Deliciously soft, you’ll want to cozy up with a coffee and this pumpkin protein bread on those chilly fall days. Made with a blend of almond flour, vegan protein powder, and the classic flavor of pumpkin spice, this gluten-free pumpkin loaf is great for giving you fuel and comfort.
As a Certified Nutrition Coach, I strive to help clients find the balance between eating fueling, high protein food and ENJOYING what they eat. This protein pumpkin bread does just that.
Indulge in the best of both worlds with this pumpkin bread recipe!
It's soft, sweet, and a healthy version of a classic pumpkin spice recipe everyone loves.
Enjoy it as a treat any day of the week or bring it to your next get-together and watch as everyone gobbles it up!
As a coach, I’ve been using this pumpkin protein bread myself and with my clients in the SMASH workout program to help them both reenergize and fuel up post-workout. Learn more about the benefits of a high protein diet and why you want to amp it up!
You’ll fall in love with this pumpkin spice recipe because it’s:
- Easy to make
- Totally paleo dairy-free and gluten-free (depending on the protein powder you choose).
- Comforting thanks to the pumpkin spice
- High in protein to give you some fuel with your day (these gluten-free pumpkin donuts are too!)
Need help in gaining some energy? Check these mom-inspired meal plans that map out everything you need to increase energy and still hit your goals.
Ingredients You Need
This protein pumpkin bread is made mostly with gluten-free pantry staples. So, if you’re stocked up you’ll have everything you need already.
Almond flour: this keeps the bread light though make sure not to use almond meal or it’ll have a grittier texture (learn the difference between almond flour and almond meal).
Tapioca flour: a paleo binder, though there’s only a little bit it helps the bread from crumbling.
Vegan vanilla protein powder: the kind of protein you choose will impact the taste and texture of the high protein bread recipe. Learn more about how to choose a protein powder.
For the loaf to be paleo, make sure to choose a paleo-approved protein powder. Otherwise, it will just be dairy-free and gluten-free.
Avocado oil: any oil should work with the exception of coconut oil.
Eggs: any you have in your fridge will work though I haven’t tried any egg replacers.
Maple syrup: a classic for pumpkin season, real maple syrup blends so perfectly with
Pumpkin pie spice: use store-bought or make your own for maximum flavor.
Cinnamon: an extra pinch gives a tiny bit more comfort.
Baking powder: you definitely need the powder for this recipe and not baking soda.
Pumpkin puree: make sure not to use pumpkin pie filling or the sugar in the pumpkin bread or the recipe will be out of whack. You want just the puree.
How To Make It
- In a large bowl, combine all the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.
- Add in the dry ingredients and mix again.
- Line an 8x3 loaf pan with parchment paper and pour in the batter.
- Smooth it out.
- Bake for 40 minutes at 350F, turn the oven off, and let cool fully.
Topping The Pumpkin Bread
The best part about making your own pumpkin protein bread is that you can add in or top it with whatever you’re enjoying!
Some of our favorites have been:
- Chopped pecans
- Cinnamon + cane sugar sprinkled on top
- Dairy-free caramel sauce
For the dairy-free caramel sauce, you’ll want to drizzle that on after it cools fully.
Important Teaching Tips
The protein pumpkin bread needs to cool fully in the oven to finish baking and to firm up, don’t remove it early.
You can add pecans or chocolate chips on top prior to baking.
If you’re using a fermented protein powder you’ll want to add 1-2 tablespoons of dairy-free milk to the batter. Otherwise, the pumpkin loaf will come out too dense.
Store it in the fridge for 3-5 days in an airtight container.
Tastes best eaten at room temperature with some dairy-free butter or peanut butter melted on.
Bread Variations
Though this healthy pumpkin bread recipe is delicious as is, there are a few ways to switch up the flavor when you want to try something new. Below are a few favorites:
Chocolate pumpkin bread: As simple as using chocolate protein powder in place of vanilla for a rich chocolate taste. Adding in some chocolate chips doesn't hurt!
Frosting: Drizzle the finished bread with dairy-free cream cheese frosting for a dessert twist.
Crunch: Add some toasted pecans into the batter for an extra crunch. Pistachios are wonderful too!
Which Protein Powder To Choose
I like this gluten-free pumpkin bread best when made with Botanica Vanilla Protein Powder. It gives it a sweet flavor but keeps the bread itself light.
Botanica protein is made from a blend of proteins from rice, quinoa, and coconut milk powder and is truthfully one of the best vegan protein powders taste-wise.
They make their blend in small batches and have won multiple functional foods awards.
For anyone just starting with protein powder, Botanica Protein Powder is a wonderful one though I do believe you can only get it in Canada currently.
Remember, for the loaf to be paleo, make sure to choose a paleo-approved protein powder. Otherwise it will just be dairy-free and gluten-free.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Making A Gluten-Free Pumpkin Loaf
Because pumpkin naturally doesn’t contain gluten, the canned pumpkin puree you buy at the store is gluten-free. However, make sure not to get pumpkin pie filling before checking the ingredients.
Depending on the pumpkin bread recipe it can be part of a healthy diet. This high protein pumpkin bread comes with a whopping 15 grams of protein making it a great recipe for weight loss or muscle gain.
Other Pumpkin Spice Recipes You’ll Love
- Gluten-free pumpkin waffles
- Pumpkin pancakes
- Pumpkin protein mug cake
- Pumpkin pie smoothie
- High protein snack recipes
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Protein Bread
Ingredients
- 1.25 cup Almond flour
- ½ cup Vegan vanilla protein powder
- ½ cup Pumpkin puree
- 2 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tbs Avocado oil
- โ cup Honey
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1.5 tbs Tapioca flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahernheit.
- In a large bowl, combine all the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.
- Add in the dry ingredients and mix again.
- Line an 8x3 loaf pan with parchment paper and pour in the pumpkin bread batter.
- Smooth it out.
- Sprinkle any additional toppings on top and press in.
- Bake the healthy pumpkin bread for 40 minutes, turn the oven off, and let cool fully.
Video
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Ariel
I love how I didn't go into a carb coma after eating a few slices of this! It was SO good and so easy.
fitasamamabear
Hehe it's the sneaky nutrients!
Jan
The first time I made this I totally spaced on the tapioca flour. It came out a little crumbly but still delicious. I recently made it again (but actually followed the recipe lol) and it was PERFECT. Now all I need is for it to stop being 100 degrees outside so I'm not sweating while I eat my delicious pumpkin bread and enjoy the fall vibes.
fitasamamabear
Haha yea the tapioca flour does have a purpose, still yummy but the texture gets funky lol it'll be the best thing to curl up with when the weather switches!
Ryley
This was so moist and delicious! I love the added protein too. Will definitely make this Pumpkin Bread again.
fitasamamabear
Can't go wrong with extra protein!
Nicole
These almond pumpkin protein muffins hit the spot! Perfect for a quick, healthy snack. A new favorite in my kitchen.
fitasamamabear
Yay!
Macy
I wanted to make some recipes that were higher protein (trying to increase my protein intake) and this pumpkin protein bread was on my list to make. I just made it last night and it turned out great!! I ate it for breakfast this morning warmed up and it was great! Def going to save this to make again.
fitasamamabear
Ah I'm so happy! Helping women get more protein in their diet is my jam!
Protima
What could I replace for protein powder?
fitasamamabear
In this recipe it would be tricky, you'd have to use collagen powder + a bit of flour as the protein powder helps bind/thicken it.
Emily Ames
Iโm sure Iโm missing it, but Iโve read through the recipe several times and canโ find the oven temp. What temp do you bake this at?
Thank you! Canโt wait to make this recipe.
fitasamamabear
Ah thanks for the catch it didn't copy over! Temp is 350F - appreciate this!
Isaac Rodriguez
Pardon me if I missed it but did you I did not see a oven temperature in which to bake the bread. Just saw the 40 min bake time.
fitasamamabear
Ah thanks for the catch apparently it didn't copy over. Temp is 350F - appreciate this so much!
Anonymous
Thank you for sharing this recipe