Pumpkin Loaf with Granola Streusel Gluten-Free Recipe

A Gluten Free Loaf Bread with a Crunchy Granola Topping

I love a classic, sweet homemade loaf bread more than any other baking season treat! They are so satisfying with their dense texture and exciting toppings. I have many favorite recipes; chocolate chip loaf, banana bread, zucchini bread, iced lemon loaf, but you cannot ignore the bliss of a classic pumpkin loaf. I’m skipping the typical heavy cream cheese frosting with this Pumpkin Loaf recipe and going for something crunchier, lighter and easier! On its own Homestyle Granola is a mildly sweet, super crunchy snack but once you add it to this timeless recipe you’ll see it’s the perfect topping for a variety of holiday baking. 

I mostly followed this recipe from I Heart Eating and used Premium Gold Gluten Free All Purpose Flour instead of the recommended wheat flour. As I was baking, Erin taught me that gluten free flours often soak up a lot more moisture than a standard wheat flour. The one I used had a combination of rice, quinoa, buckwheat and flax. It made for a great gluten free texture, but I ended up using only 1 ½ cups where the original recipe recommended 2 cups of all-purpose flour. This is something to keep in mind as you make the recipe, if you are using wheat flour go for a full 2 cups and if you are using an alternative flour add it in slowly and keep an eye on the consistency. You want a thick batter but do not want it to be dry. Erin had another great tip, that if you add too much flour and your mix becomes stodgy, you can thin the batter out with a little water. They say baking is a science, but I say it’s more fun to make it a bit of an experiment!

As a gluten free eater, I love our Homestyle Granola as a delicious option not only for a daily snack but also to add to homemade baked goods. You can use them in your pie crusts this fall or like we do in this vegan and gluten free Ice Cream Pie recipe, use it as part of a crumble on top of muffins or on a berry crumble. The clusters of granolas are pretty large, so I put them in a food processor for just a few seconds to get things a bit more consistent. You can also wrap a pile of granola in a clean dish cloth or a plastic bag then smash away at the pile until you reach the desired consistency. The desired consistency is up to you, go super fine or super coarse. The finer the crumble, the less crunchy it will be. The granola on its own is not overly sweet, if you want an extra sweet topping add in 1 tablespoon of brown sugar when you crush the granola. You can also add an additional teaspoon of canola oil to the topping.

Another change I made to the original recipe was doubling the amount of Pumpkin Pie Spice it called for. I don’t know about you, but I pretty much always double spices when following a recipe. If it is a pumpkin spice loaf it should taste like pumpkin spice! If you like a milder flavor take it down to 1 tablespoon which is what the original recipe called for. I used the Pumpkin Pie Spice from Trader Joe’s but you can also make your own. If you really love ginger but are not a huge fan of allspice, making your own spice blend will let you customize the flavor to your taste.

The bake time for the bread is 40 minutes to an hour and mine was done right in the middle at about 50 minutes. I would check on your loaf at 40, 50 and 60 until a toothpick pulls out clean. Especially if you choose an alternative flour, the bake time will vary. As you are sorting through Pinterest for other baking inspiration don’t forget about this easy trick to elevate the texture and flavor of your favorite desserts by adding granola. Here are my favorite Granola flavors to add to baked goods:

Vanilla Almond Quinoa – This classic flavor goes well with most baked goods. I would use it with any lemon, berry, or Pumpkin recipe. Making Banana Pudding this holiday season? Use this as your crust mixed with almond butter, you wont regret it!

Maple Pecan – One of our sweeter Homestyle Granola flavors that is only available during the fall, this is another great option for a Pumpkin or Gingerbread recipe. Dishes made with pears, peaches, berries or chocolate would also be much improved with Maple Pecan Granola.

Double Chocolate Granola – Don’t miss out on these decadent Double Chocolate Turtles that Erin made with Double Chocolate Homestyle Granola. They’re a 4 ingredient treat that have been a favorite over the years. Other flavors to pair with Double Chocolate Granola: lemon, raspberry and more chocolate!

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Loaf with Granola Streusel Recipe

Original Recipe from: I Heart Eating

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Vanilla Almond Quinoa Granola
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (Plus 2 Tablespoons, optional)
• 2 large eggs
• 15 oz can pumpkin puree
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose gluten free flour
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 325 Fahrenheit and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl mix together flour, salt, spices, baking powder and baking soda.
3. In a food processor puree the Vanilla Almond Quinoa Granola with 2 tablespoons of sugar (optional). Do not over puree, just fine enough so it can be easily spread. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl whisk together canola oil and sugar, adding in eggs and pumpkin puree one at a time until well combined.
5. Slowly add in flour mixture.
6. Fill your lined loaf pan with half of the mixture and top with granola crumble. Bake for 40-60 minutes.

Happy Holiday Baking!

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Symone Maruyama
Customer Experience Coordinator | Erin Baker's