Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Recipe | Moist & Easy

5 from 3 votes

Moist and easy pumpkin bread with chocolate chips, the perfect fall baking recipe! A simple homemade loaf that’s soft, flavorful, and delicious.

Prep Time10

Cook Time55

Total Time1 5

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Sweet Bread

Servings:

Calories: 343kcal

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9x5-inch (23x12 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk eggs, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla; whisk until fully combined.
Combine: Gently fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture with a spatula until just combined (do not overmix). Stir in chocolate chips, reserving a few for the top.
Bake: Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with reserved chocolate chips. Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (a few moist crumbs are fine). Tip: Start checking your bread around the 25–30 minute mark. If the top is browning too quickly while the center is still underbaked, loosely cover the loaf with aluminum foil and continue baking until fully cooked through.
Cool: Allow bread to cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Oil: Neutral-flavored oils like vegetable, canola, sunflower, or even light olive oil all work. Melted butter can be used, but the texture will be slightly denser.
Buttermilk substitute: I prefer buttermilk because it makes the pumpkin bread extra moist and tender. If you don’t have buttermilk, make a quick version by adding 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to regular milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes. Regular milk also works, though the texture will be slightly less rich.
Pumpkin puree: Use pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling). Homemade puree works too, just make sure it’s thick and not watery.
Pan size: A 9x5-inch (23x12 cm) pan is the standard loaf size and will give you a classic-shaped bread. If you prefer a slightly taller loaf with thicker slices, use an 8.5x4.5-inch (21x11 cm) pan instead. Baking time may vary by a few minutes depending on the pan.
Chocolate chips: Optional but recommended, you can use Semi-sweet, dark, or even white chocolate chips. You can also replace with chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans).
Spice variations: If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, use 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ginger, and a pinch of cloves.
Storage: Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 1 week. Freezes well for up to 3 months.