Pumpkin Bread (Halloween Edition)

Soft, golden, and filled with a little surprise inside, this Pumpkin Bread is everything you love about fall, wrapped up in the cutest mini pumpkins. Made with real pumpkin purée, a hint of butter, and a melty square of dark chocolate hidden in the centre every bite is perfection.

They rise beautifullybake to golden brown, and look almost too adorable to eat… almost. good for Halloween parties, brunch spreads, or just when you want your kitchen to smell like autumn.

Spooky-Cute and Seriously good

Golden, soft, and perfectly sweet, these mini Pumpkin Breads bring together everything we love about fall: spice, buttery dough, and a gooey chocolate heart. The secret? Real pumpkin purée keeps them tender while melted butter adds richness. Each one bakes up into a cute little pumpkin that's almost too adorable to eat.

Pair them with the Bloody Dip for a sweet-and-savory Halloween table that's equal parts cute and creepy.

Ingredients That Bring the Magic

Soft and full of fall flavor. These little pumpkins get their charm from a few simple ingredients that work perfectly together.

• Pumpkin Purée: Gives the bread its gorgeous color, natural sweetness, and that unmistakable autumn flavor.
• Melted Butter: Adds richness and keeps every bite soft and tender.
• Dark Chocolate: Hidden inside for a melty surprise, because every spell needs a little magic.
• Milk: Brings the dough together and keeps it perfectly moist while it bakes.

Note: Find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the Recipe Card.

On the stove

Soft, golden, and shaped like mini pumpkins. Here's how to bring these cuties to life.

1. Activate the Yeast & Mix the Base. Warm the milk until just lukewarm (not hot), then stir in the yeast until dissolved. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin purée, melted butter, and half the beaten egg.

1. Add the Dry Ingredients & Rest. Add sugar and salt, then pour in the milk–yeast mixture. Mix until combined. Stir in the flour until a soft dough forms, cover, and let rest for 15 minutes.

1. Knead the Dough . Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for at least 10 minutes.It'll be slightly sticky, work quickly until smooth and elastic.

1. First Rise . Place the dough in a floured bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 1 hour.It should double in size and feel airy when pressed.

1. Divide and Fill. Deflate the dough and knead lightly. Divide into 10 pieces (about 55 g each). Flatten each piece, place one square of dark chocolate inside, and seal into a smooth ball.

1. Shape, Rise, and Brush .Wrap each filled dough ball with kitchen twine to form pumpkin sections. Let rise for 30 minutes, then brush tops with the remaining egg.

1. Bake. Preheat the oven. Bake the pumpkin breads until golden brown and slightly firm to the touch. The kitchen will smell like butter and warm pumpkin, let it cool.

1. Decorate & Serve. Finish with candy eyes for the cutest pumpkin look. Serve warm or at room temperature, best enjoyed fresh from the oven.

Want to see how it all comes together? You can See It In Action and follow the full step-by-step.

For a full-on Halloween feast, serve these Pumpkin Breads alongside a few fall favorites. Try them warm with Pumpkin Cheesecake or these scary Bloody Raspberry Muffins with Broken Glass Topping .If you're feeling all-fall-inspired, pair them with some Easy Apple Crumble and Churro Apple Pie Bowls + Caramel Sauce for a little extra.

Cook notes

Yes! You can prepare the dough a day in advance. Just cover it tightly and refrigerate overnight. Let it come to room temperature before shaping.

just make sure it's 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.

Dark chocolate gives the good balance of sweetness and richness, but milk or white chocolate also works great.

Not at all. You can skip it or get creative, try chocolate chips, almonds, or candy corn for fun alternatives.

See It In Action: Step-By-Step

What you need

• ½ cup milk
• 2 tsp instant dry yeast
• ⅝ cup pumpkin purée
• 3 tbsp melted butter
• 1 beaten egg reserve half for egg wash
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 10 small squares of dark chocolate
• green fondant
• red fondant
• candy eyes

Method

1. Warm the milk until just lukewarm (not hot). Add the yeast and stir until dissolved.
2. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin purée, melted butter, and half of the beaten egg.
3. Add sugar and salt, and mix well. Pour in the milk–yeast mixture and stir to combine.
4. Add flour and mix until a soft dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
5. Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for at least 10 minutes. The dough will be slightly sticky, work quickly until smooth.
6. Place dough in a floured bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour at room temperature or until doubled in size.
7. Deflate the dough and knead lightly. Divide into 10 pieces (about 55 g each).
8. Flatten each piece and place 1 square of chocolate in the centre. Seal and shape into a smooth ball.
9. Place each ball in the centre of a long piece of string. Wrap the string around and under the ball to form 8 pumpkin-like sections.
10. Place shaped dough balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
11. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
12. Brush tops with remaining beaten egg.
13. Bake until golden brown
14. Cool on a wire rack.
15. Gently remove the string once cooled
16. Add a green fondant stem in the centre and a red fondant foot underneath.
17. Finish with candy eyes for a fun pumpkin look!