There’s nothing more comforting than a warm slice of Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread to welcome fall season!
This quick bread is perfectly moist and tender, and full of pumpkin, chocolate, and aromatic pumpkin spice flavors. Your house will smell like a bakery!
Baking this pumpkin chocolate chip bread is really easy, and you can make it ahead or even freeze it for later. Pumpkin season is here!
Fall is almost here, and I’m so happy about it. Every year, I look forward to pumpkin spice, apples, crisp fall leaves, and the perfectly chilly weather.
One of my favorite things to bake is Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread. I love the delicate flavors, perfectly sweet with subtle pumpkin flavors. The chocolate chips add amazing texture and the perfect extra touch of sweetness. It’s divine.
I love spreading some butter over a warm slice of the bread. It’s so tender and moist! This quick bread is great for breakfast or as a midday snack as well.
Whenever I bake pumpkin chocolate chip bread, my house always smells like a cozy bakery. To make it extra cozy, I always make a big batch of my Slow Cooker Apple Cider as well. Apple cider AND pumpkin bread? Yes please!
If you love baking with pumpkin, check out my Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars or Pumpkin Cake Roll.
I often bake extra treats along with this pumpkin chocolate bread. We love these Apple Cinnamon Muffins, Puff Pastry Apple Turnovers, and Puff Pastry Apple Tarts. All the fall vibes please!
Why we love this recipe:
- Super easy to make: No mixer or complicated instructions here. It’s straightforward.
- Very tender and moist. Just perfect!
- Balanced fall flavors: It’s full of pumpkin spice flavors, but not overpowering at all.
- The chocolate chips add great texture and a touch of sweetness.
- Make ahead and freezer friendly, so you can enjoy it all season long.
- You can also make muffins with this batter!
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Tips for Baking Quick Breads
We love baking quick breads because they are super easy to make, and always a great option for breakfast, snack, or even dessert.
Quick breads are a seasonal thing for us. During spring, we like to make this amazing Fresh Strawberry Bread. During summer, we always crave our favorite Lemon Blueberry Bread and Lemon Loaf.
And of course, during the fall, we always make sure to bake a few batches of this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread, Nutella Banana Cake, and Fresh Apple Cake.
Here are my best tips on how to make the best quick breads. If you follow these guidelines, you’ll make the best pumpkin chocolate chip bread ever!
- Don’t open and close the oven as the bread bakes. This will cause it to sink in the middle.
- Tent it with foil if the top is browning too fast, usually after 45 minutes.
- Don’t overmix the batter.
- Bake at 350 degrees F. Anything higher will cause it to rise too quickly and then collapse.
- Use vegetable oil rather than butter. Oil will produce lighter and more separated crumbs.
Make Your Own Pumpkin Spice
For this recipe, I make a homemade blend of pumpkin spice. I just happen to have all the spices in my pantry at all times, but you can certainly buy packaged pumpkin spice blends – they are just as good!
Here’s what’s in pumpkin spice: allspice, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Note that cinnamon is not usually part of pumpkin spice, and must be added separately.
Ingredient Notes
What I love about this pumpkin chocolate chip bread recipe is that it uses ingredients that I always keep stocked in my pantry, so I can make it whenever I’m craving it. Here are a few ingredient notes from recipe testing. As always, the quantities are listed in the recipe card down below.
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder: Helps the bread rise and stay tender.
- Spices: I use these spices to make a quick pumpkin spice blend. Ground cinnamon, allspice, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves.
- Kosher salt: Brings out and balances flavors.
- Eggs: Provides structure and moisture.
- Granulated sugar: For sweetness.
- Light brown sugar: For sweetness and molasses-y flavors.
- Vanilla extract: Adds subtle aromatic flavors.
- Pumpkin puree: Use canned pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix). Don’t use more than 1 cup for one loaf, or the bread will be too heavy and not bake properly.
- Whole milk: For moisture and richness.
- Vegetable oil: I always bake quick bread with oil to get lighter and more separated crumbs. It will also help the bread stay tender more often.
- Chocolate chips: I use small chocolate morsels, but really, any kind of chocolate chips will work.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This recipe is pretty straightforward. Nothing complicated here, and definitely no need to use a mixer.
Step 1 | Whisk the dry ingredients
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl, whisk the flour, ground cinnamon, allspice, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, salt, and baking powder until evenly combined. Set aside.
Step 2 | Mix the wet ingredients
In another bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, both sugars, milk, and vanilla extract until well-combined.
Step 3 | Mix dry and wet ingredients
Add the prepared dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and whisk until just combined and until no pockets of flour remain.
Do not overmix, as overmixing will cause the bread to be dense.
Step 4 | Fold in chocolate chips
Fold in the chocolate chips until just combined. I use semi-sweet chocolate morsels – they are tiny and so cute!
Tip: You can use any type of chocolate chips – dark chocolate, white chocolate, milk chocolate, semi-sweet, etc.
Step 5 | Bake
The batter goes into a 9×5 inch loaf pan, which you can grease or line with parchment paper. After the batter is in, top with a few extra morsels of chocolate chips.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. If browning too quickly, tent with foil (usually after 45 minutes).
Tip: Resist the urge to open the oven constantly, just let it bake undisturbed. Opening the oven too often creates sudden temperature changes, which can cause the baked goods to sink.
Make Ahead and Freezing
As with all quick breads, this pumpkin chocolate chip bread is make-ahead and also freezer friendly. Below are instructions on how to do both:
Make ahead: Simply bake as directed and let it cool down completely. It will last 3-5 days if you store it in an airtight container or tightly covered with foil at room temperature. I would not recommend refrigerating it.
Freezing: Let the baked pumpkin chocolate chip bread cool completely. Wrap tightly with a layer of plastic wrap and then with 2 layers of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Serve at room temperature or warm.
More Fall Treats
Fall is the best season of the year! Lots of pumpkin, apples, and cozy vibes.
Here are my favorite fall treats:
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars: Baking cheesecake bars is so much easier than a full cheesecake. This recipe is my go-to for fall-themed desserts.
- Pumpkin Cake Roll: This one is AMAZING!
- Pecan Pie Bars: Not feeling like having a whole pecan pie? Try pecan pie bars instead.
- Apple Crisp Cheesecake: If you want a full cheesecake, you gotta try this one!
- Puff Pastry Apple Tarts and Puff Pastry Apple Turnovers are great ways to work with apples.
- Apple Cinnamon Pancakes: Perfect way to start your Saturday morning.
- My classic Apple Pie! This recipe has rave reviews. Truly the best apple pie ever.
Recipe FAQs
No. Fresh puree tends to have too much moisture and will make the bread soggy. Use canned pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix) for this recipe.
Yes! Substitute the allspice, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg with the equivalent amount of store-bought pumpkin spice. Do not substitute the cinnamon – it’s separate.
Yes. Let the baked bread cool completely and then wrap tightly with a layer of plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Yes! Bake in a lined muffin pan at 350 degrees F for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Yes.
Tips for Success
- Check that your baking powder is not expired to ensure the pumpkin chocolate chip bread rises properly.
- Do not use “pumpkin pie filling” here – it’s different. Make sure you get “100 percent pumpkin puree.”
- Do not use fresh pumpkin puree. Use canned for best results. Fresh pumpkin puree is too watery.
- Choice of chocolate chips: I use semi-sweet chocolate morsel, which are smaller than regular chocolate chips. But you can use any type of chocolate chips.
- After about 45 minutes into the baking time, cover with foil to prevent it from browning too much.
- Resist the urge to open and close the oven too often. This can cause it to sink or be underdone. Just let it bake undisturbed, and check once after about 45 minutes to see if it’s browning too much.
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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour - (spooned and leveled)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs - at room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar - packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree - NOT pumpkin pie mix, I use "Libby's 100 percent pure pumpkin"
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus 2 tablespoons - divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with a little bit of oil and line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides. Note: The paper overhang will help you remove the bread easily since the top will have chocolate chips.
- Dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Wet ingredients: In another large bowl, whisk eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, pumpkin puree, milk, and vegetable oil until well combined.
- Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients, and mix until just combined and no pockets of flour remain. Do not overmix.
- Fold in the ¾ cup of chocolate chips using a rubber spatula until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips.
- Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. If browning too fast, carefully cover it loosely with foil (usually after 45 minutes). Be careful not to smear the chocolate chips with foil. Tip: Try not to open and close the oven too much. This will cause the bread to sink in the middle or be undercooked.
- Remove from oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack. Slice and serve warm. Enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t open and close the oven constantly to allow for proper baking.
- You can double this recipe and make 2 loafs.
- Chocolate chips: Use any kind. I used semi-sweet chocolate chip morsels.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container for 3-5 days at room temperature. You can also tightly cover the loaf pan with foil.
- Make-ahead: You can make it ahead, preferably 1-2 days in advance.
- Freezing instructions: Let the baked bread cool completely. Then wrap it with plastic wrap and then with aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Make muffins! Bake at 350 degrees F in a lined muffin pan for about 25 minutes.
- allspice, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg: Substitute with store-bought pumpkin spice.
- Additional mix-in ideas: cranberries, nuts, pumpkin seeds. If adding extra mix-ins, decrease the amount of chocolate proportionally.
AB says
Hello, i made this recipe twice but I am doing something wrong my bread sinks later when taken out of oven and i see most part doughy. Not sure what I am doing wrong.
Tania says
Hi AB! There are several reasons this can happen. For example, using too much baking powder – are you measuring it correctly, and have you checked that it’s not expired? Another reason could be heat – if your oven is too hot, the bread will rise too fast first and then sink later. Some ovens run hot or are not calibrated properly, you could get an oven thermometer to check. Lastly, opening the oven while the bread the baking can it to sink due to drastic temp changes.
Deana says
What air tight container is good for storage bread of this side? Suggestions? Thanks!
Tania says
Hi Deana!! I’d recommend this expandable container for bread: https://amzn.to/36wYelP (affiliate link). If you something simpler, this one works too https://amzn.to/3hg4osW (affiliate link).