While this post may seem out of season (if you're reading it in the spring), I'd like to make the argument that we should normalize pumpkin recipes any time of the year. The reason this is coming up now is I recently did a spring cleaning of my fridge, freezer and pantry and took stock of a few things that I need to use up. One of those things is a bit of extra homemade pumpkin purée that I made in the fall. I want to make sure it's getting used, so whipped up this Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread!
As always, I do include a few affiliate links in this post for products I truly use and love. This just means that if you make a purchase after clicking one of those links, I'll earn a little money (at no cost to you) to keep the kitchen up and running, which I promise to use to create more fun content like this! One of those affiliates is with Amazon, which requires a very clear disclosure: as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you have any questions about affiliates, please reach out!
Ingredients you'll need
- Pumpkin purée: whether you made your own (check out how to make your own homemade pumpkin purée here) or have a can of pumpkin purée that you want to use, it's the start for this delicious recipe! If you're using homemade pumpkin purée, please know that how how dry or liquidy that purée is will impact the baking time for this recipe.
- Granulated sugar: it is a sweet, dessert loaf after all!
- Dark brown sugar: I love the deep, molasses flavor of dark brown sugar, but you can also use light brown sugar here.
- Dairy-free yogurt or sour cream: this adds great flavor and moisture. You could substitute this for dairy-free milk if needed, but you'll likely need to adjust the baking time. You'll also want this to be room temperature to help the batter rise properly.
- Vegetable or canola oil: to add some more moisture to the recipe
- Eggs: you'll want these to be room temperature to help the batter rise properly.
- Vanilla extract: did you know you can make your own homemade vanilla extract? It's delicious and you can keep topping it off to have a never-ending supply of vanilla extract!
- Dark chocolate: I like to use bars (Lindt or Ghirardelli) and cut them into chunks so they can be irregular. You could also use dark chocolate chips.
- Turbinado sugar: just a little bit to make a crispy topping!
- A few pantry staples including all-purpose flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, baking soda and kosher salt.
Equipment you'll need
It's a fairly standard baking recipe, but these are a few things I like to use:
- 9x5in. Bread Loaf Pan from Amazon
- King Arthur Parchment Paper from Amazon
- Cuisinart Silicone Whisk from Amazon
- Cuisinart Mixing Bowls from Amazon
Topping your loaf
The toppings are arguably the best part, so don't forget them! Once you've poured your batter in the prepared pan, shake it a little to let the batter settle evently. Sprikle with the remaining chocolate chunks (at least 2 Tablespoons). Then sprinkle with the turbinado sugar for a nice crunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I store Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread?
Real answer: eat it all. Just kidding (or not!). To store, place the loaf in a large Ziplock bag or wrap it tightly and keep it at room temperature. It will stay good for about 4 days. You can also freeze the loaf by wrapping it in foil or plastic wrap, then placing inside a Ziplock or other freezer bag. You can freeze for up to 2 months.
Can you use chocolate chips in this recipe?
Yes! You can use chocolate chips instead of chocolate chunks. Also, I like to use dark chocolate, but you could also use milk chocolate here (of course, not dairy-free).
Can I use milk instead of yogurt or sour cream?
Yes, you can use dairy-free (or regular) milk instead of dairy-free yogurt or sour cream. You may need to slightly increase the baking time, so keep an eye on it!
Why is there such a wide window of baking time?
Baking time will vary depending on how liquidy your pumpkin purée is, as well as the other ingredients you choose to use. Ultimately, you want to bake the loaf until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Below is my recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread. Leave a comment and let me know what you think!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teapsoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
- ¼ cup plain dairy-free yogurt or sour cream room temperature
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 ounces dark chocolate chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 Tablespoon turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5in. loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the granulated and dark brown sugars, pumpkin purée, oil, dairy-free yogurt or sour cream, eggs and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in ¾ cup chocolate chunks, reserving the rest for the topping. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar and remaining chocolate chunks.
- Bake for 60 minutes, then tent loosely with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 10-20 minutes. The loaf is ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool a few minutes in the pan. Then remove the loaf from the pan (you can lift it up with the parchment paper) and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Els Weeg says
My three loaves just came out of the oven! Timing was right on. They look great! Nice colors. They are cooling now, but that’s what I’ll have with my coffee tomorrow. I made these sugar free (out of necessity), using Stevia, applesauce and sugar free maple syrup instead. Pumpkin is sweet too. They might be a little less sweet than the “real sugar” ones, but one gets used to this.