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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

This Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread is richly tender, moist, and chocolatey. Finally, a pumpkin recipe that actually uses up an entire can of pumpkin – no random leftovers. It’s the perfect sweet breakfast recipe.

pumpkin chocolate chip bread sliced.
Deliciously moist chocolate pumpkin bread uses an entire can of pumpkin, so there’s no waste.

Why this Recipe Stands Out

  • This is a seriously tender, moist, tantalizing chocolate pumpkin bread. This cannot be overstated.
  • This bread satisfies both chocolate and pumpkin lovers alike.
  • Because I’m obsessed with make-ahead recipes, I appreciate that this chocolate pumpkin bread can be made the night before I want to bring it to a potluck, brunch, or as a hostess gift.
  • This chocolate pumpkin bread doubles as a dessert, particularly if you top off with homemade whipped cream or ice cream.
  • It freezes awesomely well, or so I’m told. I personally have not been blessed with leftovers.
  • You get to use up an entire can of pumpkin. This is marvelously satisfying.

Key Ingredients

Dry Ingredients, including flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt in a bowl.

You’ll only need basic pantry ingredients that you likely have in the kitchen already. Here are some of the key ingredients:

  • Flour: use all-purpose flour, or you can use white whole wheat flour. You can also make it gluten-free with 1:1 gluten free substitute flour.
  • Baking Soda: the main recommendation we always make is to get a new box every season, as “old” baking soda isn’t as effective for a good rise.
  • Spices: you’ll love the fragrant blend of cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in this bread.
  • Eggs: be sure they’re at room temperature, so they blend into the batter easily.
  • Brown Sugar: this provides a wonderful depth of flavor regular sugar can’t achieve.
  • Pumpkin: use 100% pure pumpkin puree; the whole can!
  • Oil: we generally love baking with olive oil, as it does not impart any olive-flavors into baking. However, you can also use canola, vegetable, or melted coconut oil.
  • Applesauce: use unsweetened version, for a boost of moisture without the fat.
  • Mini Chocolate Chips: this is our tiny secret ingredient, as mini morsels meld so much better into the bread than regular sized chocolate chips do.
pumpkin chocolate chip bread loaf in a baking pan.

Substitutions and Variations

  • Flour: If you’d like to make this bread healthier, use half whole wheat and half regular flour, or use all white-whole-wheat flour.
  • Sugar: If you like a darker, deeper molasses flavor, use dark brown sugar instead of light brown.
  • Oil: Feel free to use melted coconut oil instead of olive oil.
  • Vegan: If you need a vegan recipe, substitute the eggs for flax eggs.
  • Chips: Cut up your favorite chocolate bar for the chocolate chips, use white chocolate chips, or take advantage of cinnamon chips when they’re in season.
  • Add-ins: Add 1/2 cup of toasted chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter. You can also try dried cranberries or toasted coconut flakes.
  • Toppings: Use a simple sugar-cookie style icing but switch out almond extract for vanilla extract. Use an easy cream cheese frosting to drizzling on top. Or try our 4-Ingredient Salted Caramel Sauce for the ultimate treat.

Step-By-Step Instructions

pumpkin bread or cake batter in a bowl.
  1. Use a hand whisk to stir together the dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until well combined. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold together the wet and dry ingredients, just until no flour streaks remain.
  2. Gently fold in chocolate chips. Use rubber spatula to scrape all of the batter into prepared loaf pan, evening out the corners.
  3. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes uncovered. Loosely tent with foil and bake another 30-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean, with a few tender bread crumbs are attached.
  4. Cool in pan on wire rack at room temperature before cutting. It’s even better after resting overnight.

For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.

pumpkin chocolate chip bread sliced on plate.

How to Make Ahead

It’s no secret we are really into prep-ahead recipes that can mostly be prepared in advance. Here are some ways you can get this pumpkin chocolate chip bread started early:

  • The dry ingredients can be combined well in advance. Keep airtight in pantry until ready to use.
  • Entire bread can be baked and kept covered at mild room temperature for 2-3 days before serving.
  • Leftovers keep well in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
  • Baked bread can be cooled to room temperature, wrapped airtight, and frozen for up to a month.

Commonly Asked Questions

Should you use a metal or glass pan?

Generally, metal or nonstick pans are recommended for quick bread, as metal is a better heat conductor than glass. The bread inside may bake up more evenly and the sides will brown better in metal pans. That said, we use our glass pan often, and increase the bake time to compensate.

Can I use fresh pumpkin puree instead of canned?

As long as the texture is very similar, you can definitely use fresh pumpkin puree in pumpkin bread.

How should I store pumpkin chocolate chip bread?

After baking and cooling, store bread covered at mild room temperature for 2-3 days. After that, you can cover and chill for up to a week. You can also freeze leftovers for up to a month.

Can I freeze entire loaves of baked pumpkin bread?

You can definitely bake pumpkin bread loaves ahead of time, let them cool completely, wrap them airtight, and freeze up to 1 month.

Can I add nuts to this bread?

You can add 1/2 cup to 1 up of toasted chopped pecans, walnuts, or your choice of nuts to the batter right before transferring to pan.

Also Try This One-Bowl Apple Cake

Did you make this?

Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!

pumpkin chocolate chip bread sliced on plate.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

4.97 from 28 ratings
This Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread is richly tender, moist, and chocolatey. Finally, a pumpkin recipe that actually uses up an entire can of pumpkin – no random leftovers. It's the perfect sweet breakfast recipe.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 12
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

Dry Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F with rack on lower middle position. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan and set aside (bake time is for glass pan; if using a dark loaf pan, you may need to lessen baking time a bit.)
  • Use a hand whisk to stir together the dry ingredients in a bowl, until well incorporated. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until well combined. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold together the wet and dry ingredients, just until no flour streaks remain – do not over mix.
  • Gently fold in chocolate chips. Use rubber spatula to scrape all of the batter into prepared loaf pan, evening out the corners.
  • Bake 30 minutes uncovered. Loosely tent with foil and bake another 30-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean, with a few tender crumbs attached (keep in mind melted chocolate may make it appear under baked; look for tender crumbs of bread batter on toothpick.)
  • Cool entirely in pan on wire rack at room temp. If you can wait until the next day to slice into bread, it’s even better after resting overnight. Once bread is cooled to room temp, use thin knife to gently go around edges of bread and carefully release bread from pan. Slice and serve.

Notes

  • You can use melted coconut oil instead of olive oil, if preferred. 
  • Store bread, covered, at mild room temperature for 3-4 days, Leftover baked quick bread can be stored in airtight container and frozen for up to 1 month.
  • If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating. We ❤️ hearing from you. 

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 344mg | Potassium: 151mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 117IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Breakfast, breakfast/brunch, brunch, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Method: Bake, Oven

More Pumpkin Eats

4.97 from 28 votes

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Recipe Rating




74 comments

    • Lisa
    • 5 stars

    This pumpkin bread is super moist and so good! I added some chopped walnuts and it was delicious!

      • Amy Dong

      Yay, so glad you loved it, Lisa!

    • Barb

    Is there any substitute for the applesauce? I really don’t want to buy it for just 1/4 cup.

      • Amy Dong

      You can sub it with 1/4 cup more oil. Hope you love this, Barb!

    • amandahrosson
    • 4 stars

    Yum! I tried making a gluten free chocolate chip pumpkin bread last week but it came out a little dry. I like the idea of using applesauce, I might try it again incorporating some of your recipe. Hopefully it’ll come out moist and tender this next time!

      • chewoutloud

      Applesauce does wonders! 🙂

    • Amanda Arthur Krill

    Pinned! Definitely going to be making!

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