Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Chocolate and pumpkin do not get talked about enough.

Everyone reaches for pumpkin and cream cheese, or pumpkin and pecans.

Melty semisweet chips folded into a spiced pumpkin loaf, though, might be my favorite of the bunch.

I threw this together on a rainy afternoon with one bowl and a whisk.

No mixer, no creaming butter, no waiting around.

The batter takes about five minutes, and the hardest part is letting it cool before I cut in.

What gets me is the crumb: soft, moist, and studded with chocolate top to bottom.

The little trick is tossing the chips in flour so they don't all sink to the bottom.

My daughter eats the end slice before the loaf even hits the cooling rack.

It makes just one loaf, not two, so there's no giant batch to deal with.

Warm from the pan the chips are still gooey, which is dangerous in the best way.

Make it once and it earns a permanent spot in your fall rotation, I promise.

Why You'll Love This Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

This is the easiest pumpkin bread with the biggest payoff. Here's why it works.

• One bowl, no mixer. A whisk and five minutes is all the batter takes.
• Chocolate in every bite. A flour toss keeps the semisweet chips suspended so they don't sink.
• Seriously moist. Oil and a spoonful of sour cream give it a soft, tender crumb.
• Just one loaf. No doubling, no giant batch, just the right amount for the week.

Ingredients You'll Need

Everything here is a pantry staple. A few notes on what matters.

• All-purpose flour (1 ¾ cups). The structure. Reserve a spoonful to toss the chips in.
• Pumpkin puree (1 cup). Use pure canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
• Granulated sugar (1 cup). Or half granulated and half brown sugar for deeper flavor.
• Vegetable oil (½ cup). The key to a moist loaf that stays soft.
• Sour cream (¼ cup). Adds richness and tenderness.
• Eggs (2 large). Bind the batter and add lift.
• Pumpkin pie spice (2 teaspoons). Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in one scoop.
• Baking soda (1 teaspoon) and baking powder (½ teaspoon). The rise.
• Vanilla (1 teaspoon) and salt (½ teaspoon). Round out the flavor.
• Semisweet chocolate chips (1 ¼ cups). Plus a handful to sprinkle on top.

How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Step 1: Mix the Wet Ingredients

Whisk the pumpkin, sugar, oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl. Go until it's smooth and glossy.

Step 2: Add the Dry Ingredients

Add the flour (reserving 1 tablespoon), pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Stir just until no dry streaks remain.

Step 3: Fold in the Chips

Toss the chocolate chips with the reserved tablespoon of flour. This keeps them from sinking.

Fold them into the batter, saving a small handful for the top.

Step 4: Bake

Pour the batter into a greased 9x5 loaf pan and scatter the reserved chips over the top.

Bake at 350°F for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then finish cooling on a rack.

Tips for the Best Loaf

A few small things make a big difference here.

• Toss the chips in flour. A light coating keeps them evenly suspended instead of pooling at the bottom.
• Don't overmix. Stir the batter just until combined or the loaf turns dense.
• Tent with foil. If the top browns before the center sets, lay foil loosely over it around the 40-minute mark.
• Cool before slicing. A warm loaf tears. Let it set so the slices stay clean.

Substitutions and Variations

Easy to make it your own.

• Add nuts. Fold in ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch.
• Swap the chips. Dark, milk, or mini chocolate chips all work.
• Greek yogurt. Use plain Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream one for one.
• Mini loaves. Divide into mini pans and reduce the bake to about 30 minutes.

How to Store and Freeze

This loaf keeps well.

• Room temperature. Wrap tightly and store for up to 3 days.
• Refrigerator. Keeps for up to 1 week wrapped well.
• Freezer. Wrap the cooled loaf in plastic and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 10 slices

Ingredients

For the Bread

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour divided
• 1 cup pumpkin puree not pie filling
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips plus more for topping

Instructions

Make the Batter

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
• In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, sugar, oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
• Add the flour (reserving 1 tablespoon), pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir just until no dry streaks remain.

Fold and Bake

• Toss the chocolate chips with the reserved tablespoon of flour, then fold them into the batter, saving a small handful for the top.
• Pour the batter into the loaf pan and scatter the reserved chips over the top.
• Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Tent with foil if the top browns too fast.
• Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then finish cooling on a wire rack before slicing.

Notes

• Toss the chips in flour so they stay suspended instead of sinking to the bottom.
• Don't overmix the batter or the loaf turns dense.
• Cool before slicing for clean slices, and store wrapped up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.