The best chocolate chip pumpkin bread is moist, tender, warmly spiced, and easy to make in one bowl. This dependable quick-bread recipe uses a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, plain canned pumpkin purée, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and plenty of semisweet chocolate chips for a loaf that bakes in 55–70 minutes.
Every slice has a soft pumpkin crumb with lightly crisp edges, fragrant fall spices, and pockets of melted chocolate. Serve it for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or dessert, and be sure to let the loaf cool completely so the center finishes setting and slices cleanly.
Jump to RecipeWhy You’ll Love This Recipe
This pumpkin bread has the ideal balance of cozy spice and rich chocolate. Pumpkin adds moisture and a naturally mellow sweetness, while cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves give the loaf its unmistakable autumn aroma without making the flavor too strong.
The batter comes together quickly with ordinary pantry ingredients, and the recipe requires no mixer. Oil keeps the crumb soft for days, while semisweet chocolate chips add little molten pockets that make every slice feel like a treat.
If you enjoy baking with chocolate chips, you may also like these crisp chocolate chip almond biscotti for dunking into coffee after your pumpkin bread is gone.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Choose plain canned pumpkin purée for this recipe. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, so substituting it would change the sweetness, seasoning, and moisture of the finished loaf.
- Flour: All-purpose flour gives the bread enough structure while keeping the crumb tender.
- Pumpkin: One cup of purée provides moisture, color, and gentle pumpkin flavor.
- Oil: Neutral vegetable or canola oil creates a soft texture without competing with the spices.
- Spices: Cinnamon leads, with small amounts of nutmeg and cloves adding depth.
- Chocolate chips: Semisweet chips supply a pleasant contrast to the lightly sweet pumpkin batter.
Room-temperature eggs blend more easily into the wet ingredients. If you forgot to set them out, place the uncracked eggs in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes, then dry them before using.
How to Make It Step-by-Step
Step 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare the pan. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, then line it with parchment paper so the paper extends over the sides; this makes removing the loaf simple and protects the bread from sticking.
Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a medium bowl, breaking up any small pockets of baking soda or spice so the seasoning spreads evenly through the batter.
Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, pumpkin purée, oil, granulated sugar, and vanilla until the mixture looks smooth and cohesive, with no visible streaks of egg.
Step 4: Bring the batter together gently. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir only until the last trace of flour disappears; a few small lumps are fine, but do not beat or vigorously mix the batter.
Step 5: Add the chocolate chips. Fold in the semisweet chips with a flexible spatula, using a few broad turns to distribute them without overworking the flour.
Step 6: Fill the loaf pan. Scrape the batter into the parchment-lined pan and spread it into the corners, then sprinkle a few extra chips on top for a bakery-style finish.
Step 7: Bake until the center is set. Begin checking at 55 minutes, but allow up to 70 minutes if needed; a toothpick should show a few moist crumbs rather than wet batter. If the surface becomes deeply brown before the center is ready, lay foil loosely over the top.
Step 8: Cool before slicing. Leave the loaf in the pan for about 10–15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack using the parchment. Let it cool completely for at least 1 hour, because pumpkin bread continues to firm as it cools.
For another comforting way to use a baked loaf, keep our chocolate banana bread pudding in mind for a future dessert.
Pro Tips for a Moist, Tender Loaf
The most important technique is stopping the mixing as soon as the flour disappears. Too much stirring develops gluten, which can make quick bread dense, chewy, or rubbery instead of soft.
Measure flour carefully by spooning it into a dry measuring cup and leveling the top, or use the listed 220-gram weight. Too much flour can make the loaf dry and can also produce a batter that rises less evenly.
Do not judge doneness by the color of the top alone. Pumpkin bread can look finished while the center is still wet, so test the thickest part with a toothpick and continue baking until it shows moist crumbs but no raw batter.
A smaller 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan will create a taller loaf and may need more time in the oven. Keep the same oven temperature, begin checking around the recipe’s suggested point, and make sure the center is fully set before removing it.
If you are planning a chocolate-filled baking day, pair this loaf with our dark chocolate chip shortbread cookies for a beautiful dessert tray.
Serving, Storage, and Slicing
Serve the bread in thick slices once it has cooled completely. It is delicious plain, but a little softened butter, cream cheese, or a drizzle of honey can make a slice feel especially indulgent.
Store the cooled loaf tightly wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. For longer storage, refrigerate it well covered, or wrap individual slices so you can take out only what you need.
For the cleanest cuts, use a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion. If the chocolate chips are still very soft, wait a little longer; a fully cooled loaf will hold together better and reveal a neat, tender crumb.
For a playful dessert spread, you can also serve bite-sized slices alongside these chocolate chip cookie cannolis.
Easy Ways to Customize It
The tested version is lightly sweet and warmly spiced, but it leaves room for small personal touches. You can use a mixture of regular and mini semisweet chips, or reserve some chips for the top so the finished loaf looks especially inviting.
For a richer, more dessert-like loaf, a common variation is increasing the chocolate chips to 1 1/2 cups. Another option is replacing part of the granulated sugar with brown sugar, which brings a deeper molasses note while keeping the pumpkin character front and center.
For a softer crumb, some bakers add 1/4 cup milk or orange juice. These are optional variations rather than part of the core recipe, so make the classic loaf first and then experiment with the version your family prefers.
When you want a different chocolate-and-nut combination, try serving this pumpkin bread with a few slices of our cream cheese stuffed chocolate chip banana bread at a brunch gathering.
The Best Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the long sides to lift out the baked loaf.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves together in a medium bowl until evenly combined.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs, pumpkin purée, oil, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and well blended.
- Add the dry mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until no dry flour remains. Do not continue mixing once the batter comes together.
- Fold in the chocolate chips gently, distributing them through the batter without deflating or overworking it.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Scatter a few additional chocolate chips over the surface if desired.
- Bake for 55–70 minutes, checking from about 55 minutes onward. The loaf is ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter; tent the top loosely with foil if it browns too quickly.
- Cool the bread in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then use the parchment overhang to transfer it to a wire rack. Cool completely, for at least 1 hour, before slicing.
Notes
Final Thoughts
This chocolate chip pumpkin bread earns its place in the regular baking rotation because it is easy, fragrant, and consistently moist. The combination of plain pumpkin purée, gentle spices, tender oil-based crumb, and semisweet chocolate chips creates a loaf that tastes homemade in the very best way.
Give it the full cooling time, slice it with a serrated knife, and enjoy it with coffee, tea, or a glass of cold milk. Once you taste that first soft slice with melted chocolate throughout, this simple bread is likely to become a favorite every autumn.