Pumpkin chocolate chip bread brings warm fall flavor and rich chocolate to every slice. Find your next favorite pumpkin bread recipe for breakfast or dessert!!
Cut into this pumpkin chocolate chip bread and you’ll find a tender, golden-orange crumb dotted with chocolate that turns soft and glossy while your slice is still warm, with cinnamon and vanilla making every bite smell almost as good as it tastes!
Ingredients
Use level measuring spoons, and weigh flour if you have a kitchen scale. A little accuracy here saves you from wondering why your bread needs a gallon of coffee alongside it!
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, 240 g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder:
- ½ teaspoon baking soda:
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon fine table salt
- 1¼ cups canned pumpkin puree, 285 g
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar, 100 g
- ½ cup granulated sugar, 100 g
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup neutral oil, 120 ml
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips, about 130 g, divided
Yield: 1 loaf
Servings: 10 slices
How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
Set an oven rack in the middle position and preheat to 350°F (175°C), giving your oven time to come fully to temperature while you prepare batter.
Lightly grease a 9-by-5-inch metal loaf pan, then line it with parchment across its bottom and long sides, leaving a few inches hanging over both sides so you can lift out your loaf later.
I recommend a light-colored metal pan because it gives you a little more control over browning, especially during a longer bake.
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt to a medium bowl, then whisk thoroughly for about 30 seconds, reaching around edges and across the bottom.
Don’t skip this step, because evenly distributed leavening helps your loaf rise consistently, and nobody wants one bite that tastes like cinnamon followed by another that tastes like baking soda! Break up any visible little clumps before moving on.
In a larger bowl, whisk pumpkin puree with brown sugar and granulated sugar until any firm brown sugar lumps disappear, then add eggs, oil, and vanilla.
Whisk until mixture looks evenly orange and glossy, with no streaks of egg or separate puddles of oil; this should take about 45 to 60 seconds by hand.
You’re combining ingredients here, so there’s no need to whip in lots of air or give your wrist an unexpected workout.
Tip dry ingredients into your pumpkin mixture and switch to a flexible spatula, folding slowly by scraping down one side, sweeping underneath, and turning batter over itself.
Rotate your bowl as you go, checking for flour hiding underneath, and when only a few pale streaks remain, add ½ cup chocolate chips and fold just until those streaks disappear.
Expect thick batter that drops from your spatula in heavy ribbons or soft mounds, rather than pouring like pancake batter; don’t add milk simply because it looks substantial.
Scrape batter into your prepared pan, gently spread it into corners, and smooth its surface without packing it down. Scatter remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips over the top and press them in very lightly so they settle into batter rather than sitting loose.
Your pan should be roughly two-thirds to three-quarters full; if yours is unusually shallow, leave at least an inch of space below its rim instead of forcing in every last spoonful.
Place your pan on the middle rack and bake for 60 to 75 minutes, checking its color around 45 minutes without leaving your oven door open for long.
If the top already looks richly browned, loosely tent it with foil and continue baking, keeping foil raised above chocolate chips so it doesn’t stick.
A crack along the top is normal, but a beautiful brown crust isn’t proof that your loaf is ready inside, so give its center a proper check!
Start checking doneness at 60 minutes by inserting a long wooden skewer into the center, making sure it reaches well into your loaf rather than testing only its surface.
Look for a few moist crumbs without glossy orange batter; if you hit melted chocolate, test another nearby spot because a chocolate smear can fool you into baking longer than necessary.
If batter still clings to your skewer, bake for another 5 minutes and check again, repeating as needed; ovens vary, so use these cues even if your loaf takes a little longer than 75 minutes.
Let bread rest in its pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then gently loosen any exposed ends and lift it out using your parchment handles.
Peel parchment away from its sides and let bread cool on the rack for at least 75 more minutes, or until barely warm, before cutting with a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion.
Don’t skip cooling, because hot pumpkin bread is delicate and can compress into a gummy-looking slice under your knife; waiting gives its crumb time to firm up, even if those chocolate chips are making a very persuasive argument!
Serving Suggestions
- For an afternoon snack, serve a barely warm slice with coffee, tea, or cold milk, letting softened chocolate do most of the work. A thin swipe of salted butter is especially good if you enjoy a little salty contrast with sweet bread!
- For breakfast, pair a slice with plain Greek yogurt and berries, which bring tang and freshness alongside pumpkin and chocolate. Keep slices moderate if you’re serving other dishes, since this loaf has a rich, cake-like character.
- For dessert, gently warm a fully cooled slice in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds, then add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. Use a plate and fork for this version unless chocolate on your fingers is part of your evening plans!
Once cooled and sliced, this pumpkin chocolate chip bread is ready for a little salted butter, a fresh cup of coffee, or absolutely nothing beyond a plate and a few quiet minutes!
You get soft pumpkin crumb, fragrant cinnamon, and chocolate tucked into every slice, making it an inviting loaf to share while quietly remembering to save yourself an end piece.
Hungry for more feel-good meals? Explore these 21 Anti-Inflammatory Breakfast Recipes for a nourishing start and 10 Anti-Inflammatory Dinner Recipes for delicious evenings that make healthy eating easy!
