Today I’ve got a simple whole wheat pumpkin chocolate chip bread that’s packed with warm Fall spices. A perfectly tender loaf that makes for a great breakfast..

Fall is my absolute favourite time of year and I’m so excited it’s here. Although living in Alberta, I absolutely dread what’s to come after our very short Fall season ends. So to enjoy it to the absolute max, I do as much Fall baking as I can. To me, Fall baking mainly includes anything with spices, apples or pumpkin.

For other awesome Fall recipes that don’t involve pumpkin, try my bakery style apple butter muffins or my cream cheese filled carrot muffins.

I designed this bread to be absolutely packed with pumpkin to bump up the nutrition content but also to bump up the moisture. Pumpkin is one of my favourite things to bake with for this reason, as it makes all your baked goods so soft! It also adds a subtle flavour that pairs perfectly with all the warm spices we associate with Fall.

My pumpkin bread is different from many recipes you may have seen as this one is much healthier while still packed with flavour. We make this bread with whole wheat flour and canola oil instead of butter. I’ve also vastly reduced the sugar compared to other quick breads but I promise you won’t miss it. In doing this, you can easily enjoy this pumpkin bread for breakfast, a healthy snack or pack it in kids lunches as a healthy treat.

A slice of chocolate chip pumpkin bread leaning against the rest of the loaf on a wooden board.

Can I Use Fresh Pumpkin?

I don’t recommend using fresh pumpkin as it typically contains more moisture than canned pumpkin. This could alter the texture and bake of the cookie.

Benefits of Whole Wheat vs. All Purpose Flour

When baking healthier snacks, treats or breakfasts, I’m a big fan of using whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour, also known as white flour. There are many benefits to this including a higher concentration of minerals like copper, magnesium and iron. This is important for me personally as like many women, I’ve had issues with low iron in my life.

There is also a larger source of B vitamins in whole wheat flour which provides energy. Whole wheat flour has a higher protein content as well as more fibre, both of which can keep you feeling full longer. Another great thing about whole wheat flour is it can add a little extra flavour bringing a hint of nuttiness to certain bakes.

The only cons of using whole wheat flour that I know of is sometimes it can make a recipe more dense, which is why I typically add more moisture to my recipes. In doing this, I generally don’t notice that I’m eating a whole wheat flour bread instead of a white flour bread.

The other downside is I know everybody doesn’t keep whole wheat flour on hand. Well, I never used to either and now I can’t imagine not having it in the house. I buy a large 10kg bag for the exact same price as an all purpose bag of flour and have never had it go bad on me. Having said this, I highly recommend keeping some on hand so you can make guilt free muffins, quick breads or whatever you want! Although, in saying this, if the recipe doesn’t call for it, I don’t recommend swapping whole wheat flour for white flour, they’re generally not a 1 to 1 substitute.

If you’d like more information on the nutritional benefits, head to https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/whole-grains/. There are lots of great sources of nutritional information on the Harvard website that is backed up by multiple sources.

Slices of chocolate chip pumpkin bread leaned against each other on a wooden board.

How to Store Quick Bread

When storing this pumpkin chocolate chip bread, follow these steps:

Seal and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Fully cool the bread, otherwise it can get gummy and soggy.
Place a paper towel on the bottom of an airtight container or bag.
Put the bread on top of the paper towel.
Lay another paper towel on top of the bread.

How to Freeze Quick Bread

If you want to freeze the pumpkin chocolate chip bread, follow these steps:

To eat, take amount you need out and let thaw at room temperature for 2 hours or heat in the microwave in 20 second increments. But be cautious if using the microwave when feeding children or toddlers, it can leave hot spots.
Fully cool the bread and then slice it into pieces at your desired thickness.
Place a paper towel on the bottom of an airtight container or bag.
Put the slices on top of the paper towel in a single layer. If you need to layer them, put a small square of paper towel between the layers.
Seal and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

A slice of pumpkin chocolate chip bread leaning against the rest of the loaf on a wooden board.

How to Properly Measure Flour

So when it comes to measuring flour, the most accurate and easiest way is to use a kitchen scale. I always use a scale and could never go back to measuring in cups. It’s such a hassle and way more dishes!

If you don’t own a scale, there are a couple steps to properly measure flour as it becomes compacted just sitting in the bag or container. I highly recommend you follow these as just scooping flour out of the bag can potentially lead to at least an additional 1/4 cup of flour. This equals dry and dense baked goods which is not what anybody is going for.

1. Fluff the flour by giving it a mix with a whisk or fork.

2. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup.

3. Level the excess flour off using a butter knife. (With the back of the knife level to the top of the measuring cup, run it over top, pushing the excess flour back into it’s container.)

4. Repeat until you’ve measured the amount the recipe calls for.

Baking Tips

I don’t recommend using fresh pumpkin puree as it typically has more moisture and may ruin the texture of the bread.
For best results, ensure all your ingredients are room temperature. This allows your ingredients to incorporate into each other leading to a much better bake and texture.
Don’t overmix the batter! Fold the wet and dry ingredients together until just combined. This ensures a tender crumb rather than a tight, dense loaf.
I create my recipes based off weights so I recommend measuring by weights if you own a scale. It’s actually so much easier and makes for much less cleanup. I wish I had baked by weight from the beginning, I could never go back now.

Slices of pumpkin chocolate chip bread leaned against each other on a wooden board. Small woven pumpkin in background.

More Pumpkin Recipes