Pumpkin and chocolate chips are a perfect match in this gorgeous loaf bread
If you like pumpkin and if you like chocolate, then I’m betting that you’ll love this pumpkin chocolate chip bread.
Pumpkin chocolate chip bread rocks
It really is better than the sum of its parts. What do I mean by that?
A slice with plenty of chocolate chips
Well, it’s the incredible interplay of the pumpkin and the warm fall spices of cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg with the creaminess and ever-so slight bite of the chocolate chips. I found that the chocolate chips gently and uniquely call my attention to those gorgeous golden spices, while the pumpkin in the background is an ever-present but subtle layer of taste surrounding the creamy chocolate.
I used milk chocolate chips for this pumpkin bread recipe
I used Hershey’s milk chocolate chips for this recipe, for a couple of reasons. First, my daughter and I generally prefer milk chocolate to dark or semi-sweet chocolate. Secondly, I like the way the creamy, more “relaxed” taste of these milk chocolate chips don’t overwhelm the fall spices and subtle taste of the pumpkin. Others, my friend included, think that the milk chocolate gets lost in the other flavors of the bread, and prefer semi-sweet chocolate chips. Just go with the chocolate chips of your preference!
Pumpkin bread has warm fall spices and chocolate chips
I’ve made regular pumpkin bread many times, but I had never made pumpkin chocolate chip bread before. I was amazed by how the addition of chocolate chips ratchets up the overall deliciousness of this quick bread. As I write this, it’s the day after I first made this pumpkin chocolate chip bread, and I’m still sort of in awe by how wonderful this is. The crust is dark golden and chewy, the inside moist and rich with fall spices and creamy chocolate chips.
Pumpkin and chocolate chips batter ready to bake
I decided to double this recipe, since I wanted to make a loaf to give to a neighbor. The next time that I make this pumpkin chocolate chip bread recipe, even if I don’t plan to give away a loaf, I’ll definitely make a double batch and just freeze one of the loaves. Conveniently, a double batch recipe uses almost exactly one of those 29 ounce cans of pumpkin puree and one of the 11.5 ounce bags of chocolate chips! My friend told me that she and her daughter make their pumpkin chocolate chip batter into muffins and freeze them. Then for breakfast, they love to let the muffins thaw just partway and eat them half-frozen!
A slice of moist pumpkin chocolate chip bread
On the other hand, my daughter likes to microwave her slice of pumpkin chocolate chip bread just until steamy warm, and then slather it with some butter or margarine.
Chocolate chips raise pumpkin bread bar
Anyway you slice it or serve it, this pumpkin chocolate chip bread is marvelous. Here’s the recipe:
- If you want to make two loaves, then just double the amounts below:
- 1½ cups flour
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ⅞ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon allspice
- 1¼ cups canned pumpkin purée
- scant ½ cup olive oil
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 3 tablespoons water
- 5 to 6 oz. (approx. 1 cup) chocolate chips, milk chocolate or semi-sweet
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
- In a separate bowl mix together the pumpkin purée, the olive oil, beaten eggs, and 3 tablespoons water.
- Add wet ingredients and chocolate chips to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined and there is no more dry flour in the batter, being sure not to over-mix.
- Butter the inside of an 8 x 4 x 3 -inch loaf pan. Pour the batter into the loaf pan, smooth the top, and place pan in the middle rack of the oven.
- Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, depending on your oven and the color of your loaf pan, until a tester (like a skewer or chopstick) poked in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Remove bread from oven, let cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
- Invert pan to loosen loaf from the pan, and put the loaf on a rack to cool completely.
- Recipe can easily be doubled and freezes well.
Chocolate chip pumpkin quick bread is easy to make
Enjoy!
–G
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