This delicious pumpkin chocolate chip bread is a fall staple recipe! This moist pumpkin bread recipe is rich and tasty with the flavor of pumpkin spice studded with chocolate chips. It is a delicious fall comfort food that is sure to be a family favorite.
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I do lots of baking with pumpkin in the fall. The treats that I make include pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin cheesecake trifle and chocolate pumpkin bundt cake.
But this pumpkin bread recipe is hands down my family’s favorite pumpkin recipe. This is a must have recipe for both our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for the past 20+ years.
A few years ago I skipped making this for Thanksgiving because we were traveling to my mother’s house and I ran out of time. My kids regarded this as a huge betrayal, because it is their favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner, even more than dessert!
Why You Will Love Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
- Pumpkin and chocolate are an amazingly delicious flavor combination.
- It is very easy to make and doesn’t require using a mixer or any special cooking supplies. All you need is some bowls and loaf pans.
- It makes the entire house smell wonderful as it bakes.
- It makes two loaves – so you can freeze one for later or gift it to a neighbor.
Ingredients
- Pumpkin – This recipe uses an entire 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree. Make sure you don’t accidentally buy pumpkin filling!
- Sugar – I use white sugar in this recipe.
- Oil – Using oil in this recipe helps make it soft and moist. It also means it is easy to make this recipe dairy free, just by using dairy free chocolate chips.
- Water
- Flour – White all purpose flour is what I usually use. You could replace half the white flour with whole wheat.
- Baking soda, baking powder, salt
- Pumpkin pie spice – If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice you can just use cinnamon. Or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice!
- Chocolate chips – I use semi-sweet chocolate chips. This recipe is really delicious with mini chocolate chips, because then there is chocolate in every bite.
Step by Step Instructions
1. Mix the Wet Ingredients
Get a medium bowl and mix the pumpkin, eggs, oil and water together. Stir it well to break up the eggs and mix it all together.
2. Mix the Dry Ingredients
In another, larger, bowl mix the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Stir everything together.
3. Combine
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of flour and stir until everything is just mixed together. Don’t over mix the batter or use an electric mixer on this recipe.
Then gently fold the chocolate chips into the batter. Pour the batter into two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans that have been sprayed with cooking spray.
4. Bake
This bread has a longer baking time than many quick breads because the batter is so wet. It needs to bake for 60-70 minutes.
Because of the long baking time the bread gets very brown on the top. If you don’t want it to be quite so brown you can tent foil over the top after about 40 minutes.
I forgot to put foil over the bread when I was making the loaves for these pictures and they came out fine, just dark brown.
Check that the center of the bread is done by using a knife or a toothpick. The baking time can vary based on how wet your pumpkin puree was, so don’t just go by time, test it to make sure the middle is set.
How to Serve
Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for about 15 minutes before removing it to finish cooling on a wire rack. This bread will cut and taste better if you let it cool completely.
However it smells so good as it cools it can be hard to keep people away from the loaves!
How to Store Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
This bread keeps well for 2-3 days in an air tight container at room temperature. Like many pumpkin recipes it actually tastes better if it sits for overnight before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
This bread freezes very well. To freeze it wrap it in plastic wrap or place it in a freezer bag. It keeps for 2-3 months in the freezer.
To thaw the pumpkin chocolate chip bread simply leave it at room temperature overnight.
Yes you can use mini loaf pans instead. This is especially good if you are going to give the bread as a gift to friends or family. Mini loaves will need to bake 20-30 minutes.
The batter will fill about 6 mini loaf pans which are 5.75 in x 3.25 in. I sometimes divide the batter between one 9 in x 5 in loaf pan and three mini loaf pans, since I don’t own 6 mini loaf pans.
This bread is basically a dessert. You could decrease the sugar by 1/2 a cup and use whole wheat flour in place of some of the white flour which would make it a little less cake like.
But if you are looking for a healthy pumpkin bread you probably want a different recipe. My recipe for Blueberry Pumpkin Bread is a great healthy pumpkin bread recipe, try that instead.
Find More Quick Bread Recipes
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cup white all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice *see note for substitution
- 2 cup sugar
- 2 cup pumpkin 15 ounce can
- 4 eggs
- 2/3 cup oil
- 2/3 cup water
- 12 oz. chocolate chips – semi sweet or dark chocolate
Instructions
- Prepare two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans by spraying them with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Mix the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and sugar in one bowl.3 1/2 cup white all purpose flour, 2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice *see note for substitution, 2 cup sugar
- Mix the pumpkin, eggs, oil or shortening and water in another bowl.2 cup pumpkin, 4 eggs, 2/3 cup oil, 2/3 cup water
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients together and mix until the flour is just mixed in. Use a spoon or spatula not a mixer. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.12 oz. chocolate chips – semi sweet or dark chocolate
- Bake at 350 for 60-70 minutes. If making mini loaves bake for 20-30 minutes.
- You can tent foil on the loaves after 40 minutes if you want them less brown on the outside.
- Check the loaves for doneness by testing the center with a knife or toothpick. Baking times will vary depending on how wet your pumpkin puree is, so always check the center.
- Let the loaves cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then remove them from the pan and cool on wire racks until completely cooled.
- After they are cooled store in an airtight container.
Notes
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice you substitute 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Or make your own with my Pumpkin Pie spice recipe.
- The batter will fill six mini loaf pans (5.75 in x 3.25 in). Or mix and match and make one larger 9 in x 5 in loaf and three mini loaves.
- The bread will taste even better if you let it sit overnight before serving.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
GREAT COMBO! I'll have to try this, because if anything tastes better with pumpkin or chocolate this must be AMAZING.
Ohhh…I have a coupon for a free bag of Nestle Chocolate Chips and haven't yet decided what I want to make with them…I think I might just try this!
Oh wow, I am copying this now and putting in my notes to make on FB……thank you! Wonder how it does w/ Splenda? What am I doing? I've lost 15lbs since Labor Day and have 21 more to go before April (yeah, ballet recital for 4year DD, mom's are doing All You Single Ladies)
I FINALLY got around to making this and it's almost Christmas! 😉 But…it's in the oven right now and smelling yummy! 😀
This sounds yummy! Anything pumpkin is yummy! I wonder how this would taste with butterscotch instead of chocolate chips?
CHOCOLATE and pumpkin together! Very creative! 😀
This is my favorite way to make pumpkin bread. Last time I threw in some marshmallow. Sort of made little pockets in the bread.
This looks so good. I love pumpkin bread but never thought to add chocolate to it.
What an interesting combo. I will def have to try this!
This looks so delicious! Perfect for breakfast or dessert!
OH my yum! I bet this taste so good!
It looks delicious. I love just about anything with chocolate chips added!
An amazing combination of two things I love!
That looks delicious. Awesome combination of flavors. Love chocolate and pumpkin!
Your pumpkin bread looks wonderful, especially with all those chocolate chips! 😉
Ohhh! This looks good! I’ve been looking for a pumpkin bread recipe to try! I think I found it! 🙂
Found this from the Wednesday Round Up 🙂
These would be great to give as gifts. I’m always looking for ideas for new baked goods for the holidays. Thank you for linking this week.
This is a variation of a recipe my mother made since I was a kid-it is a must in my house from October through New Years. Make a few mini muffins to have with coffee when you make it!