Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Look, I’m not saying this Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread will change your life, but I’m not NOT saying that either. Picture this: your kitchen filled with the aroma of fall spices, chocolate melting into pumpkin goodness, and not a speck of gluten in sight. Whether you’re gluten-intolerant or just riding the GF bandwagon (no judgment here!), this recipe hits that sweet spot between “actually good for you” and “tastes like you’re cheating on your diet.” Let’s make some magic happen!

Why This Recipe is Awesome

First off, this bread is basically foolproof. I once made it while simultaneously binge-watching “The Great British Bake Off” and texting my mom about her cat’s strange new habit. Still turned out perfect. It’s also that rare gluten-free baked good that doesn’t have the texture of slightly moistened cardboard. You know what I’m talking about.

Plus, it’s the perfect balance of healthy-ish and indulgent. The pumpkin brings vitamin A and fiber to the party, while the chocolate chips are just… well, they’re making sure everyone has a good time. The real MVP though? This bread stays moist for DAYS (assuming it lasts that long, which, let’s be real, it probably won’t).

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 2 cups high-quality gluten-free flour blend (the one with xanthan gum already mixed in, because who has time for extra steps?)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder (the stuff that’s been sitting in your pantry for questionable amounts of time is fine)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or just cinnamon if you’re feeling lazy/minimalist)
• ½ teaspoon salt (preferably not the salt from your tears when regular bread commercials come on)
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling—they’re different, trust me on this one)
• ½ cup vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil if you’re feeling fancy)
• ⅔ cup brown sugar, packed (with love and slight desperation)
• ⅓ cup white sugar (because one type of sugar is never enough)
• 2 large eggs (from happy chickens, ideally)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (the real stuff, not that imitation nonsense)
• 1 cup chocolate chips (plus extra for sprinkling on top, because why not?)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Don’t skip this step! I know you want to, but resist the urge. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper if you’re fancy/hate doing dishes.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together your gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside and feel accomplished for completing the boring part.
3. In a larger bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, oil, both sugars, eggs, and vanilla until they’re besties (aka well combined). It’ll look like a weird orange soup at first—totally normal, I promise.
4. Gradually add your dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir just until combined—overmixing is the enemy. The batter should be thick and slightly lumpy, kinda like how we all feel on Monday mornings.
5. Fold in those chocolate chips like they’re made of gold. Because nutritionally speaking, they might as well be.
6. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top because you deserve nice things.
7. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean (a few moist crumbs are fine, but wet batter means more oven time).
8. Let it cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Or just dig in while it’s still warm and risk burning your mouth because patience isn’t your strong suit. I see you.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Let’s talk about how not to mess up this otherwise foolproof recipe:

• Using pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree. Unless you want a sickly sweet bread that tastes like someone dumped a spice rack into it. (Actually, some of you might want that. No judgment.)
• Forgetting the xanthan gum. If your GF flour doesn’t already include it, you need to add ½ teaspoon. Without it, your bread will crumble faster than my diet resolutions on day two.
• Opening the oven every five minutes to check. I know it’s tempting, but every peek drops the temperature and extends baking time. Trust the process. Find something else to obsess over for an hour.
• Cutting into it too soon. The bread continues to set as it cools. Cutting in too early is like interrupting someone mid-sentence—rude and messy.

Alternatives & Substitutions

Life happens. Ingredients go missing. Here’s how to pivot:

Flour options: Any gluten-free flour blend works, but IMO Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 or King Arthur Measure for Measure give the best texture. If you’re making your own blend, ensure it has rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca starch for best results.

Sugar substitutes: You can use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar for a slightly more caramel-like flavor. For a less sweet bread, reduce both sugars by 2 tablespoons each (your pancreas will thank you).

Oil alternatives: Melted butter works beautifully here. Applesauce can replace half the oil if you’re watching calories, but expect a slightly different texture.

Mix-ins: Not a chocolate fan? (Who are you?!) Swap for chopped nuts, dried cranberries, or go wild with white chocolate chips. Or do a combo—it’s your bread, your rules.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

How long does this bread stay fresh?
Wrapped tightly, it’ll stay moist for about 3-4 days at room temperature. If your household has functioning self-control (unlike mine), you can freeze slices for up to 3 months.

Can I make this as muffins instead?
Absolutely! Fill muffin cups about ⅔ full and bake for 18-22 minutes. Bonus: built-in portion control (unless you eat four in one sitting, which I would never do… twice).

Is this recipe dairy-free?
It is if you use dairy-free chocolate chips! Everything else is naturally dairy-free, which is a happy accident for my lactose-intolerant friends.

Can I reduce the sugar?
You can cut it by about ¼ cup total, but any more than that and you’ll start affecting texture and moisture. Sugar isn’t just for sweetness—it’s structural. Science!

Why did my bread sink in the middle?
Either you opened the oven too many times (shame!), your leavening agents were old, or—most commonly—you took it out before it was fully baked. That toothpick test doesn’t lie, folks.

Can I add protein powder to make this “healthy”?
Look, we both know adding protein powder doesn’t magically transform chocolate chip bread into a health food. But yes, you can swap out ¼ cup of flour for protein powder. Just expect a slightly different texture and possibly a weird aftertaste, depending on your protein powder’s quality.

Final Thoughts

There you have it—gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip bread that doesn’t taste like the cardboard box it came in. This bread has gotten me through breakups, work presentations, and that weird phase when everyone was making sourdough starters and I felt left out.

The beauty of this recipe is its flexibility. Too busy to measure precisely? It’ll probably still work. Want to pretend it’s a legitimate breakfast because it contains a vegetable? I support your delusions. Need to impress gluten-free friends without spending a fortune on specialty ingredients? Mission accomplished.

Now go forth and bake! And when people ask for the recipe, you can decide whether to share it or mysteriously claim it’s “an old family secret.” Your choice—I won’t tell.