Healthy Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

Healthy Pumpkin Bread is moist, spiced to perfection, and features an optional cream cheese swirl for an extra delicious twist on easy pumpkin bread. This tender, naturally sweetened pumpkin cream cheese bread makes the perfect fall quick bread recipe. 

If you love healthy baked goods, you will also love Cinnamon Applesauce Muffins, Healthy Pumpkin Muffins, Healthy Banana Bread, and Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

This pumpkin bread with cream cheese swirl is hands down my favorite version EVER!

It is moist, sweet, and filled with a sweet surprise. You would never know it has been made healthier with whole wheat flour, natural sweeteners because it feels like a guilty pleasure.

The cream cheese swirl is totally optional–but it is a sweet, tangy surprise that pairs PERFECTLY with the pumpkin flavor of this spiced bread.

Ingredients in Healthy Pumpkin Bread

The first step to making a quick bread healthier is to swap some of the less than healthy ingredients for better options.

• Whole Wheat Flour–100% whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour for added fiber and nutrients, however, you can use white wheat flour or all-purpose flour if desired.
• Maple Syrup–Maple syrup in place of refined sugar, plus the maple pairs with the maple for a delightful fall flavor.
• Coconut Oil–Coconut oil helps to keep this bread moist, but feel free to use canola oil in place of coconut oil.
• Greek Yogurt–Instead of using all oil, yogurt helps to cut down on the fat content of this recipe but keeps this bread moist and tender.
• Spices–Freshly grated ginger and nutmeg for a burst of flavor. It is best to use freshly grated nutmeg and ginger root for the most authentic pumpkin spice flavor. And cinnamon is added for a warming flavor.
• Pumpkin— Pumpkin is a great source of Vitamin A and fiber.

How To Make Healthy Pumpkin Bread

• Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.
• Grate nutmeg and fresh ginger using a mircoplane, into the flour mixture and mix in.
• In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, pumpkin, oil, and 1/4 cup yogurt.
• Gently combine the pumpkin mixture with the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
• Make the cream cheese filling, by mixing the remaining yogurt with the cream cheese, vanilla, and egg, until well combined.
• Pour half the pumpkin bread batter into a greased 9-inch loaf pan.
• Top with the cream cheese filling.
• Dollop the remaining pumpkin bread batter on top of the cream cheese filling. Do not worry about the batter fully covering cream cheese. 
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Tips on this Moist Pumpkin Bread Recipe

• The cream cheese filling is optional–but highly encouraged. If you would like to omit the cream cheese swirl, just pour the entire Pumpkin Bread into the loaf pan and bake for the same amount of time.
• Do not worry about the final layer of pumpkin bread batter completely covering the cream cheese layer, as it bakes the batter will rise around the cream cheese filling.
• Be sure to store this pumpkin bread in the fridge. 
• Pumpkin bread will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

More Pumpkin Recipes

• Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins
• Instant Pot Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Harvest Quinoa Salad with Pumpkin Dressing
• Overnight Pumpkin Spice French Toast Casserole
• Homemade Pumpkin Butter

Healthy Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread is baked to perfection with maple cream cheese filling.

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 176kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Bread

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs2 eggs
• 1/2 Cup maple syrup1/2 Cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut oil melted1/4 cup coconut oil melted
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup pumpkin puree1 cup pumpkin puree

For the Cream Cheese Filling

• 1 teaspoon vanilla1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup softened cream cheese1/4 cup softened cream cheese
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 egg1 egg
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease a 9 inch loaf pan and set aside.
• In large bowl, sift together flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• In separate bowl, mix together eggs, 1/4 cup yogurt, oil, syrup, and pumpkin puree. Add into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
• Prepare the cream cheese filling (optional) by mixing together cream cheese, vanilla extract, 1/4 cup yogurt, egg, and maple syrup until smooth.
• Pour 1/2 the bread batter into loaf pan. Pour the filling on top of that. Then finish by gently dolloping the remaining bread batter onto the filling. (It is okay if it is not perfectly covered.)
• Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool on cooling rack for 10 minutes and then remove from pan and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Equipment Needed

• 9 inch loaf pan

Notes

• Whole Wheat Flour--you can use white wheat flour or all purpose flour if desired.
• Coconut Oil--feel free to use canola oil in place of coconut oil.
• Ginger Root--It is best to use freshly grated ginger root using a microplane, for best flavor. But feel free to substitute 1/4 teaspoon dried ginger if needed.
• Nutmeg--Freshly grated nutmeg is best, I would leave out nutmeg if you only have ground nutmeg.
• Pumpkin--Be sure to use 100% pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling.
• Cream Cheese Filling--The cream cheese filling is optional--but highly encouraged. If you would like to omit the cream cheese swirl, just pour the entire Pumpkin Bread into the loaf pan and bake for the same amount of time.
• Do not worry about the final layer of pumpkin bread batter completely covering the cream cheese layer, as it it bakes the batter will rise around the cream cheese filling.
• Storing Pumpkin Bread--Be sure to store this pumpkin bread in the fridge. And it will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 233mg | Potassium: 197mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 3265IU | Vitamin C: 0.8mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1mg

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