It’s no surprise that Starbucks bakes a great pumpkin loaf. From their beloved lemon loaf to the iconic cheese Danish, Starbucks has its pastry case down pat. But in the midst of fall, the pumpkin loaf reigns supreme: Tender, fall-spiced and abundantly pumpkin-y, it’s almost worth the $4.75 for a 1-inch-thick slice. Almost. That’s why our Test Kitchen pros decided to crack the code on the recipe, creating a copycat Starbucks pumpkin bread that can be made right at home as a much more economical option.

Our recipe uses an entire can of pumpkin between two loaves, so it’s full of great pumpkin flavor, plus a perfected spice blend that helps it taste just like the pumpkin loaf at Starbucks. Before they hit the oven, the loaves are sprinkled with pumpkin seeds, mimicking the shop’s iconic pumpkin bread from the inside out.

To make it feel as if you’re buying the pumpkin bread right from Starbucks, cut the loaves into 1-inch-thick slices and pair a slice with a copycat Starbucks pumpkin spice latte.

Ingredients for Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Bread

• Canned pumpkin: Not all canned pumpkins are created equal. In fact, some brands are better than others. Our Test Kitchen pros taste-tested eight different brands to find the best canned pumpkin.
• Eggs: Bring the four eggs to room temperature so they blend better into the batter. Four eggs seem like a lot, but they add structure and volume to the bread.
• Canola oil: Since canola oil is liquid at room temperature, it helps maintain moisture in the pumpkin loaves. Butter, even melted butter, will resolidify at room temperature, making the loaves a little drier.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the pumpkin loaves. Feel free to use light brown sugar in its place.
• Honey: Honey’s nuanced flavor goes beyond simple sweetness, creating lightly floral, earthy flavors in the pumpkin loaves.
• All-purpose flour: For the lightest pumpkin loaves, measure the flour properly (so you’re not accidentally adding too much flour) and then sift it so it blends into the batter easily. The less mixing, the lighter the loaves.
• Baking soda: Baking soda makes the pumpkin loaves rise.
• Spices: We’ve perfected the spice blend used in the pumpkin loaf at Starbucks: It’s a specific mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger.
• Pumpkin seeds: Also called pepitas, pumpkin seeds bake on top of the Starbucks pumpkin bread recipe. You can find them among the nuts and seeds at the grocery store.

Taste of Home