Fall baking isn’t complete without pumpkin bread and these Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread Minis are a must for the season! This is a small batch recipe for mini loaves that are tender, moist, and full of all the fall flavors. Plus, the cinnamon sugar swirl on top adds another layer of flavor and a delectable crunch!
Pumpkin Bread Mini Loaves
I think it is safe to say that Fall and pumpkin bread go together like peas and carrots. So here you have it – the quintessential Fall baking recipe. And if I do say so myself, these pumpkin bread mini loaves may be the best pumpkin bread I’ve ever had.
- First of all – they are individual, personal, mini, loaves of pumpkin bread. Imagine you’re own perfect little pumpkin bread … Yay!
- Second – the pumpkin bread is tender, moist, and moist. Yes – I said it twice, to reinforce it.
- Third – cinnamon sugar is swirled on top for a sweet and crunchy topping. I mean, I love streusel crumble, but the cinnamon sugar crunch may quickly take pole position.
- Lastly – the pumpkin bread is so delicately sweet that you won’t know whether to eat if for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. And you know what? There is no judgment if you make these mini loaves part of your 3 squares a day!
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What Makes This Cinnamon Pumpkin Bread Recipe So Good
I am humble enough to never (probably ever) refer to one of my recipes as ‘the best’. Because a persons palette and taste preference is completely subjective. A great example is – my husband likes raisins in his oatmeal cookies. That makes me cringe. See – purely subjective.
So, from a self-taught home baker (who has had her share of pumpkin bread) – this is what makes this pumpkin bread so good:
- Super, duper, moist – there is that ‘m’ word again. Still searching for its replacement. But, this pumpkin bread is the epitome of a moist bake. We are talking ‘you could keep these little loaves in a pretty cake dish on your counter for two days, and they will still be moist‘, moist.
- They taste like pumpkin – seems obvious, but worth stating. I have had quote pumpkin bread, that tastes nothing like pumpkin before. Not these. The fall squash shines in these mini loaves!
- Fall spices – you hear and see this a lot these days, and I’m guilty of it too. But fall spices are packed into just about every bake from mid-September to Christmas. But, we need some pumpkin pie fall spices to go with our PSL’s.
- Cinnamon sugar crunch – no, not a cereal. Rather a delicious swirl of crunchy goodness on top of each mini loaf. What goes better with a moist bread than a sugary, crunchy topping!?
- You get your very own pumpkin bread – this time when you sit down to eat a loaf of delicious pumpkin bread, you don’t have to feel guilty. Hee, hee. I made these Pumpkin Bread Minis in a brownie pan. Love finding more uses for all my baking gear!
There you have it – my humble little opinion on this recipe!
Ingredients For Moist Pumpkin Bread Mini Loaves
Every baker has their own version of pumpkin bread. And one thing I am becoming more certain of the more I test and bake, is: to have a moist and tender crumb – in a cake, cupcake, muffin, or sweet bread – a neutral oil ensures that. So as you read the ingredients for these mini pumpkin bread, you could swap the oil for butter, but just know the bread may not turn out as moist.
- Pumpkin – we are using canned pumpkin puree. Not pumpkin pie filling/mix. Full disclosure – I’ve never had pumpkin pie mix, nor have I seen it at my grocery. However, make sure to stick with the 100% pumpkin.
- Brown sugar and granulated sugar – for the brown sugar, I recommend light. There is already enough moist-maker ingredients in the bread and dark brown sugar may be too much.
- Canola oil – any neutral oil will work. One personal note – every time I bake with vegetable oil, I can taste it. So, I stick with canola oil.
- Pumpkin pie spice – we already have enough on our plates with fall and holiday baking. Which is why we are using the pre-made pumpkin pie spice to flavor this pumpkin bread.
- Cinnamon sugar – there supposedly is a proper ratio for cinnamon sugar (1 part cinnamon to every 4 parts sugar) – but I say there is some creative authority here. Meaning, make it how you like it!
- Usual baking suspects – like your flour, baking powder and soda, salt, egg, and vanilla extract.
Let’s bake some bread!
Tips For Making Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread Minis
- I used a brownie pan to make the mini loaves – the kind that looks like a muffin/cupcake pan, but the wells are square – like this one. But you can also use 2 mini loaf pans – like these.
- Line the pan(s) with parchment – for the brownie pan, a strip of parchment long enough so you have some overhang to lift the loaves out of the pan.
- Pure pumpkin – vs. pumpkin filling/mix. The mix already has all the ‘stuff’ in it. Not what we want here.
- Light brown sugar – adds just enough moistness to the bread. Rather than dark brown sugar, which may be too much.
- Don’t forget the cinnamon sugar swirl – trust me on this one! And only swirl it on the top of the batter. No need to mix it all the way in. We want to preserve the sweet crunchy top!
Happy Fall Baking!
More Fall Inspired Recipes
- Easy Apple Biscoff Crisp
- Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies with Maple Icing
- Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies
- Creamy Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
- Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts
- Soft Apple Cookies With Caramel Icing
Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread Minis
Equipment
- 1 – Square Brownie Pan (or) 2 – Mini Loaf Pans
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, canned
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2-3 tablespoons Cinnamon Sugar (3/4 teaspoon ground Cinnamon for every 1 tablespoon of sugar)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Lightly grease the baking pan(s) and line with parchment paper – long enough to hang over the sides to use as a sling to lift the bread out of the pans. If using the brownie pan, line 5 of the wells with 1-inch strips of parchment that hang over the sides.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the egg, white and brown sugar, pumpkin, vanilla extract, and canola oil. Whisk together until smooth.
- Sift or sprinkle the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt over the top of the wet ingredients. Whisk until no dry streaks remain.
- Scoop even amounts of batter into the prepared baking pan(s). Spoon a generous amount of cinnamon sugar over the batter. Gently swirl it just on the top of the batter with a knife.
- Baking: in a brownie pan – 20-22 minutes; in 2 mini loaf pans – 28-30 minutes; or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean. Cool the pumpkin bread in the pan set on a wire cooling rack for 10-15 minutes. Invert (or lift) the bread out of the baking pans to cool on the wire rack completely. Enjoy!
Notes
- I used a brownie pan to make the mini loaves – it looks like a muffin/cupcake pan, but the wells are square. You can also use 2 mini loaf pans that are 5.75 inches x 3 inches.
- Line the pan(s) with parchment – for the brownie pan, a strip of parchment long enough so you have some overhang to lift the loaves out of the pan.
- Pure pumpkin – vs. pumpkin filling/mix. The mix already has all the ‘stuff’ in it. Not what we want here.
- Light brown sugar – adds just enough moistness to the bread. Rather than dark brown sugar, which may be too much.
