Perfect Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread Loaf Recipe: The Cozy Slice That Wins Fall (And Your Friends)

You want the kind of pumpkin bread that makes people ask for the recipe before they’ve even swallowed the first bite. This is it. Moist, rich, deeply spiced, and loaded with melty chocolate chips that turn every slice into a small victory.

Your kitchen will smell like a candle store, except edible and actually good. Make it once and watch it become the thing you’re “required” to bring to every gathering from now till winter ends.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

Texture perfection: A tender, plush crumb thanks to pumpkin purée and oil—no dry, crumbly slices here. The chocolate chips stay dispersed instead of sinking because we use a quick flour toss trick.

Bold, balanced flavor: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves bring cozy warmth without overpowering the pumpkin.

A touch of brown sugar adds caramel notes that make the chocolate pop.

Foolproof method: One bowl for wet, one bowl for dry. Stir, bake, brag. No mixer required.

No weird steps. Just reliable results.

Make-ahead friendly: Improves after a day. The spices bloom and the moisture levels even out.

It slices like a dream.

Shopping List – Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups (220g) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup (240g) pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (120ml) neutral oil (canola, vegetable, or light olive)
• 1/4 cup (60ml) milk (dairy or unsweetened almond)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (170g) semisweet chocolate chips (plus extra for topping, optional)
• Optional crunch topping: 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

How to Make It – Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment, leaving overhang for easy removal. Lightly grease the sides.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves until well combined.

   This prevents spice clumps and helps even rise.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the pumpkin purée, eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla until smooth and glossy. No streaks, no lumps—just silky orange goodness.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry. Stir with a spatula until just combined.

   A few streaks of flour are fine. Overmixing = tough loaf, and nobody needs that energy.

5. Toss the chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of the dry mixture (or a pinch of flour), then fold them into the batter. This helps them float evenly instead of sinking to the bottom.
6. Transfer batter to the pan.

   Smooth the top. Sprinkle on extra chocolate chips and turbinado sugar if using for a light crunch and bakery look.

7. Bake for 55–70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (melted chocolate streaks don’t count). If the top is browning too fast, tent with foil at the 45-minute mark.
8. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out using the parchment and cool fully on a rack.

   Slicing too soon will squish the crumb—stay strong.

9. Slice thick, serve warm or at room temp. Bonus points for a swipe of salted butter or a drizzle of warm maple syrup. Yes, that’s legal.

Preservation Guide

• Room temperature: Wrap tightly in plastic or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

  The flavor actually improves on day 2.

• Refrigerator: Store up to 1 week, wrapped well. Bring to room temp or microwave slices for 10–15 seconds to re-soften.
• Freezer: Freeze whole or sliced for up to 3 months. Wrap in plastic, then foil, or use freezer bags.

  Thaw overnight at room temp.

• Refresh: To revive a slightly dry slice, warm it and add a pat of butter or a brush of simple syrup. Instant comeback.

What’s Great About This

• Minimal mess: Two bowls, one pan, zero drama.
• Flexible ingredients: Dairy-free milk works, and different oils are fine. You can swap some flour for whole wheat if you like (see Mix It Up).
• Holiday hero: Brings brunch energy, snack energy, and dessert energy all at once.

  It’s the Swiss Army knife of fall baking.

• Kid-approved: Chocolate chips are basically culinary diplomacy. Everyone says yes.

What Not to Do

• Don’t use pumpkin pie filling. It’s pre-sweetened and spiced, and will throw off the flavor and texture.
• Don’t overmix.

  Once the wet meets the dry, stir gently. Overmixing activates gluten and turns tender into tough. Hard pass.

• Don’t eyeball the bake time.

  Ovens vary. Start checking at 55 minutes. Use the toothpick test like a pro.

• Don’t skip cooling.

  Cutting while hot compresses the crumb and loses moisture as steam. Patience tastes better.

• Don’t add too many chips. Overloading chocolate can collapse the structure.

  Stick to about 1 cup in-batter, plus a small handful on top.

Mix It Up

• Nutty crunch: Fold in 1/2 cup toasted walnuts or pecans. Adds texture and a buttery note.
• Whole wheat boost: Swap 1/2 cup of the all-purpose flour for white whole wheat. Hearty without getting heavy.
• Brown butter twist: Replace the oil with 1/2 cup browned butter, cooled.

  Deep, toasty flavor that’s borderline unfair.

• Chocolate variety: Use half semisweet, half dark or milk chips. Or try chopped chocolate for melty pockets.
• Maple moment: Replace 1/4 cup granulated sugar with 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, and reduce milk to 2 tablespoons to balance moisture.
• Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend with xanthan gum. Bake time may vary by a few minutes—watch for the crumb test.
• Muffin mode: Portion into a 12-cup muffin tin and bake at 350°F for 18–22 minutes.

  Portable joy.

FAQ

Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?

Yes, but make sure it’s well-drained and smooth. Roast, purée, then blot excess moisture with paper towels. You want a thick purée similar to canned; watery pumpkin will make the loaf gummy.

Why did my chocolate chips sink?

Usually it’s a batter that’s too thin or chips that weren’t tossed in a bit of flour.

Also, overmixing can deflate structure. Quick fix: toss chips with a teaspoon of flour and fold gently at the end.

How do I know it’s fully baked?

The top should be domed and set, and a toothpick near the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. If the edges are pulling slightly from the pan and it springs back lightly when tapped, you’re good.

Can I cut the sugar?

Some, yes.

Reduce total sugar by up to 1/4 cup without major issues. Any more and the texture and moisture will suffer. If reducing, keep the brown sugar for moisture and flavor, and trim granulated first.

What oil is best?

Neutral oils like canola or vegetable oil keep the crumb extra tender.

Light olive oil works too and adds a subtle fruitiness. Coconut oil is fine if melted and cooled, but it can firm up in cooler kitchens.

Can I add a glaze?

Absolutely. A simple maple glaze (powdered sugar + maple syrup + pinch of salt) is fantastic.

Drizzle over a cooled loaf so it sets glossy, not sticky.

How do I make it dairy-free?

Use plant milk (almond, oat, or soy) and dairy-free chocolate chips. Everything else is naturally dairy-free. Flavor stays on point, IMO.

Will this work as mini loaves?

Yes.

Divide batter among three 5×3-inch mini loaf pans and bake 30–40 minutes, checking early. Great for gifting; great for hoarding—your call.

My Take

Some pumpkin breads play it safe. This one shows up with swagger: bold spice, rich crumb, and chocolate that doesn’t apologize.

It’s the loaf you bake on a Sunday and somehow eat for breakfast, snack, and dessert by Tuesday. FYI, it freezes too well, which is dangerous knowledge. Bake it, share it, and accept your fate as the designated Fall Person.

You earned it.