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Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread

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This insanely easy Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread comes together in just 15 minutes and disappears almost as fast! #chocolatechip #pumpkin #walnut #bread #baking #breadrecipes

This insanely easy Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread comes together in just 15 minutes and disappears almost as fast! 

A loaf of Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread has two slices cut from it.

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Original content posted September 2017.  Updated September 2020.

Talk about an ego boost!  That’s what happens when a reader tries one of my recipes and then takes times from their day to leave a heartwarming comment to let me know how much they enjoyed it.  This happens frequently with my Chocolate Chip Walnut Banana Bread.  

I mean, I’ve been told it’s the best banana bread EVER.  Warm fuzzies all around!  So I did what any good food blogger would do and I transformed it into an autumn favorite with this Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread.

A loaf of Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread rests on a wire rack on a piece of parchment paper.

The Best Pumpkin Nut Bread

I was a bit concerned that this Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread wouldn’t stand up to the original banana bread but was so glad to be proven wrong!  The first loaf disappeared in just one day in our house, enjoyed as both breakfast and an afternoon treat.  The moisture level in this quick bread recipe is absolutely through the roof.  

Not one, but two cups of pumpkin are in a single loaf.  I wish you could simply reach through your screen and take a slice.

A close up view of two slices of Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread cut from the loaf.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread Recipe

This Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread recipe is such a crowd pleaser.  An insanely moist pumpkin bread base is dotted with chopped walnuts and chocolate chips and kissed with cinnamon.  This will no doubt be an autumn favorite as soon as the scent of it baking in the oven starts wafting through your home.  

I used vanilla in this recipe, but you could also substitute pumpkin spice extract if you really want to up the flavors of the season.  But those melty chocolate chips and the crunch of the walnuts?  Yeah, that’s what this bread is all about!

A slice of Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread on a black plate with a knife.

The next time you’re asked to contribute a baked good for a bake sale or you’d like a homemade treat to thank someone with, look no further than this Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread.  With just 15 minutes of prep time, and using ingredients that you likely always have on hand in your fridge and pantry, you simply can’t go wrong.  And of course, there’s the chocolate chip factor that I mentioned earlier as well.

I love the combination of pumpkin and chocolate and you can also find it in my decadent Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, super easy Black Bottom No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake and holiday worthy German Chocolate Upside Down Pumpkin Pie.

How to make Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread, steps 1-4.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread

[1]  In the bowl of an electric mixer, add butter and sugar.

[2]  Cream together on medium speed until combined and fluffy.

[3]  Add eggs and pumpkin puree to bowl.

[4]  Mix on medium speed until completely combined.

How to make Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread, steps 5-8.

[5]  Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla to bowl.

[6]  Mix together on medium speed until just combined.

TIP: You want to mix only until the separate ingredients are barely visible as you’ll continue to stir to mix in the walnuts and chocolate chips in the next step.  If you over mix the batter, it will result in a more dense and chewy bread.  

[7]  Add walnuts and chocolate chips to mixing bowl.

[8]  With a spatula, fold in walnuts and chocolate chips until just combined.

TIP: Folding is another name for very gently stirring that’s typically done with a rubber spatula until ingredients are just incorporated.  The goal is to avoid deflating delicate ingredients by making broad, scoop-like movements from the inside of the bowl outwards.

The more you handle the batter gently, the more tender your bread will be!

How to make Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread, steps 9-11.

[9]  Line a 9″ x 5″ x 3″ baking pan with parchment.

TIP:  To form a parchment paper sling for your bread, cut a length of parchment paper long enough to line the bottom of the pan with extra hanging over the sides. If your parchment is longer than your pan, fold the extra under.  

[10]  Pour batter in a greased and parchment lined loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.  Turn oven off and leave bread in oven for additional 15 minutes.

[11]  OPTIONAL: If you want your Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread to look like it came straight from the bakery, I love to dot the top with additional chocolate chips and a sprinkle of chopped walnuts prior to baking.

An overhead view of a loaf of Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread resting on a vintage wire rack.

If you’ve tried this Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread or any other recipe on Melanie Makes, please let me know your thoughts in the comments below.  I love hearing from you and respond to each and every comment!

You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for more delicious recipes.

Print Recipe
4.48 from 19 votes

Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread

This insanely easy Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread comes together in just 15 minutes and disappears almost as fast!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time55 mins
Total Time1 hr 10 mins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 316kcal
Author: Melanie Bauer | Melanie Makes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 2 cups pumpkin puree
  • 1-1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, add butter and sugar.
  • Cream together on medium speed until combined and fluffy.
  • Add eggs and pumpkin puree to bowl.
  • Mix on medium speed until completely combined.
  • Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla to bowl.
  • Mix together on medium speed until just combined.
    TIP: You want to mix only until the separate ingredients are barely visible as you’ll continue to stir to mix in the walnuts and chocolate chips in the next step.  If you over mix the batter, it will result in a more dense and chewy bread.  
  • Add walnuts and chocolate chips to mixing bowl.
  • With a spatula, fold in walnuts and chocolate chips until just combined.
    TIP: Folding is another name for very gently stirring that’s typically done with a rubber spatula until ingredients are just incorporated.  The goal is to avoid deflating delicate ingredients by making broad, scoop-like movements from the inside of the bowl outwards.
    The more you handle the batter gently, the more tender your bread will be!
  • Line a 9″ x 5″ x 3″ baking pan with parchment.
    TIP:  To form a parchment paper sling for your bread, cut a length of parchment paper long enough to line the bottom of the pan with extra hanging over the sides. If your parchment is longer than your pan, fold the extra under.  
  • Pour batter in a greased and parchment lined loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.  Turn oven off and leave bread in oven for additional 15 minutes.
  • OPTIONAL: If you want your Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Bread to look like it came straight from the bakery, I love to dot the top with additional chocolate chips and a sprinkle of chopped walnuts prior to baking.

Nutrition

Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 278mg | Potassium: 142mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 6665IU | Vitamin C: 1.9mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1.4mg

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rebecca says

    Thumbs up to this recipe. The taste is superb, the look fabulous, the texture of bread spot on!! My husband is not a fan of pumpkin bread, but this one he loves and said it has a 5 star quality and that we should make many and gift them during the holidays!! Thank you Melanie for the delicious recipe!!
    Reply

  4. Simon says

    I am collecting all kinds of pumpkin recipes and I have to say your bread is unbelievably attractive! The moist, the color, the texture - it also helps that you took great photos too. Definitely a recipe I will try sometime soon, thank you!
    Reply

  16. Sarah Evan Rose says

    It's baking in the oven now and smells amazing. I was missing 1/2 cup of pumpkin so I topped it off with ripe banana.
    Reply

  18. Wayne says

    Looks like another hit. I have combined a couple of recipes and for a double batch of banana-walnut-CC I added 1/2 c milk, 1/2 c of sour cream. Too wet so I may drop back to 1/4 each or without. I also added 1 tsp of baking powder. But for my trial run of your pumpkin bread I'll run it as is but swap out cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice. Baking at 5000 ft overseas so we'll see how it goes. No offense meant on modding your recipe, I do that to everything from cars to motorcycles. Just wired that way. LOL. Thanks again, this is just what I was looking for in place of bananas.
    Reply

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