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Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Bread

Copycat Starbucks pumpkin bread with a moist, dense loaf, warm spice batter, and a crackly cinnamon-sugar topping. Baked until a toothpick comes out clean, then cooled for clean slices and a tender crumb.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 2 minutes
cooling 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 32 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Batter
  • 1.6666666667 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup packed brown sugar
  • 0.6666666667 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.3333333333 cup water
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Topping
  • 2 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • 1 tbsp turbinado sugar
  • 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the oven and pan
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper for easy release.
Make the spiced batter
  1. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt until evenly combined.
  2. Whisk pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, packed brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, water, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined; do not overmix to keep the loaf tender.
  4. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top so the topping bakes evenly.
Add topping and bake
  1. Combine raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas), turbinado sugar, and ground cinnamon, then sprinkle evenly over the batter for a crackly finish.
  2. Bake for 60-65 minutes at 350°F, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean; tent with foil if the top browns too quickly.
Cool and slice
  1. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes so it sets before unmolding.
  2. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing for cleaner cuts and the best dense crumb.

Notes

Pro tip: keep mixing to “just combined” after adding the wet ingredients to avoid a tougher crumb. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for 2-3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days; freeze slices for up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a dairy-free option, this recipe is already egg-based and uses no dairy—only swap nothing unless you change eggs.