Rich Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread with a Salted Maple Glaze Recipe
This Rich Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread is a moist and flavorful fall favorite, enhanced with the deep, nutty taste of browned butter and warmly spiced pumpkin puree. Finished with a luscious salted maple glaze, this quick bread offers a perfect balance of sweet and savory notes that make it ideal for breakfast, a snack, or dessert during the cooler months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf (about 8 slices)
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
For the Bread:
- 190 g brown sugar
- 90 g white sugar
- 15 oz pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- 100 ml whole milk
- 30 ml brown butter
- 80 ml neutral oil (e.g., vegetable or canola oil)
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp salt
- 240 g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1-2 tsp pumpkin spice
For the Glaze:
- 25 g brown butter
- 50 g maple syrup
- 50 g powdered sugar
- A pinch of salt
- A dash of vanilla extract
- Milk (as needed for consistency)
Instructions
- Prepare Brown Butter: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, cooking it until it turns a golden brown color and emits a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, white sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, whole milk, cooled brown butter, neutral oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, pumpkin spice, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and spices.
- Incorporate Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, folding gently until just combined. Take care not to overmix to keep the bread tender.
- Prepare Pan and Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a loaf pan. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Bread: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- Make the Glaze: In a saucepan over low heat, melt 25 g of brown butter. Remove from heat and whisk in the maple syrup, powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Add milk a teaspoon at a time to reach a pourable consistency.
- Glaze the Bread: Drizzle the salted maple glaze over the cooled pumpkin bread. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Brown butter adds a rich, nutty flavor that enhances the pumpkin bread.
- Use fresh pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin for convenience; avoid pumpkin pie filling as it contains added sugars and spices.
- The glaze consistency can be adjusted with milk to either drizzle smoothly or be thicker for a heavier coating.
- Store the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- For extra texture, consider folding in chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans into the batter before baking.