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This homemade Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread recipe combines a soft, pumpkin-rich crumb with fragrant spices and generous amounts of semisweet chocolate. It’s deliciously tender, moist and flavorful and is sure to become an annual fall favorite!

Pumpkin chocolate chip bread brings together two flavors that are especially welcome in fall: sweet, earthy pumpkin and rich chocolate. Add a little cinnamon and spice, and you have a beautifully fragrant quick bread with a soft, tender crumb and plenty of chocolate in every slice.

This easy pumpkin chocolate chip bread is made with pumpkin puree, a blend of warm spices, brown sugar, and semisweet chocolate chips. The pumpkin gives the bread its gorgeous orange color and helps keep it moist, while the chocolate adds just enough richness to make every slice feel like a treat. I made this a couple of weeks ago for a family road trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah Valley. It was the perfect autumn treat to enjoy while taking in all the beautiful fall foliage!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This pumpkin chocolate chip bread is an autumn favorite in our home and I’m confident you’ll love it as much as we do.

• Wonderfully soft and moist: Pumpkin puree, brown sugar, butter and oil give this bread a tender texture that holds up beautifully for several days.
• Plenty of pumpkin flavor: A generous amount of pumpkin and just the right blend of spices create a delicious balance of sweetness and warmth.
• No special equipment: Everything comes together with basic kitchen tools, not even an electric beater is required.
• Chocolate in every slice: Semisweet chocolate chips add little pockets of richness without overwhelming the pumpkin.
• Two loaves from one batch: Keep one for yourself and share the other, or freeze it for another occasion.
• Easy to customize: Try nuts, dried fruit, different chocolate chips, or a crunchy topping.
• Great for making ahead: The flavor develops and gets even better as the bread rests.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread Ingredients

This pumpkin chocolate chip bread gets its flavor and texture from a combination of everyday baking staples. Here’s what each ingredient contributes to the finished loaf:

• All-purpose flour: Forms the foundation of the bread and gives it enough structure to rise while remaining tender.
• Pumpkin: Adds natural moisture, mild sweetness, and the unmistakable flavor of pumpkin. Be sure to choose plain pumpkin puree rather than sweetened pumpkin pie filling.
• Granulated sugar: Provides sweetness, contributes to a tender crumb, and helps the outside of the loaf develop a lightly golden crust.
• Brown sugar: Brings a subtle caramel flavor and helps the bread retain moisture.
• Butter: Adds rich, buttery flavor and helps create a tender crumb.
• Oil: Helps keep the bread soft and moist for days. Choose an oil with a neutral flavor like canola or avocado (I use the latter).
• Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and provide the structure needed for a nicely risen loaf.
• Whole Milk: Milk adds moisture and helps create a soft, tender crumb.
• Vanilla extract: Adds a gentle background flavor that complements the chocolate and rounds out the spices.
• Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves give the bread its cozy autumn flavor.
• Baking soda: Helps the batter rise and contributes to the bread’s color and texture.
• Baking powder: Provides additional lift, helping the bread develop a rounded top and a lighter crumb.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor.
• Semisweet chocolate chips: Add contrast to the spiced pumpkin batter. Their slightly bittersweet flavor works particularly well here, although other varieties of chocolate can also be used, including butterscotch.

Variations

There are a number of ways you can switch things up. Here are a few ideas:

• Chocolate lovers’ version: Use dark chocolate chunks instead of chips for larger pockets of melted chocolate and a more intense cocoa flavor.
• Pumpkin pecan bread: Replace half of the chocolate chips with chopped, toasted pecans. Their buttery crunch is a delicious contrast to the soft bread.
• Walnut and spice: Skip the chocolate and add chopped walnuts for a more traditional pumpkin loaf with a pleasantly nutty finish.
• Cranberry pumpkin bread: Use dried cranberries in place of the chocolate for a slightly tart variation. Raisins can also be used.
• Cinnamon streusel topping: Add a layer of cinnamon-sugar crumbs to the top of each loaf before baking. The crisp topping provides a lovely contrast to the tender interior.
• Pumpkin bread with applesauce: Replace half the butter and oil with unsweetened applesauce. The finished bread will have a somewhat different texture, with less richness and a slightly firmer crumb.
• Chocolate-glazed pumpkin bread: Leave the tops plain during baking, then drizzle cooled loaves with melted chocolate for a more dessert-like presentation.
• Mini pumpkin loaves: Bake the batter in smaller loaf pans for individual portions that are easy to package and share. Fill the pans no more than two-thirds full and adjust the baking time according to their size.

Pro Tips for the Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

This pumpkin bread is very easy to make, but here are a few tips to ensure its success:

• Pay attention to the pumpkin. Plain canned pumpkin is the most dependable choice. If you’re using homemade puree, make sure it has a thick consistency. Watery puree will make the center of the bread overly wet and soggy.
• Don’t overwork the batter. Once the flour is incorporated, additional stirring can create a tougher texture, so be careful not to over-stir.
• Choose the right loaf pans. Light-colored metal pans, like aluminum, tend to bake more evenly. Dark pans absorb more heat and may cause the crust to become too brown before the middle is done.
• Give the batter room to rise. If you’re using smaller loaf pans, avoid filling loaf pans too high. The batter needs space to expand as it bakes.
• Keep an eye on the oven. Baking times are guidelines rather than guarantees. Start checking before the suggested time is up, especially if your pans are wider or shallower.
• Check the center carefully. Pumpkin bread can appear finished on top while still being underbaked inside. Insert a skewer into the thickest part of the loaf, avoiding melted chocolate chips (check it a couple of times in a different spot). A few damp crumbs are fine; sticky, uncooked batter means it needs more time.
• Cover the tops if needed. If the crust is developing too much color while the middle is still baking, place a loose sheet of aluminum foil over the pans.
• Let the bread finish setting as it cools. Warm pumpkin bread is delicate and falls apart easily. Waiting until it has cooled will give you smoother slices and a more even crumb.
• Try serving it the following day. After a night of resting, the spices often taste more rounded and the crumb becomes easier to slice. I prefer this bread the following day.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread Recipe

Let’s get started!

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease two 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pans. To ensure the loaves don’t stick, you can line them with parchment paper, allowing the paper to extend above the long sides.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, oil and vanilla extract.

Add the eggs, pumpkin puree, and milk and whisk until thoroughly blended.

Place the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices in a separate bowl and stir to combine.

Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and whisk or stir just until combined. Be careful not to over-mix or the bread will be dense.

Stir the chocolate chips into the batter.

Divide the batter between the prepared loaf pans, smoothing the surfaces with the back of the spoon.

Place the pans on the middle oven rack and bake for approximately 50-65 minutes. Begin testing after 45 minutes. The loaves are done when a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no raw batter. If the tops become too dark before the centers are cooked, loosely cover them with foil.

Set the pans on a wire rack to cool for 10–15 minutes, then carefully remove them from the pans and let them cool on the wire rack completely before slicing.

Cut into slices with a serrated knife. Enjoy at room temperature or gently warmed. I love warming it just enough to soften the chocolate chips. The contrast between the tender pumpkin bread and the melted chocolate is hard to resist!

Storage & Freezing

Pumpkin chocolate chip bread keeps particularly well because the pumpkin, oil, and sugar help the crumb hold onto moisture. Once the bread is completely cool, place it in an airtight container or wrap it well with plastic wrap. Keep it in a cool, dry spot for up to 3–4 days. If you plan to serve it over several days, leave the loaf uncut and slice it as needed to help protect the interior from drying out.

This bread also freezes well. You can freeze the bread whole or portion it into slices, whichever you prefer. Cool the bread completely, then wrap each loaf securely in plastic wrap. Add a second protective layer of aluminum foil or place the wrapped loaf inside a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months for the best flavor and texture. Leave the wrapped loaf at room temperature to thaw.

Enjoy!

For more favorite autumn bakes try my:

• Applesauce Bread
• German Apple Cake
• Apple Streusel Muffins
• Baked Pumpkin Donuts
• Pumpkin Eggnog Cake
• Baked Apple Cider Donuts
• Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls
• Apple Strudel
• Irish Apple Cake
• Sticky Toffee Pudding
• Parkin
• Caramel Pear Walnut Cake
• Pumpkin Waffles
• Pumpkin Pecan Chocolate Streusel Muffins
• Chocolate Butterscotch Pumpkin Streusel Cake