Fall is here and so is pumpkin season! This Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe is the perfect combo of hearty pumpkin and sweet chocolate chips. Even the most green baker can whip up this easy recipe.
Why This Recipe Works
This easy homemade pumpkin bread recipe combines savory pumpkin, warm spices, and rich chocolate chips, for a sweet and deliciously dense bread. Starbucks pumpkin bread who? You're going to love how we made pumpkin bread easy, but also you'll love:
- How moist it is - pumpkin makes for extra moist pumpkin bread. The oil in this recipe also keeps it moist.
- This recipes makes enough to share - this recipe makes 3 loaves, so you can eat one and give some to a neighbor.
- Pumpkin bread freezes like a dream - want to stock your freezer with delicious pumpkin bread? This recipe freezes for up to 3 months!
What Is a Quick Bread?
This delicious pumpkin bread is quick bread. I am a HUGE fan of quick breads. Particularly banana and zucchini. What is a quick bread you ask?
- Quick bread is any bread leavened without yeast.
- Quick bread can be prepared quickly without a rising period.
- Quick bread can be made easily by even the greenest of bakers.
About The Ingredients
All of the ingredients for this pumpkin bread recipes can be located at your local grocery store. A few items to take care of when selecting:
- Canned Pureed Pumpkin - make sure that you select canned pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. The pumpkin pie filling has a different consistency and added spices. You want to use the pure pumpkin puree for this recipe.
- Chocolate Chips - selects a quality chocolate chip. I like to use semi-sweet, but dark or milk chocolate chips are also delicious.
- Leaven - for this recipe we are using both 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and 2 teaspoons baking soda. These act as the Leven to help the bread rise while baking.
How Do I Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread?
Making this quick bread is very simple. It only requires and electric mixer, or you can mix it by hand - this is the definition of a one bowl recipe.
1. Start by adding your oil and sugar, pumpkin, and eggs to a large mixing bowl.
2. Cream together with a hand or stand mixer, or with a whisk.
3. Add in your dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Add in cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
5. Mix until well combined.
6. Add in chocolate chips. Stir to combine.
7. Pour batter evenly into your loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes for mini loaves, or 1 hour for 9 inch loaf pans.
8. Cool on a wire rack.
Pro Tip: Do NOT overfill your loaf tins. You will end up with a big mess in your oven. Make sure the loaf pans are about ¾ of the way full, and do not exceed this.
The Importance of Salt & Spices in Baking
Have you ever wondered why there is salt in many baking recipes? Salt is an important step in baking, because it activates the baking soda - helping the batter rise as it bakes. So don't skimp when a recipe calls for salt.
For this recipe I used a combination of ½ teaspoon clove, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon allspice, and 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg. These spices give the bread a warm, fall flavor that pairs perfectly with pumpkin. You can also substitute 3 ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice or sometimes called pumpkin pie spice.
Easy Pumpkin Bread Q & A
Once your bread has cooled, wrap in in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. You can store the bread at room temperature for up to 5 days. Alternately, you can store in the fridge for about 1 week. If the bread has an off smell, or mold - the bread has gone bad and needs to be discarded.
Many sweet breads will deflate a bit, but if it's a significant amount, it could be due to undercooking. The center of the bread should spring back when gently pressed with your finger. Also a toothpick inserted should come out clean.
Yes! The bread can be salvaged - place back into the over and bake for an additional 10 to 20 minutes. This should cook the inside.
While baking time is a guide, to test for doneness of sweet orange bread, insert a wooden toothpick into center of the loaf. If the toothpick comes out clean the quick bread is done. The edges of the bread will begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. You can also gently touch the top of the bread. If it springs back, it is done. If it leaves and indent, it needs more time. Alternately, you can use a thermometer to check the internal temperature. The center should be 210 degrees when it is cooked thru.
Storing Pumpkin Bread
- Storing - This quickbread will keep at room temperature for several days. Just store in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 5 days. Alternately, you can store in the fridge for about 1 week. If the bread has an off smell, or mold - the bread has gone bad and needs to be discarded.
- How to freeze pumpkin bread - Let bread cool completely, wrap it in plastic wrap, and then wrap it in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw on the counter in its wrapping.
More Pumpkin Recipes You May Enjoy
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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
Equipment
- hand or stand mixer optional
- Loaf Pans
Ingredients
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 15 ounces can of pumpkin
- 4 eggs lightly beaten
- ⅔ cup water
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon all spice
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 ½ cups flour
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- With a hand or stand mixer, mix 3 cups sugar, oil, pumpkin, water and 4 eggs until well combined.
- In a separate bowl combine baking powder, baking soda nutmeg, all spice, cloves, cinnamon, 3 ½ cups flour, and salt.
- Add dry mixture to wet mixture and mix until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Spray three 9 inch loaf pans with non-stick spray. Add batter evenly between them. You can also do several mini loaf pans. DO NOT overfill your loaf pan. Whether you opt for mini or full size - fill your pan about ¾ way full. This will help you avoid batter spilling over during baking.
- Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack before serving.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Morgan says
Made this bread and it was a hit to say the least. I kept one loaf at home & took one to work. My husband loved it & multiple people at work asked for the recipe. Will make over & over!! :)
Kadee says
So happy to hear this!!!
KARA says
THIS BREAD WAS SO MOIST AND FLAVORFUL! LOVED IT.
Maryanne says
Eeek! I'm in the middle of making this right now...and on the ingredient list it says 2/3 c water, but nowhere in the instructions does it ever mention adding the water! So...is water even supposed to be in this recipe? OR was it just accidentally left out of the instruction part? Help! I'm not sure if I should add it or not! :-/
Emily Kemp says
This sounds so perfect for fall, love the choc chips in there too!
Adri says
You know fall has arrived when the pumpkin recipes come out. This sounds terrific, and I bet it will make a terrific afternoon snack. My husband just adores things like this, so I will have to give this one a try. And I love the loaf pan! It is beautiful!