Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
Luscious, flavorful pumpkin bread with a perfectly fluffy and moist texture and vibrant spices, filled with gooey chocolate chips. Take your pumpkin bread to the next level with this simple yet always delicious recipe!
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Guys: I am just three weeks from being on maternity leave (as long as baby girl doesn’t show up suuuper early, like my oldest did). I’m beyond excited, but I do still have a round of essays to grade in the meantime. It makes getting through them equally rewarding and boring.
So I’m currently procrastinating by writing about pumpkin bread. Yep, that’s how things are right now.
Why this recipe works
There are a few reasons I love this bread. The pumpkin both adds a great flavor and helps the bread retain its moisture. In addition, I use some brown sugar and part oil to help with moisture, making this bread so, so very soft and never dry. Luckily, pumpkin provides moisture yet also a bit of lift, which is aided by the melted butter and the use of baking powder. So, while the bread is very moist, it’s also still super fluffy and tender.
Then there’s the chocolate chips. Fresh out of the oven, they are gooey and delicious, and you can easily recreate this with cooled bread by heating it up for a few seconds. And even when the bread has cooled down, the chocolate chips are still delicious and also add a lovely pop of texture to each bite. You seriously cannot go wrong!
Key ingredients
Flour. Always spoon then level the flour so you don’t pack it in.
Sugar/brown sugar. Using both in the bread creates rise and flavor. Using just brown sugar in the crumb gives it that lovely crunch and almost caramelized flavor.
Ground cinnamon. I like adding a little extra cinnamon to my pumpkin recipes, as most pumpkin pie spices don’t have quite the ratio I love.
Pumpkin pie spice. I use The Spice Lab’s Pumpkin Pie Spice, which my husband found at Costco (he is a Costco fiend and finds the best stuff there).
Butter. Unsalted is preferable, but if you only have salted, omit the salt from the recipe.
Baking powder. This helps create a lovely rise that’s not too airy but also not dense.
Salt. I prefer sea salt in my baking, but table salt works, too.
Plain pumpkin. Use plain pumpkin puree, not pie filling. If it’s a little on the loose, applesauce-y side, see the note below about blotting it to dry it out before measuring it.
Eggs. Use fresh, room temperature eggs.
Oil. I prefer avocado or grape seed oil in baking (avoid extra virgin—those tend to be green). Vegetable or canola work, too.
Vanilla. Use pure vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste).
Chocolate chips. I actually used mini chips for this bread, but any size and any kind of chocolate chips will do just fine.
How to make cinnamon swirl pumpkin bread
1. Sift and whisk dry ingredients. Sifting helps create that super tender texture.
2. Whisk pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, and oil. Whisk until well combined, about a minute.
3. Slowly whisk in melted butter. Whisk quickly while slowly streaming in the butter to avoid scrambling the eggs.
4. Whisk in sugars. Whisk about a minute, to partially dissolve the sugar.
5. Fold in dry ingredients. Mix until mostly combined, with some streaks of flour still visible.
6. Fold in chocolate chips. This step should take care of the flour streaks. Mix just until chocolate chips are mostly evenly distributed. The batter may still have some lumps, but that’s okay.
7. Pour the batter in the a prepared pan. I like to sprinkle more chocolate chips on top, for looks
8. Bake. Tent with foil halfway, to avoid burning the top. Bake until a toothpick comes out with just some moist crumbs.
9. Let cool in pan. This helps it keep its shape well. You can transfer it to an airtight container afterward.
Enjoy!
Tips and FAQ’s
What if my pumpkin is thin?
I used Libby’s for this bread (thank you, Costco, for the superfluous amount of pumpkin!), but I usually use Trader Joe’s pumpkin, which is on the watery side. Think of the difference between applesauce and mashed potatoes (the kind you can scoop that will somewhat hold their shape—not potato puree). If your pumpkin is more like applesauce, you’ll want to blot it with a paper towel to remove some of the moisture OR add two more tablespoons of flour to the recipe (3 if using the 9x5 recipe option). Otherwise, you may have a slightly denser cake that will take longer to bake.
How do I know it’s baked through?
I always use a toothpick, but a small knife or kebab skewer will work, too. You want to catch the bread when it’s just barely stopped being raw, as it will cook a little more in the pan while it cools. The top should be matte, equally golden brown, and no longer jiggle, but it’s still best to check the middle for no raw batter. So try to use a toothpick to check for moist crumbs but no raw batter.
Can I use any chocolate chips?
Yes! You could also use chopped chocolate or chocolate chunks. I used mini semisweet chips (because, blogger secret: I made a mini loaf—it’s just easier than having WAY too many baked goods in our house). You can use dark or milk chocolate—whatever you like!
Do I have to sift the flour?
Yes! Sifting is key in baking, particularly in anything cake-y. It helps it mix into the wet ingredients more easily, preventing clumps as well as circumventing the urge to over-stir and create a tough, rubbery texture.
Spoon then level your flour
Don’t scoop your flour! I never knew this until I started blogging, but it seriously makes a big difference. You will end up with roughly 25% more flour than the recipe called for if you just doonk (official baking term right there) your measuring spoon into the flour container and scoop. Gently spoon your flour into your measuring cup then level it off with the back of a knife. Trust me! It makes a difference.
My pumpkin bread tools
Here are my must-have tools I use for making this pumpkin bread. Affiliate links provided.
Whisk (or stand mixer or handheld mixer)
Mesh sieve (because sifting is KEY )
Can I make this in a 9x5 pan?
This also works in a 9x5 pan, but may be a little shorter. You can increase the pumpkin bread batter by 50% (or multiply each ingredient by 1.5) to get a full-to-the-top 9x5 loaf, indicated below.
2 ½ cups (340g) all-purpose flour, spooned then leveled
2 ¼ teaspoons (9g) baking powder
¾ teaspoon (4g) salt
1 ½ tablespoons (12g) pumpkin pie spice
1 ½ teaspoons (4g) ground cinnamon
1 ½ cups (about 360g) plain pumpkin puree
1 ½ tablespoons (19g) pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs, room temperature
6 tablespoons (84g) avocado or vegetable oil
6 tablespoons (84g) melted butter
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
¾ cup (150g) brown sugar
1 ½ cups (255g) chocolate chips (any kind)
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
- prep time: 5-10 minutes
- bake time: 40-50 minutes
- total time: 1 hour
servings: about 12
Ingredients:
- 1 ⅔ cups (227g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 ½ teaspoons (6g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (3g) salt
- 1 tablespoon (8g) pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon (3g) ground cinnamon (optional–I like a little extra cinnamon)
- 1 cup (about 240g) plain pumpkin puree* (weight varies by brand)
- 1 tablespoon (13g) pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons (56g) avocado or vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons (56g) melted unsalted butter
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar (light or dark will work)
- 1 cup (170g) chocolate chips (any kind, mini work well, too)
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350F/175C (375F/190C if at high altitude, but bake for less time). Grease and flour an 8x4 loaf pan (see note above for making in a 9x5 pan). If it’s prone to sticking, you can line it with parchment as well.
- Melt the butter and set aside. Don’t let it cool enough to solidify, but do let it cool somewhat before using.
- Using a large fine mesh sieve, sift then whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Set aside.
- In a large bowl (or using a stand mixer and paddle attachment), whisk the pumpkin puree together with the vanilla, eggs, and oil until well combined. Slowly stream in the melted butter while whisking quickly (this prevents scrambling the eggs).
- Add the sugar and brown sugar to the wet ingredients and whisk for about 1 minute. You can whisk it by hand or, if using a stand or hand mixer, mix on medium.
- Add the flour mixture and stir gently until mostly combined, with a few streaks of flour left. I try to mostly fold it in. (If you’re unsure what folding means, you basically run a rubber spatula along the edge an entire turn around the bowl the pull the spatula toward the middle once you’ve come fully around the bowl, “folding” the batter on the edge into the middle part.)
- Fold in the chocolate chips until fully combined. It may have some lumps, but don’t worry about those as long as the chocolate chips are evenly distributed.
- Pour batter into your prepared pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes (longer if using a 9x5 pan), until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with some moist crumbs. Check early so it doesn’t over bake--you don’t want the toothpick coming out completely clean. If it starts to brown too quickly, tent the pan loosely with foil. Let cool in pan at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving.
Enjoy with your morning coffee!
Store leftovers in an airtight container or simply keep in the pan and cover well with plastic wrap or foil.
*Note: If your pumpkin puree is especially loose/wet (more like applesauce than mashed potatoes), you can either blot it a bit with a paper towel to remove some of the excess moisture or add 2 tablespoons more flour.
