Chef John's Holiday Pumpkin Bread

I only made one change and that was using chopped pecans in the bread only because we don't care for walnuts. I did up the pecans to a full cup because I wanted to sprinkle some chopped nuts on top. I made muffins out of this recipe instead of one big loaf. I was able to get 18 muffins out of one recipe. I baked my muffins at 350* for almost 22 minutes. These muffins were moist, chewy, flavorful and all around just WONDERFUL. One of the best pumpkin quick breads I've ever made. I'll make this one again.

This was just OK. Not great. I have used other recipes in the past that I liked better. The batter was very, very thick, so it took longer than the suggested time to cook. I didn't use the Chinese Five-Spice powder. I used Nutmeg instead. The pumpkin flavor wasn't strong enough for my taste. A good starting off point for pumpkin bread, but needs lots of tweaks.

Just took this out of the oven & had to taste it. It is scrumptious! Granted, I didn't use the the Chinese spice either, just went with what I had on hand, which was pumpkin pie spice, I used 3 tsp of it. The rest of the recipe I kept the same . The reason I wanted to use this recipe is, it only makes one loaf. It is SO moist and just wonderful. Mine didn't turn out as high as in the pic above, but nonetheless, a wonderful pumpkin bread recipe, delicious. Thank you!

This recipe caught my eye because it has less sugar than other recipes and the addition of Chinese 5-Spice as an ingredient. This is a spice I really like and use regularly in stir-fry cooking, and what a great addition to a sweet bread recipe! Anyway, I made this exactly according to the directions. Turned out moist, delicious, and with great flavor. The batter is THICK, so at first I thought I left out some critical liquid ingredient. Not so. The bread is not overly sweet, which I love. The boyfriend liked it very much. As usual, Chef John has it going on! Made it a second time using toasted pecans and "heaping" amounts of the cinnamon, Chinese 5 spice, and all spice. Brought it to Thanksgiving for a breakfast bread. Everyone loved it!

Turned out well.i subbed half the sugar for brown sugar, and used and extra 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger and 1/4 tsp allspice in the place of Chinese 5 spice.Baked them as petite loafs and the kiddos have each eaten 4 of them this morning?

Great recipe! I've made this a couple of times and comes out perfect each time. I do put a little ginger in instead of the Chinese spice because I don't have that in my stock. I also do chocolate chips because my hubby likes it better than nuts.

This recipe is great! I made a couple of changes: 1 c All Purpose White Flour, 1 c Whole Wheat Flour, 1/4 c 2% milk, 2 TBSP Land O'Lakes Olive Oil Margarine in addition to the butter, 1 TBSP Olive Oil. I added the liquids because using whole wheat has a tendency to make recipes dry. The bread turned out very moist. I did use the Chinese Five Spice. I also omitted the nuts. Next time I will add those. It took 1hr to bake. I used a 9X9 brownie pan instead of a regular loaf pan.

I made this vegan by using one mashed banana and a 1/2 cup applesauce in place of the eggs, and of course Earth Balance for butter... turned out great!

I added two ripe bananas to the recipe and an 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg. Moist and delicious.

This was a very easy recipe. I did substitute the Chinese spice with Pumpkin Pie spice. And since the kids don't like nuts I added raisins. It was wonderful.

I love pumpkin and I always look for recipes on pumpkin! This is definitely a good choice for your family. I made some changes on the recipe by replacing all-purpose flour to wholewheat flour, adding about 1/4 cup of milk into the pumpkin purée (to add some moist to the bread). I also replaced walnut with pumpkin seed (I ran out of walnut) and bake it in a bear muffin tray. My three-year old boy loves it very much.

Thanks Chef John!! Loved this as I am not a fan of pumpkin bread with oil. I did not have 5 Chinese spice so I did this with some ginger, nutmeg and pumpkin pie spice with the cinnamon. Also used pecans since I didn't have walnuts. Was so yummy and moist.

My Family and I loved this recipe, it was a huge hit. The changes I made were: Didn't have Chinese 5 spice powder so I used 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 1/4 tsp ginger - next time I will use 1/2 tsp of each. I also roasted pecans instead of walnuts, and last I used fresh pumpkin b/c I had some left over but will try canned next batch. This recipe is a keeper for sure, the only thing you need to know & from reading other reviews I can concur is that it takes an additional 30 minutes to bake - such a no big deal, everyone's oven is different.

I always make this. I don't use the Chinese 5 spice or all spice. I use 1 tsp of Epicure's Gingerbread spices and cinnamon. It gives it an extra kick of flavor and is always a hit. I also add a cup of raisins to the mix and leave out the nuts for the kids to take to school.

As with all of his recipes this one is a keeper. This is moist, delicious and easy to make.

Liked this recipe because of the moistness and richness of using 1 can of pumpkin for 1 loaf. Substituted my own spices: 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. ground ginger, 1/4 tsp. allspice, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg. Also added 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds I had on hand with a few sprinkled over the top. Perfectly moist without being greasy. Great flavor.

I double the recipe except sugar only used 1 cup I did not want it real sweet and I added 1 cup of crushed walnuts with the 1 cup crushed pecans. My boys and there friend ate it all so fast I never got a chance to take a picture I will be making this again soon and get a picture

This is great just as it is. That said, I typically I like more flavor and/or texture than how most recipes are written and I am not "Joe the Baker" or "Kenny the Cook", so I like simpler easier recipes. I'm on kind of a Medieval kick (especially meat pies) and like to use ingredients (if I have them) that might be from history. i've made this several times with variations: using partial or all rye flour, double the nuts, using almonds and dates and substituting brown sugar, honey and blackstrap molasses for the white sugar as well as using pumpkin pie spice instead of straight cinammon. I use Kashmir Garam Masala instead of chinese five spice. Point is that this recipe is really good as is or can be the springboard to creating something of your own.

Fantastic and so easy recipe. One big can made two loaves. I shared with my friends who rave it delicious.

I made this with gluten-free one-to-one all purpose baking flour, and it turned out really well. I reduced the sugar to 3/4 cup, and put in raisins instead of walnuts as we can't do nuts. My daughter was co-cooking, so some measurements were less than perfect... but this recipe withstood the damage :) Delicious flavor. Will use in lunch boxes during the holiday season. Thanks for a great recipe!

I loved this recipe, although I made a few changes to it.

This was just wonderful! The only change I made was using my own frozen pumpkin purée from last summer. (Thawed and well drained) I've never used it for anything except pie, but I sure will now that I have such an easy and yummy bread recipe. So glad I found this recipe??

Even though I used brown sugar rather than white this was quite bland. I did not have all the spices but I used my usual pumpkin pie spices. It just tasted too much like flour. It also needed an additional 15 minutes in the oven using a glass pan.

I made it (multiple times). This is the one pumpkin bread i can get my husband to eat. I split the sugar -half normal-half Splenda. It was fantastic. Thanks Chef John! If you have a lower carb suggestion please speak up. We are a house hold of diabetics who can’t give up breads ...

I found this to be very bland. It was edible, but the appearance was pretty ugly, so there's no way I would serve it to guests or bring it to a potluck. I do like the combination of spices because it's different from your typical nutmeg and cinnamon pumpkin bread.

Very tasty! Used pepita's instead of walnuts

I wanted to love it, even my husband said it looked amazing, but it just didn't have enough flavor.

I made several changes to this recipe, I added 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp cloves and a touch extra cinnamon. I didn't have any nuts so just put the last of some white chocolate chips I had. This came out extremely moist and the flavor was amazing. I really think the Chinese 5 spice really adds that extra something special. I use it for all my pumpkin related recipes since I first made chef John's pumpkin pie couple years ago. It just works. If I were to change anything, I would use maybe a touch less baking powder because although it's nice and light, it was a little too fragile. I didn't think it would be because the batter is thick and heavy but it is very light and airy. Adding coconut oil adds moisture. Overall very nice flavor.

Average quick bread. Bakes fine in just over an hour. spices were good and was moist. something about the flavor left me wanting to search for a different pumpkin bread recipe. Perhaps was a bit too paste-y or dough-y for me.

This was delicious! I made a few changes; substituted flour with Gluten Free Flour, substituted Chinese 5 spice powder with ground cloves & added 1/3 cup of milk & 1 tsp of vanilla when doubling the recipe. It yielded 8 mini loaves on 350 not 325 for 45-50 min. I also live in high altitude, (5,000 feet above sea level). I used my own pumpkin puree and I also did not use any nuts. Let cool 5 min then dump loaf onto plastic wrap & wrap up, this keeps it very moist. To make puree scrape the pumpkin out, line a pan with heavy duty foil, smear butter on foil, and then cut into 4 large pieces and bake on 350 until you can pierce the flesh easily with a knife(around 1hr covered), let it cool down to handle, scoop out or slice flesh off. Puree in a food processor. Remember to double the puree if doubling recipe.

I put ground ginger instead of 5 spice. Really great recipe.

I found I needed another 10 minutes (and perhaps a bit more) cooking time in the oven. Still, it was tasty. Thanks, Chef John!

This bread is moist and has wonderful texture. I seldom change a recipe the first time I use it, but I wasn't in the mood for Chinese 5 spice. Instead I used 1 tsp cinnamon; 1 tsp nutmeg; 1/2 tsp cloves and 1/4 tsp ginger. I also had to bake it a hour and a half, but that's what toothpicks are for, right? I'll probably make it as written next time. ******* I've made this bread several times ingredients as written by Chef John. The flavor is wonderful! The only thing that keeps this from being a 5 star recipe it the baking temp and time.

A little too sweet for our taste. I will use less sugar next time.

I added a lot more spice: 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp allspice, 1/4 tsp clove, 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, 1/4 tsp cardamom, 1/4 tsp nutmeg.

I made as written and would have enjoyed more spicing.

Great pumpkin bread recipe very moist not dense at all and I will make it again.

Better then any other pumpkin bread recipe I’ve tried, will definitely make again. Wonderfully moist, fluffy and not too sweetness. I made to the recipe except sub walnuts for semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Nice and moist.

This is a very nice loaf. I used raisins instead of nuts and 2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice instead of the Chinese spice. It's very moist and has a nice flavour. It does take about 20 minutes longer to bake than the recipe indicates as other reviewers have said.

Winner! I used home grown squash and pumpkin puree. I made muffins as suggested by another reviewer and baked about 25 minutes. Rave reviews when i take these to work. Chinese five spice is part of the novelty of it.

Excellent. The only changes I made is that I used slivered almonds as I did not have any walnuts and I left out the Chinese Five Spice and added a little more cinnamon instead. Very moist and yummy.

Overall pretty good. First time I made it, very underseasoned. Second time I used double to triple the spices (2x with heaping spoonfuls). Much much better. I skipped nuts the first time and added them the second time but they didn't make much difference to me. Makes pretty good mini-muffins as well--took them to a tailgate and I looked like a total rockstar with them. Super easy to make and taste delicious (especially with double spices!).

This is a good recipe for pumpkin bread. My family loved it. I forgot the allspice. A person suggested using a bit more sugar and I would add another 1/4 cup next time. Might add a few raisins also. Will make again.

This recipe was very popular with family and guests over the holidays -- made this bread three separate times and everyone loved it! I will make this Pumpkin Bread again.

Absolutely awesome bread..and even better the next day! Super easy recipe, definitely making it again...and again.

I used 2 cups of puréed pumpkin that I had frozen from roasting pumpkins at Halloween time, omitted the walnuts, and added 1/3 cup flour to account for the extra liquid. I live in Boulder at higher altitude, so I baked the loaf for 1hr20min and it was perfect! I will certainly be using this recipe again.

I made this pumpkin bread and it was the best! So nice and moist to the very end! Will be making this recipe again! Simple recipe with simple ingredients but oh so yummy!

I used whole wheat pastry flower and it was very good.

Toasting the walnuts made a big difference. A good moist loaf to share with friends.

For those not using Chinese 5-spice, you are missing out! I bought it for Chef John's Pumpkin Pie recipe and it was THE BEST pie I have ever had! The bread is delicious without being overly-spicy, which allows the flavor of the pumpkin to really shine. Yum! I love Chef John's recipes as he tends to use less sugar than most.

This is a very moist quick bread. The pumpkin flavor doesn't come through so much, I believe due to all the walnuts. Next time, I will put half the walnut in the mix, or eliminate them for more pumpkin flavor.

Yummmmeeee! I will definitely make this again….and again! I had already used a small amount of the canned pumpkin for something and it did not impact the flavour at all. I weighed the dry ingredients in grams and then I substituted a heaping tablespoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg for the 5 Spice. Added 1 cup toasted pecans at the end. Tested at 1 hour and it was done perfectly.

Baked for 1 hour 15 minutes to get it to internal temp of 200. Lined my loaf pan with parchment and it came out great. I gave it 4 stars because I probably will increase the sugar a little next time and skip the Chinese five spice (didn't like the taste).

Such a beautiful recipe. I made 10 jumbo muffins, baking them for 25 minutes. I always double (at least) the spices in any spice cake, but that's just my personal preference. I also used half coconut sugar, and half raw sugar, and topped it off with cream cheese frosting. I will be making this again!

Didn't have the Chinese spice so I doubled the allspice. It's a good texture but I wish it were a tad sweeter. Next time I might add more sugar.

Absolutely delicious. Love Chef John's recipes!

I substituted chopped pecans for the walnuts because of a taste preference, otherwise I made the recipe exactly as written. It was delicious! Even my husband, who doesn’t normally like anything with pumpkin, tried it and loved it!

I made this exactly as called for but used 2 cups of acorn squash instead of pumpkin. Delicious!!!

Excellent recipe. Added extra spice and used fresh pumpkin. The only problem I had was after slicing it would fall apart when picked up. Needed to eat with a fork. Maybe it was the fresh pumpkin. i WILL MAKE THIS AGAIN, GREAT FLAVOR.

Great, easy recipe Morning carpool loved it. Made it twice and plan to continue making it since it is a favorite