Hamdi Saidani Pioneer Woman Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread is a soft, warmly spiced quick bread loaded with semisweet chocolate chips, made with canned pumpkin puree, buttermilk, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice in about 1 hour and 25 minutes.
This recipe is published on thepioneerwoman.com as the site’s go-to pumpkin bread, and it makes two full loaves in standard 9×5 inch pans. The original version offers chocolate chips as one of several mix-in options, so we’re going all in on the chocolate chip variation here.
Stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined, then stop immediately. Overmixing develops gluten in the batter, which turns the bread tough and rubbery instead of soft and tender. A few small streaks of flour left in the bowl are perfectly fine because they disappear in the oven.
Pioneer Woman Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
Description
Two golden loaves with semisweet chocolate chips baked into a tender, oil-based crumb. This no-mixer quick bread comes together in one bowl and fills the kitchen with cinnamon and chocolate while it bakes.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 350F (180C) and spray two 9×5 inch (23x13cm) loaf pans with baking spray with flour.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the wet mixture. Stir until just combined with no large pockets of dry flour remaining.
- Fold in the chocolate chips. Gently fold 1 1/2 cups (265g) semisweet chocolate chips into the batter using a spatula until evenly distributed.
- Fill the pans. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans and smooth the tops with a spatula.
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Bake the bread. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted into the center of each loaf comes out clean.
- Cool and serve. Let the bread cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Place a wire rack over each pan, flip to release the bread, and let cool completely before slicing
FAQs
Why does this recipe use both brown sugar and granulated sugar?
Each sugar plays a different role in the bread. Granulated sugar adds clean sweetness and helps the crust develop a light crunch on top. Brown sugar brings moisture and a deeper caramel note because of the molasses it contains.
Using both together gives you a bread that is sweet without being one-note. The molasses in the brown sugar also keeps the crumb softer for longer, so your second-day slices taste just as good as the first.
Why add buttermilk to pumpkin bread?
Buttermilk adds a subtle tang that balances the sweetness from two kinds of sugar and the chocolate chips. Its acidity also reacts with the baking soda to create extra lift, which keeps the texture light rather than heavy.
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, add 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to 1/2 cup (120ml) of regular milk. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until it curdles slightly, then use it in place of the buttermilk.
How do you keep the chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom?
Toss the chocolate chips in about a tablespoon of flour before folding them into the batter. The light coating gives them something to grip so they stay suspended throughout the loaf instead of pooling at the bottom.
Using regular-size chips rather than mini chips also helps because they catch on the thick batter more easily. Fold them in gently at the very end so you don’t deflate the batter or overmix it.
Can you swap the pumpkin pie spice for individual spices?
Yes, 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice equals roughly 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves. Mixing your own lets you adjust the ratios to your taste.
If you prefer a stronger cinnamon punch, bump it up to 1 1/2 teaspoons. The pre-mixed version is convenient and consistent, so use whichever option you have on hand without worrying about the result.
Why let the bread cool completely before slicing?
Pumpkin bread continues to set as it cools because the starches in the flour need time to firm up. Slicing too early gives you a gummy, crumbly center that falls apart on the knife, even though the bread is fully baked through.
Waiting at least 30 to 45 minutes on the wire rack lets the crumb stabilize. Use a serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion instead of pressing straight down for the cleanest slices.
