Our favorite pumpkin bread—tender, moist, and topped with a crunchy chai-spiced streusel. Somewhere between quick bread and cake, it’s the ultimate fall treat for breakfast or dessert.
This pumpkin bread may be my best yet: a soft, fluffy crumb with a perfectly spiced chai crumble on top.
There’s no better way to celebrate October than by baking a loaf of this pumpkin bread.
We’re big fans of pumpkin baked goods here—pumpkin muffins are a household favorite. My family asks for them regularly, and they’re a go-to for weekend hockey tournaments. If you love pumpkin treats, this bread will fit right in.
It’s funny—for a while Eddie swore he didn’t like pumpkin. I converted him slowly: first with savory pumpkin dishes that resemble butternut squash, then with pumpkin muffins, and eventually with a rich pumpkin cake. Now he’s all in.
We all love this pumpkin bread. It’s balanced: the loaf itself has a gentle hint of chai while the streusel carries most of the chai flavor. That keeps the bread appealing to kids who prefer a milder spice profile while still giving you that warm chai finish on top.
Don’t be intimidated by the ingredient list—this is an approachable, straightforward recipe. The chai spice mix calls for a few warm spices; I recommend making a batch and storing it in a sealed jar so you can use it whenever you want a chai note in baked goods or drinks.
This loaf uses plain Greek yogurt for moisture and tender texture; sour cream works too. The result is a super-moist bread with tender crumb—far better than any commercial pumpkin loaf. The chai crumble adds crunch and aromatic warmth that really makes the bread special.
If you enjoy chai flavors, this recipe makes more spice mix than the loaf requires, so you’ll have plenty for other chai-inspired bakes.
More chai-inspired recipes to try
Pumpkin Chai Crinkle Cookies
Chewy Chai Snickerdoodles
Pumpkin Chai Crumble Muffins
Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Chai Ice Cream
Just look at that crumb!
This loaf is absolutely worth baking today.
The crunchy chai crumble is the crowning touch.
Pumpkin Bread with Chai Crumble
Pumpkin Bread with Chai Streusel
1
loaf
25 mins
50 mins
1 hr
2 hrs 15 mins
Ingredients
Chai spice
- 4 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons ground cardamom
- 1 ½ tablespoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
Pumpkin bread
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons chai spice
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
- ¼ cup avocado or vegetable oil
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chai crumble
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons chai spice
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
Instructions
Chai spice
- Whisk all the spices together until well combined. Store in a sealed container for 3 to 6 months.
Pumpkin bread
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, chai spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar. Stir in the pumpkin and yogurt, then whisk in the oil and vanilla.
- Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined and smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- For the streusel, mix the brown sugar, flour, and chai spice. Cut in the cold butter with a fork until the mixture is crumbly; use your hands if needed to ensure the butter is fully incorporated. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the batter.
- Bake 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe?
Share a photo of your loaf and tag #howsweeteats. I appreciate you so much!
No words needed—just bake and enjoy.