If you are looking for a solid recipe for gluten free pumpkin bread that is easy to make (no mixer required + no measuring the pumpkin) AND delicious, you’re in the right place. This delicious pumpkin bread, spiced with cinnamon and cloves and packed with the perfect amount of dark chocolate chips, is naturally dairy free, so it’s perfect for those of us with multiple dietary restrictions. (If you would prefer, you can also make this recipe as gluten free pumpkin muffins.) With a soft, moist crumb and rich fall flavors, I know you’ll love it. Let’s dig in!
JUMP AHEAD
The STORY: Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
Back before pumpkin had its own season and pumpkin spice latte went by an acronym, there was a time when I had not yet tasted pumpkin bread. Pumpkins were for carving, and possibly for pie (although I wasn’t a huge fan), definitely not for breakfast. Putting chocolate into something made of pumpkin sounded like a terrible idea. Pumpkins were vegetables and chocolate was dessert. Pure and simple. That was that.
But then my friend Kim in college made a loaf of pumpkin bread with chocolate chips and I about died. The combination of flavors! It turns out that pumpkin (+ cinnamon) is the perfect foil for chocolate, especially dark chocolate! I’ve been hooked on pumpkin + chocolate ever since.
This recipe is my oldest son’s favorite (he’s partial to the muffin version), and I make it for him every holiday season. He loves this gluten free recipe as much as he did my original recipe. Below I’ll share my favorite brands of ingredients so you can make this soft and moist gluten free pumpkin bread without fail. I know you’ll love it as much as we do!
The INGREDIENTS: Pumpkin, Chocolate, and the Rest
Here are a few of the recipe’s most important ingredients, with tips on brand suggestions and potential substitutions. Make sure to check the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend: As always, I strongly recommend Steve’s GF Cake Flour Blend from Authentic Foods (order directly from Authentic Foods or via Amazon). This GF flour transformed my baking. It is more finely ground (which avoids the dreaded grittiness) and uses plant fiber instead of xanthan gum (which avoids the dreaded gumminess). If you don’t have this blend, you can try using a blend with xanthan gum (such as King Arthur Measure for Measure or Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1); let us know in the comments how it goes.
- Pumpkin: The star of the show, hello! Make sure to look for the cans that say 100% pure pumpkin. (You don’t want to accidentally buy pumpkin pie filling, which has a bunch of other stuff in it.)
- Coconut Oil: Coconut oil works really well in quick bread — at this amount, the coconut flavor doesn’t come through, and it helps to increase the moisture and tenderness. Note that you’ll want the virgin, unrefined coconut oil here; I buy mine at Costco. If you don’t have coconut oil, you can substitute it with canola or another neutral-tasting oil.
- Applesauce: Using applesauce in the recipe reduces the fat a bit compared with a more traditional recipe and adds some natural sweetness to boot. I use organic, unsweetened applesauce. If you don’t have applesauce, you can substitute it with oil.
- Spices: I personally like the showstopper pairing of cinnamon plus a smidge of cloves. But feel free to adapt if you also like ginger and nutmeg.
- Salt: I use fine pink salt in my kitchen. If you use regular table salt, you might want to reduce the salt a bit depending on your preference. If you use a coarse salt such as kosher salt, you might need to add a bit more.
- Quality Chocolate: I LOVE Guittard chocolate, and my favorite is the red bag (Extra Dark, 63% cacao). It’s pricey but the quality really makes a big difference. If you use another version or brand, make sure to read the label to ensure that it’s dairy free.
The STEPS: How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
Quick breads make a good first step into gluten free baking because they’re quite forgiving. This recipe is quick to pull together and easy to pull off, even for a beginning baker! Here is an overview of the recipe — check out the recipe card for the full instructions.
Making the Batter
Bake the Pumpkin Bread and Enjoy!
- Divide the batter between two greased loaf pans (glass or metal works). If you only have one pan, that works too (see the recipe notes).
- Add a few extra chocolate chips to the top of the batter and swirl them ever so slightly into the top layer of batter.
- Score the top by running a knife down the center of each loaf to make that nice, rustic crack on the pumpkin bread’s crust.
- Bake at 350°F for 50-55 minutes until the pumpkin bread is smelling amazing and has a mounded, deep orange crust that is firm when pressed lightly.
- Let cool for 5 minutes on a rack while still in the pan. Then remove the loaf from the pan to finish cooling.
- If you like, freeze the extra loaf, either before it’s been sliced or after. Quick tip: put small pieces of parchment paper between the slices if you want to remove a slice at a time from the freezer.
- The finished result is gluten free pumpkin bread that stays soft and moist, even after several days. Delish!
More Ideas
Looking for other yummy gluten free and dairy free recipes? Here are a few ideas to consider (not trying to make you hungry or anything):
Leave a comment to let me know how it goes, have fun, and remember:
We only get one wild and wondrous life, so live a life you love!
Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread (applesauce + coconut oil)
Gluten free pumpkin bread is the perfect cozy fall breakfast. Soft, warmly spiced, and easy to make — no mixer and no measuring the pumpkin!
Equipment
- 8.5 x 4.5 inch or 9 x 5 inch metal loaf pan, or 1.5 qt Pyrex loaf pan
- Whisk or mixer
Ingredients
Dry
- 3 cups gluten free flour blend - Authentic Foods Steve's GF Cake Flour Blend recommended
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
Mix-Ins
- 1 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips - dairy free
Wet
- 1 15- ounce can pumpkin
- 1 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut oil - extra virgin
- 1/2 cup applesauce - unsweetened
- 4 eggs - large
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Set out the eggs.
- Melt the coconut oil in the microwave.
- Grease two loaf pans with coconut oil. If you only have one pan, not to worry; see the notes for details.
Measure the Dry
- Measure out the dry ingredients into a medium-sized bowl. Stir with a fork to combine.• 3 cups gluten free flour blend• 2 teaspoons baking powder• 2 teaspoons baking soda• 1 teaspoon salt• 2 teaspoons cinnamon• ¼ teaspoon cloves
- Add the chocolate chips, and stir to combine. Set aside.• 1 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Make the Batter
- Measure out the pumpkin, sugar, and brown sugar into a large bowl. Using a whisk, a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a hand mixer, mix until combined.• 1 15- ounce can pumpkin• 1 cup sugar• 2/3 cup brown sugar
- Add the melted coconut oil and applesauce and mix (by hand or on low) until combined.• 1/2 cup coconut oil• 1/2 cup applesauce
- Add the eggs and vanilla and mix (by hand or on low) until combined.• 4 eggs• 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Add the dry ingredients. Mix until fully incorporated. (If mixing by hand, you might want to switch to a large spoon or flexible spatula at this point.) Scrape down the bowl to ensure everything is fully mixed.
Bake the Pumpkin Bread
- Use a knife to (more or less) divide the batter in half, pushing the batter into opposite sides of the bowl. Scoop the batter from one side of the bowl into one greased loaf pan, and scoop the remaining batter into the other pan.
- If you would like, add a few more chocolate chips to the top of each loaf, then use a knife or spatula to smooth the loaf’s surface. Score the tops of the loaves by dragging a knife down the length of each loaf
- Bake the pans on the same rack (with a few inches between them to allow the air to circulate) at 350°F for 40 minutes.
- After the loaves have baked for 40 minutes, tent each pan with a sheet of tin foil to prevent excessive browning (see notes for instructions). Bake the loaves for another 15 minutes or until the loaves are nice and domed, have a warm orange color, and are firm when lightly tapped on top. Cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes before removing from the pan to continue to cool (see notes for instructions).
Notes
TIPS
- One Loaf Pan: If you only have one loaf pan, simply bake one loaf and refrigerate the rest of the batter in the meantime. After you take the first loaf out of the oven, take the batter out as well so it can come to room temperature. Once the first loaf has cooled for 5 minutes, remove the loaf and wash the pan. Once the pan is no longer warm, fill with the remaining batter and bake as directed above.
- Dark Loaf Pan: If you have a dark gray loaf pan, King Arthur Baking Company recommends lowering the temperature by 25 degrees and reducing the bake time. So I would suggest baking the loaf at 325°F and checking the after 40-45 total minutes (although I haven’t tested this).
- Tenting the Pans: Fold a piece of tin foil in half and place it loosely over the pan, with its pointy side up like a tent. Repeat with the other pan. The peak of the “tent” gives the bread space to continue to rise, and the foil keeps the top from browning further. You don’t need to worry about crimping the sides of the foil down.
- Removing the Loaf from the Pan: If you’ve always wondered how the heck to get a quick bread out of its pan, I have a 10-step system that hasn’t failed me yet!
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- Get out a butter knife, two hot pads, and a cooling rack.
- Run the knife along the inner edge of the pan to loosen the sides.
- Place a piece of paper towel over the top of the loaf.
- Place a hot pad on top of the paper towel.
- With your right hand, take hold of the pan from above (the hot pad should keep you from burning yourself), and lift the pan up.
- Using an additional hot pad, hold the bottom of the pan with your left hand.
- With both hands now gripping the pan, flip the pan over. The pan is now on top.
- Using your left hand, lift the pan up and off the loaf. Set the pan to the side. (If it doesn’t come off, give it a little wiggle. If it still doesn’t come off, run the knife around the edges and try again. If it STILL doesn’t come off, wait 5 minutes and try again.)
- Use your left hand to pick up the cooling rack and set it (upside down) on top of the loaf (which is also upside down, in your right hand). With both hands gripping the cooling rack and loaf, flip the whole situation over.
- Set the rack on the counter, remove the hot pad and paper towel, and you are done!
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- Storage: Once cooled, the bread can be stored wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freezing the Loaf Unsliced: Pop the cooled pumpkin bread into a Ziploc bag and freeze. If you’re going to keep it in their a while, you might want to wrap it in plastic wrap before putting in the Ziploc bag to prevent freezer burn.
- Freezing the Loaf Sliced: Alternatively, you can slice the loaf before freezing. Place a small piece of parchment paper between each slice, then place the entire sliced loaf into a Ziploc bag and freeze. Whenever you want a yummy treat, pull out a slice and microwave for about 30 seconds on medium power or until thawed and warm. (I often eat one loaf and then freeze the second loaf in this way—more days of pumpkin bread!)
- Gluten Free: This recipe is gluten free as written! Make sure to use Authentic Foods Steve's GF Cake Flour Blend, or if that's not possible, use another GF 1:1 flour blend that has xanthan gum in it.
- Dairy Free: This recipe is dairy free as written. Make sure your chocolate chips do not have milk in them!
- If You Aren't Gluten Free: If you don't need to avoid gluten, feel free to swap out the GF flour with regular flour. Remember not to overmix the flour! Stir just until the white disappears. Also, the bread might need less time to cook, so check the loaves 5 or so minutes early.
- If You Aren't Dairy Free: If you don't need to avoid dairy, feel free to use any chocolate chips you like! I would still recommend dark chocolate, but that's just me. I still recommend using coconut oil because I think oil in general is better in most quick breads and muffins, and unrefined virgin coconut oil has some health benefits as well.
- Making It Vegan: This recipe might be a bit harder to make vegan because it uses so many eggs. If you do try it with flax eggs or aquafaba, please let us know how it turns out in the comments!
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