Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread: Your New Favorite Fall Treat

Alright, let’s have a real talk about fall baking. When the first leaf hits the ground, are you also instantly overcome with the urge to put pumpkin in everything? Guilty as charged. And at the top of my must-bake list, every single year, is this ridiculously delicious Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread. It’s the kind of recipe that makes your house smell like a cozy autumn dream and disappears from the cooling rack way too fast.

I’ve tinkered with so many versions over the years—some too dry, some too bland, and some that were just…meh. But this one? This is the one. It’s the perfect harmony of warm spices, earthy pumpkin, and pockets of melty chocolate. It’s the moist pumpkin chocolate chip bread you’ve been searching for, and trust me, it’s so easy you’ll wonder why you ever bought the stuff from a bakery.

Why This Recipe is Your New Fall Go-To

So, what makes this pumpkin chocolate chip bread recipe a cut above the rest? I’m glad you asked.

• It’s incredibly moist: We’re talking a tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb that stays fresh for days (if it lasts that long). The secret? Using oil instead of butter keeps it exceptionally moist.
• It’s packed with flavor: This isn’t just a sweet bread with a hint of pumpkin. We’re using a whole can of pumpkin puree and a generous blend of spices to make sure that fall flavor shines through.
• It’s ridiculously easy: No fancy equipment needed here. You can mix this up in one bowl with a whisk and a spatula. Seriously, it’s practically foolproof.

IMO, the best recipes are the ones that deliver maximum deliciousness with minimum fuss. This is that recipe.

Gathering Your autumnal Arsenal: The Ingredients

Before we get our hands dirty, let’s round up the usual suspects. You probably have most of these in your pantry already, especially if you’re a fellow fall baking enthusiast.

For the Bread:

• All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our glorious loaf.
• Spices: We’re talking the classic fall quartet: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. This combination is what gives the bread its signature warm and cozy flavor.
• Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Our leavening agents, giving the bread its beautiful rise.
• Salt: To balance all the sweetness and enhance the flavors.
• Pumpkin Purée: The star of the show! Make sure you grab 100% pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, which is pre-sweetened and spiced. Using a whole 15-ounce can means no awkward leftovers.
• Sugars: A mix of granulated and brown sugar adds both sweetness and moisture.
• Oil: The key to a super moist pumpkin chocolate chip bread. Vegetable or canola oil works perfectly.
• Eggs: To bind everything together and add richness.
• Chocolate Chips: I’m a semi-sweet chocolate chip purist for this recipe, but feel free to use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even mini chocolate chips.

Let’s Get Baking: The Step-by-Step Guide

Ready to make some magic? Here’s how we turn those simple ingredients into a loaf of pure autumnal joy.

Step 1: Prep Work Makes the Dream Work

First things first, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan. A pro tip I swear by is to line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides. This creates a “sling” that makes lifting the bread out a breeze.

Step 2: The Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together your flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisking them together now ensures all those glorious spices are evenly distributed. No one wants a pocket of straight cinnamon, right?

Here’s a little trick: toss your chocolate chips in with the dry ingredients. This light coating of flour helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf while it bakes. Genius, I know.

Step 3: The Wet Ingredients

In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and eggs until everything is smooth and well combined. Don’t be afraid to give it a good whisk to make sure it’s all emulsified.

Step 4: Combine and Conquer

Now, pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a spatula to gently fold everything together until it’s just combined. Be careful not to overmix! A few little streaks of flour are totally fine. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour too much, which can lead to a tough, dense bread, and nobody has time for that.

Step 5: Bake to Perfection

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. I always like to sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top for good measure.

Bake for about 60-75 minutes. Ovens can be quirky, so I’d recommend starting to check it around the 50-minute mark. The bread is done when a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. If the top starts to get too brown before the inside is cooked, you can loosely tent it with aluminum foil.

Step 6: The Agony of Waiting

Once it’s out of the oven, let the bread cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes. Then, use your parchment paper sling to lift it out and let it cool completely on a wire rack. I know it’s tempting to slice into it right away, but letting it cool completely allows the crumb to set and makes for much cleaner slices.

Variations and Fun Add-ins

One of the things I love most about this recipe is how adaptable it is. Think of it as a delicious blank canvas.

• Chocolate Chip-Cranberry Pumpkin Bread: Feeling extra festive? Fold in about a cup of dried cranberries along with the chocolate chips. The tartness of the cranberries is a fantastic contrast to the sweet chocolate and spiced pumpkin.
• Add Some Crunch: Toasted pecans or walnuts are a classic addition. They add a lovely texture and nutty flavor that complements the pumpkin perfectly.
• Contest-Winning Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Style: Some award-winning recipes make two loaves at once, which is perfect for sharing or freezing. You can easily double this recipe and divide the batter between two pans.

What If I’m Short on Time? The 3-Ingredient Hack

Okay, so what if you’re craving this bread but are seriously pressed for time? I’ve got you. There’s a viral 3-ingredient pumpkin chocolate chip bread that’s almost too easy to be true.

All you need is:

• 1 box of spice cake mix
• 1 15-ounce can of pumpkin purée
• 1-2 cups of chocolate chips

Seriously, that’s it. Just mix the three ingredients together, pour into a loaf pan, and bake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes. Is it the same as the from-scratch version? Not quite. But is it ridiculously delicious for a 5-minute prep recipe? Absolutely. It’s a lifesaver when you need a quick fall treat.

For the Health-Conscious Baker: A Low-Sugar Option

If you’re looking to cut back on the sugar, you can definitely make a low-sugar chocolate chip pumpkin bread without sacrificing flavor.

Here are a few simple swaps:

• Reduce the sugar: You can often reduce the total amount of sugar by about a quarter without a huge impact on the texture.
• Use natural sweeteners: Replace some of the granulated sugar with maple syrup or honey.
• Add whole grains: Substitute half of the all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour or add some rolled oats for extra fiber.
• Use Greek yogurt or applesauce: Replacing some of the oil with plain Greek yogurt or unsweetened applesauce can reduce fat and add moisture.

One recipe I’ve seen uses a blend of pumpkin, banana, and applesauce for natural sweetness, which is a great way to pack in more nutrients.

Your Burning Questions, Answered

The Final Slice

There you have it—the pumpkin chocolate chip bread that will become a staple in your fall baking rotation. It’s more than just a recipe; it’s the smell of autumn wafting through your kitchen, the cozy feeling of a warm slice with a cup of coffee, and the joy of sharing something homemade with people you love.

So, what are you waiting for? Go grab that can of pumpkin that’s been sitting in your pantry and get baking. You can thank me later. 😉