On the first cool mornings of fall, nothing feels more comforting than pumpkin bread made with freshly milled flour, filling the kitchen with spice and warmth.
Each slice is soft, golden, and just sweet enough, especially lovely with coffee or cream cheese. It’s an easy quick bake that makes an ordinary day feel like a little celebration of autumn.
If you’re new to baking with fresh flour, you might want to start with my guide on How To Make Self Rising Flour from Freshly Milled Flour. You can also mix up a jar of our pumpkin pie spice blend so it’s ready anytime the baking mood strikes.
And if you’d like to keep it homemade from start to finish, I’ve shared how I make both vanilla extract and pumpkin purée right here on the blog.
This is THE BEST fresh milled flour recipe for pumpkin bread I have tried! ~ Miranda
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Tip: Freshly milled flour is best unsifted here, it keeps the bread hearty and tender at the same time.
Recipe Tips
Don’t overmix the batter: once the dry ingredients meet the wet, fold gently until combined so the loaf stays soft instead of dense.
Watch the top while baking: if it starts browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil to prevent over-darkening.
Loaf pan matters: a 9×5 pan fits this recipe best, but if you’re using a smaller pan, pull out a little batter and bake a couple muffins alongside.
Cool before slicing: letting the loaf rest on a wire rack keeps it from crumbling and helps the flavor settle into each slice.
Storing your loaf: wrap tightly once cooled and keep at room temperature for 2–3 days, or freeze in slices so you can warm up a piece whenever the craving strikes.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set to 325°F and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the freshly milled self-rising flour, baking soda, and pumpkin spice blend.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Add the eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time until just combined, or stir in the flaxseed egg replacer if using.
- Stir in the wet ingredients: Mix in the pumpkin purée, maple syrup or molasses, and vanilla extract until fully blended.
- Combine wet and dry: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Fill the pan: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake the bread: Place in the oven and bake for 65–75 minutes, tenting with foil around the 50-minute mark if the top is browning too quickly.
- Cool and serve: Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely, then slice and enjoy.
Note: For the softest texture, homemade pumpkin purée works beautifully, but a good canned option bakes up just as well. Our favorite canned brand is Good and Gather from Target.
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Another favorite from my kitchen to yours, where the seasons guide the table, and every meal is an act of love — may this recipe become a favorite in your kitchen too.
With gratitude & love,
Emily
Pumpkin Bread made with Freshly Milled Flour
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowls
- 1 Whisk
- 1 hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- 1 9×5 Loaf Pan
- 1 Wire Cooling Rack
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) Freshly milled self-rising flour blend
- 1 teaspoon (6g) Baking soda
- 1 tablespoon (8g) Pumpkin spice blend
- ¾ cup (150g) Brown sugar, packed
- ¾ cup (150g) Granulated sugar
- ¾ cup 1 ½ sticks of Salted Butter 170 g salted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) Vanilla extract
- 2 Large Eggs flaxseed egg replacement
- 1 15 oz can Pumpkin Puree
- 1 tablespoon 15 ml maple syrup or molasses
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set to 325°F (163°C) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the self-rising flour, baking soda, and pumpkin spice blend.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Add the eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time until just combined, or stir in the flaxseed egg replacer if using.
- Stir in the wet ingredients: Mix in the pumpkin purée, maple syrup or molasses, and vanilla extract until fully blended.
- Combine wet and dry: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Fill the pan: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake the bread: Place in the oven and bake for 65–75 minutes, tenting with foil around the 50-minute mark if the top is browning too quickly.
- Cool and serve: Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely, then slice and enjoy.
Notes
- Pumpkin purée: Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which already contains added sugar and spices.
- Spice blend: If you don’t have pumpkin spice, you can make your own by combining cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and a touch of cloves.
- Texture tip: The batter will be thick, almost like a muffin batter. Resist the urge to add extra liquid—this ensures a tender, moist loaf.
- Doneness check: Every oven bakes differently, so check with a toothpick in the center. It should come out mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cooling is key: Allowing the loaf to cool completely prevents it from crumbling when sliced and lets the flavors deepen.
- Freezer friendly: Wrap tightly in plastic and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature overnight before serving.
- Serving suggestion: A warm slice with cream cheese, butter, or even a drizzle of maple glaze turns this loaf into a bakery-worthy treat.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
If you tried this recipe and loved it, I’d be so grateful if you came back to leave a 5 “⭐️” rating. I love seeing and celebrating your beautiful creations.
Emily Rider
Home miller, sourdough baker, and seasonal from-scratch cook since 1999. Here at The Modern Day Cottage, I share recipes and the comforting rhythms of cottage living to help you mill flour at home, master sourdough, and bake confidently with freshly milled grains.
A new favorite in our kitchen—thank you for this beautiful recipe!
You’re so welcome. I’m thrilled to hear it’s now a favorite in your kitchen. Thank you so much for the sweet compliment.
Happy Baking,
Emily Rider
This is THE BEST fresh milled flour recipe for pumpkin bread I have tried! I am a seasoned baker and have completely transitioned over to fresh milled this past year. I admit I was excited to make a new flour blend for a quick bread, yet skeptical at the hard and soft mixture for this application, however I tried it. Wow! This recipe was incredibly moist and delicious! I made the self rising flour blend first, by your recipe, except using arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch. Then I made the recipe with it. I even accidentally forgot the vanilla and it really was not even needed, we didn’t miss it. I used maple syrup as my syrup choice. I made it in an 8×8 pan to frost it with cream cheese frosting as a cake, however it was cut prior to making the frosting, so we didn’t frost it after all but I loved how evenly it baked in the pan and would have been literally perfect to frost. We ate this for dessert as well as breakfast the next morning. SO GOOD! Thank you!
Miranda,
Thank you so much for leaving such a thoughtful and generous comment. Your words truly made my heart so happy. It means so much to hear that you loved the recipe, and that it brought joy to your home. This pumpkin bread is a favorite here in our own little cottage as well, so knowing it turned out beautifully for you — and that your family enjoyed it too — feels like the sweetest affirmation.
Your kindness in taking the time to share your experience is a real gift. Comments like yours encourages me deeply and motivates me to continue sharing the recipes we trust and love here in our home with others. It also helps readers here feel confident that these recipes are truly tried-and-true, that they work, and that they can bring goodness to their own kitchens as well. I’m so grateful for that. Truly there are no words to fully say how much your comment means to me.
Wishing you a beautiful Thanksgiving and a joy-filled Christmas season ahead.
Thank you again for taking the time to write and for the AMAZING feedback.
Happy Holidays, warmest wishes,
Emily