick bread, like this Pumpkin Molasses Bread or Banana Bread, you want the internal temperature to be between 200-205ºF. This is the temperature at which the batter will be set into a nice crumb.
What Kind of Molasses to Use
I used Grandma’s Original Molasses, which is the type you’re most likely to find in most U.S. grocery stores. You can usually find it in grocery stores either near the pancake syrup, jams and jellies, and peanut butter, or in baking aisle. It just depends on the store. I have not tested this recipe using black strap molasses, which has a thicker texture and more pronounced flavor (some would say it’s slightly bitter).
How to Serve Pumpkin Molasses Bread
This rich and sweet bread is absolutely divine with some softened butter smeared over top. The creaminess of the butter perfectly compliments the warm spices and sweet molasses flavor. The flavors in this bread would also be absolutely perfect with a hot cup of coffee. :)
Pumpkin Molasses Bread
Servings 8 1-inch thick slicesIngredients
- 1 15oz. can pumpkin purée ($0.95)
- 2 large eggs ($0.58)
- 1/3 cup cooking oil ($0.21)
- 1/4 cup molasses ($0.59)
- 3/4 cup sugar ($0.12)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour ($0.14)
- 1 tsp cinnamon ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg ($0.05)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.05)
- 1.5 tsp baking powder ($0.05)
- 1 tsp butter ($0.03)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, eggs, oil, molasses, and sugar.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients, and stir them together just until combined. It's okay if there are a few small lumps. Avoid over stirring.
- Coat the inside of a loaf pan with butter. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and spread it out smooth.
- Bake the pumpkin bread for about one hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 200ºF, or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (a few crumbs are okay, just no raw batter stuck to the toothpick).
- Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool, then slice and serve.
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Nutrition
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How to Make Pumpkin Molasses Bread – Step By Step Photos
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, whisk together one 15oz. can pumpkin purée, 2 large eggs, ⅓ cup cooking oil, ¼ cup molasses, and ¾ cup sugar.
In a separate bowl, stir together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tsp salt, and 1.5 tsp baking powder. Make sure they’re very well combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients.
Stir just until they are combined. Avoid over stirring. It’s okay if it’s slightly lumpy.
Use a teaspoon of butter to coat the inside of a loaf pan. transfer the batter to the loaf pan and spread it out smooth.
Bake the pumpkin molasses bread in the preheated 350ºF oven for about one hour, or until the internal temperature of the bread reaches 200ºF, or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (a few crumbs are okay, just no raw batter stuck to the toothpick).
Transfer the pumpkin bread to a wire rack to cool. Once cool, slice, serve, and enjoy!
Heads up, yall gotta cook this for about 1h15m total, and after 45 minutes cover the loaf pan with foil for the last 30 minutes. IM JUST SAYING.
Is there a way to this into cookies ?
Like maybe 2 eggs?, 1/2 the oil?
Made the pan loaf today, and it is wonderful. Now for cookies for easy travel.
Hmm, I think it would need quite a bit of change to be cookie-like and it’s too difficult to say without testing it out. Baking can be really finicky! :P
I made this for the first time today – followed the recipe as written only exception was I divide batter amongst 3 mini loaf pans. Baked at 350 for approx 40 minutes. Really nice loaf, well seasoned & extremely moist. This would be a great item to bake & take as a hostess gift during the holiday season.
I made this today, and made a couple of changes based on what people had experience with the bread getting burnt before finishing cooking, and with the batter being too liquid. First, I cut out the milk entirely. I reduced the molasses to 1/3 of a cup, and replaced the sugar with brown sugar – the reduction in molasses keeps the batter from being too thin, but the brown sugar helps keep the molasses flavor in the bread. I also reduced the cooking temperature to 350, and it took just over an hour to cook.
I hope this helps anyone having issues! And thanks to Beth for all your great recipes, we use them all the time!
I’m confused. You reduced the molasses from 1/4 cup to 1/3? Is this a typo? 1/3 a cup is more than 1/4, not less.
made this today as muffins and it was amazing! cooked for 20 min and could not be happier!
I just made these as muffins and they’re SO GOOD. It tastes like eating pumpkin pie, but in muffin form :).
My particulars: I didn’t have pumpkin pie spice, so I just used cinnamon, and it worked well. I baked them for around 18-20 minutes, having split the batter into 18 muffins.
Made regular sized muffins and mine were done around 25mins. Mini muffins around 15mins. I also subbed coconut oil for the canola oil. Came out great!
Baked this for the first time this year to bring to a pumpkin tea. My friends loved it. The molasses is the most expensive ingredient, but the jar is enough for 3 loaves a season. Two more loaves to come…woohoo! Beth’s tip to cover with foil works like a charm for the overdone top. I cover mine at 45 minutes and my total bake time is 80 minutes. My loaves look just like Beth’s photo. This is an awesome autumn recipe!
This recipe endured several mishaps and produced a tasty loaf, so I think it must be pretty good. I used half white whole wheat flour, and accidentally cooked it in a yeast bread pan (8.5 x 4.5) instead of a quick bread pan (9 x 5); this resulted in about two tablespoons of batter oozing over the edge of the pan onto the cookie sheet I had put on the rack below to catch such oozings. The other consequence of this was that my loaf’s dome was not as photogenic as it might have been. It took an hour and ten minutes to bake, and my foil tent was blown off, so the top was rather brown before the insides were done. All was not lost, though; while homely, the loaf was decidedly delicious. I will make it again in a 9 x 5 pan, no doubt the size it was intended to be baked in.
I’ve made this pumpkin bread three times now, and make no mistake- it tastes AMAZING! The only problem I’ve consistently had is that every time I try to make it, the top and edges of the loaf get toasty and black by the end of the hour, and there’s still visible, jiggly wet batter in the crack. From the look of the comments, other users have had a similar problem.
I’m not ready to give up on the loaf presentation, so I’m wondering- would turning the temperature down from 375 degrees to 350 (which seems standard for most quick bread recipes) help with the outer-burning-inner-rawness? It might take longer to cook totally, but as it is, I already need to keep it in for an extra half hour to cook that raw batter near the top of the loaf. I’d be willing to take more time if it would mean a more even cook. :)
In any event- thanks for this recipe! In spite of my hinky baking times, it’s a perennial favorite. Of course, your whole blog is a favorite all-around- it’s rare for my husband and me to cook a meal from anywhere else lately! :D
Yes, you can definitely try lowering the temp to see if it helps. I have another idea that I think will work really well. Once the top of the bread is mostly set/no longer sticky, cover it with foil. That will keep it from browning as the rest bakes (you can do this with regular bread, too). I hope that works for you!
Made these as muffins. It made nearly 24 mini muffins and 15 regular size. The only change I made was to add a struesel-type topping. Love this! Perfect level of sweetness, spice level, pumpkiny-ness and texture for us. Thank you!
Could you substitute squash for the pumpkin? I have some frozen and I remember my Mom used to do that when I was little for pumpkin pie.
Absolutely! I almost mentioned that when writing up the post. You can sometimes find squash puree in the freezer section or just make your own with any winter type squash (butternut, acorn, etc.)
Mines in the oven, can’t wait. I made sure I read everyone’s comments. Made the pumpkin pie spice, added applesauce instead of oil, used half whole wheat and half white flour, and added an extra 1/4 tsp of baking powder. Didn’t over stir, folded it all in. Crossing fingers.
I made this and split it into 2 loaf pans. That might help anyone who is having baking issues. Although make sure you still bake for 45-55 min. Maybe even a few minutes extra. I wasn’t keeping a close time on mine and took them out too soon. I will definitely make again as this is some of the best pumpkin bread i have ever had. I added a cup of chopped pecans to one of my loaves and it was divine.
J. Young,
Thanks for posting this fix. I just made this recipe tonight for a dinner party. I split mine into two loaf pans, lowered the temperature a smidge, and cooked it for 55-60 minutes and it came out perfectly.
Beth,
Thank you for posting this fabulous recipe. The bread was a big hit at my dinner party.
Mine was a big fail too – I made this in a loaf pan. After an hour, the sides and top were almost black, but once cooled and cut into the middle was still batter. Literally oozing out.
Had to cut two slices off each end and throw the rest away.
Wish I had read the comments before trying this – would’ve made muffins instead. What a waste of ingredients and time.