Pumpkin and Tahini Bread

Written by
Anita Schecter
Professional recipe developer, food photographer, and blogger with more than a decade of experience creating Middle Eastern recipes.
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Anita Schecter
Updated 07/22/19
Pumpkin and tahini bread
Anita Schecter
  • Total: 75 mins
  • Prep: 20 mins
  • Cook: 55 mins
  • Yield: 8 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
284 Calories
14g Fat
36g Carbs
4g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 servings
Amount per serving
Calories 284
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 52mg 17%
Sodium 363mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 36g 13%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Protein 4g
Calcium 69mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

There's nothing quite like the smell of that first batch of pumpkin bread, baking away on a crisp fall day. The first time it's cool enough outside for the windows to be wide open with a breeze coming in, the first leaves turning orange and yellow and the aroma of autumn spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.

If you're a pumpkin lover, chances are that first batch of sweet bread is only one of many that will be baked throughout the season so there's plenty of time to experiment with different flavor combinations. If you've ever tasted chocolate and pumpkin together, you know it's a perfect match. Likewise, pumpkin and peanut butter marry well. So why not go one step further and add tahini into the pumpkin bread rotation.

Tahini is a wonderfully versatile ingredient. Similar to peanut butter, it can be used equally well in both sweet and savory applications. And, in baking, it acts as a fat and adds moisture to help avoid dry baked goods.

As sweet treats go, pumpkin is a high fiber, low-calorie ingredient. Likewise, sesame paste brings a good dose of added nutrition. Like most nut and seed butters, tahini, which is ground sesame seeds, is high in healthy fat, protein, and vitamins. Plus it adds a lovely nutty flavor to the natural sweetness of the pumpkin. And a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds on top gives a satisfying crunch. Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree (do not use sweet pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds or sesame seeds for topping (optional)

Steps to Make It

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and butter and flour a standard loaf pan. You can also spray it with nonstick cooking spray or baking spray (nonstick spray with flour in it). Try adding a piece of parchment as well, for easy removal from the pan.

  2. Add the eggs and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until thoroughly combined. You may also do this in a large bowl with a hand mixer.

  3. Add in the canola or vegetable oil, the unsweetened pumpkin puree, tahini, water, and vanilla.

  4. In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger.

  5. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet and pour into the prepared loaf pan.

  6. Top with the pumpkin seeds or sesame seeds and bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick, inserted in the center, comes out clean. Serve warm with coffee or tea.