Fall is in the air and there are a ton of cozy things to do during the season. One of the fitst that comes to mind are squash and pumpkin recipes of all kinds. With tastebuds craving something warm and comforting, here are two of our favourite pumpkin bread recipes for the perfect fall 

 Two twists on pumpkin bread   vegan friendly!breakfast.

Apple Cider Pumpkin Bread

Apple cider gives this loaf a tad bit of a tang and a lot of sweetness, allowing you to use less sugar than most recipes. For a yummy breakfast, put some additional apple cider in a saucepan and reduce until thick. Toast thick slabs of pumpkin bread under the broiler, top with sauteed apples, and drizzle with apple cider reduction.

Makes 1 loaf

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup apple cider
2 1/4 cups spelt flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup toasted pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

Put the brown sugar, pumpkin puree, coconut milk, coconut oil, and apple cider in a large mixing bowl. Beat until well combined. Put the spelt flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves in a medium bowl. Whisk until well mixed. Make a well in the wet ingredients and pour in the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Stir in the cranberries and pecans. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the top of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.

Fresh Pumpkin Bread

Using grated fresh pumpkin makes this a little less traditional than some pumpkin bread recipes, allowing for a little more moisture released at the right times. Raisins and pumpkin seeds round it out and for a bit of a twist, consider using our recipe for Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds instead. Dried cherries are also a hit in this.

Makes 1 loaf

2 cups spelt flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/4 cups unrefined sugar
3/4 cup coconut oil, melted
3 tablespoons flaxmeal
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups shredded fresh pumpkin
1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

Put the spelt flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk until well combined. Put the sugar, coocnut oil, flaxmeal, coconut milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix well. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture. Mix until just combined. Stir in the shredded pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, and raisins. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake for about 1 hour and 10 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the top of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.

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To learn more about pumpkin and its relatives, check out Know Your Seasonal Produce: Winter Squash, where we give you the lowdown on the different varieties, how to prepare them, nutritional info and a few recipe ideas. And if you’re prepping your pumpkin from scratch, be sure to read Four Things To Do With Pumpkin Seeds–a must-do if you want to eat the seeds, but you don’t want to do them the same ol’ way. We include some variations from the traditional roasting for our favorite fall seed, from energy bars to pesto to soda bread, to the classic crunchy snack (with a twist.)