This low sugar pumpkin bread gives you a moist and fluffy slice that is perfectly spiced and sweetened with some maple syrup and (less!) brown sugar than most other pumpkin bread recipes. Serve warm and top with butter or nut butter for a slice of fall flavors that you can feel good about!

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From pumpkin loaves to pumpkin muffins, pumpkin baked desserts become staples this time of year. While I love the pumpkin and spice flavors in these baked goods, the dietitian in me sometimes has aboard time fully appreciating the flavors because of the extra added sugar that comes with them!

To put things in perspective, one single slice of the Starbucks pumpkin loaf has 31 grams of added sugar.. and that loaf doesn’t even feature a cream cheese frosting that often comes with other pumpkin desserts.

Considering that you should be limiting your added sugar intake to less than 25 grams of added sugar per DAY… I think we can do a lot better than 31 grams in a single slice. While you do not need to avoid added sugar entirely, there are easy ways and hacks to use to reduce your added sugar intake while still enjoying the flavors of the season.

My best tip to reduce your added sugar intake is to start baking more of your recipes at home. This way, you have full control over your ingredients and can choose to enhance flavor with other ingredients aside from added sugar like I did with this low sugar pumpkin bread.

While it is still sweetened with maple syrup and brown sugar, this healthier pumpkin bread recipe has significantly less added sugar than other loaf recipes with 10 grams of added sugar (even less if you make your slices thinner!). That’s 1/3 of the added sugar content than the Starbucks pumpkin bread!

By leaning into flavor additions like extra cinnamon, spices, and vanilla extract, I was able to add plenty of flavor to this pumpkin loaf without needing to load it with sugar. Serve your slice warm with some butter or nut butter for a healthier twist on the flavors of the season.

Let’s get to the recipe!

What is low sugar pumpkin bread?

A low sugar pumpkin bread is simply your favorite pumpkin bread flavors but with less sugar added to the loaf. You’ll love this low sugar pumpkin bread because it is:

Still moist and delicious: One tricky part about making low sugar baked goods is that they tend to lose their moisture content… that’s part of the reason why I did keep some brown sugar in this recipe. It adds flavor but also preserves moisture!
By increasing the pumpkin puree serving, adding moisture maple syrup, and baking with flavor enhancing butter instead of oil, this healthy pumpkin loaf is super light and fluffy and maintains its moisture despite the low sugar content.
Full of seasonal spices: The key to this delicious low sugar pumpkin bread is the heavy handed servings of cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and vanilla extract. They add tons of flavor to your bread without needing added sugar!
Uses a natural sweetener: I reduced the total added sugar content but also swapped some of the cane sugar for a natural sweetener with maple syrup. This adds sweetness to your loaf and also enhances the moisture.
Lower in added sugar: Yes, yes, this loaf does still have SOME added sugar in it but with around 10 grams of added sugar per slice, it’s significantly less added sugar than a lot of other pumpkin bread recipes. Plus, it’s still delicious!
More blood sugar friendly: With high added sugar and almost no protein content, traditional pumpkin bread recipes bring your blood sugar for a rollercoaster ride! This recipe has less added sugar and can be paired with proteins like eggs or greek yogurt for better blood sugar balance.
Better for kids: While it’s important to lower added sugar for yourself as an adult, it’s even more imperative that you lower added sugar as much as possible for your kids. Making a healthy pumpkin bread like this is a great way to allow them the seasonal treats but without the sugar.

This low sugar pumpkin bread is a hit in my home during the fall season and is one that I think your family will love as well!

How to make pumpkin bread low sugar

One of the reasons why traditional pumpkin bread recipes are so high in added sugar is because 1) they taste better and 2) they tend to have a better texture than low sugar recipes. Baking is a science and sugar plays an important role in the equation!

To make a pumpkin bread low sugar, you need to lower the added sugar content while maintaining the flavor and finding different ways to enhance the texture. Here are a few of my tips:

1) Use room temperature butter instead of oil:

Butter not only enhances the flavor of the pumpkin bread but it also enhances the moisture of your loaf as well!

2) Get creative with your non-sugar ingredients:

This is the MOST important tip for making a pumpkin bread with low sugar. You need to add lots of flavor with non-sugar ingredients like purees, extracts, spices, and even other additions like nuts or seeds.

Other ways to add flavor are to brown your butter or swap cane sugar for maple syrup which will add a new flavor to the batter along with the sweetness you want in a loaf.

3) Add your sugar containing ingredients to the top:

Do you want to add some chocolate chips to your low sugar pumpkin bread? I would recommend using a no added sugar chocolate chip OR sprinkling your chocolate chips on top of your bread instead of mixing it into the batter.

This trick also works for adding salt to dinner recipes, but when an ingredient is sprinkled on top of your recipe, it’s the first flavor you taste when you take a bite and you can appreciate that flavor more while using less of the ingredient.

4) Find other ways to add moisture to your pumpkin bread:

Swap for liquid sweeteners like maple syrup, add a dash of milk to your batter, or increase the amount of puree that you use in your recipe to add some extra moisture.

All of these tips will help you make a delicious low sugar pumpkin loaf

**Chia Pudding Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe**

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Best Low Sugar Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

Pumpkin puree: Be sure to buy 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling!
Room temperature butter: Allow your butter to soften at room temperature so that it incorporates easily into your pumpkin bread batter. If you prefer to use oil or coconut oil, you can sub that for butter but you will end up with a different texture and flavor profile.
Eggs: These will help bind your healthy pumpkin bread slices together. If you want to make this recipe without using any eggs, you can use flax eggs instead by mixing flaxseed meal with water.
Maple syrup: We swapped cane sugar for the natural sweetness of maple syrup which adds a delicious fall flavor, moisture, and sweetness.
Brown sugar: For best texture, I recommend keeping a little bit of brown sugar in your recipe. This recipe has only 1/4 cup of brown sugar which is significantly lower than other pumpkin loaves.
All purpose flour: This is the best flour option for this recipe as whole what flour will make it too dense. Many recipes that have minimal ingredients or sugar, like quick bread recipes or low sugar bake desserts, use all purpose flour or bread flour as their flour of choice.
Baking powder AND baking soda: We are going to use both chemical leavening ingredients to get a light and fluffy slice.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon is a staple in every baked good and is the primary flavor addition in this recipe. Add this to taste.
Pumpkin pie spice: A key way to add flavor to this batter is with pumpkin pie spice! Add this to taste.
Nutmeg: A pinch of nutmeg goes a long way in baked goods.
Salt: This balances out the sweetness and also helps with the texture of your pumpkin bread.
Vanilla extract: Lots of vanilla extract to enhance the flavor.
Optional mix ins: You can add other ingredients like chocolate chips, walnuts, pepitas, or even a cinnamon streusel topping if preferred.

Instructions:

Step 1

Add your pumpkin puree, eggs, butter, and maple syrup to a large mixing bowl and mix together until well incorporated.

Step 2

Mix in your brown sugar until just incorporated.

Step 3

In a smaller bowl, stir together your flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, nutmeg, baking powder, and baking soda. Slowly add your flour mixture to your pumpkin mixture and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.

Step 4

Pour your batter in a pre-greased loaf pan, top with toppings of choice like pepitas or chocolate chips, and bake at 325 for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Step 5

Allow your low sugar pumpkin loaf to cool then slice into thick slices and serve with toppings of choice. Enjoy!

What To Serve With Low Sugar Pumpkin Bread:

Whether you are enjoying a slice of classic banana bread or this delicious low sugar pumpkin bread, some of the best toppings and pairings are:

Butter and honey: A drizzle of honey will add some extra added sugar to your bread but it’s also delicious.
Nut butters: Peanut butter, walnut butter, almond butter, and other nut butters are delicious as toppings.
Vanilla greek yogurt: Top a warm slice of low sugar pumpkin bread with no added sugar vanilla greek yogurt for a protein packed, blood sugar friendly pumpkin bread breakfast!
Fried egg and cheese: If you like a sweet and savory combination then you can add a cheesy fried egg to your pumpkin bread.
Blended cottage cheese: Blend cottage cheese with some vanilla extract and spread it over your pumpkin bread for a healthy cream cheese alternative.
Cream cheese: Skip the cottage cheese and go straight for the classic cream cheese topping!

And more! Tag me on instagram with any fun ideas or pairings that you come up with!

**Pumpkin Banana Muffins**

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Recipe FAQ:

How many grams of added sugar are in this low sugar pumpkin bread?
1. One whole slice of this pumpkin bread has around 10 grams of added sugar which is about 1/3 of the added sugar content compared to other loaves.
Is this a high protein pumpkin bread recipe?
1. No, it is not! You could easily add protein to pumpkin bread with pairings like a hard-boiled egg for breakfast or greek yogurt as a topping.
What is the best way to store low sugar pumpkin bread?
1. After baking, allow your low sugar pumpkin bread to fully cool before slicing it. Place your leftover slices in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Other baked dessert recipes you will love:

Looking for other baked breads, muffins, or breakfasts ? I have a few on my blog that I think you will love:

**Chocolate Chip Pancake Muffins**

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**Cottage Cheese Banana Bread**

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**Cottage Cheese Blueberry Muffins**

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Low Sugar Pumpkin Bread