This easy chocolate chip pumpkin bread starts with my classic pumpkin bread base and adds a generous handful of semi sweet chocolate chips for extra flavor. Made with pumpkin puree, warm spices, and a simple hand-mixing method, it comes together quickly without a mixer. The result is a moist, tender loaf with a soft crumb and pockets of melted chocolate. A tasty fall bake that’s perfect for breakfast or snacking
Why You’ll Want to Make My Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread On Repeat
Pumpkin bread is delicious on its own, but this moist chocolate chip pumpkin bread takes it to another level. The blend of sweet pumpkin, warm spices, and melted chocolate creates a soft, flavorful loaf that’s easy to make and impossible to resist.
- Homemade pumpkin spice mix: A blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and allspice that highlights the natural flavor of pumpkin puree. The best part of this recipe is that once you make the base recipe you can adjust it according to your own tastes.
- Perfect chocolate balance: The little drops of melted ooey-gooey goodness in this chocolate chip pumpkin bread make it an extra tasty and indulgent treatSemi sweet chips melt beautifully and give just the right mix of sweetness and depth.
- Even chocolate in every bite: Coating the chocolate chips in flour before adding them to the batter keeps them evenly distributed and helps maintain that soft, tender crumb.
If you’re looking for more pumpkin recipes, try my cream cheese frosted pumpkin bread for a tangy twist, or my pumpkin chocolate chip muffins when you want something quick and portable. And for another cozy fall favorite, try the banana pumpkin bread, it’s a wonderful blend of two classic flavors.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Ingredients
Below are the key ingredients for this moist and delicious chocolate pumpkin bread.
- Pumpkin Puree: I always recommend using Libby’s Pumpkin Puree because it's made from a specific type of pumpkin that's ideal for baking. I don’t suggest using canned organic pumpkin puree, as it tends to be watery in comparison. If you want to make your own, I have a pumpkin puree recipe you can follow.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: I think semi-sweet chocolate is best. I wouldn't go any higher than 60% cocoa for this recipe. I use chips instead of chopping up chocolate because chocolate chips are designed to hold their shape in the batter and give a better appearance.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: I have a go-to homemade pumpkin pie spice recipe I use in all my pumpkin breads. It’s made with ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, and ground cloves.
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread from Scratch
Step 1: Evenly butter the inside of a loaf pan, then dust it all over with flour. Line the pan with parchment paper, using clips to hold it in place for easy loaf removal later.
Step 2: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then leave it cool slightly.
Step 3: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
Step 4: Whisk the chocolate chips into the dry ingredients to coat them, and set aside the mixture.
Step 5: In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice together. Break up any brown sugar clumps with your fingers.
Step 6: Whisk in the eggs until they’re well combined and the batter is lighter in color.
Step 7: Add the melted butter, pumpkin puree, and buttermilk, whisking until smooth. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes so the sugar has time to dissolve.
Step 8: Gradually fold the chocolate chips and flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Step 9: The batter should be thick and lumpy once all the dry ingredients are mixed in.
Step 10: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading it out evenly with an offset spatula.
Step 11: Bake the loaf until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
Step 12: Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife along the edges and lift it out using the parchment sling. Let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
What to Serve with This Chocolate Pumpkin Bread
This easy pumpkin quick bread is great on it's own but you should definitely try with my whipped honey butter. The combinations is delicious.
Expert Tips for This Recipe
- Weigh your ingredients. Use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients to ensure accuracy, especially for the flour, the eggs, and the pumpkin puree.
- Allow the bread to rest and cool in the pan. After you’ve pulled your pumpkin bread out of the oven, resist the urge to pull it from the pan and start slicing it. It needs time in the pan to finish setting up. Cutting into the bread too soon can cause it to crumble or become gummy instead of tender.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature. A thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf is a reliable check for doneness. The thermometer should read between 195-200°F for the perfect bake.
- Adjust cooking time according to pan size. If you’re using a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, start checking the pumpkin bread after 40 minutes for doneness.
If you make this delicious chocolate pumpkin quick bread leave a rating and a comment below.
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Easy Moist Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 1-3/4 cups (220 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1-1/2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 large (100 grams) large eggs room temperature
- 8 tablespoons (114 grams) unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup (227 grams) pumpkin puree Libby's recommended
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) buttermilk room temperature
- 2/3 cup (120 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped semi-sweet chocolate
Instructions
Pumpkin Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Rub butter along the sides and bottom of the loaf pan. Add flour to the pan and rotate it around to coat the sides and bottom. Line the pan with parchment paper and use clips to hold the paper in place. The parchment paper is used as a sling to lift the quick bread out of the pan when it’s done.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat to prevent splatter and reduce evaporation. Remove the butter from the heat and set it aside. Let it cool to about 85°F degrees.
- Put the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk for 30 seconds to combine. Add the chocolate chips and toss the chocolate until they're well coated by the flour mixture.
- Place the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl. Use a whisk to combine. Use your fingers to break up any brown sugar clumps.
- Add the eggs and whisk until thoroughly combined. Add the melted butter, whisk until incorporated, and then add pumpkin puree and whisk to combine. Add the buttermilk and whisk until thoroughly incorporated. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes to allow the sugar to dissolve further.
- Add half the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix with a silicone spatula until the dry ingredients are mixed in. Add the remaining flour mixture and fold it into the batter until no white bits of flour are visible. There may be a few lumps and that is okay. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into a loaf pan and use an offset spatula to spread the batter evenly across the pan.
- Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a long skewer inserted in the center comes out clean with no more than a few crumbs clinging to it or the center registers at 195-200°F (90-93°C). Rotate the pan after the first 30 minutes of baking.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Run a butter knife along the edges of the bread that are next to the loaf pan. Lift the bread from the pan and place it back on the cooling rack. Allow the bread to cool for 1 hour before slicing.
Storage
- Store the pumpkin bread at room temperature for two days in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap. After two days, store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
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