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Best Easy Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread with Streusel Topping

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This brown butter pumpkin bread with streusel topping started as a happy accident and became a go-to fall bake. It’s easy, quick, and packed with deep nutty flavor from browned butter, warm spices, and a crunchy streusel topping.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick or 113 grams) unsalted butter
  • 1 3/4 cups (220 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup (240 grams) pumpkin purée
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup (60 grams) all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • 1/4 cup (50 grams) light brown sugar, packed (for streusel)
  • 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar (for streusel)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (for streusel)
  • a pinch of salt (for streusel)
  • 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes (for streusel)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position a rack in the center of the oven. Line your 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the long sides.
  2. Brown the butter: Place the 1/2 cup of unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally. The butter will melt, then foam, then start to sizzle. After about 4-5 minutes, you’ll see golden brown specks forming at the bottom. The butter will smell nutty. As soon as it turns a light amber color, remove from heat immediately. Pour into a heatproof bowl to stop cooking. Let cool for about 10 minutes.
  3. Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
  4. Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the 1 cup pumpkin purée, 2 room-temperature eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 cup buttermilk, and the cooled brown butter. Whisk until smooth.
  5. Combine wet and dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold together gently until just combined. A few lumps are fine. Do not overmix.
  6. Make the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Add the 3 tablespoons of cold, cubed butter. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces.
  7. Assemble the bread: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the top. Gently press the streusel into the batter just a little so it sticks during baking.
  8. Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes. Start checking at 50 minutes by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, it’s done. If the top is browning too quickly (after about 40 minutes), tent the pan loosely with aluminum foil.
  9. Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then use the parchment paper to lift it out and transfer it to the rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Don’t walk away from the brown butter; it goes from perfect to burnt in about 30 seconds. Use a light-colored pan for browning butter to see the color change. Room temperature ingredients matter—cold eggs or buttermilk can seize the brown butter. Don’t overmix the batter. Let the bread cool completely before slicing to prevent crumbling. The bread tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin bread, brown butter, streusel, fall baking, easy pumpkin bread, quick bread

Find it online: https://spoonmira.com/best-easy-brown-butter-pumpkin-bread-with-streusel-topping/