Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Loaf

This Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Loaf is moist, spiced, and loaded with chocolate in every slice. It smells like fall the second it hits the oven.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Loaf is a spiced quick bread made with canned pumpkin puree, warm fall spices, and melted-in chocolate chips. This recipe serves 10, delivers a moist, tender loaf with pockets of chocolate in every slice, and is perfect for fall baking or a cozy weekend treat. Here’s everything you need to make it perfectly.

I’ve made this Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Loaf enough times that I can tell it’s done just by the smell coming out of the oven. And the trick with the foil tent? Nobody tells you that part until your top’s already burned once.

Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Loaf

The pumpkin puree keeps every slice genuinely moist instead of dry and crumbly, which is the number one complaint people have about quick breads. You get warm cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger in the background, plus melted pockets of chocolate chip throughout.

It’s an easy one-bowl-plus-one-bowl bake, so there’s no mixer required and cleanup stays simple. This is the kind of loaf that works just as well for breakfast as it does for dessert.

What Ingredients Do You Need for Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Loaf?

Ingredient Group	Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Wet Ingredients	Pumpkin puree	1 (15 ounce) can
Wet Ingredients	Granulated sugar	1½ cups
Wet Ingredients	Vegetable oil	½ cup
Wet Ingredients	Large eggs	2
Wet Ingredients	Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
Dry Ingredients	All-purpose flour	1¾ cups
Dry Ingredients	Baking soda	1 teaspoon
Dry Ingredients	Salt	½ teaspoon
Spices	Ground cinnamon	1 teaspoon
Spices	Ground nutmeg	½ teaspoon
Spices	Ground cloves	¼ teaspoon
Spices	Ground ginger	¼ teaspoon
Mix-Ins	Chocolate chips	1 cup

Canned pumpkin puree is what makes this such an Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe, since it skips roasting and pureeing a whole pumpkin yourself. The four-spice blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger is what gives this Homemade Pumpkin Loaf that classic fall bakery smell. Folding the chocolate chips in last keeps them from sinking straight to the bottom of the pan.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Loaf Step by Step

Mix the Batter

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined.
3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.

💡 Overmixing at this stage is what leads to a dense, tough loaf instead of a tender one — a few visible streaks of flour are fine.

5. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pro Tip: Toss the chocolate chips with a spoonful of the dry mix before folding them in so they don’t all sink to the bottom of the pan.

Bake the Loaf

6. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
7. Bake for 60-75 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

💡 If the top is browning too fast before the center sets, loosely tent it with aluminum foil partway through baking.

Cool the Loaf

8. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Pro Tip: Slicing into the loaf before it’s fully cooled will make it look gummy in the middle even when it’s actually baked through.

Expert Tips for Perfect Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Loaf

Pro Tips for Success

The key to a moist Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Loaf is measuring the flour correctly, since scooping straight from the bag packs in too much and dries out the crumb. For best results, check for doneness starting around the 60-minute mark, since ovens vary and this loaf can go from perfect to overbaked fast. The most common mistake is skipping the foil tent when the top browns early — instead, loosely cover it so the center has time to finish baking.

This Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf works best when the eggs and pumpkin are at room temperature, since cold ingredients can make the batter seize up slightly.

I used to pull mine at exactly 60 minutes every time and kept ending up with a raw center. Now I always test with a skewer instead of trusting the clock.

Delicious Variations

Quick Version: Skip the foil tent step entirely if your oven runs a bit cool and your loaf tends to brown evenly without help.

Alternative Ingredients: Swap half the chocolate chips for chopped walnuts or pecans for some crunch alongside the chocolate.

Dairy-Free Version: Use a dairy-free chocolate chip brand, since the rest of the ingredients in this recipe are already dairy-free.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Problem: The loaf sinks in the middle after baking. Solution: Make sure it’s fully baked before removing it from the oven — an underbaked center will collapse as it cools.

Problem: The top burns before the inside is done. Solution: Tent the loaf loosely with aluminum foil once the top reaches your desired color.

Problem: The chocolate chips all sank to the bottom. Solution: Toss them in a little flour before folding them into the batter next time.

How to Store and Reheat Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Loaf

Storage Method	Duration	Best Practice
Room Temperature	2-3 days	Store in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic
Refrigerator	1 week	Wrap tightly to keep the crumb from drying out
Freezer	3 months	Wrap slices individually before freezing

Warm slices for about 10-15 seconds in the microwave to bring back that just-baked softness, especially if the loaf’s been in the fridge. There’s no real reheating needed if it’s been sitting at room temperature — just slice and go. Leftover slices also work well toasted with a little butter, or crumbled over yogurt for a quick fall-flavored breakfast.

FAQs About Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Loaf

Bake This One This Weekend

Seriously, if you’ve got a can of pumpkin sitting in your pantry, this is exactly what it’s for. Honestly, the whole house smells like fall while this one bakes, and that alone makes it worth the effort. Save this one to Pinterest for your next baking day, and let me know in the comments if you add nuts or keep it classic.

If you’re in a fall baking mood, you might also like this Sweet Potato Coffee Cake, this Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake, or this Lemon Curd Blueberry Loaf for more cozy baked treats.

This Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Loaf is moist, warmly spiced, and studded with melty chocolate chips in every bite. Save this one for your next fall baking day!