Healthy Slow Cooker Pumpkin Bread

Who knew you could bake a delicious loaf of pumpkin bread in your slow cooker?

This healthy slow cooker pumpkin bread is moist, sweet and warmly spiced, with whole wheat flour, pumpkin puree, raisins and chopped nuts. It’s a wonderful fall treat, especially when you want homemade pumpkin bread without turning on the oven.

I adapted the recipe from Fix-It and Forget-It New Cookbook: 250 New Delicious Slow Cooker Recipes (affiliate link) by Phyllis Good, which was quickly becoming one of my most-used slow cooker cookbooks when I first made it.

Everyone who sampled this pumpkin bread really liked it. I think you will too.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• No oven needed. The bread bakes right in your slow cooker.
• Made with whole wheat flour. A little extra fiber and a hearty, tender texture.
• Naturally sweetened. Use honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup or a combination.
• Moist and flavorful. Pumpkin puree keeps the bread tender, while cinnamon, ginger and cloves add warm fall flavor.
• Perfect for sharing. Enjoy a slice with coffee or tea, and save the leftovers for later.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s what goes into this easy slow cooker pumpkin bread:

• Whole wheat flour: I used white whole wheat flour, which has a milder flavor than traditional whole wheat flour.
• Pumpkin puree: Use plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
• Honey, maple syrup or brown rice syrup: Any of these will work, or you can use a combination. I used half maple syrup and half brown rice syrup.
• Oil: Helps keep the bread moist and tender.
• Eggs: Provide structure and help the loaf hold together.
• Water: Adds a little extra moisture.
• Raisins: Add little pockets of sweetness.
• Chopped nuts: For a bit of crunch and texture.
• Baking powder and baking soda: Help the bread rise.
• Cinnamon, ginger and cloves: Give the bread its warm pumpkin spice flavor.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor.

How to Make Pumpkin Bread in a Slow Cooker

The process is much like making traditional pumpkin bread, except you’ll bake it in a loaf pan (affiliate link) inside your slow cooker.

Step 1: Prepare the Slow Cooker

You’ll need a 6-quart or larger slow cooker and a loaf pan (affiliate link) that fits inside it. I used an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan.

Coat the loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Make a small trivet for the bottom of your slow cooker using a coil of aluminum foil or several metal canning jar rings.

This keeps the loaf pan raised off the bottom of the slow cooker.

Step 2: Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a medium bowl, combine the oil, sweetener, eggs, pumpkin puree, water, raisins and chopped nuts.

Stir until well blended.

Step 3: Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves.

Step 4: Make the Batter

Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture.

Stir just until everything is combined. Avoid overmixing, which can make quick breads tough.

Step 5: Bake in the Slow Cooker

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Set the pan on the trivet inside your slow cooker.

Prop the slow cooker lid open slightly at one end with a wooden spoon (affiliate link) handle or chopstick to allow excess moisture to escape.

Cook on HIGH for 3½ to 4 hours, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 6: Cool and Slice

Carefully remove the hot loaf pan from the slow cooker using oven mitts.

Let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then loosen the edges with a knife and turn it out onto a wire rack.

Turn the loaf right side up and let it cool a little longer before slicing.

Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Pumpkin Bread

Make sure your loaf pan fits. Before mixing the batter, place your empty loaf pan inside the slow cooker and check that the lid can sit in place.

Raise the pan off the bottom. A foil trivet or canning jar rings help keep the loaf pan from sitting directly against the slow cooker’s hot surface.

Let steam escape. Propping the lid open slightly helps prevent excess condensation from collecting on the bread. I do this with a wooden spoon (affiliate link).

Check for doneness. Slow cookers vary, so begin checking toward the end of the cooking time. The center should be fully baked.

Let it cool before slicing. Warm quick bread can be delicate. Giving it time to cool makes slicing easier.

Easy Variations and Substitutions

One of the things I like about this recipe is how easily you can adapt it.

• Sweetener: Use honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup or a combination. Different sweeteners will give the bread slightly different flavors.
• Nuts: Walnuts or pecans are both delicious choices.
• Raisins: Use regular or golden raisins, or leave them out if you prefer.
• Chocolate chips: For a sweeter treat, replace the raisins with a few mini chocolate chips.
• Homemade pumpkin puree: If you have fresh pumpkin on hand, try my homemade pressure cooker pumpkin puree.

How I Lightened Up This Pumpkin Bread

The original recipe was already made with whole wheat flour, but I made a few small adjustments to suit my tastes.

I reduced the oil from ? cup to ¼ cup, used a combination of maple syrup and brown rice syrup in place of honey, and cut back a little on the raisins and nuts.

Nothing drastic. Just a few small changes that made the recipe a little lighter while keeping it moist and delicious.

How Many Calories and WW Points?

According to my calculations, each slice has about 213 calories.

To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
6 PointsPlus (Old plan)

Healthy Slow Cooker Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Recipe source: Slightly adapted from Fix-It and Forget-It New Cookbook: 250 New Delicious Slow Cooker Recipes (affiliate link) by Phyllis Good.

More Easy Slow Cooker Baking Recipes

If you enjoyed this pumpkin bread, you might also like:

• Slow Cooker Apple Cake – Another easy way to enjoy homemade cake without turning on the oven.
• Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Pudding – A creamy, crustless pumpkin dessert that’s especially nice with a little whipped cream.
• Slow Cooker Baked Apples with Gingersnaps – A warm & cozy dessert perfect for fall.
• Easy Slow Cooker Applesauce Spice Cake – If you like simple old-fashioned scratch cakes, I think you’ll enjoy the flavor and texture of this easy slow cooker applesauce spice cake.
• Easy Slow Cooker Pumpkin Crumb Cake – A simple & delicious shortcut dessert perfect for pumpkin season.

If you try this healthy slow cooker pumpkin bread, I’d love to hear how it turns out. Leave a comment and let me know whether you used honey, maple syrup or another sweetener!