There’s something about the cozy scent of pumpkin spice wafting from the oven that makes a house feel instantly welcoming. This pumpkin chocolate chip bread brings together the best of fall flavors – a moist, tender pumpkin bread laced with just the right amount of warm spices and studded with melty chocolate chips. Whether you’re looking for a quick breakfast, a lunchbox treat, or a cozy afternoon snack, this bread is an easy bake that feels both comforting and a little indulgent. Made with canned pumpkin puree, this is a treat you can whip up and enjoy all year long.
With the start of the school year comes the return of daily lunch packing, and I’m always looking for simple ways to tuck in a special treat. This chocolate chip pumpkin bread has quickly become a favorite. The first loaf disappeared before I even had the chance to pack it, so I baked two more. One was sliced and frozen individually, making it easy to pop straight into lunchboxes throughout the week. It’s a small step that makes mornings smoother and adds a touch of homemade comfort to every lunch.
Why You Will Love This Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
- Moist & Tender Texture – The pumpkin keeps this bread soft and flavorful for days.
- Perfect Flavor Balance – Warm spices and rich chocolate chips complement each other beautifully.
- Easy to Make – Just a few simple steps and pantry-friendly ingredients.
- Kid-Approved – A sweet treat that’s perfect for lunchboxes or after-school snacks.
- Freezer-Friendly – Slice and freeze for quick grab-and-go portions.
- Year-Round Enjoyment – Thanks to canned pumpkin puree, it’s not limited to fall baking.
- Versatile Treat – Enjoy it for breakfast, as a snack, or even as a light dessert.
- Better Than Store-Bought – Homemade means no preservatives and plenty of fresh, cozy flavor.
- Crowd-Pleaser – Ideal for sharing with family, friends, or at gatherings.
Equipment Needed
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This recipe only calls for basic baking tools, but if you’re stocking up or upgrading your kitchen gear, these items will come in handy:
Ingredients
All-purpose flour – provides the structure for the bread allowing it to hold its shape and still remain tender.
Baking soda and Baking powder – leavening agents that allow the bread to rise.
Pumpkin pie spice – adds that flavor profile that says “pumpkin” and “Autumn”
Salt – enhances all the flavors
Large eggs – adds moisture to help keep the crumb soft and not dry, leavening and structure to help give a little lift and stability to the bread.
Granulated sugar – brings sweetness to this treat – you can adjust to meet your preference
Greek yogurt – adds moisture and a bit of acidity which works with the baking soda to aid in leavening the bread.
Vegetable oil – helps to keep the pumpkin bread moist and not dry.
Pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) – adds the yummy pumpkin flavor as well as more moisture.
Chocolate chips – add a little more sweetness as well as a chocolatey punch which pairs so well with the pumpkin and spices.
How To Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
Full recipe with measurements can be found in the recipe card near the bottom.
Jump to RecipePreheat the oven to 350F.
Prepare a 1.25 pound loaf pan (5″D x 9″W x 2″H) by lining it with parchment paper. The paper needs to cover most of the bottom and come up and over either side of the pan so that once the loaf is baked it can be easily lifted from the loaf pan to cool. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Stir with a spoon to combine and then set aside.
In another large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine the eggs and sugar. Add in the Greek yogurt, pumpkin puree, and vegetable oil. Stir together well.
Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix with a spoon until just combined.
Fold in Chocolate chips.
Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth out the top with the back of a spoon or rubber spatula. Sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top for decoration.
Bake at 350F for 60-70 minutes. Mine was done at 65 minutes. You can use a skewer to check to see if the loaf is ready, it should come out clean.
Let the pumpkin chocolate chip bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then using the parchment paper handles, remove the loaf to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing. It will slice best once all the chocolate chips have cooled inside which can take around 4 hours.
Pro Tips Tricks and Substitutions
- Pumpkin Pie Spice. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice at home you can sub the 2 1/2 teaspoons with 1 3/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/8 tsp ground cloves, and a pinch of all-spice if you have it.
- If you don’t have Greek yogurt, substitute the ¼ cup Greek yogurt with vegetable oil. To balance the acidity needed for the baking soda, replace half of the white sugar with brown sugar.
- Chocolate chips are optional, but you can leave them out if you prefer. You could sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top before baking to give a nice healthy decoration, or you could try swapping the chocolate chips for raisins or dried cranberries.
FAQs
What’s the difference between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling? Pumpkin puree is 100% cooked and blended pumpkin with no added ingredients. It’s what you want for baking pumpkin bread, muffins, cakes, or any recipe where you control the sweetness and spices. Pumpkin pie filling (sometimes called “pumpkin pie mix”) already has sugar, spices, and sometimes thickening agents added. It’s designed to be poured straight into a pie crust.
Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin purée? You can, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Not because of flavor but it is harder to know how much moisture the pumpkin puree is bringing with it. If you can match the moisture content of canned pumpkins then I think it would work out absolutely fine.
Can I make this recipe into muffins? You probably could. I would reduce the baking time to about 18-20 minutes. Just check on them with a toothpick, after inserted it should come out clean.
How should I store this pumpkin bread? It’s best to keep it in an airtight container on the counter for about three days or in the fridge for around 6 days. You can also freeze it whole in a zipper top bag or sliced and wrapped individually (my preference) for up to 3 months. A whole frozen loaf can thaw in the fridge overnight, and individual slices will only take about 10-15 minutes to thaw at room temperature.
Why is my pumpkin bread dense or gummy? This can happen with overmixing or more likely too much pumpkin puree was used.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour spooned & leveled (207g)
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 ½ tsp Pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp Salt
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 cup Granulated sugar 250g
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt 60g
- ¼ cup Vegetable oil I used Olive oil (51g)
- 1 ½ cups Pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling (345g)
- 1 cup Chocolate chips 188g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Prepare a 1.25 pound loaf pan (5″D x 9″W x 2″H) by lining it with parchment paper. The paper needs to cover most of the bottom and come up and over either side of the pan so that once the loaf is baked it can be easily lifted from the loaf pan to cool. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Stir with a spoon to combine and then set aside.
- In another large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine the eggs and sugar. Add in the Greek yogurt, pumpkin puree, and vegetable oil. Stir together well.
- Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix with a spoon until just combined.
- Fold in Chocolate chips.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth out the top with the back of a spoon or rubber spatula. Sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top for decoration.
- Bake at 350℉ for 60-70 minutes. Mine was done at 65 minutes. You can use a skewer to check to see if the loaf is ready, it should come out clean.
- Let the pumpkin chocolate chip bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then using the parchment paper handles, remove the loaf to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing. It will slice best once all the chocolate chips have cooled inside which can take around 4 hours.
Notes
-
- Pumpkin Pie Spice. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice at home you can sub the 2 1/2 teaspoons with 1 3/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/8 tsp ground cloves, and a pinch of all-spice if you have it.
- If you don’t have Greek yogurt, substitute the ¼ cup Greek yogurt with vegetable oil. To balance the acidity needed for the baking soda, replace half of the white sugar with brown sugar.
- Chocolate chips are optional, but you can leave them out if you prefer. You could sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top before baking to give a nice healthy decoration, or you could try swapping the chocolate chips for raisins or dried cranberries.
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I love the richness of the chocolate chips paired with this pumpkin bread. They are such a great combination that just screams fall time.