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    Home » Cakes & Sweet Rolls

    Published Nov 23, 2018 · Updated Apr 16, 2022 · by Tammy Spencer · This post may contain affiliate links.

    The Best Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    Sliced Pumpkin Bread on a wood tray on a brown scarf Pinterest banner..
    Sliced Pumpkin Bread on a wood tray surrounded by Fall leaves on a brown scarf from overhead Pinterest banner.

    Pumpkin puree, chocolate chips, and a warm pumpkin spice blend team up in this easy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread. Sweet and spicy, it's an updated fall classic recipe that's sure to please!

    Sliced Pumpkin Bread on a wood tray surrounded by Fall leaves on a brown scarf from overhead. this …

    [October, 2021: I've reworked the recipe and updated this post with all new pictures. Enjoy!]

    Why this recipe works

    • Easy, one bowl recipe that doesn't need a hand mixer
    • Rich pumpkin flavor complemented with bursts of chocolate
    • Can be adapted for different sizes and presentations

    Ah, traditions…

    They lend comfortable predictability to life, like a snuggly blanket on a chilly day.

    I love food traditions at Thanksgiving. The menu must include roast turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, cranberry sauce, and all the desserts (those are my specialty, as you might expect).

    I tweak tradition a little bit with my desserts, like Black Bottom Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie, Glazed Orange Cranberry Bread, and Southern Brown Sugar Pie, although Apple Pie is still a welcome classic.

    Yummm... (pausing to wipe the drool off my keyboard)

    One tradition I don’t touch is that my Father-in-Law won’t let me in the door for our family's Thanksgiving get-together unless I promise to bake him my Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread (aka Pumpkin Chocolate Chip loaf). That’s upwards of 30 years now!

    Jump to:
    • Why this recipe works
    • A time-tested (and tweaked) recipe
    • What you need
    • How to make pumpkin bread
    • Pro Tip: Choose your size and presentation
    • Pumpkin and chocolate are well matched
    • Related Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

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    A time-tested (and tweaked) recipe

    This is the Pumpkin Bread recipe, given to me by a work friend years ago. You can see how well loved it is, and how I've adapted it over the years.

    There was one year when I accidentally bought a large 29-ounce can of pumpkin purée, so I made Pumpkin Gingerbread Loaves. I couldn’t let that extra pumpkin go to waste!

    Handwritten Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread recipe.
    My old recipe...well loved and frequently adapted

    What you need

    This pumpkin chocolate chip bread recipe starts out with pure pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling). One 15-ounce can of pumpkin is sufficient. Also included are flour, sugar, eggs, baking soda, oil, and the ubiquitous pumpkin spice blend.

    Adding the chocolate chips takes a good pumpkin bread recipe and makes it great. You can substitute chopped nuts or dried fruit for the chocolate chips, if desired (but my Father-in-Law wouldn’t approve).

    A pumpkin spice blend of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice gives the pumpkin loaf recipe a distinctive flavor without overwhelming the sweetness from the sugar and chocolate.

    Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread ingredients portioned into glass bowls.
    Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread ingredients

    How to make pumpkin bread

    This is an easy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread recipe to make. And only uses one bowl!

    Step 1: Combine flour and spices

    Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices together in a large mixing bowl (photo 1).

    Flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a glass bowl.
    Combining to make the flour mixture

    Step 2: Add wet ingredients

    Stir in the sugar, eggs, canola oil, pumpkin purée, and water to the flour mixture, only until just incorporated (photo 2).

    Collage of adding sugar, eggs, pumpkin purée, canola oil, & water to flour mixture.
    Adding sugar, eggs, canola oil, pumpkin purée, and water to the flour mixture

    Step 3: Finish the batter

    Add the chocolate chips (photo 3).

    Adding chocolate chips to pumpkin bread batter in a glass bowl.
    Chocolate chips are the finishing touch

    Step 4: Bake the bread

    Pour the batter into two standard loaf pans sprayed with baking spray (photo 4). If you'd like, you can also line the pans with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides.

    Bake at 350°F for 55 to 65 minutes, checking for doneness after 45 minutes. The loaves are done when center springs back when touched and a cake tester inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

    Collage of Pumpkin Bread in a glass loaf pan before and after baking.
    Pumpkin bread before and after baking

    Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

    Whole Pumpkin Bread on a wood tray surrounded by Fall leaves on a brown scarf from overhead.
    Cooled, finished Pumpkin Breadb
    What is the difference between canned pumpkin and pie filling?

    Canned pumpkin purée doesn't have any additives, just pure pumpkin. Canned pumpkin pie filling contains sugar and spices like cinnamon, clove, allspice, and ginger. Since you want to be able to control the amount of sugar and spices you use, it's best to avoid the pie filling for this recipe.

    How many cups of pumpkin in a 15 ounce can?

    It's a scant 2 cups of pumpkin purée. A 29 ounce can of pumpkin purée contains about 3½ cups.

    Should you refrigerate pumpkin bread?

    Pumpkin bread will keep on the counter at room temperature in an airtight container for several days. You can refrigerate it after about 3 days, but not for too long or it will dry out. For longer storage, freeze it wrapped with plastic wrap and sealed in an airtight bag.

    Sliced Pumpkin Bread on a wood tray surrounded by Fall leaves on a brown scarf.

    Pro Tip: Choose your size and presentation

    Since a Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Loaf is considered a quick bread, you can change the size and presentation depending on which baking pan you use.

    My recipe makes two loaves in a standard loaf pan or a glass baking dish (photo 2). You can halve the recipe to make one standard loaf, four mini loaves, 12 muffins, or 24 mini muffins (especially if you use mini chocolate chips.

    Would you prefer to serve this as a cake instead of a loaf? Use a bundt pan, or halve the recipe and use a small bundt pan (like with this Sourdough Pumpkin Cake).

    Check the Recipe Notes to see the baking times for the different pan sizes. And as with most quick bread recipes, don’t fill pans higher than ⅔ full or the batter can spill over.

    Closeup of sliced Pumpkin Bread on a wood tray surrounded by Fall leaves on a brown scarf.

    Pumpkin and chocolate are well matched

    A combination of pumpkin, chocolate, and warm baking spices team up to create a moist, flavorful, sweet, and spicy pumpkin loaf with chocolate chips.

    These pumpkin chocolate chip loaves also make great gifts and ship well.

    Plated slice of Pumpkin Bread on a white plate with sliced loaf wood tray surrounded by Fall leaves on a brown scarf in background.
    Freshly-baked Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread yumminess

    This is truly the best Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread recipe around, and it's sure to please your family!

    Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!

    Tammy

    Related Recipes

    Most quick bread & muffin recipes can be made as loaves or bundt cakes.

    For a recipe that makes one loaf, you can use a standard loaf pan or a small (6-cup) bundt pan. You can also double the recipe if you want to use a full-sized (10-12 cup) bundt pan.

    Other presentation options for a one-loaf quick bread are 4 mini breads in mini loaf pans, 12 muffins in a standard muffin pan, or 24 muffin bites in a mini muffin pan. Great for breakfast or gift giving.

    Remember, you aren't limited to one type of presentation for a recipe!

    • Kahlua Cake slice on a pink plate on front of cake on pink cake stand.
      Ultimate Chocolate Kahlua Bundt Cake from Scratch
    • Glazed Orange Cranberry Bread sliced on a white plate with pumpkins & cranberries.
      Easy Glazed Orange Cranberry Bread
    • Marble Bundt Cake on a white cake stand with slice removed.
      Coffeehouse Marble Bundt Cake
    • Glazed Limoncello Cake as a loaf.
      Easy Glazed Limoncello Cake

    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a comment further down the page.

    I'd love to hear from you! Stay in touch on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and please tag me using the hashtag #scotchandsconesblog. You can also sign up for my mailing list. I can't wait to see your creations!

    Recipe

    Sliced Pumpkin Bread on a wood tray surrounded by Fall leaves on a brown scarf from overhead.

    The Best Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

    Tammy Spencer
    Pumpkin puree, chocolate chips, and a warm pumpkin spice blend team up in this easy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread. Sweet and spicy, it's an updated fall classic recipe that's sure to please!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr
    Total Time 1 hr 15 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 32 slices
    Calories 166 kcal

    Equipment

    • 2 standard loaf pans
    • baking spray
    • parchment paper
    Prevent your screen from going dark while cooking

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 3 cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 teaspoons baking soda
    • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
    • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
    • 2 cups granulated sugar
    • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
    • 1 cup canola oil
    • 1 15-ounce can pumpkin purée, NOT pumpkin pie filling
    • ¾ cup water
    • 12 ounces chocolate chips, (2 cups), see Recipe Notes

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350 °F Spray two standard loaf pans with a baking spray. If desired, line the baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides.
    • Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices together in a large mixing bowl.
    • Stir in the sugar, eggs, canola oil, pumpkin purée, and water to the flour mixture, only until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.
    • Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Don’t fill pans higher than ⅔ full, or the batter can spill over.
    • Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, checking for doneness after 45 minutes. The loaves are done when center springs back when touched and a cake tester inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
    • Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Serve and enjoy!
    • Pumpkin Bread will keep on the counter at room temperature in an airtight container for several days. For longer storage, freeze wrapped with plastic wrap and sealed in an airtight bag.

    Notes

    You can substitute chopped nuts or dried fruit for the chocolate chips, if desired.
    These loaves also make great gifts and ship well!
     Alternative sizes
    • Full recipe
      • One extra large loaf in a standard loaf pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes
      • One large loaf in a standard loaf pan and two mini loaves using mini loaf pans. Bake the large loaf for 35 to 40 minutes and the mini loaves for 25 to 30 minutes.
      • Twelve full-size muffins in a standard muffin pan. Bake for 18 to 23 minutes
      • One large bundt cake in a 10- to 12-cup bundt pan. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes
    • Half recipe
      • One large loaf in a standard loaf pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes
      • Two mini loaves using mini loaf pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes
      • One small bundt cake in a 6-cup bundt pan. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes

    Your Notes

    Click here to add your own private notes

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 sliceCalories: 166 kcalCarbohydrates: 23 gProtein: 2 gFat: 8 gSaturated Fat: 1 gCholesterol: 20 mgSodium: 124 mgPotassium: 47 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 13 gVitamin A: 2097 IUVitamin C: 1 mgCalcium: 10 mgIron: 1 mg
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Lilly says

      January 01, 2020 at 9:23 pm

      5 stars
      I adore the flavour of pumpkin but can’t stand the texture, this perfectly hits the spot! I think I’ve just found my new go-to fall recipe! ????????

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Tammy! My fascination with baking comes from my love of science and the magic of bringing together ingredients to produce something yummy. Coupling that with my appreciation of scotches and bourbons, I love to bake stuff, jot down my whisky tasting notes, and share my experiences with you!

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