Description
This Pecan Streusel Pumpkin Bread is a deliciously moist and spiced quick bread topped with a crunchy pecan streusel. Perfect for autumn, it combines warm pumpkin pie spices with a buttery, nutty topping for a bakery-style treat you can make at home.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Streusel:
- 2/3 cup all-purpose 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
For the Pumpkin Bread:
- 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-ounce) can pure pumpkin purée
- 1/2 cup melted butter or oil (cooled)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Gather all ingredients. If you don’t have brown sugar for the streusel, granulated sugar works fine. Substitute all cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice if needed.
- Make the Streusel: In a medium bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts. Add cold diced butter and crumble into the mixture with your fingertips or a fork until it looks like damp sand with little clumps and no dry flour is visible. Refrigerate while preparing batter to keep the streusel chilled and crunchy.
- Prep Pans: Grease and line two 8×4-inch loaf pans (or 9×5-inch pans). This recipe makes two loaves; halving is recommended if using one pan to avoid a gooey center.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl or jug, whisk the eggs, sugar, pumpkin purée, and melted butter or oil. Ensure melted butter is cooled slightly to prevent scrambling the eggs.
- Make the Batter: Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients using a spatula or wooden spoon. Mix just until there is no visible dry flour; a few lumps are fine. Avoid overmixing to prevent a tough texture.
- Assemble and Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle the chilled streusel evenly across the top, reaching the 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 and crisp.
- Cool: Let the bread cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- You can substitute walnuts for pecans or omit nuts entirely for the streusel.
- Using cooled melted butter is important to prevent eggs from scrambling.
- Dividing the batter into two smaller pans ensures even cooking and a moist center.
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, use all cinnamon for a similar flavor.
- Store bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
