Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Name: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking soda; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon ground cloves; ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg; ½ teaspoon ground allspice; 2 cups granulated sugar; 4 large eggs (at room temperature); 1 cup canola oil; 1 15-ounce can pumpkin purée (NOT pumpkin pie filling); ¾ cup water; 12 ounces chocolate chips ((2 cups), see Recipe Notes)

This easy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread is moist and warmly spiced, with plenty of chocolate chips in every bite. Made in one bowl with a full can of pumpkin and no mixer needed, the batter makes two loaves - one to enjoy now and one to freeze or share!

Sliced Pumpkin Bread on a wood tray surrounded by Fall leaves on a brown scarf from overhead.

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Quick Recipe Summary ✨
Why this recipe works
My 40-Year Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Tradition
Recipe Ingredients
How to make Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
Storage instructions
Other ways to bake Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
Troubleshooting tips
Questions asked and answered
More bundt and loaf cake recipes to try
Recipe
Comments

Quick Recipe Summary ✨

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread: A moist, warmly spiced pumpkin quick bread filled with chocolate chips, made in one bowl with no mixer needed.

One batch, two loaves: Uses a full 15-ounce can of pumpkin and makes two standard loaves - perfect for sharing, freezing, or turning into muffins and mini loaves.

Active Time: About 15 minutes • Bake Time: 55 to 65 minutes • Total Time: About 1½ hours, plus cooling

Difficulty Level: ⭐ Easy. Just stir, pour, and bake - no mixer or special techniques required!

Yield: 2 standard loaves • Freezer-friendly: Up to 3 months • Make-ahead: Keeps up to 3 days at room temperature or 1 week refrigerated.

👉 Follow the detailed instructions and troubleshooting tips below for moist Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread with plenty of pumpkin spice and chocolate in every bite.

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Why this recipe works

Moist and tender: Pumpkin purée and oil keep the crumb soft
Warmly spiced: Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice balance the sweet pumpkin and chocolate
Plenty of chocolate: Chocolate chips add rich little bursts of chocolate throughout the loaf

Ah, traditions…

They lend comfortable predictability to life, like a snuggly blanket on a chilly day.

I love food traditions at Thanksgiving, like always serving homemade cranberry sauce. I also like to tweak tradition a little bit for the desserts, serving Black Bottom Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie, Glazed Orange Cranberry Bread, and Southern Brown Sugar Pie (although Apple Pie is still a welcome classic!). And pumpkin scones usually make an appearance for breakfast, of course.

Yummm... (pausing to wipe the drool off my keyboard)

One tradition I don't touch is that my Father-in-Law won't let me in the door for our family's Thanksgiving get-together unless I promise to bake him my Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread. That's upwards of 40 years now!

With warm pumpkin spices, plenty of chocolate chips, and a soft, moist crumb, there's a reason this loaf has stuck around for so long. It also makes a wonderful Fall gift and ships well - assuming you can keep everyone from eating it first.

After 40 years, I think it's safe to call this one a family favorite!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I adore the flavour of pumpkin but can't stand the texture, this perfectly hits the spot! I think I've just found my new go-to fall recipe!

- Lilly

My 40-Year Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Tradition

This is the pumpkin bread recipe, given to me by a work friend years ago. You can see how well loved it is, and how I've adapted it over the years.

I've added the weight measurements (using that kitchen scale makes things easier!), played with using egg replacement and applesauce, and exchanged the nuts for chocolate chips. I've also experimented with making mini loaves and muffins. It's a very versatile recipe!

There was one year when I accidentally bought a large 29-ounce can of pumpkin purée, so I made Pumpkin Gingerbread Loaves (the recipe at the bottom of the image). I couldn't let that extra pumpkin go to waste!

Handwritten Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread recipe.

Recipe Ingredients

You'll need the following ingredients to make this pumpkin bread recipe:

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread ingredients portioned into glass bowls.

Ingredient Notes

Pumpkin purée: Pure pumpkin purée is not the same as pumpkin pie filling - the latter has sugar and spices that you can't control. Trust me, make sure you get the canned pumpkin purée (one 15-ounce can is sufficient).

Chocolate chips: Adding the chocolate chips takes a good pumpkin bread recipe and makes it great. You can substitute chopped nuts or dried fruit for the chocolate chips, if desired (but my Father-in-Law wouldn't approve).

Pumpkin spice blend: A pumpkin spice blend of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice gives the pumpkin loaf recipe a distinctive flavor without overwhelming the sweetness from the sugar and chocolate. You can also use your favorite pumpkin spice mix if you prefer.

See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How to make Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

This is an easy chocolate chip pumpkin bread recipe to make. And only uses one bowl!

Step 1: Make the batter

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices together in a large mixing bowl (photo 1).

Flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a glass bowl.

Stir the sugar, eggs, canola oil, pumpkin purée, and water into the flour mixture, only until just incorporated (photo 2).

Don't overmix - a few small streaks of flour are fine at this point.

Adding sugar, eggs, pumpkin purée, canola oil, & water to flour mixture.

Fold in the chocolate chips (photo 3).

Adding chocolate chips to pumpkin bread batter in a glass bowl.

Step 2: Bake the bread

Pour the batter into two standard loaf pans sprayed with baking spray. It's helpful to line the pans with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides, so that you can lift the loaf out of the pan later.

Bake at 350°F for 55 to 65 minutes, checking for doneness after 45 minutes. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, checking for doneness after 45 minutes.

The loaves are done when the center springs back when lightly touched and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (photo 4). Avoid testing through a chocolate chip, which can make the tester look wet.

Collage of Pumpkin Bread in a glass loaf pan before and after baking.

Allow the pumpkin bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove it using the parchment paper as a sling and cool completely on a wire rack. Letting the pumpkin bread cool completely allows the crumb to set, making it easier to slice cleanly.

Storage instructions

Pumpkin bread will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer storage, you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.

Whole Pumpkin Bread on a wood tray surrounded by Fall leaves on a brown scarf from overhead.

Other ways to bake Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

This Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread batter can be baked in several different pan sizes. My recipe makes two standard loaves, but the batter can also be baked as mini loaves, muffins, or mini muffins (especially if you use mini chocolate chips).

Would you prefer to serve this as a cake instead of a loaf? Use a Bundt pan, or halve the recipe and use a small Bundt pan (like with this Sourdough Pumpkin Bundt Cake).

For any pan size, don't fill it more than ⅔ full to prevent the batter from overflowing.

Recipe Amount	Pan Size	Yield	Bake Time
Full recipe	Standard loaf pan	2 large loaves	55 to 65 min
Full recipe	Standard loaf + mini loaf pans	1 large loaf + 2 mini loaves	55 to 65 min (large); 25 to 30 min (mini)
Full recipe	Standard muffin pan	24 muffins	18 to 23 min
Full recipe	Mini muffin pan	48 mini muffins	15 to 20 min
Full recipe	10- to 12-cup Bundt pan	1 large Bundt cake	55 to 65 min
Half recipe	Standard loaf pan	1 large loaf	55 to 65 min
Half recipe	Mini loaf pans	4 mini loaves	25 to 30 min
Half recipe	6-cup Bundt pan	1 small Bundt cake	40 to 50 min

Closeup of sliced Pumpkin Bread on a wood tray surrounded by Fall leaves on a brown scarf.

Troubleshooting tips

Here are some issues you might encounter when making Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread:

Bread is gummy in the center: It likely needs more baking time. Test in the center of the loaf, avoiding a melted chocolate chip; the tester should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Bread is dry: Don't overbake it. Start checking at 45 minutes since loaf pans and ovens can vary.
Bread is tough or dense: The batter was probably overmixed. Stir just until the flour disappears, then gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Top is browning before the center is done: Loosely tent the loaf with foil and continue baking until the center is cooked through.
Bread sticks to the pan: Grease the pan well and use a parchment sling so the cooled loaf lifts out easily.
Batter overflows: Fill any loaf, muffin, or Bundt pan no more than about ⅔ full.

Questions asked and answered

Here are some questions you might have...

What kind of chocolate chips are best for pumpkin bread?

Semisweet chocolate chips are my choice for pumpkin bread because they add plenty of chocolate flavor without making the loaf overly sweet. Regular chips give you larger pockets of melted chocolate, while mini chocolate chips distribute more evenly and work especially well for muffins and mini loaves.

Does this Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread use a whole can of pumpkin?

Yes. A full batch uses one 15-ounce can of pumpkin purée, so there's no leftover pumpkin to store. If you make a half batch, leftover pumpkin purée can be refrigerated for another use or frozen for longer storage.