Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Bread with Maple Glaze

Pumpkin bread gets even more delicious with a finish of sweet streusel and maple glaze. This streusel-topped pumpkin bread makes two loaves, so you can freeze one for later or share one with a friend!

If you were to ask me to pick one recipe from this site that my own family makes the most often, it would probably be my pumpkin bread. 

My kids, husband, extended family, neighbors, and friends are all obsessed with that recipe. It is moist and flavorful, has a beautiful rise, and makes two loaves so there’s always plenty to share.

When I was thinking about the recipe this year, I decided to give it a try with a streusel topping and pair it with a maple glaze. And you know what? I think we love this new version even more.

If you’re looking for a no-fail way to impress your friends or show a neighbor you care, you’ve got to bake a batch of this streusel-topped pumpkin bread.

THE BEST PUMPKIN BREAD WITH STREUSEL TOPPING AND MAPLE GLAZE

I’ve made a few different versions of my classic pumpkin bread over the years. From brown butter pumpkin bread to pumpkin chocolate chip bread, they are always a hit.

And what isn’t made better with a streusel topping? Banana nut bread? Apple fritter bread? Can’t miss that streusel.

And I love a bit of maple in the fall. From the maple cream cheese frosting on my zucchini cake to the salted maple glaze on my apple galette, it’s kind of a forgotten fall flavor that totally deserves more love.

Lemme tell ya, adding both things to my favorite pumpkin bread was an A+ decision, okay?

The flavor of the pumpkin really shines through in this recipe and goes so well with the brown sugar in the streusel and the maple syrup in the glaze.

One of the best things about this recipe, in my opinion, is the beautiful rise of the bread. Adding that streusel topping and the drizzled-on glaze makes the bread even more beautiful. After all, we eat with our eyes first! 

HOW TO MAKE STREUSEL-TOPPED PUMPKIN BREAD

Like most quick bread recipes, this streusel-topped pumpkin bread is pretty easy to make. You can use a mixer or simply whisk it together by hand. Plus, there’s no need to wait for anything to soften before you get started.

Can you tell that I think you should get started on this recipe right now??

Ingredients you’ll need

The pumpkin bread base is the same as my original recipe. For the bread itself, you will need:

• 1 can pure pumpkin puree
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• ⅔ cup water
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

Make sure you purchase pumpkin puree for this recipe, not pumpkin pie filling.

If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can substitute with just cinnamon, or a combination of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. I would recommend 1 ½ tablespoons of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of ground ginger, and ½ teaspoon of nutmeg.

Apple pie spice would also work just fine.

The streusel topping is where this recipe starts to differ from the classic. For the streusel, you will need:

• ½ cup light or dark brown sugar, lightly packed
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• pinch of salt
• ¼ cup melted unsalted butter

It is up to you if you want to use light brown or dark brown sugar. Dark brown sugar has more molasses in it, so the flavor is a bit richer. 

Again, if you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, simply use ½ teaspoon of cinnamon. It’ll still be delicious! 

We can’t forget about the maple glaze! You’ll need:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 5 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon maple extract
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Why use both maple syrup and maple extract? Adding maple extract boosts the maple flavor of the glaze without adding any more sweetness. That way, the flavor really pops without making the bread overwhelmingly sweet.

Helpful resources

• Make sure you know how to measure flour correctly before you start so this streusel-topped pumpkin bread comes out perfect every time.
• Use the same fluff, scoop, and level method for measuring flour to measure your powdered sugar. 
• Don’t stress if you run out of brown sugar. An easy brown sugar substitute works great in a pinch! I’ve also got a bunch of ways to soften brown sugar if yours hardened in the pantry.
• Not sure what makes kosher salt different from table salt? Check out my post on the types of salt to learn about those two salts and more.

Making this recipe

This streusel-topped pumpkin bread recipe makes two 8.5×4-inch loaves. Grease and flour two loaf pans and set them aside. You could also grease them and line them with parchment instead of flouring them.

To make the pumpkin bread batter, mix the pumpkin, eggs, oil, water, vanilla, and sugar until well combined. You can do this with a mixer or by hand.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Divide the batter between the prepared loaf pans.

Now make the streusel. In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Stir in the melted butter until clumps form and sprinkle this over the bread batter.

Bake the bread loaves for about an hour. They’re done when a toothpick or tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the pumpkin bread cool completely before adding the maple glaze.

When you’re ready for the glaze, whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth and drizzle over the bread. Let the glaze harden slightly before slicing and enjoying.

STORAGE AND FREEZING TIPS

Store streusel-topped pumpkin bread well-wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days.

You can also freeze this bread. If you are freezing the entire loaf, I would recommend freezing it before glazing it for the prettiest finish, since sometimes glazes can get messed up during thawing.

Wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of heavy-duty foil. Freeze for up to three months. Let the bread thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours.

If you want to freeze individual slices, wrap each slice in plastic wrap and store in a zip-top freezer bag. When you’re ready to enjoy a slice, unwrap and microwave for 30-60 seconds to both thaw and warm the bread through.

FAQS

Can I use fresh pumpkin puree instead of canned pumpkin?

Of course! Homemade pumpkin puree works great in this recipe. You could even use butternut squash puree if it’s what you happen to have on hand. 

I don’t have maple extract. Can I still make the maple glaze?

Yes, you can. The maple glaze simply enhances the flavor of the glaze, but it is still delicious with just the maple syrup.

Can I use pancake syrup instead of maple syrup in the glaze?

No, to get the maple flavor in this glaze, you need to use pure maple syrup. Pancake syrup will not give you the same flavor, even with the added maple extract.

Is there a substitute I can use for the vegetable oil?

If you don’t like baking with vegetable oil, you have a couple of options.

You can use any neutral oil you like, such as avocado oil, or you can use an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce. Many readers over the years have used these swaps successfully.

Can I make this streusel-topped pumpkin bread vegan or gluten free?

For a vegan version, numerous readers have successfully substituted the eggs in the batter with flax eggs. You can also substitute the melted butter in the streusel for melted vegan butter.

For a gluten-free version, I have had readers use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour in place of the all-purpose flour.

I have not tried either of these substitutes myself, but they have worked well for other readers over the years! 

Can I make this into muffins?

Yes! A half-batch of my pumpkin bread makes 18 pumpkin muffins. If you make a whole batch of this streusel-topped pumpkin bread batter, you should get around 36 muffins. 

Because muffins have more surface area and more tops, I would use the same amount of streusel and glaze for a half batch or double the streusel and glaze for a whole batch when making muffins.