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Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread

Brown butter pumpkin bread with a nutty amber flavor baked into a tender, golden loaf. Spiced pumpkin batter gets deep, caramelized notes thanks to browned butter and a longer bake window.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 270
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

1/2 cup butter
  • 0.5 cup butter Browning the butter is key; cook until amber and nutty.
1 3/4 cups flour
  • 1.75 cup flour
1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
  • 15 oz pumpkin puree
2 eggs
  • 2 eggs
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking soda

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Brown the butter
  1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until it turns amber and smells nutty, about 5-7 minutes, with visible browned milk solids. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Prep the loaf pan
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a loaf pan, coating the corners and edges so the loaf releases cleanly.
Mix the batter
  1. Whisk together the pumpkin puree, eggs, and cooled brown butter until smooth, with no streaks of butter visible.
  2. Fold in the flour, granulated sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and baking soda until just combined, stopping as soon as no dry flour remains.
Bake
  1. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, tapping the pan once to settle the batter evenly.
  2. Bake for 55-65 minutes at 350°F, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top looks golden-brown.

Notes

Pro tip: once the butter starts foaming, watch closely because it can shift from amber to burnt quickly. Cool the browned butter slightly before mixing so it doesn’t scramble the eggs. Store tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze slices for up to 2 months. For a gluten-free swap, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend and expect a slightly softer crumb.