Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread Recipe
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An easy no mixer quick bread flavored with real pumpkin, warm spices, and sweetened with brown sugar and chocolate chips. Leave the chocolate chips out for a classic pumpkin loaf instead.
THIS PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP BREAD IS AMAZING
Believe me when I say this is THE BEST pumpkin bread I’ve ever had. With carefully chosen ingredients, each slice promises an incredibly moist crumb and the instructions are very straightforward. Be sure you follow the baking instructions perfectly to insure there are no dry crumbs (the worst)!
Not only are we using canned pumpkin, we’re also using pumpkin spices to amp up the flavor. While the chocolate chips are optional, we love using them! See below for other variations we’ve tried in this pumpkin bread.
THE RECIPE HAS BEEN TESTED AND PERFECTED
I’ve had this recipe on my site since 2017, and it has seen many variations and tests in that time to insure the loaf is flavorful, moist without being soggy, and one that doesn’t sink from heavy ingredients.
You’ll see that you have a few choices when it comes to the fat you use: oil or butter. While the original recipe from 2017 exclusively used melted butter, I have tested this loaf now with vegetable oil as well as melted coconut oil and am happy to report that you have options.
Be sure you’re paying close attention to the notes in the recipe card because bake times will change depending on what you choose.
My preference? I don’t have one. Butter, chocolate chips, no chips, oil… Doesn’t matter! Just get in my belly. This bread is truly delicious no matter how you mix it.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread ingredients
You only need simple ingredients for this bread, but you will want to make sure your wet ingredients are at room temperature (yes, even the pumpkin) for proper incorporation of the batter.
You will need:
• all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• baking soda
• pumpkin pie spice
• ground cinnamon
• salt
• light or dark brown sugar
• vegetable oil
• eggs
• pumpkin puree
• milk
• vanilla extract
• semi-sweet chocolate chips
How to make Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips
STEP #1
Start by whisking together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt, then set this mixture aside.
STEP #2
Next, whisk together the brown sugar and oil or melted butter until no sugar lumps remain. Add the eggs, pumpkin, milk, and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and stir gently until evenly dispersed.
STEP #3
Pour the bread into the prepared loaf pan and bake until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. You may want to tent foil over the top of the loaf pan halfway through the baking time if you are worried about too much browning.
HOW TO TELL IF PUMPKIN BREAD IS DONE
It’s important you don’t overbake this bread, so be sure you’re using a toothpick or cake tester to check that the center crumbs are done. Moist crumbs are best for quick bread!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf Variations
Feel free to leave out the chocolate chips entirely or use a different kind of chip (looking at you, white chocolate or cinnamon chips). Butterscotch and pumpkin go so well together (as evidenced in my pumpkin butterscotch bark).
As I mentioned, you can use oil or melted butter for this bread. In my extensive testing, there is no giant discernible difference, though I think butter is a better choice if you’re leaving out the chips so the bread has buttery notes. It is even more crucial when using butter to insure you aren’t overbaking the bread as butter tends to dry out baked goods more easily than oil does.
If you don’t want to use vegetable oil, you can use another neutral oil like melted coconut oil.
If you want a glaze, I recommend using the glaze from my lemon loaf and replacing the lemon juice with water or milk and adding some spices.
How to serve this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread Recipe
I love this bread warmed up, but it’s important you don’t slice into it until it’s completely cooled down, otherwise it may crumble and/or lose its moisture.
This bread is delicious with a spread of butter, cream cheese, or if you’re feeling really fun, dip it into some pumpkin dip!
How to store Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips
This bread will store fine at room temperature, but since it’s a very moist bread, you may want to stick it in the fridge if you feel like your kitchen may be too warm.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Recipe FAQs
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf
Ingredients
- 1 and ¾ cups (210g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
- 1 and ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup (132g) firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (112mL) vegetable oil1 or melted butter
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup pumpkin puree2 room temperature
- ⅓ cup milk3 room temperature
- 1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (112g) semi-sweet chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Spray a 9" x 5" loaf pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.1 and ¾ cups (210g) all-purpose flour, 1 and ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon salt
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and oil or melted butter until no sugar lumps remain. Add the eggs, pumpkin, milk, and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and stir gently until evenly dispersed.⅔ cup (132g) firmly packed light or dark brown sugar, ½ cup (112mL) vegetable oil1, 2 large eggs, 1 cup pumpkin puree2, ⅓ cup milk3, 1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, ⅔ cup (112g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Pour the bread into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 42-50 minutes4, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Tent foil over the top of the loaf pan halfway through the baking time if you are worried about too much browning. Allow bread to cool completely in the loaf pan on a wire cooling rack before serving. Leftovers stay fresh at room temperature up to 4 days or in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Loaf may be frozen, up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil before freezing. Thaw overnight in refrigerator.
Notes
- Oil or butter: you can use either for this recipe, though I personally prefer the taste, texture, and moisture with oil. You can also use melted coconut oil.
- Pumpkin: I always measure pumpkin purée with measuring cups as the moisture content can wildly change the weight measurements, depending on the brand.
- Milk: I prefer whole cow milk for this bread, but you can use any fat content or non-dairy milk you like.
- Bake time: I find that bread made with butter has a shorter bake time compared to the bake time for the loaf made with oil, as does bread made without chocolate chips compared to one with. For best results, start with 40 minutes and check for a mostly clean/moist crumbs on a toothpick or cake tester every 2-3 minutes.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
I think I am going to need to make this. Yum!
Congratulations! You must be thrilled to welcome another baby, and another boy! I have read about your struggles in the past so this is such a joy to hear. Hope you get some of your energy back. Can’t wait for all the cookie recipes. Oh and this quick bread looks divine, I am not the biggest fan of pumpkin (I know) but this sounds like a good way to give it another shot! Will let you know if I try it!
This is so moist! Absolutely loved this recipe.
Thanks so much, Heather!