Pumpkin Puree: During pumpkin season, I love making my own homemade pumpkin puree (it’s super easy!). However, you may also use canned pumpkin if you prefer (make sure it’s canned pumpkin and NOT pumpkin pie filling).

Eggs: The eggs help to bind the ingredients together. If you rather not use egg yolks, feel free to use 4 egg whites instead of 2 whole eggs. I personally have not made this recipe without eggs, however, if you are allergic to eggs, you may also use aquafaba or an egg-replacer. (If you do make this egg-free, please let me know how it goes in the comments below, I’d love to know!)

Warm Water: Make sure that the water is between 105F to 115F, because the yeast requires warmth to be activated, but if the water if too hot the high temperature will kill the yeast. You may also use warm unsweetened dairy-free milk (such as almond milk, cashew milk, rice milk, soy milk or oat milk). Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, feel free to use whole milk instead.

Sunflower Oil: I like using sunflower oil because I always have a bottle of it on hand. However, you may also use melted vegan butter or another vegetable oil (such as olive oil, melted coconut oil, or avocado oil). Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, feel free to use melted butter or ghee instead.

Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: I highly recommend using a good-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour that’s made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch or potato starch) for a lighter and fluffier final texture. I do NOT recommend using gluten-free flour blends that include heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour) as that will result in a denser final texture.

Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is the replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours, so make sure to add it in if your gluten-free flour blend does not already include it.

Psyllium Husk Powder: Psyllium husk powder adds structure and binding power to the ingredients and really makes a difference in how the bread domes. Make sure to use the powder version. If you only have access to whole psyllium husks, you can grind the whole husks in a coffee grinder or high-speed blender until you get very fine powder.

Instant Yeast: I like using instant yeast because there is no pre-activation time required and you can mix the instant yeast directly in with the other dry ingredients. If you only have active dry yeast, make sure you activate it beforehand (mix the active dry yeast with the warm water and sugar and let it sit for a few minutes in a warm place until the mixture is foamy).

Sugar: The sugar is required as “food” for the yeast to feed on in order to be activated and produce the gases required for the dough to rise. I used white sugar, but you can also use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar if you prefer.

Baking Powder: In addition to the yeast, baking powder helps the dough to rise a little more. If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure to use certified gluten-free baking powder.

Storing/Freezing: To store, place the cooled pumpkin yeast bread in an airtight container or wrap in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap the pumpkin yeast loaf in various layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Let the frozen loaf thaw completely overnight in the refrigerator before slicing.