Pumpkin and chocolate chip bread is a soft, moist pumpkin loaf loaded with semisweet chocolate chips and made with brown butter. Pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice baked into a tender quick bread that stays moist for days.
I make this the same week I start craving pumpkin spice lattes. The chocolate chips melt into pockets throughout the loaf and the ones on top get shiny and crisp.
Why This Pumpkin and Chocolate Chip Bread Works
Brown butter is the difference between a good pumpkin bread and a great one. Melt the butter low and slow, stir once it foams, and pull it the second it turns caramel brown and smells nutty. Pour it out immediately so it does not keep cooking. The nutty depth pairs with the warm spices in a way plain melted butter cannot.
Individual spices beat pumpkin pie spice. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice measured from your own pantry. You control the balance. More cinnamon forward, less clove, exactly how you want it.
Chocolate chips go in the batter and on top. The ones folded into the batter melt into soft pockets. The ones pressed on top get glossy and crisp in the oven. Two textures from the same bag of chips.
Pumpkin puree keeps this bread moist for days. Quick breads dry out fast. The pumpkin adds moisture that holds. Day two and day three are just as good as day one.
Do not overmix. Once the flour goes in, stir until just combined and stop. Overmixing builds gluten and gluten makes quick bread tough.
The foil tent trick saves the top. If the loaf is browning too fast, loosely tent a piece of foil over it during the last fifteen to twenty minutes. The center keeps baking without the top burning.
How to Make Pumpkin and Chocolate Chip Bread
- Brown the butter first so it has time to cool. Melt the unsalted butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Once it melts, keep stirring. It will foam, then brown bits will form on the bottom. When it smells nutty and turns caramel-colored, pour it straight into a heat-safe bowl. Let it cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy lifting.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and eggs until smooth. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cooled browned butter. Whisk until combined and no streaks remain.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir slowly until a thick batter forms and the flour just disappears. Stop as soon as it comes together.
- Fold in one and a quarter cups of the chocolate chips. Reserve the remaining quarter cup for the top.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it even. Scatter the reserved chocolate chips across the top.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Check at 45 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely tent the loaf with foil and continue baking.
- Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Use the parchment overhang to lift it out and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing.
Quick Tips
- Brown the butter first. It needs time to cool before it hits the eggs.
- Use individual spices, not pumpkin pie spice. The balance is better.
- Do not overmix. Stir until just combined. A few flour streaks are fine.
- Reserve some chocolate chips for the top. They get glossy and crisp.
- Check at 50 minutes. Every oven is different. The toothpick test tells the truth.
- Tent with foil if the top is browning too fast. Loosely, not tight.
Make Ahead and Storage
Slice the bread and wrap each piece individually in plastic wrap. Store at room temperature for up to three days. The plastic wrap keeps each slice from drying out and makes it easy to grab one piece at a time.
The whole loaf freezes well. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to two months. Thaw on the counter overnight.
More Pumpkin Recipes
For more pumpkin baking, try my pumpkin spice latte cupcakes with espresso and salted caramel. My pumpkin gingerbread cupcakes are another fall favorite with warm gingerbread spice.
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin and Chocolate Chip Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar - packed
- ½ cup unsalted butter - melted and browned
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips - divided
Instructions
- Brown the butter. Melt the unsalted butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Once melted, stir constantly. It will foam, then brown bits will form on the bottom. When it smells nutty and turns caramel-colored, pour it straight into a heat-safe bowl. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides for easy lifting.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and eggs until smooth.
- Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cooled browned butter. Whisk until combined and no streaks remain.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir until a thick batter forms and the flour just disappears. Do not overmix.
- Fold in 1 ¼ cups of the chocolate chips. Reserve the remaining ¼ cup.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it even. Scatter the reserved chocolate chips across the top.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Check at 45 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely tent the loaf with foil and continue baking.
- Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Use the parchment overhang to lift it out and transfer to a wire rack.
- Cool completely before slicing.
Video
Notes
- Brown the butter first so it has time to cool. Pour it out as soon as it turns caramel-colored.
- Use individual spices, not pumpkin pie spice. The balance is better.
- Do not overmix. Stir until just combined. A few flour streaks are fine.
- Check at 45 minutes. Ovens vary. The toothpick test tells the truth.
- Cool completely before slicing or the loaf will crumble.
- Store sliced and individually wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature. Freezes for up to 2 months.
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
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Let us know how it was!Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
