Easy to make Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread packed with pumpkin pie spice flavor and studded with dark chocolate chips. It’s made with a full can of pumpkin, maple syrup and whole wheat flour.
Another family favorite here are these pumpkin chocolate chip muffins and healthy chocolate chip muffins!
Table of contents
To-die-for healthy pumpkin chocolate chip bread with canned pumpkin, warm spices, and a lot of dark chocolate chips because life is short. It tastes indulgent but is good for you!
And it comes together in one bowl in 10 minutes. Hello, less dishes and more time relaxing with a pumpkin spice latte.
This pumpkin bread with chocolate chips is moist, fluffy, and has the perfect amount of pumpkin flavor and sweetness.
The pumpkin taste is not overpowering and rather mild, it actually provides the best flavor backdrop to this quick bread.
You can also enjoy the season with these healthy pumpkin muffins and almond flour pumpkin bread!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Moist and fluffy due to a full can of pumpkin puree which is a magical baking ingredient.
- Healthy and nutritious with fiber filled pumpkin and whole wheat flour (or spelt flour).
- Made in one bowl – easy to make, easy to clean up!
- Fall flavors with warm tastes of pumpkin pie spice and decadent dark chocolate chips.
- Freezer friendly – make two loaves, one to enjoy now and one to have on hand for later!
Ingredients and Notes
Wholesome ingredients make this healthier than the classic loaf! A full of can of vitamin rich pumpkin is balanced with dark chocolate chips, what more could you ask for in this delicious bread?!
- Pumpkin puree: Use store bought or homemade pumpkin puree, do not use pumpkin pie filling. Here is an easy tutorial how to roast a pumpkin for puree at home.
- Maple syrup: You can also use honey or agave syrup. Please do not use white, cane, coconut or brown sugar. Baking is a science and dry ingredients to wet ratio should be not changed from the well tested recipe.
- Eggs: I have not tried substitutes like applesauce or egg replacer like flax eggs for a vegan version.
- Oil: Avocado, extra virgin olive, grapeseed or melted coconut oil. If using the latter, just be sure to stir with pumpkin puree and eggs, so it doesn’t solidify. Melted butter works as well.
- Flour: I love spelt flour for its nutty taste, light texture and nutrition benefits. Whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour work too.
- Pumpkin pie spice: Homemade pumpkin pie spice substitute or store bought.
- Dark chocolate chips: Adds a luxurious rich taste.
How to Make Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
One bowl is all you need, just follow these step by step instructions!
Wet ingredients: Whisk the eggs, then add pumpkin puree, maple syrup, oil, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, salt and whisk until combined.
Dry ingredients: Add flour and stir gently just enough to combine not to overwork the gluten.
Fold in dark chocolate chips: Incorporate almost all chocolate chips, we will sprinkle the rest on top.
Bake: Pour batter into a prepared pan, level, sprinkle remaining chocolate chips and push them in the batter a bit.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle is somewhat clean. Don’t overbake.
Cool off for 30 minutes and cut into 10 slices.
Tips for Best Results
- Pumpkin puree: Use store bought or homemade pumpkin puree (may need to be strained) for healthy pumpkin chocolate chip bread. Please note that puree is different from pie filling, so read the label. Filling has added sugars and flavors and puree has one ingredient – pumpkin.
- Muffins or mini loaves: Bake muffins for 20 minutes or mini muffins for 12-15 minutes. Mini loaves bake for 40 minutes and check. You can also try pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.
- Chocolate variety: Pumpkin bread chocolate chips variations include dark, milk, semi-sweet or allergy friendly. Mini chocolate chips, regular size or even chocolate chunks work, too.
- Pumpkin pie spice substitute: If you don’t like it, you can substitute cinnamon. Maybe a tad less than 2 tbsp, depending on your love of cinnamon. Or use a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, cloves and allspice.
- Optional mix-ins: Up to a 1/2 cup pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds or dried fruit.
How to Store
Make ahead: You can mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately and store covered up to a day in advance of baking. Wet ingredients should be stored in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, combine and bake as directed.
Store: You can store this bread covered in a cool dry place for up to 5 days or refrigerate up to 7 days.
Freeze: Bake, cool and place in a resealable Ziploc bag. Let out air as much as you can, seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on a counter and enjoy!
FAQs
This recipe has not been tested with a gluten free flour, coconut flour, or almond flour. Baking is a science and for those flours you will need a different wet to dry ingredients ratio. You can use all purpose flour, but will need to use 2 3/4 cups.
A change in anything, especially the liquid to dry ratio, will change the results of the finished bread.
Over baking or a too hot oven will make your bread turn out dry. When nearing the end of baking time, do a toothpick test, if it comes out clean, your bread is done. Ovens can vary in temperature, easily check yours with an oven safe thermometer.
If you followed this recipe exactly, your bread will be light and fluffy.
If you did not use the correct amount of flour, or swapped another flour (other than what has been tested) this could lead to a gummy bottom.
Baking powder can expire, check the date! Over mixing can also lead to a quick bread that rises but then falls in the middle. Altitude can also affect how a quick bread rises and settles.
More Healthy Pumpkin Recipes to Try
- Healthy pumpkin bread
- Healthy pumpkin cookies
- Healthy pumpkin bars
- Healthy pumpkin brownies
- Pumpkin pie with maple syrup
- Healthy pumpkin pancakes
- Easy pumpkin banana bread
- Pumpkin cottage cheese scones
Alternately, browse through all my healthy snacks for more quick breads and muffins!
Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 15 oz can pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1/2 cup+ 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/4 cups spelt flour or whole wheat flour or 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, line 9 x 5 loaf pan with unbleached parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs for 10 seconds. Add pumpkin puree, honey, avocado oil, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, salt and whisk until combined.
- Add spelt or whole wheat flour and stir gently just enough to combine. Be careful not to over mix.
- Add almost all chocolate chips and give a few more gentle stirs to combine.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and level gently with spatula. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top. Bake for 50-60 minutes our until the toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack to cool off for 30 minutes. Holding onto the flaps of parchment paper remove chocolate chip pumpkin bread from a loaf pan and let it cool almost completely before slicing. Cut into 10 slices with serrated bread knife.
Notes
- Store: Store covered in a cool dry place for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Bake, cool and place in a resealable Ziploc bag. Let out air as much as you can, seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on a counter and enjoy!
- Pumpkin puree: Use store bought or homemade pumpkin puree. Not pumpkin pie filling, it has added sugars and flavors.
- Maple syrup: You can also use honey or agave syrup. Please do not use white, cane, coconut or brown sugar wet to dry ratio will be thrown off.
- Oil: Avocado, extra virgin olive, grapeseed, melted butter, or melted coconut oil.
- Other flour: Please do not use any gluten free, almond or coconut flour because it can’t be interchanged on 1:1 ratio.
This is so yummy – can’t believe it is healthy and nutritious. I made two loaves. My family gobbled down one of them and I gave the other one to my walking friend. She said she would save it for a dinner party the next day but it never made it… she and her husband made short work of it themselves. Excellent recipe, no tweeking necessary!
Love hearing this feedback Elizabeth! Thanks 🙂
I’ve been wanting to make this recipe for a while, but canned pumpkin puree is really hard to get here in The Netherlands. I know you can make the puree yourself, but a can is so much easier. Fortunately I found a Dutch store that’s been carrying cans of pumpkin puree since last week. I immediately purchased a few cans. They arrived yesterday and I HAD to make this bread today. Well, it was worth the wait. I just enjoyed a slice as afternoon snack and it’s delicious. The chocolate chips add a nice touch. Next time I’ll add a bit more spices. The Dutch equivalent of your pumpkin pie spice is not quite the same, so I’ll add a bit more. Thanks for the recipe, Olena.
Awesome!!! Happy to hear, Ingrid. It looks phenomenal on IG.
Thanks for the compliment, Olena.
Delish ?. I personally cut back on chocolate chips but just preference for me but this is like a dessert and I love pumpkin
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Leisa!
Easy and very yummy! Super moist!
So happy to hear you enjoyed this pumpkin bread, Tammi!:)
Olena, your pumpkin bread recipe is KILLER! Today is Christmas and I’ll bake this bread. I use whole grain spelt flour as a substitute for recipes that call for all-purpose flour. Today I will change one thing/ingredient with your recipe; I’ll use half spelt flour and half pumpkin flour in the mix. I just subscribed to your blog and I’m looking forward to your delicious recipes .. wallace
Yay!!! Merry Christmas, my new friend!!! Xoxo
Fantastic, incredibly easy, moist, super delicious…tons of smiles & ummmms from friends & family!!!!
And love that the recipe used the entire can of pumpkin ?
1: Looks so yummy and I always have these pantry staples on hand. Esp. cans of pure pumpkin puree in the Fall! I completely agree on not making the effort to bake sugar pumpkins into puree, been there, done that and wondered why…
2: What would be the baking time if converted to muffins?
I would say with muffins I would bake them at 375 for 22 minutes and then check and monitor until toothpick comes out clean.:)
Awesome recipe! ?? The bread turns out moist and is so delicious!! Also 6 year old approved!
Aw little KC likes it. Warms my heart.:)
So good! My kids love it! (of course my husband and I do too)
Haha so happy to hear!!!
Looks absolutely delish!
Thanks, Valya.