Once the weather starts turning even a little bit chilly, I'm ready for pumpkin recipes! And this Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread is one of the first recipes I turn to. It's sweet from the pumpkin and dark chocolate, with a bit of crunch on the top from the turbindao sugar. Such a delicious treat or snack!
If you're looking for other pumpkin recipes, check out these Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls and this Sourdough Pumpkin Bread. In the mood for something savory? Try this Pumpkin and Carrot Soup, which is perfect for Fall!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- The chocolate chunks and turbinado sugar give this bread great texture and sweetness.
- The batter for this easy recipe comes together in about 15 minutes!
- It's delicious to serve with a bit of butter as a dessert or sweet snack.
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread freezes well, so you can always make it in advance!
Ingredients
There are only a few key ingredients you'll need to make this Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread.
- 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 dry or liquidy that purée is will impact the baking time for this recipe.
- Dark brown sugar: I love the deep, molasses flavor of dark brown sugar, but you can also use light brown sugar here.
- Non-dairy yogurt: This adds great flavor and moisture. Make sure this is unflavored. You can also use regular dairy yogurt here if you prefer. Final note: you'll want this to be room temperature to help the batter rise properly.
- Eggs: These should 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 70% Dark Chocolate) and cut them into chunks so they can be irregular. You could also use dark chocolate chips if you prefer.
- Turbinado sugar: Just a little bit to make a crispy topping! I like to use Sugar in the Raw.
See the full recipe below for detailed directions.
Substitutions & Variations
This is a very adaptable recipe, with a few fun variations to try:
- Use chocolate chips: An easy one, but you can use chocolate chips rather than chocolate chunks (from a bar of chocolate)! Sometimes it's just easier! Also, this recipe uses dark chocolate, but you could also use milk chocolate for a slightly sweeter (and not dairy-free) version.
- Omit the chocolate: Not interested in chocolate? Leave it out!
- Add raisins: If you want a slightly more savory version (or a different sweetness), try raisins instead of the dark chocolate.
I have not tested this recipe with other variations, but if you do, let us know how it turns out in the comments! I always love to hear how you're adapting these recipes and use those as ideas for future recipes as well!
How to make Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread
This recipe comes together in just a few easy steps!
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, non-dairy yogurt, 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.
Expert Baking Tips
- The chocolate chunks give great texture, but you can also do this with chocolate chips! A little turbinado sugar sprinkled on the top adds a bit of crunch, too!
- Tenting the bread towards the end of baking helps keep the top from burning.
- Let the loaf cool before slicing to get the best slices.
- Serve with a little bit of butter and enjoy as a snack or dessert.
Equipment
There are only a few pieces of equipment you'll need for this recipe. You'll use a few mixing bowls to make the dough, and a 9x5-inch baking pan. I also recommend lining the pan with parchment paper (this makes it easier to remove the bread once it's finished baking).
Storage
Room Temperature Storage: Once the loaf has cooled fully, place it in an airtight container or bag and store at room temperature for 3-4 days. You can reheat the bread for about 30 seconds in the microwave to make it warm and soft again.
Freezer Storage: Once the loaf has fully cooled, place the loaf in an airtight, freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You can do this with the whole loaf, unsliced. When you're ready to eat it, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then slice and reheat individual slices in the microwave for about 30 seconds to make the bread warm and soft again.
Recipe FAQ
Different types of pumpkin purée will have different amounts of water content. If your pumpkin has more water (or less water), you may notice your batter is more (or less) liquid. If your batter is more liquid, it may need longer to bake.
Yes, definitely. If you're not dairy-free, feel free to use regular dairy products. The key here is to make sure it is unflavored.
Yes, feel free to use chocolate chips rather than chocolate chunks if you prefer!
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 oil
- ¼ cup unflavored non-dairy yogurt room temperature
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 ounces dark chocolate chunks or chips
- turbinado sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch 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
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.