‘Tis the season for baking and one of my favorite fall recipes is pumpkin chocolate chip bread. It is full of pumpkin spice goodness and the chocolate chips add a layer of sweet decadence. I like to use fresh pumpkin puree because it’s quite easy to make, rewarding, and gives you scratch-baking bragging rights.
The Secret Ingredient
This bread is extra moist because of the addition of sour cream. Sour cream is one of my favorite additions to baked goods because the extra fat adds richness and helps to keep the bread nice and tender.
Picking Your Pumpkin
When picking a pumpkin for baking, look for small sugar pumpkins or pie pumpkins. One pie pumpkin will provide enough puree for two loaves of pumpkin bread. I like to make a loaf for now and freeze one for later.
Below you will find two recipes, one for the pumpkin puree and one for the pumpkin bread. If you choose to use canned pumpkin puree, that works too. The measurements are the same.
Pumpkin Puree from Fresh Pumpkins
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pumpkin on a cutting board and twist stem to remove.
- Using a large chef’s knife, cut pumpkin in half, top to bottom. Scoop out seeds and guts. Rinse inside and outside of pumpkin and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and place the two pumpkin halves on top. The skin side should be facing up. Place into a preheated oven and roast for 45-50 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool 10-15 minutes.
- Once cool, peel pumpkin skin off of the pulp. It should peel very easily. Scoop the pulp into a bowl and whisk until smooth. You now have pumpkin puree.
Pumpkin Puree from a Pie Pumpkin
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
Prep time – 15 minutes
Cook time – 50-60 minutes
Ingredients – Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
- 2 sticks of room temperature butter (keep wrappers to butter pans)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups + 2 tsp of flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 2 cups of pumpkin puree
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 cups + 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions – Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Using your butter wrappers, grease two loaf pans and then line with parchment paper.
- To a mixer, add: butter and sugar. Cream with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time. Mix well.
- Add pumpkin puree, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix well.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 3 cups of flour, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice.
- With your mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until combined.
- In a bowl, mix together the 2 cups chocolate chips and remaining 2 teaspoons of flour. This will help to prevent all of your chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom.
- Stir in the flour coated chocolate chips. Pour batter into 2 prepared loaf pans and make sure to split equally. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of mini chips.
- Place loaf pans in the oven and bake 50-60minutes. Bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Cool in pans for 10 min. Then remove loaves and cool on wire racks.
- Wait for pumpkin chocolate chip bread to completely cool before slicing and eating. Pumpkin chocolate chip bread can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Extra Pumpkin Puree?
If you have extra purée here are a few ideas to use it up.
- Freeze into cubes and add to a smoothie with almond milk, maple syrup or honey, pumpkin spice and protein powder. It makes a delicious breakfast!
- Freeze into cubes and save for your favorite doggo. Pumpkin naturally eases nausea, helps with diarrhea, and dogs love to eat it.
- Stir a dollop into vanilla yogurt and top with pumpkin pie spice.
- Stir into your favorite soup to add creaminess and added nutrition.
