Our favorite pumpkin bread — tender, moist, and topped with a crunchy chai-spiced streusel. A cross between quick bread and cake, it’s the perfect fall treat for breakfast or dessert.
This is the best pumpkin bread I’ve ever made: super tender with a fluffy crumb and a crunchy chai streusel on top.
There’s no better way to welcome the season than baking a loaf today. We love pumpkin baked goods around here — especially muffins — and this bread is a new favorite. The loaf is mostly pumpkin with just a hint of chai, while the crumble brings the chai-forward flavor so the bread itself stays mild and approachable for kids and anyone who prefers a subtler spice.
If you’ve followed along for a while, you might remember someone in my house who used to dislike pumpkin — until a few recipes changed their mind. Savory pumpkin dishes, pumpkin muffins, even a pumpkin dream cake convinced them to become a fan. This loaf is another recipe that wins people over.
The chai spice mix takes just a few pantry spices and can be made ahead and stored in a sealed container. I recommend making a batch so you can quickly add chai flavor to muffins, cookies, or coffee cake whenever the mood strikes.
Like my other pumpkin recipes, this loaf uses plain Greek yogurt for moistness; sour cream is an easy swap. The result is a tender, moist bread with a delicate crumb and the best streusel on top — far better than any store-bought version.
Pumpkin Bread with Chai Crumble
Pumpkin Bread with Chai Streusel
1 loaf
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
Instructions
Chai spice
- Whisk all the spices together until combined. Store in a sealed container for 3 to 6 months.
Pumpkin bread
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8×4-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, chai spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until combined. Whisk in the pumpkin and yogurt, then the oil and vanilla.
- Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined and smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- To make the streusel, stir together the brown sugar, flour and chai spice. Add the butter and work it in with a fork and then your fingers until the mixture is moistened and crumbly. Evenly sprinkle over the batter.
- Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove and let cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!
Look at that crumb — perfectly tender and moist. That chai crumble on top adds texture and spice without overwhelming the bread.
Definitely worthy of your oven today.
No words — just bake it and enjoy.