This Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread is soft, tender, and loaded with melty chocolate chips inside and on top. Sweet enough to feel like a treat but still full of that cozy pumpkin flavor we all love, it’s the perfect quick bread for fall baking! Chocolate and pumpkin are a match made in heaven in my humble opinion. If you love this recipe, be sure to try my Pumpkin Bread for another autumn classic, or check out more of my Quick Bread Recipes for easy, cozy loaves.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Flour: All-purpose flour keeps the loaf soft and tender while holding all the pumpkin and chocolate together. For a slightly heartier loaf, swap half for whole wheat flour.
- Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves give this bread its warm fall flavor. You can use pumpkin pie spice as a shortcut.
- Vegetable Oil: Keeps the bread moist and soft. For a lighter version, swap in applesauce.
- Molasses: Adds rich sweetness, depth, and a golden-brown color.
- Pure Pumpkin: Be sure to use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling (which has added sugar and spices).
- Orange Juice: Adds brightness and balances the sweetness. You can substitute apple juice, milk, or even water.
- Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet chocolate chips are classic, but milk or dark chocolate work, too. For more chocolate flavor, try my Pumpkin Chocolate Bread, made with cocoa powder.
FAQs
Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?
Yes! Roast or steam fresh pumpkin until soft, then puree until smooth. Use the same amount as canned pumpkin.
How do I know when the bread is done?
Insert a toothpick or wooden skewer in the center. It should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
Can I adjust the sweetness?
Yes! Reduce the sugar slightly or replace the semi-sweet chocolate chips with unsweetened chocolate chunks.
Variations for Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
Nutty Twist: Add pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts for crunch.
Fruit Add-In: Try raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped dates.
Spiced Up: Increase cinnamon and add cardamom for a spicier loaf.
Chocolate Lovers: Use dark chocolate chunks instead of chips, or add a drizzle of melted chocolate on top.
Mini Loaves or Muffins: Bake in mini loaf pans or muffin tins for portable treats.
How to Store Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
Room Temperature: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Refrigerator: Store up to 1 week, but the bread may dry slightly. Let slices come to room temperature before serving.
Freezer: Wrap the cooled loaf in plastic wrap, then foil (or use a freezer-safe bag). Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then warm slices in the microwave if desired.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (219 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (109 g) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- 1 cup (182 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang on the sides for easy removal.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Whisk together until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, use a hand mixer on medium speed to beat together granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, molasses, pumpkin, and orange juice until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed just until combined and no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
- Using a spatula, gently fold in ¾ cup of chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Top with the remaining chocolate chips.
- Bake for 75–85 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then, lift it out using the parchment paper and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Did you make this recipe?
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What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
This bread has the perfect Fall flavors. It's moist and perfectly spiced. I love it!
Elizabeth
If you don't think chocolate and pumpkin go together, try this bread. It is delicious!
Stephanie
This is so easy to make, and I love it! I am not a fan of pumpkin pie, but this bread is SO good!
Bella
I wasn't sure about chocolate in pumpkin bread, but it is amazing!
I was wondering about the orange juice, I don’t do too well with the orange juice because orange juice is so acidic, is there something else I can replace it with and what does the orange juice do to it other than flavor? Do you have other pumpkin recipes that you would share or Do you have a link?? I was wondering what kind of flour that you use? Thank you so much. I love your beautiful cookbook, thank you.Jewel
I’m just wondering if I can substitute butternut squash puree for the pumpkin puree?
sure