Vegan Pumpkin Gingerbread

Vegan Pumpkin Gingerbread- Made with whole grain flour and pumpkin puree, this gingerbread is incredibly moist and rich with seasonal spice. Perfect for sharing during the holidays!

If you’ve made my Healthy Flourless Gingerbread Muffins then you know the wonders that pumpkin puree can work for gingerbread. I actually had a request from a reader (who loves those muffins) to create a similar recipe in loaf form so here we are.

This recipe is similar in flavor but very different in several other ways. For one, it’s made with whole grain flour (rather than rolled oats) and doesn’t call for eggs. It also incorporates an entire cup of pumpkin puree vs. just 1/2 cup in the muffins. So the texture is slightly less fluffy but much more moist.

Vegan Pumpkin Gingerbread Ingredients

• Whole Wheat Flour- I prefer to use whole wheat flour when baking vegan loafs as the texture usually turns out much better. Although I haven’t tested it this way, you should be able to equally swap the wheat flour with all-purpose gluten-free flour for a GF option.
• Ground Ginger and Cinnamon- I stuck with ginger and cinnamon to keep things simple but feel free to add cloves, nutmeg or any other spices you enjoy in gingerbread.
• Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt- I know that using baking powder and baking soda may seem excessive but using both gives that extra rise that is needed to replace the lift that eggs provide. Salt is included to balance out the sweetness. I use 1/2 teaspoon because I love salt but feel free to reduce it to 1/4 teaspoon if you’re used to taking it easy on the salt.
• Pumpkin Puree- Using pumpkin puree makes this gingerbread extra moist without increasing the need for butter or oil. Make sure it is pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie mix.
• Coconut Sugar- If you don’t like coconut sugar, no worries. Sub it out with equal amounts cane sugar or brown sugar.
• Unsulphured Molasses- This type of molasses is best for baking as it’s the most pure form and doesn’t leave behind any residual aftertaste.
• Vanilla Extract- As much as I love vanilla (and typically always include in baking) you can get away with omitting it if you don’t have any.
• Warm Water- Using warm water is key to make sure you don’t solidify the melted coconut oil. It also just helps everything blend together better.
• Coconut Oil- If you’re worried about tasting coconut in this recipe, don’t be! I promise it is undetectable. As far as using a different type of oil, I would opt for olive oil although it might lend a slightly more savory flavor.

Frosting Ideas

You might be wondering, “what is that white stuff on top?”. I didn’t include it in the recipe because honestly this gingerbread is perfectly fine on it’s own. I just wanted to make it look pretty for the pictures. :)

If you’re wanting to make it look pretty too, you can easily whip up a vegan cream cheese frosting by combining 4-ounces cream cheese with 1/2 to 3/4 cup powdered sugar and beating until smooth.

You can also top it with a sprinkle of powdered sugar to give a “snowy” effect.

How to Store Leftovers

Because I always bake with organic flours, my baked goods won’t last long sitting at room temperature. I usually store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1-week with good results.

I haven’t tried freezing this gingerbread but my suspicion is that it would work well so long as you forgo the frosting.

More Holiday Treats

• Vegan Gingerbread Men
• Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
• The BEST Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Dreamy Vegan Snickerdoodles
• Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cookies
• The Best Vegan Hot Chocolate
• Vegan Sugar Cookies
• Vegan Oatmeal Cream Pies
• Grain-free Cranberry Orange Breakfast Cookies

Print Recipe

Vegan Pumpkin Gingerbread

Made with whole grain flour and pumpkin puree, this gingerbread is incredibly moist and rich with seasonal spice. Perfect for sharing during the holidays!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 8 slices

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

• 1½ cups whole wheat or spelt flour, sub GF all-purpose for gluten-free
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup coconut sugar, can also use cane sugar or brown sugar
• ⅓ cup unsulphured molasses
• ¼ cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup melted coconut oil

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F then lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift together and set aside.
• In a separate large bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, coconut sugar, molasses, warm water, vanilla extract and melted coconut oil. Stir until well combined.
• Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet and stir until evenly incorporated. Transfer the batter to the greased loaf pan. Place the loaf pan in the oven and bake for about 55 minutes, or until the middle is set (a fork should come out clean when poked in the center).
• Set aside to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. If topping with frosting, allow to cool completely beforehand. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Notes

Nutrition Facts are for 1/8th of recipe (or 1 slice when loaf is cut into 8 slices).

To make vegan cream cheese frosting: combine 4-ounces cream cheese with 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Stir vigorously until a smooth frosting forms. You may need to add a few tablespoons more of sugar to help it thin out more. 

Nutrition

Calories: 279kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 242mg, Potassium: 460mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 4769IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 92mg, Iron: 2mg

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback!