My family cannot get enough of this pumpkin chocolate chip bread. When pumpkin season hits, we jump at the chance to make it. I’m convinced that our trick of rubbing sugar with orange zest makes this the very best pumpkin bread you’ll ever taste. Add some chocolate chips, and you will really take this to the next level! For more pumpkin recipes, see our pumpkin cupcakes, homemade pumpkin puree, and these pumpkin scones!
Key Ingredients
Pumpkin: I recommend using pure pumpkin puree for this bread. Libby’s or Whole Food’s 365 are reliable store-bought options. If you have access to baking pumpkins, feel free to make your own pumpkin puree. Here’s our easy pumpkin puree. Chocolate: Use chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or chopped chocolate bars. I especially love dark chocolate in this pumpkin bread. Flour: I use all-purpose flour, but this recipe works with whole wheat or white whole wheat flour (whole wheat makes the bread a bit denser). A few readers have used 1:1 gluten-free flour in our recipe with success. Baking Powder: Helps the bread rise nicely. Butter: Makes the best pumpkin bread and adds a buttery, rich flavor. You’ll melt your butter for this recipe. Spices and Vanilla: A variety of pumpkin pie spices add flavor and make it taste amazing. I use cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and vanilla extract. Sugar and Orange Zest: I use granulated sugar and rub the orange zest into it with my hands. It’s easy and means all the essential oils in the zest infuse the sugar. Eggs: Provides structure and stability to the bread. We use three eggs.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
This pumpkin bread uses a similar method to other quick bread recipes on Inspired Taste (like our banana bread). You whisk your dry ingredients in one bowl and combine the wet ingredients in another. To make the batter, you fold the dry ingredients into the wet, and then you are ready to bake! We’ve added two special touches to make this the absolute best pumpkin bread. First, we infuse the bread with orange flavor by rubbing orange zest into the sugar. It’s a quick and easy step that makes a big difference. Second, we add chocolate chips to the batter and on top of the bread just before baking. That way, there is chocolate throughout the bread. Once the pumpkin loaf has baked, we leave it in the pan for about 15 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack. From there, wait as long as you can for it to cool, and then dig in! (I rarely make it and end up slicing the bread warm!). When measuring the flour for this recipe, either weigh it or use the “spoon and level” method: Fluff the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level off the top with a flat edge. 1 ½ cups (195g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 3 large eggs at room temperature 1 scant cup (215g) pure pumpkin or homemade pumpkin puree 1/2 cup (85g) chopped chocolate or chocolate chips, 3 ounces 2Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves together and set aside. 3In a large bowl, rub the sugar, orange zest, and vanilla together until fragrant, then add the melted butter and whisk to combine. 4Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each egg. Stir in the pumpkin puree. 5Switch to a spatula or large spoon, then fold the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture in two parts, folding just until combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter. 6Fold in most of the chocolate, leaving about a tablespoon to scatter on top. 7Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top, and then scatter the reserved chocolate on top. 8Bake until the loaf is golden brown, pulls away slightly from the edges of the pan, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs, 55 to 75 minutes. 9Cool the loaf in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove it from the pan, transfer it to a cooling rack, and cool completely.
