Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
Recipe courtesy of Solana Nolfo, NLC. Follow Solana on Instagram at @solanastar.
If you have a gluten intolerance, chances are you miss one major thing this time of year: pumpkin bread!
Well, you’re welcome, this recipe will hit all of your holiday cravings in one swoop: There’s more than twice the pumpkin than traditional versions of this recipe, plus cranberries for when you’re feeling Christmas-ready. As a bonus: There’s a ton of cinnamon, which will help with blood sugar regulation.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 can (15 ounces) unsweetened, organic pumpkin purée (or measure out 2 cups of homemade pumpkin purée and remove 2.5 tablespoons)
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and cooled
- 1.5 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons light buckwheat flour
- 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
- ¾—1 cup chopped nuts (preferably walnuts)
- ½ tablespoon orange zest, optional
DIRECTIONS
- Prepare loaf pan by lining it with parchment paper and spreading or spraying a bit of coconut oil inside. Set oven to 350 degrees.
- In one bowl, use a whisk to combine the almond flour, light buckwheat flour, spices, salt, and chopped nuts. (I use walnuts that are already chopped up into “baking pieces.”)
- In the second bowl, use the same whisk to combine the pumpkin, eggs, maple syrup, coconut sugar, vanilla extract, melted coconut oil, and chopped cranberries.
- Using your spatula, pour the pumpkin mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture and fold until evenly combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Top the batter with a few more chopped walnuts and cranberries.
- Bake for around 55 to 65 minutes.
- Important: Let cool completely before slicing.
WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE
First off, lots of pumpkin bread recipes call for 1 cup of pumpkin, but this one uses nearly 2 cups! Pumpkin is a great source of fiber, vitamins A and C, plus other great vitamins and minerals to Pumpkin is a great source of fiber, vitamins A and C, and antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which help support eye health.
Secondly, eating cranberries fresh is the best way to benefit from their powerful antioxidants and vitamins, without the sugar that’s often added to dried cranberries. They add more vitamin C and fiber to the recipe, along with satisfying burst or tartness.
Buckwheat, a naturally gluten-free seed, is known for having a very strong and unique flavor—light buckwheat flour is not. It has a neutral flavor because the hulls are removed before it’s ground into flour. It’s still a great source of plant-based protein, fiber, and other vitamins and minerals, especially muscle-supportive magnesium. On its own, it can be a bit dry, but the texture is fantastic when blended with almond flour.