Fairway Management Fall Recipe: Healthy Pumpkin Bread

Photo and recipe credit to Cookie and Kate

As fall approaches, so does the return of pumpkin season. Pumpkin carving, leaves falling and sweater weather are just a few of the many reasons to be excited for fall! Here is a simple, healthy pumpkin bread recipe perfect for a chilly fall night.

Ingredients

⅓ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup honey or maple syrup

2 eggs

1 cup pumpkin purée

¼ cup milk of choice or water

1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin spice blend (or ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon allspice or cloves)

1 teaspoon baking soda (NOT baking powder; they are not the same!)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour

Optional: ½ cup mix-ins, like chopped walnuts or pecans, chocolate chips, raisins, chopped dried fruit, etc.

Pinch of ground cinnamon, for sprinkling on top

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, beat the oil and honey together with whisk. Add the eggs and whisk until blended.

Add the pumpkin purée, milk, pumpkin spice, baking soda, vanilla and salt, and whisk to blend. Lastly, switch to a big spoon and stir in the flour, just until combined. If you are adding any additional mix-ins, gently fold them in now.

Pour the batter into your greased loaf pan and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. If you would like a swirled effect, run the tip of a knife across the batter in a zig-zag pattern.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes, and then carefully transfer the bread to a cooling rack to cool for 20 minutes before slicing.