Pumpkin Walnut Bread (Super Moist, No Mixer + Video)

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This no-fail pumpkin walnut bread is incredibly moist and tender, studded with toasted walnuts for a nutty crunch in every slice. Passed down from my late 99-year-old Granny's vintage recipe, made in one bowl with no mixer. It's perfect for beginner bakers and all you need is a bowl and a fork to make it.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Pumpkin Walnut Bread Ingredients
How to Make Pumpkin Walnut Bread Step-by-Step
Substitutions: No Nutmeg, No Baking Soda, No Mixer
Variations
How to Store and Freeze Pumpkin Walnut Bread
Pumpkin Walnut Bread FAQ
More Pumpkin Recipes to Love
📖 Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Pumpkin Spice Pumpkin Bread with walnut slices on a pink marble serving tray

Here's why this vintage pumpkin loaf has been our family's genuine go-to for generations:

No mixer needed: one bowl and a fork, about 15 minutes hands-on
Forgiving: works with or without nutmeg, and with baking powder if you're out of soda
Super moist and even better on day two, with loads of fresh pumpkin flavor
Flecked with toasted walnuts, or swap in toasted pecans (I do it often)
Makes two loaves, one to keep and one to share or freeze or you can make a single loaf

Pumpkin Walnut Bread Ingredients

Simple pantry staples, no butter to soften and no mixer to drag out. To make this a completely from scratch pumpkin bread, make my quick homemade pumpkin purée or use canned pumpkin, Libby's, Whole Foods 365, or Trader Joe's all work. DO NOT use pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened with added spices.

pumpkin purée (homemade or canned)
all-purpose flour (substitute 00 flour)
granulated sugar
baking soda (substitute baking powder in a pinch, see the substitutions section below)
homemade pumpkin pie spice (substitute ground cinnamon)
freshly ground nutmeg (optional but recommended)
salt
vegetable oil
pure vanilla extract (homemade or favorite store-bought)
eggs
water
toasted walnuts (substitute pecans)

Full ingredient measurements can be found in the recipe card.

A fully baked loaf of pumpkin walnut bread just after it's been removed from the oven.

How to Make Pumpkin Walnut Bread Step-by-Step

Four steps, one bowl, no mixer. This same batter makes about 30 muffins too, baked at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes (see my pumpkin muffins).

Step 1. Prep the pans. Heat the oven to 350°F/176°C. Grease and flour two 9x5-inch loaf pans, or line them with parchment. You can also use 8x4-inch pans, which make taller loaves that need a few extra minutes in the oven.

Two loaf pans buttered liberally covering every inch of the pan for pumpkin walnut bread.

Two perfectly buttered, floured, and parchment paper-lined (bottom only is lined) loaf pans.

Step 2. Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and salt until well combined, so the leavening is evenly distributed and the loaves rise evenly.

Dry pumpkin walnut bread ingredients in a bowl before being whisked to combine.

Making a well in the whisked flour mixture for pumpkin walnut bread.

Step 3. Add the wet ingredients and walnuts. Mix the oil, eggs, water, vanilla, and pumpkin purée together in a separate bowl or large measuring glass just until smooth. Make a well in the flour mixture, pour in the wet ingredients, and stir just until combined. Fold in the toasted walnuts. A few small lumps are fine. Do not overmix, or the bread turns dense.

All the wet pumpkin walnut bread ingredients added to a glass measuring cup.

Pumpkin walnut bread batter in a mixing bowl after being combined.

pumpkin spice pumpkin bread batter in a mixing bowl after just being mixed with toasted walnuts added in a pile

Step 4. Bake. Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake 60 to 65 minutes for 9x5 pans (possibly a little longer for 8x4 pans), until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pans, run a knife around the edges to release, then turn out onto a rack to finish cooling rightside up.

Pumpkin walnut bread batter in a prepared buttered and floured loaf pan.

A baked golden brown pumpkin walnut bread with a bakery style crevice through the middle out of the loaf pan and on a wire rack to cool.

Substitutions: No Nutmeg, No Baking Soda, No Mixer

Homemade pumpkin pie spice recipe in glass Weck jar with wooden spoon next to McCormick pumpkin pie spice bottle showing how to make pumpkin spice substitute comparison for what is in pumpkin pie spice ingredients copycat blend.

Freshly juiced blood orange juice with the empty halves stacked in a pile with the juice pitcher and glass filled with pink blood orange juice next to it.

This recipe is really forgiving. Here's what to do when you're making pumpkin walnut bread and you're out of an ingredient or two:

No nutmeg: leave it out. The pumpkin pie spice already carries plenty of warmth, so the loaf still tastes great without it. Or simply replace with cinnamon
No baking soda: use baking powder instead, about 1 teaspoon for every cup of flour. The rise will be slightly different but it works in a pinch.
No mixer: you don't need one. This batter is made with a bowl and a fork or whisk, which is gentler on the batter and keeps the crumb tender.
No pumpkin pie spice: use cinnamon plus a little nutmeg and ginger, or make my homemade pumpkin pie spice.
Water: swap in orange juice or apple cider a slightly different flavor, though the loaf is super moist with just plain water and allows the pumpkin flavor to be the star.
Less sweet: use ¼ to ½ cup (50 to 100g) less sugar. Don't cut too much, or you risk the recipe failing.

Variations

Toasting pecan halves in a skillet to add to pistachio banana bread.

Labeled pumpkin seed crunch ingredients including raw hulled pumpkin seeds, raw coarse sugar, unsalted butter, and salt.

Pecans instead of walnuts: swap one for one for a buttery, Southern Pecan Pumpkin Bread take.
Chocolate chip: fold in a cup of chocolate chips along with, or instead of, the nuts.
Pumpkin seed crunch: leave the nuts out of the batter and top with toasted buttery, sweet pumpkin seed crunch for a bakery-style finish.
Mini loaves or mason jars: divide among mini loaf pans or wide-mouth mason jars for gifting, and check them around 20 to 25 minutes for doneness because they take less time to bake.
One loaf: the recipe card includes half-batch ingredients.

Want the plain, nut-free version, or a deeper dive on why quick breads sink or turn out dense and how to avoid these pitfalls? Check out my classic pumpkin bread recipe.

Pumpkin walnut bread slices on a pink marble serving tray.

How to Store and Freeze Pumpkin Walnut Bread

Room temperature: wrap well and keep for up to 3 to 4 days. It does not need refrigerating in a mild climate/room temperature. If you're making this in the summer (we do often) and your kitchen is hot, it's best to store it in the fridge.
Freezer: cool completely, wrap in parchment then sustainable cling film, and freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. You can also freeze individual slices for quick breakfasts and snacks.
To thaw: defrost in the refrigerator overnight, or on the counter for a couple of hours.

Pumpkin Walnut Bread FAQ

Can I make pumpkin bread without a mixer?

Yes, this recipe is made entirely by hand with a bowl and a fork or whisk. Mixing by hand is actually better here, since it's gentler on the batter and keeps the crumb tender instead of dense.

Can I make pumpkin bread without nutmeg?

Yes. The nutmeg is optional. The pumpkin pie spice already brings plenty of warm flavor, so the loaf tastes great with the nutmeg left out entirely.

Can I use baking powder instead of baking soda in pumpkin walnut bread?

Yes. Use about 1 teaspoon of baking powder for every cup of flour in the recipe. The rise will be a little different, but the bread still turns out well. I haven't tested it myself, so if you try it, let me know how it goes in the comments.

Should I toast the walnuts first?

Yes, toasting the walnuts first is worth the few extra minutes. It deepens their flavor and keeps them crunchy in the finished loaf. Toast them in a dry skillet or a 350°F oven until fragrant, then let them cool before folding them in.

Why did my pumpkin walnut bread sink in the middle?

Usually underbaking is the culprit, as the wet center collapses as it cools and causes it to sink. Always bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Too much baking soda or too much pumpkin or liquid can also cause loaves to sink, so measure everything carefully and if you're purée is runny, strain it before adding it to the recipe.