Healthy Chocolate Pumpkin Bread

This Healthy Chocolate Pumpkin Bread is easy to make and loaded with cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips for the ultimate chocolatey flavour. It can be made easily in a bowl (no mixer needed!) and is perfect for a healthy snack, breakfast or treat!

Pumpkin bread made healthy!

This recipe is a bit different than my traditional Healthy Pumpkin Bread Recipe or Healthy Pumpkin Banana Bread Recipe because it’s filled with….chocolate! This bread is made with cocoa powder and chocolate chips in it, for a double chocolatey taste.

It has a similar taste to my fluffy Chocolate Quinoa Cake which if you ask me is a big win! This bread also features some spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, so it still has those *cozy* Fall flavours. You can enjoy this Healthy Chocolate Pumpkin Bread for breakfast, as a snack in the afternoon with a Homemade Chai Latte or cup of tea, or for a healthy dessert.

Ingredient notes

This pumpkin bread is made with simple ingredients, many of which you probably already have in your pantry. This recipe is also customizable and you can easily substitute other ingredients for what is listed here. (I’ll leave some suggestions next to each ingredient for substitutions!)

• Spelt flour: I like to use spelt flour, but you can substitute whole-wheat flour, white flour or a 1-1 gluten-free flour blend if needed.
• Cocoa powder: a good quality cocoa powder will give you a better final result.
• Baking powder & baking soda: to help the bread rise.
• Spices: for this bread we are using a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg. These pair well with the pumpkin and give the bread a cozy Fall taste.
• Salt: it’s important to add this to the bread to help bring out the flavour of the chocolate.
• Eggs: to help bind everything together. I haven’t tested this recipe out with flax eggs, but I imagine it would work.
• Pumpkin puree: make sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. You can also substitute this with butternut squash or sweet potato puree. Use any leftover puree in a batch of pumpkin spice protein balls.
• Coconut oil: other options you can use here are vegetable oil or butter if you are not dairy-free.
• Almond milk: or any other type of plant-based milk or dairy milk.
• Maple syrup: I love the combination of maple syrup with pumpkin, but if you prefer you can use agave, honey or just 1/2 cup of brown sugar.
• Vanilla extract: for flavour.
• Chocolate chips: I recommend 70% dark choolate chips, but any kind you like will work!

How to make this pumpkin bread

Step 1

Start by mixing the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Mix together so there are no clumps.

Step 2

Then in a separate mixing bowl mix together the eggs, pumpkin puree, coconut oil, almond milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract.

Step 3

Then mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients together and gently fold until combined. Don’t over-mix the batter or your pumpkin bread can come out dense. You want to just gently mix everything together just until it’s combined.

Step 4

Add in the chocolate chips and gently fold them into the batter.

Step 5

Bake the bread in the oven at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes. The top of the bread will begin to puff up and crack. If you’re not sure if the bread is done or not, you can take a toothpick and insert it into the bread. If the toothpick comes out clean, the bread is ready. If the toothpick comes out with batter on it, then the bread needs more time. Let cool on the counter before removing from the loaf pan and cutting.

Ideas for add-ins and mix-ins

I love this Healthy Chocolate Pumpkin Bread recipe because it can be easily customized with many different variations. Here are some fun ideas for some mix-ins you can add to this bread.

• Nuts & seeds
• Nut butter (swirl 2-3 tablespoons into the batter)
• Dried fruits
• Cacao nibs
• Shredded coconut
• Orange zest

How to store

Counter/Fridge: store any leftover Healthy Pumpkin Bread on the countertop for up to 4 days or in the fridge for up to a week. Make sure the bread is well covered so it doesn’t dry out.

Freezer: this bread is freezer-friendly! To freeze let the pumpkin bread cool on the countertop completely. Then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and transfer it to a freezer-safe bag and place in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let defrost on the counter and optionally heat up in the oven to warm through.

More pumpkin recipes to try

• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Pumpkin Spice Granola
• Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes
• Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
• Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
• Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

If you tried this Healthy Chocolate Pumpkin Bread or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

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