Easy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Recipe
It is officially here. Kids are going back to school, sweaters are on sale, and you can almost taste the pumpkin spice lattes. Fall is here, and I'm ready to embrace it. I can almost feel the crunch of the leaves under my boots. Fall is the perfect time to savor the last of the warm weather and begin to make our homes a bit cozier. That means soft blankets on the couches, lovely scented candles on the counter, and a spiced pumpkin dessert in the oven.
Because the fall season is such a magical time, I don't plan to spend it slaving over the stove everyday. This easy chocolate chip pumpkin bread is the perfect opportunity to embrace fall flavors while leaving plenty of time for jumping in the leaves. By using canned pumpkin pie filling, you can easily and quickly whip up deliciously-moist pumpkin bread. The chocolate chips are just the icing on the cake.
Gather your ingredients
Start by gathering your ingredients. Because this is an easy recipe, we're keeping the ingredients simple. We're using canned pumpkin pie filling instead of canned pumpkin. This takes care of much of the spice, so it means less work for us. This recipe is easy, so let's not complicate things.
You'll also need a large egg, brown sugar, canola oil, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, ground cloves, flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
And then, of course, you'll need chocolate chips. Make sure to buy semi-sweet chocolate chips for this recipe. Milk chocolate works too, but they're a bit too sweet for this bread.
A full list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions can be found at the end of this article.
Mix the wet ingredients
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Start by mixing the large egg, pumpkin pie filing, and brown sugar together. Before mixing your ingredients, make sure to allow the egg to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Using a room temperature egg keeps the bread light and fluffy. A cold egg right out of the refrigerator will weigh it down. If you're short on time, simply place the cold egg in a small bowl of hot water for a minute or two.
Add the oil
Beat the egg, pumpkin pie filling, and brown sugar in a large stand mixer at medium speed for about a minute. You could certainly stir it yourself, but the mixer will make the process much quicker. Once the mixture looks smooth, pour in the 1/4 cup canola oil and one tablespoon pure maple syrup. If you do not have canola oil on hand, vegetable oil will work too.
For the maple syrup, make sure to buy naturally pure maple syrup and not the fake high fructose corn syrup stuff. The real deal usually comes in small glass bottles. Believe me, it makes a difference!
Beat the mixture on medium speed until smooth and well-combined.
Add the flavor
This next step is my favorite, because of the smell. Take a sweet whiff of that pumpkin pie spice before sprinkling in two teaspoons. Then add one teaspoon cinnamon and one teaspoon ground cloves. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth.
If you don't have pumpkin pie spice at home, I recommend buying some to keep in your spice cabinet. It's the perfect blend for all of your fall and Thanksgiving desserts. Apple pie spice will also work well. To make your own pumpkin pie spice, mix together cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg.
Add the flour
Once all of the wet ingredients have been combined, slowly add in the all purpose flour. Set the stand mixer to medium speed and gently sift in the flour, watching for any clumps. Those clumps will weigh down the bread, so it won't be as fluffy as it could be. Once all of the flour has been added, it's time to add the rest of the dry ingredients.
While this recipe calls for all purpose flour, you could also try whole wheat pastry flour to up the nutrient level of this bread. Unfortunately, this makes the bread slightly denser than I like, so we'll stick with all purpose.
Add the dry ingredients
Next, sprinkle in the alt, one-half teaspoon of baking soda, and one-half teaspoon of baking powder. This is the step where it's crucial to be a baker, not a cook.
I consider myself to be a cook. I love to come up with dinner as I prepare it, adding a little of this and a little of that, tasting the dish as I go. However, when it comes to baking, a pinch of this and a sprinkle of that just won't do. It's important to be precise with your measurements to ensure a perfectly fluffy loaf of pumpkin bread.
Stir in the chocolate chips
Mix all of the ingredients together with the whisk attachment of the stand mixer until it's smooth and creamy, then remove the bowl from the mixer and pour in the cup of chocolate chips. I chose semi-sweet chocolate chips, and they add the perfect amount of sweetness for this bread.
Using a large spoon, fold the chocolate chips into the batter, then stir until combined. Next spoon the mixture into your prepared loaf pan and place in the oven for about 50 minutes.
Allow to cool
The pumpkin bread is ready to come out of the oven once the top and sides are starting to look golden brown. Insert a clean toothpick or fork into the center of the loaf and slowly pull it out. The toothpick should come out clean if the loaf is finished baking. If it has any batter on it, allow the bread to bake for an additional five minutes.
However, this pumpkin bread has a rich moistness to it, so be sure to keep an eye on it and not overcook it. Once the loaf comes out of the oven, place it on a cooling rack and allow it to cool for about 15 to 20 minutes. This is by far the hardest part of this "easy" recipe. The smell alone will drive you to burn your tongue, because you just couldn't wait.
Once the bread has cooled, slice it right away and serve. You could also keep it in the refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 large egg, brought to room temperature
- 1 ½ cups canned pumpkin pie filling
- ⅔ cups packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg, canned pumpkin, and brown sugar. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Then add the canola oil, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and ground cloves. Beat on medium speed until combined.
- Add the kosher salt, flour, baking soda, and baking powder to the mixing bowl and beat on medium speed. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the chocolate chips with a large spoon.
- Spoon the mixture into the greased loaf pan and smooth over evenly. Place in the oven and bake for 50 minutes, until the top is slightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the pumpkin bread to cool in the loaf pan for about 15 to 20 minutes. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
| Calories per Serving | 403 |
| Total Fat | 15.6 g |
| Saturated Fat | 4.7 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 23.3 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 65.2 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.5 g |
| Total Sugars | 31.2 g |
| Sodium | 187.4 mg |
| Protein | 4.4 g |
