Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
Soft, lightly sweet and perfectly spiced, this whole-wheat chocolate chip pumpkin bread will quickly become your new, go-to autumn breakfast! Not only is this pumpkin loaf super simple to make, but it is also made with 100% whole grains, contains no oil and requires only half the sugar of traditional pumpkin bread recipes. Yet, in spite of its healthy makeover, this whole- wheat chocolate chip pumpkin bread is still incredibly moist and deliciously sweet!
Ever since I can remember, my mom has been making whole-wheat chocolate chip pumpkin bread. Especially when I was younger, my mom would make pumpkin loaves all autumn long, but there were times when she would even make it in the middle of the year because it was just so simple to make when we needed an easy, healthy breakfast. My mom has always cared deeply about my siblings and I consuming nutritious meals, and breakfast has never been an exception. Because whole-wheat flour and pumpkin pack a punch of fiber and nutrients, pumpkin bread was a great option for us kids. But……there was one little problem……(and if you’re reading this, Mom, I apologize in advance)
Mom’s pumpkin bread recipe was dry.
Like, stick to the roof of your mouth dry. My siblings and I quietly ate without complaining for years, but as some of you may know, the teen years tend to bring out a little more brutal honesty. My young teen brother, who never complains about anything, recently decided to voice his opinion that he was tired of the “dry pumpkin bread” and said that I needed to develop a new recipe to replace mom’s. I immediately jumped on the challenge because I was determined to solve the ongoing “dry pumpkin bread” crisis. And guess what? A couple recipe tests and taste tests later, I did it. No more dry pumpkin bread will ever enter this house again. Why? Because this recipe is the new recipe now…..out with the old, in with the new 😀
Ingredients You Need
Pumpkin Puree~ I opted for using canned 100% pumpkin puree, although you could make your own pumpkin puree with baked pie pumpkins if you wanted to. Make sure to use 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
Brown Sugar~ The deep flavor of brown sugar pairs well with the pumpkin and spices, but white sugar could work in a pinch. I’m not sure if honey or maple syrup would work as a substitute, but please let me know in the comments if you try it!
Eggs~ Eggs are essential for a perfectly textured loaf. However, if necessary, you can substitute with flax eggs instead.
Whole-Wheat Flour~ For a boost of whole grains, be sure to use 100% whole-wheat flour. You can substitute all-purpose flour or spelt flour if you wish.
Pumpkin Pie Spice~ This spice blend is very important for making this recipe truly taste like fall. Please don’t omit it!
Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Salt~ All three ingredients are vital for both leavening the loaf and giving it an optimum flavor profile.
Chocolate Chips~ I don’t think this pumpkin bread is quite complete without chocolate chips, however if you aren’t a chocolate fan, feel free to omit or substitute with chopped pecans or raisins. But if you are all for the chocolate, any chocolate will work, but my personal preference is semi-sweet or dark.
The Dance
Another plus to this recipe is that you only need one bowl to throw it all together! So, in a large bowl, whisk together your wet ingredients. Stir in the dry ingredients and then fold in the chocolate chips. Be careful not to over-mix the batter; we don’t want anymore tough, dry loaves! Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for about an hour. After the loaf comes out, try to let it cool a few minutes before slicing and serving (the wait time will feel absolutely agonizing….)
View the video below for a recipe visual:
This whole-wheat chocolate chip pumpkin bread is pretty hard to resist. It’s soft, fluffy, perfectly spiced, dotted with lots of chocolate (the best part obviously), and, most importantly, it’s not dry. This loaf is delicious, healthy for you and, even better, passes the taste test from my entire family, including my brother who asked for this new recipe in the first place. So again, Mom, if you’re reading this, I dedicate this recipe to you. Now you have a new recipe to title as “Mom’s Pumpkin Bread”. And to my readers, I encourage you to give this recipe a try too. I promise it checks all the pumpkin bread requirement boxes in our house, and I think this loaf will do the same for you 🙂
Need more healthy fall recipe inspiration? These are some of my favorites:
Maple Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
Whole-Wheat Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 15 oz can of 100% pumpkin puree 1 1/2 cups
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips*
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar and eggs. Add the whole wheat flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt and gently stir all the ingredients together until just combined. The batter should be fairly thick. Fold in the chocolate chips before spreading the batter evenly into your prepared loaf pan.
- Sprinkle the top of the batter with extra chocolate chips if desired and then bake the loaf for 55-60 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the loaf to cool completely before slicing and serving.
This loaf is so moist and tasty! Definitely a new addition to our house. Sorry to hear you suffered so many years eating it “stuck to the roof of your mouth” dry!!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Reginald!
sounds really good, will try making after Christmas