Description
This Pecan Streusel Pumpkin Bread combines moist pumpkin-flavored bread with a crunchy, cinnamon-spiced pecan streusel topping. Perfect for fall, the bread is rich with pumpkin pie spice and topped with a buttery, nutty streusel for a perfect balance of soft and crisp textures.
Ingredients
Scale
Streusel Topping
- 2/3 cup flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts, or skip)
- 1/4 cup cold butter, diced
Bread Batter
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 (15-oz) can pure pumpkin purée
- 1/2 cup melted butter or oil
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare all your ingredients to have them ready. If you don’t have brown sugar for the streusel, granulated sugar works fine, and if you lack pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon alone is a good alternative.
- Make the streusel: In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped pecans or walnuts. Add the diced cold butter and crumble it in using your fingertips or a fork until the mixture resembles damp sand with little clumps and no dry flour remains. Chill the streusel in the refrigerator while you prepare the batter to help it hold shape and give a perfect crunch after baking.
- Prepare pans: Grease and line two 8×4 inch loaf pans or 9×5 inch pans. This recipe yields two loaves; baking in two pans ensures even cooking and avoids gooey centers. If using a single pan, halve the recipe.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt until well blended.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a separate large measuring jug or bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, pumpkin purée, and melted butter or oil together. Make sure melted butter is slightly cooled to avoid scrambling eggs.
- Make the batter: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula or wooden spoon until no dry flour remains. A few lumps are fine, but avoid overmixing to prevent dense bread.
- Assemble and bake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Evenly sprinkle the chilled streusel topping across both pans, making sure to reach all edges. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops are golden brown and crisp.
- Cool: Allow the pumpkin breads to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before carefully removing them to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents sogginess and helps the bread set.
Notes
- Substitute granulated sugar for brown sugar in streusel if needed.
- Use all cinnamon instead of pumpkin pie spice if unavailable.
- If only one loaf pan is available, halve the recipe to avoid undercooked centers.
- Chilling the streusel topping helps create a bakery-style crisp texture.
- Allow melted butter to cool slightly before mixing with eggs to prevent curdling.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep the bread tender and moist.
