Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips is made with a whole can of pumpkin, two layers of cinnamon swirl, and lots of chocolate chips for a decadent pumpkin sweet bread.
It is easy to throw together and I've provided plenty of tips and tricks for making a moist and flavorful pumpkin bread including how to use the best ingredients.
This Cinnamon Pumpkin Loaf Cake with Chocolate Chips is made with a few classic pumpkin spices: cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, with an emphasis on the cinnamon.
When I make it, I often think that it is so good it doesn’t need the chocolate chips, but before I can finish the thought, I think, oh but the melty chocolate chips are soo good.
Jump to:
- Recipe Inspiration
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips
- More Tips and Tricks
- Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread FAQs
- How to Store and Freeze Pumpkin Bread
- For More Sweet Breads, You May Like:
- Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips
Recipe Inspiration
I tried a few different variations of this recipe, but it turns out that the best variation comes from modeling it after my banana bread recipe which I have honed over several years. Though, this Pumpkin Bread with the chocolate chips and extra cinnamon sugar layer is certainly sweeter and more dessert-like than the banana bread.
Another great sweet bread recipe is this Banana Bread with Streusel Topping, or this Einkorn Banana Bread made with einkorn flour, or Banana Raisin Bread, which can even be made with this glaze for banana bread. For the banana equivalent of this chocolate chip pumpkin bread, try this Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Cinnamon Swirl: Tastes like fall with a layer of cinnamon sugar incorporated into the middle and on top of the loaf.
One Whole Can of Pumpkin: This recipe calls for an entire 15oz can of pumpkin: extra pumpkin flavor and you're not left figuring out what to do with any leftover pumpkin puree in the can.
Dense and Flavorful: This pumpkin loaf uses butter rather than vegetable oil for a dense, moist, and flavorful loaf.
Ingredients
Below are the ingredients needed to make Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips.
- Butter: Softened to room temperature.
- Pumpkin Puree: Be sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Brown Sugar: For a little extra moisture and flavor.
- Eggs: Use large eggs, pasture-raised if possible.
- Vanilla Extract: Use real vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla. If you bake somewhat regularly consider buying a large bottle of vanilla extract at Costco.
- Flour: Use all-purpose unbleached flour.
- Baking Soda: For leavening. Check to make sure it has not expired.
- Salt: To bring out flavor.
- Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Ground Cloves: Fall pumpkin spices. Use high-quality organic cinnamon, such as Ceylon cinnamon. I buy Ceylon cinnamon from Simply Organic, which sells spices at Whole Foods and a few other grocery stores.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: I use Nestle Semi-sweet chocolate chips. Some recipes on this site call for Ghirardelli or Guittard chocolate, but in this case, Nestle will work just fine.
- Granulated Sugar: For the cinnamon sugar swirl.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
- Chocolate Chips: You can use any type of chocolate chips in this recipe: dark chocolate, semi-sweet, milk chocolate, etc.
- Pumpkin: You can use fresh cooked pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin, but be sure to press out excess liquid so that it is similar to the consistency of canned pumpkin. Too much water will affect the wet-dry ingredient ratio of the recipe.
- Sugar: I use brown sugar in the loaf for extra moisture and flavor, but white sugar can be substituted.
- Muffins: This recipe can be made into muffins, such as these Jumbo Pumpkin Spice Muffins.
- Nuts: Nuts, like walnuts or pecans, can be added to the recipe for extra crunch and flavor.
How to Make Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips
Below are the step-by-step instructions and photos for how to make Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips.
*Note: The recipe card with instructions, ingredient list, and quantities is included further below these step-by-step photos.
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter and flour a loaf pan.
Add the butter, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla extract to a large bowl and combine.
Step 2. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, ½ tablespoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to a medium bowl and stir to combine.
Expert Tip: Combining the dry ingredients including the spices separately helps to evenly incorporate the ingredients without overmixing when adding them to the wet ingredients. Overmixing can create overly dense tough bread.
Step 3. Add the dry ingredients to the large bowl with the wet ingredients and gently stir until the dry ingredients are just incorporated. Do not overmix.
Step 4. Add the chocolate chips and gently combine.
Step 5. Combine the granulated sugar and remaining ½ tablespoon cinnamon in a small bowl.
Add half of the pumpkin batter to the loaf pan. Top with ½ - ⅔ of the cinnamon sugar. Then add the remaining pumpkin batter and top with the remaining cinnamon sugar.
Bake for 45-55 minutes at 350° F.
The top should be firm and a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out without any wet batter.
Expert Tip: When inserting a toothpick it may come out covered with melted chocolate chips. This is fine, just look for any wet batter. If it's still wet, bake it for 3 minutes at a time until done.
More Tips and Tricks
- Use Pure Pumpkin Puree: Choose pure pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugars and spices. I also use pumpkin puree to make Pumpkin Gnocchi, which are shaped like mini pumpkins.
- Don't Overmix: Mix the batter until just combined. Overmixing can lead to a tough texture in the finished bread.
- Choosing a Pan: Use a well-greased loaf pan, preferably 9x5 inches, to bake your pumpkin bread. You can also use parchment paper for easy removal. You can use either a metal or ceramic loaf pan, just keep in mind that using a metal loaf pan will shorten the baking time by 5-10 minutes compared to a ceramic or glass loaf pan. See my detailed Guide to Baking Banana Bread for more helpful information on choosing a pan.
- Preheat the Oven: Make sure your oven is fully preheated before putting the bread in. This ensures even baking from the start.
Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread FAQs
This recipe calls for only ½ cup sugar, which is less than typical, but there is additional sugar in the chocolate chips. You could possibly reduce the sugar to ¼ or ⅓ cup but this is a fairly low amount. If you like extra sweet bread you could increase the sugar to ¾ cup.
You can adjust any of the spices in the recipe and it won't affect the moisture or density of the bread. I would recommend keeping the cinnamon, but you can reduce or increase the cinnamon. The nutmeg and cloves are optional and can be left out or adjusted.
Cloves and nutmeg are very strong spices, so if you plan to increase the amount only do so by a small amount, about ¼ tsp. You can always add more next time, but you won't want to be disappointed by the flavors being too strong.
The best way to achieve a moist and tender texture in pumpkin bread is to not overbake the bread. Check the bread before the allotted baking time. Look for the top center to be firm and no longer wet. The top should be slightly browned.
A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out without any wet batter, it but may be covered in melted chocolate from the chocolate chips.
How to Store and Freeze Pumpkin Bread
When storing and freezing pumpkin bread you want to reduce the amount of air that the bread is directly exposed to which will dry it out.
- To Store: Leave the pumpkin bread in the loaf pan and cover it with plastic wrap, covering the top and pressing the plastic wrap into the open face of the bread.
- To Freeze: Cut into slices and place the bread in plastic freezer bags, removing excess air from the bags before sealing them.
For More Sweet Breads, You May Like:
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Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon divided
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup Semi sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Butter and flour a loaf pan.
- Add the softened butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl and combine. I do this with a hand held mixer, but you can also do it by hand.
- In a separate medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, ½ tablespoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and combine gently with a spoon until just incorporated.
- Add the chocolate chips and gently combine.
- In a small bowl combine ¼ cup granulated sugar and ½ tablespoon cinnamon.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle with half to two-thirds of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Add the remaining half of the batter and top with the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes.
Notes
- Use Pure Pumpkin Puree: Choose pure pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugars and spices. I also use pumpkin puree to make Pumpkin Gnocchi, which are shaped like mini pumpkins.
- Use Organic Ceylon Cinnamon: With most dry spices any brand will work, but with cinnamon be sure to by a high-quality organic cinnamon. I prefer Ceylon cinnamon from a company called Simply Organic which is sold at Whole Foods. It makes a big difference.
- Preheat the Oven: Make sure your oven is fully preheated before putting the bread in. This ensures even baking from the
- Choosing a Pan: Use a well-greased loaf pan, preferably 9x5 inches, to bake your pumpkin bread. You can also use parchment paper for easy removal. You can use either a metal or ceramic loaf pan, just keep in mind that using a metal loaf pan will shorten the baking time by 5-10 minutes compared to a ceramic or glass loaf pan. See my detailed Guide to Baking Banana Bread for more helpful information on choosing a pan.
- Don't Overmix: Mix the batter until just combined. Overmixing can lead to a tough texture in the finished bread. Combining the dry ingredients including the spices separately helps to evenly incorporate the ingredients without overmixing when adding them to the wet ingredients. Overmixing can create overly dense tough bread.
- Doneness: When inserting a toothpick to check for doneness it may come out covered with melted chocolate chips. This is fine, just look for any wet batter. If it's still wet, bake it for 3 minutes at a time until done.
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