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Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread

Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread with nutty browned-butter flavor and a tender, sliceable crumb. Melt, brown, cool slightly, then mix into a smooth batter and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

all-purpose flour
  • 1.75 cup all-purpose flour
butter
  • 0.5 cup butter browned in a skillet
pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
granulated sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
eggs
  • 2 eggs large
pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown the butter
  1. Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat, swirling until golden brown and fragrant. Let it cool slightly to avoid scrambling.
Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a loaf pan. Keep it ready while you mix the batter.
Make the batter
  1. Whisk together the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, and cooled brown butter until smooth. Stop when the mixture looks fully combined and glossy.
Finish the loaf batter
  1. Fold in the all-purpose flour until just combined. Mix gently so the batter stays thick and doesn’t overdevelop gluten.
Bake
  1. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 55-65 minutes at 350°F, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool before slicing for clean edges and a set crumb.

Notes

Pro tip: watch the butter closely as it browns—once it turns deep golden with a nutty smell, pull it off the heat immediately. Let the browned butter cool slightly before mixing so it doesn’t scramble the eggs. Store tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to 4 days; freeze slices up to 2 months for best texture. For a dairy-free swap, use a 1:1 plant-butter substitute for the browned-butter step (results may vary slightly in flavor and browning).