Name: Pumpkin Chai Bread with Brown Butter & Cinnamon Crunch Top
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 10 slices
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 0.5 cup unsalted butter; 0.5 cup brown sugar; 0.25 cup maple syrup; 2 eggs; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 15 oz cans pumpkin puree; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 0.75 tsp baking soda; 0.5 tsp salt; 0.75 tsp ground ginger; 0.75 tsp cardamom powder; 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg powder; 0.25 tsp ground cloves; 1 pinch ground black pepper; 0.5 cup sugar; 3 tablespoons brown sugar; 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 0.25 tsp salt; 0.75 cup all-purpose flour

Pumpkin Chai Bread with Brown Butter & Cinnamon Crunch Top

Pumpkin Chai Bread with Brown Butter & Cinnamon Crunch Top cover

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Pumpkin Chai Bread with Brown Butter & Cinnamon Crunch Top

Browndis

Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Instructions

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Instructions

Place ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Stir as it melts, foams, and turns golden brown (5–7 minutes). When nutty brown bits form on the bottom, remove from heat and pour into a heat-safe bowl, scraping all browned bits. Cool slightly before using.‍

In a small bowl, mix together sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, flour, and melted butter until crumbly. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper for easy removal.‍

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the browned butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree until smooth.‍

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and optional finely ground black pepper.

Add dry mixture into wet mixture. Gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix — batter should be thick.

Spread batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle cinnamon crunch topping across the surface.‍

Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).

Allow loaf to cool in the pan for 15–20 minutes, then lift out and transfer to a wire rack. Cool for at least 2 hours before slicing for best texture.

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Brown Your Butter Properly 🧈
Cook butter over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, swirling occasionally, until it turns golden and smells nutty. Let it cool completely before mixing into batter to prevent curdling the eggs and preserve that rich, caramelized flavor.
Bloom Your Chai Spices 🤎
Toast the cardamom, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg in a dry skillet for 1-2 minutes before grinding to intensify their aromatic compounds and create deeper, more complex chai flavors.
Don't Overmix the Batter ✨
Mix wet and dry ingredients just until combined to avoid developing gluten, which creates dense, tough bread. A few small lumps are perfectly fine and will result in a tender, moist crumb.
Toast Your Cinnamon Crunch Topping 🥄
Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter for the topping, then spread on batter and briefly toast under a broiler for 1-2 minutes before baking to caramelize it and ensure maximum crunch and flavor.
Test with a Toothpick Early ⏱️
Start checking doneness at 50 minutes with a toothpick inserted in the center—pumpkin bread continues cooking after removal due to carryover heat, so pull it slightly underbaked for ultimate moistness.