Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

This perfect pumpkin chocolate chip bread is loaded with chocolate chips. Fluffy and super moist, it tastes even better the next day!

Year after year, pumpkin season after pumpkin season, and with all the variations of pumpkin chocolate chip bread on the market, this is the only recipe I turn to.

It has been a tried-and-true favorite for over ten years.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Batter

This recipe is very straightforward.

For the wet ingredients:

• Canned pumpkin
• Eggs
• Sugar (not a wet ingredient, but we’re adding it here)
• Oil or a combo of oil and applesauce
• Water, milk or buttermilk (delicious any which way)

Once the wet ingredients are nicely combined, the dry ingredients are added. Nothing finicky here – just your basic flour + warm fall spices + baking soda and salt.

Adaptations

It pains me to even say this out loud, but the chocolate chips are technically optional.

As in, you can leave them out if you want a simple unadorned pumpkin bread…but I don’t necessarily think that’s the right thing to do. 😉

Also, you can decrease the sugar (see the note in the recipe) and also play around with using all whole wheat flour in place of the all-purpose flour or a combination of half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour.

I prefer using a lighter wheat flour in this bread, like hard or soft white wheat flour, kamut or einkhorn. It helps the bread stay fluffy instead of moody and dense.

Bread Pan Sizes

The batter can be split between:

• Two 9X5-inch pans
• Two 8 1/2 X 4 1/2-inch pans plus 1-2 mini loaf pans
• 6-8 mini loaf pans

The specific pan size doesn’t affect the taste outcome of the bread, but I’ve found that the pumpkin bread domes slightly better in the smaller (8 1/2-inch or mini) pans.

A Fan Favorite

This recipe has been around a long time, and it’s become a tried-and-true favorite for many!

Rachel says: I have been making this for years and it’s still my favorite thing to bake during the holiday season! 

Lexy says: I knew this was the best of the best but this year I got adventurous and tried a different recipe that required making homemade pumpkin butter… it wasn’t worth the extra effort. So I’m back to this recipe! Tried and true, this is THE BEST pumpkin bread recipe on the internet. 

Ellen says: Perfect is an understatement! I shall never again Google “pumpkin bread recipe”. Never. PS: Cinnamon chips in place of the chocolate chips is also amazing.

One Year Ago: Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins {a.k.a. The Best Muffins On The Planet}  
Two Years Ago: Instant Pot Double Chocolate Steel Cut Oats 
Three Years Ago: Chicken Cordon Bleu Panini {My New Favorite Sandwich}
Four Years Ago: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Streusel Cake 
Five Years Ago: Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins with {Optional} Maple Cream Glaze
Six Years Ago: 20-Minute Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry 
Seven Years Ago: Cheesy Bacon and Garlic Butter Smashed Red Potatoes 
Eight Years Ago: Cookie Dough and Funfetti Greek Yogurt Dips
Nine Years Ago:  Green Lentil Soup with Curried Brown Butter
Ten Years Ago: The Best Monkey Bread 

Perfect Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Yield: 24 Slices (Makes 2-3 loaves)

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 50 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

4.87 stars (103 ratings)

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Ingredients

• 3 ½ cups (497 g) all-purpose flour (can sub half whole wheat flour – see note)
• 2 cups (424 g) granulated sugar (see note)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (15-ounce) can (425 g) pumpkin puree
• 1 cup (226 g) vegetable, canola, avocado or melted coconut oil (see note)
• 4 large eggs
• ⅔ cup water, milk or buttermilk
• 1 to 2 cups (170 to 340 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

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Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9X5-inch loaf pans or two 8 1/2X4 1/2-inch loaf pans plus 1-2 mini loaf pans.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl or in a large liquid measuring cup, whisk together canned pumpkin, oil, eggs and 2/3 cup water, milk or buttermilk until well combined.
• Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients, and stir until there are still a few dry streaks or clumps.
• Stir in the chocolate chips and mix until no dry streaks remain – but don't over mix! Pour batter in prepared pans.
• Bake the bread for 55 to 70 minutes until a toothpick or thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the bread from the oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Run a knife gently around the edge of the bread and turn the bread out, right side up, onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Let it Cool: this bread tastes best when it has cooled completely for a few hours and tastes even better the next day.

Flour: the original recipe called for 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour. This recipe is very adaptable to use 100% all-purpose flour, 100% whole wheat flour (preferably a lighter wheat like hard or soft white wheat, kamut, or einkhorn), or half and half.

Sugar: over the years, I’ve decreased the sugar and the bread is plenty sweet. The original recipe called for 3 cups sugar, if you are looking for that amount.

Oil + Applesauce: you can easily replace part of the oil with applesauce (many commenters in the thread below have done so with great results). My favorite is 1/2 cup applesauce, 1/2 cup oil.

Chocolate Chips: if you have trouble with the chocolate chips sinking to the bottom of the loaf, try tossing them with the dry ingredients before adding the wet ingredients.

Author: Mel

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Method: Bake

Serving: 1 slice, Calories: 326kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 28mg, Sodium: 201mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 30g

Recommended Products

9X5-inch Loaf Pan

Mixing Bowl

Wooden Spoon

Recipe Source: my brother, Nate W.

Recipe originally posted October 19, 2010; updated October 2022 with new photos, commentary and recipe notes.

Other Recipes Like This:

Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins {a.k.a. The Best Muffins On The Planet}

Perfect Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Snack Cake {One-Bowl + Whole Grain}

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Blender Muffins {Gluten Free}