This Healthy Pumpkin Bread recipe is soft, fluffy, moist, and filled with melty dark chocolate and crunchy walnuts in every bite. After lots of testing, I nailed a pumpkin bread recipe that is made with wholesome ingredients like greek yogurt and whole wheat flour, but you’d never know because it’s so good. Just because something is healthy doesn’t mean it isn’t delicious and this recipe proves it. Seriously, the best healthy pumpkin bread you’ll ever eat!

The Best Healthy Pumpkin Bread (That Actually Tastes Good!)

A good quick bread is one of my love languages (hello, banana bread!) and I’ve kind of been on a mission this year to create a pumpkin bread recipe that’s made with more wholesome ingredients than a traditional loaf.

Don’t get me wrong there’s nothing wrong with the classic pumpkin bread that’s filled with plenty of brown sugar and butter (sometimes that’s the healthiest choice!) but there are often times when I want something made with lighter ingredients.

slice of pumpkin bread on plate — I wanted this pumpkin bread recipe to be the one that I return to time after time so I created something that’s made with ingredients I always have in my fridge and pantry. The end result is a cozy slice that’s both delicious and nourishing.

Thankfully, after testing more pumpkin bread loaves than I can count, I created a loaf that has all the flavor of a traditional pumpkin bread but that’s made with nourishing ingredients, like greek yogurt and whole wheat flour, that I always have on hand like. The end result is a pumpkin bread that’s moist, tender, and filled with warming spices that instantly trigger those cozy fall vibes one slice at a time.

Healthy Pumpkin Bread Ingredients and Special Notes

(The full list of ingredients is in the recipe card, below!)

pumpkin bread ingredients in small bowl — The trick to a good pumpkin bread is to make sure it’s moist and well spiced. This recipe uses a few simple ingredients to make sure both of those boxes are checked!

Flour: we’re using whole wheat flour as the base of this healthy pumpkin bread, giving the batter a little extra fiber. Don’t worry, though! It doesn’t make the bread dry and I actually think it enhances the texture.
Pumpkin Pie Spice: use plenty of pumpkin pie spice to add the warmth! We want a well spiced pumpkin bread that’s full of those classic warming spices that we all know and love.
Greek Yogurt: this is my secret to healthy pumpkin bread that actually tastes good! It keeps the bread tender and moist and even adds a little extra protein. I like to use whole milk Greek yogurt for this recipe and highly recommend that you do, too! It gives the bread the best texture.
Olive Oil: typically we’d use butter in pumpkin bread (which is delicious!) but I wanted to try using olive oil instead for this loaf. I’m happy to report it’s just as delicious and keeps the bread nice and moist!
Pumpkin Puree: make sure to use pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which has added spices and sugar, and can change the flavor of the bread.
Maple Syrup: I always have pure maple syrup in my fridge so I wanted to see if I could use it in this loaf instead of traditional brown sugar and it does! The flavor of pumpkin and maple works so well together and it’s absolutely delicious in this bread.
Mix-Ins: dark chocolate chips and walnuts add both flavor and texture to the bread. Feel free to use semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips and swap the walnuts for pecans or almonds, if you prefer!

How to Make Healthy Pumpkin Bread: A Few Simple Steps Is All It Takes

pumpkin bread batter — Start by making a super simple pumpkin loaf batter that’s filled with warm spices and olive oil and Greek yogurt to keep it moist.

pumpkin bread batter in loaf pan topped with chocolate chips — Start by making a super simple pumpkin loaf batter that’s filled with warm spices and olive oil and Greek yogurt to keep it moist.

pumpkin bread sliced on sheet of parchment — Look at that! Moist, tender, well spice pumpkin bread that turns out perfectly every single time!

Ashlea’s Tips and Tricks for Perfect Loaf of Pumpkin Bread

Make sure your baking soda is fresh or your bread won’t rise properly and we don’t want that! My rule: if it’s been six months, it’s time for a fresh jar!
There’s nothing worse than a loaf of bread that sticks to the pan so line your loaf pan with a sling of parchment paper before adding the batter. Pro-Tip: You can use a bit of spray oil to help the parchment paper stick to the loaf pan. Not only does this prevent sticking, lining the loaf pan also makes it easier to remove the bread from the pan when it’s time.
To help the bread cook evenly, I like to turn my loaf pan in the oven halfway through cooking.
My favorite way to check for doneness is to insert a wooden skewer into the center of the bread to check on its doneness. Once it comes out clean, the bread should be done.
Let your bread cool completely before slicing. I know it’s hard but this really helps to make sure that the bread has the best texture and doesn’t fall apart. A little warm is fine but avoid slicing right out of the oven!

More Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love

Want even more pumpkin recipes! Get all of our best pumpkin recipes!

I hope you give this Healthy Pumpkin Bread Recipe a try! It’s soft, moist, and packed with chocolate and walnuts in each bite! If you do give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews and ratings help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you trust and love.

The Best Healthy Pumpkin Bread

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Author: Ashlea Carver
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 9 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Description

This Healthy Pumpkin Bread recipe is soft, fluffy, moist, and studded with melty dark chocolate and crunchy walnuts in every bite. Made with better-for-you ingredients, it’s refined sugar-free (apart from the chocolate chips) and higher in protein than your standard loaf, making it perfect for any time of the day!

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk greek yogurt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
2 large eggs
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (plus more for the top)
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper.
Add the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt to a mixing bowl. Stir until well combined.
To a separate mixing bowl add the greek yogurt, olive oil, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until well combined. Next, stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips if using.
Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan.
Bake the pumpkin bread at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick, when inserted into the center, comes out clean. If the bread beings to brown too quickly you can tent it lightly with a piece of foil.
Transfer the bread to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Once cool, slice and enjoy!

Notes

Make Muffins!!: Transfer the batter to a lined muffin pan, and bake the muffins for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Then, cool on a wire rack before serving.

Storage: You can store leftover healthy pumpkin bread on the counter at room temperature, tightly wrapped, for 2 days. If you need it to keep the bread fresh for a bit longer than that, I highly recommend storing in the fridge or even slicing and then freezing!