Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

This post may contain affiliate links. View my privacy policy and disclosure policy for more details.

Moist, sweet and cakey, this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread recipe is beyond good. Filled with chocolate and baked to perfection, it’s the perfect fall treat! If you don’t love chocolate, try my Pumpkin Swirl Donut Bread or Cinnamon Swirl Donut Bread.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread | The Perfect Fall Treat

I’m sort of in love with my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread. I’ve been sitting on this recipe, making it the same way for the past six weeks because I wanted to *be sure* it was good. Friends, we are there! Its just the right amount of sweetness balanced with spice, pumpkin and chocolate…basically everything pumpkin bread should be.

Main Ingredients Needed

This Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread yields a moist, sweet cakey loaf that is all sorts of pumpkin and chocolate. It’s made in one bowl, poured into one loaf pan and topped with chocolate. Then it’s baked in a light-colored loaf pan for about an hour. But first, you need these ingredients!

• Salted Butter – softened! You can use unsalted if that’s what you have, just add an extra pinch of salt with the dry ingredients.
• Canola Oil – this makes the loaf pleasantly moist. Vegetable oil can be used instead, if that’s what you have on hand.
• Granulated Sugar – to sweeten of course.
• Pumpkin Puree – you can either use canned or make your own homemade pumpkin puree.
• Eggs – this adds structure and helps the bread rise a bit.
• Vanilla – for flavoring.
• All-Purpose Flour – adds structure to the bread and fills it out.
• Baking Powder – helps the bread rise.
• Salt – to balance and compliment flavors.
• Buttermilk – extra moisture comes from this ingredient that creates an extra soft pumpkin bread. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand mix together 1/4 cup of milk and 1/4 teaspoon of white vinegar.
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – chocolate and pumpkin is always a good pairing. Switch out for white chocolate, dark chocolate or even nuts if you want. I would go with walnuts or pecans.

How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Now with those helpful tips in mind and the ingredients gathered, you’re ready to make the best pumpkin bread ever. For full recipe details and ingredient measurements, be sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Combine Wet Ingredients

Preheat oven. Grease light colored loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, mix oil, butter and, sugar until well combined. Stir in eggs, vanilla and, pumpkin until smooth. 

Add in Dry Ingredients, Buttermilk, Chocolate Chips

Gently stir in dry ingredients and buttermilk until it’s uniform batter has formed. Scrape sides to ensure no lumps are present. Stir in 3/4 cup chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan and top with remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips.

Bake, Cool + Serve

Bake in the lower half of the oven until completely baked. Remove from oven and cool (at least 15 mins) before removing from pan. Slice and serve.

Pro Tips for Making the Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

To get the best results with this pumpkin bread recipe you will want to:

• Stir the flour in until just combined. Meaning, don’t stir it like crazy because you don’t want to develop any gluten. Gluten = chewy. For a loaf that is basically a cake, you’ll want it to be tender like a cake. So, don’t overthink it and don’t over mix.
• Use a light-colored loaf pan… and parchment paper if you can swing it. These are the ones I own and I couldn’t recommend them enough. They are fabulous. Dark pans tend to lead to crispy, dark edges. We do not want that for this loaf! Also, bake the loaf in the lower half of the oven. If you do happen to use a darker pan, reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and start checking doneness at 45 minutes in. You don’t want it to burn.
• Let it cool before removing from the pan. Not cooled completely but cooled enough that it won’t fall apart once it’s been removed from the pan. 15 – 20 minutes after bake time is a good sweet spot. You shouldn’t have to use oven mitts to remove it from the pan. Everything can be very warm to the touch still, but its too hot if you have to use oven mitts. And of course, eat it warm!

Storing Options

The amazing thing about Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread is that it can be made ahead of time! It is best served warm (isn’t any baked good?) but it is also delicious at room temperature.

Room temperature or In the fridge– Normally, this recipe can last for up to 3 days stored at room temperature. The longer it sits, the more crumbly and dry it gets. Warming will help with this, but storing it in the refrigerator would be preferred, especially if you’re wanting this to last beyond 3 days. Storing this pumpkin bread in the fridge will actually extend its shelf like as long as its wrapped well or in an airtight container.  That way you can make it a couple of days in advance and keep it fresh in the fridge. Simply eat cold or reheat for 10 seconds per slice in the microwave.

Freezing Pumpkin Bread– Bake accordingly and let the loaf cool completely. Then wrap it with plastic wrap a couple of times over and then put into a plastic freezer bag. This will prevent it from getting freezer burn. When stored this way, Pumpkin Bread can last for up to 3 months! Now that is fall meal prepping.

More Pumpkin Recipes to Try:

• Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe
• Soft Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
• Pumpkin Bars
• Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler
• Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Caramel Pecan Filling
• Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins

Everyone should have a plethora of pumpkin recipes and this pumpkin chocolate chip bread recipe definitely needs to make it to your recipe box. It always is delicious, always goes over well and always gets finished first.

So print, bake, eat, repeat. Have a great day, friends!