Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread is a twist between a banana bread and pumpkin bread. This quick bread recipe brings you all the flavors of each bread in one slice-able treat!

Jump to:

• Key Ingredients & Substitutions
• How to Make Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread 
• Tips & Tricks for Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread 
• Variations to Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread 
• Serving Ideas
• Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread FAQs
• More Tasty Recipes
• 📖 Recipe

Pair your pumpkin banana bread with a mug of spiced hot chocolate, serve it as a midnight snack, or eat it with a scoop of ice cream on top! This bread can be a snack or dessert. 

This Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread recipe is… 

• Made with real bananas
• A quick bread recipe
• Served as breakfast or dessert
• Made with pantry staples

If you're here planning your holiday menu, don't miss our new Vegan Christmas and Vegan Thanksgiving cookbooks. They're packed with all my favorite holiday-worthy recipes for a plant-based feast.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Ripe bananas. The browner and more freckled the peel, the sweeter and more fragrant your bread will be. About 2 medium bananas gives you the ⅔ cup of mash you need. Frozen overripe bananas work too; thaw them and mash them with any liquid that seeps out.
• Pumpkin puree. Use plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. Homemade pumpkin puree is great here too; if yours looks watery, let it drain in a fine-mesh strainer for 15 minutes so the loaf doesn't turn gummy.
• Butter and oil. Softened butter adds flavor, while the oil keeps the crumb moist for days. Any neutral oil works, including canola or refined coconut oil (melted). You can use all oil (⅔ cup total) if that's what you have; the bread will be a little less rich.
• Sugar. Regular granulated sugar keeps the crumb light. For a deeper, caramel-like flavor, swap up to half of it for packed brown sugar.
• Eggs. Room-temperature eggs blend into the batter more smoothly. To make the bread egg-free, use 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 5 tablespoons water and left to thicken for 5 minutes); pair them with vegan butter for a fully vegan loaf. Expect a slightly denser crumb.
• Flour. All-purpose flour gives the softest texture. Spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping, since packed flour makes a dry, heavy loaf. You can replace up to half with white whole wheat flour.
• Pumpkin pie spice. A ready-made blend like Simply Organic Pumpkin Spice is the easiest option. No blend on hand? Mix 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon cloves or allspice.
• Chocolate chips. Semi-sweet chips or chunks, like Ghirardelli semi-sweet baking chips, balance the sweet banana and pumpkin. Mini chips spread more evenly through each slice, and dark chocolate chunks make it feel more like dessert.

How to Make Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread 

1. Preheat oven and grease loaf pan.
2. Mash bananas, add pumpkin, and mix to combine. 
3. Add butter, oil, sugar, egg, and vanilla. 
4. In a new bowl, mix together dry ingredients.
5. Slowly add dry to wet and mix together.
6. Fold in chocolate chips, pour batter into pan, and bake. 

Full directions for how to make Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread are in the printable recipe card below. 

Tips & Tricks for Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread 

Ripe Bananas 

It is important to use ripe bananas when making bread. The ripe (or slightly overripe) bananas will help bring out the rich banana flavor. And you need a rich banana flavor to pair with the pumpkin!

Mash Well!

You can use a fork, hand mixer, or a potato masher to mash your bananas. Making sure the bananas are fully mashed is very important. If you leave big chunks of banana, those chunks can make your bread gooey in spots. 

Use the Right Pan

This batter is sized for a standard 9x5-inch loaf pan. A light-colored metal pan, like this Amazon Basics nonstick loaf pan, bakes the most evenly. If you only have a smaller 8.5x4.5-inch pan, fill it no more than three-quarters full and bake the leftover batter as a few muffins. In a glass pan, lower the oven to 325°F and start checking the bread a little early.

Tent Your Bread 

If you find the top of your bread is already browned but your center still needs to cook longer, place a tent of foil over your bread when baking. This tent will allow your bread to continue to cook while keeping the top crust from burning. 

Variations to Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread 

Add Nuts 

Mix some pecans or walnuts into your bread if you'd like. I add around ½ cup of chopped nuts. It's up to you whether you want to chop your nuts or not - I prefer smaller nut pieces in my bread.

Mix up the Chocolate 

Instead of regular chocolate chips, you could mix in some white chocolate or even peanut butter chips for added flavor. Alternatively, you could skip the chocolate altogether or replace it with raisins or other dried fruit pieces. 

Serving Ideas

For breakfast or brunch, cut thick slices and toast them lightly, then spread them with butter, cream cheese, or a swipe of peanut butter. A slice pairs perfectly with a hot coffee, a chai latte, or a cold glass of milk, and it makes a hearty side next to a bowl of yogurt and fresh fruit.

To turn it into dessert, warm a slice for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave so the chocolate gets melty, then top it with vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of the cinnamon whipped cream from our Chai Poached Pears. A drizzle of melted chocolate or caramel sauce doesn't hurt either.

It also earns a spot on a fall brunch table or dessert spread. Serve it alongside Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dip and a Pumpkin Pie with Homemade Crust, or wrap a cooled loaf in parchment and twine to give to a neighbor or bring to a bake sale.

Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread FAQs

How will I know when the bread is done? 

The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. A crumb or two on the toothpick is ok though, as long as they are baked crumbs and not wet batter.

How do you store pumpkin banana bread? 

I find that storing bread in the fridge gives it a longer shelf life. You can store this bread for up to 5 days in the fridge.

I enjoy eating the refrigerated bread cold, but you can also warm it up in the microwave for a fresh-out-of-the-oven feeling. 

Can you freeze this quick bread? 

You can freeze this bread if you don't want to eat it all right away. Simply allow the bread to cool, then store it in the freezer for 3-4 months. When you're ready to eat it again, simply let it thaw in the fridge overnight and enjoy. 

More Tasty Recipes

If you love this pumpkin banana chocolate chip bread, be sure to check out these other tasty ideas:

• Easy Vegan Pumpkin Recipes
• Crazy Easy One Bowl Pumpkin Bread
• One-Bowl Pumpkin Cake
• Vegan Pumpkin Bars
• Easy Pumpkin Cookies

📖 Recipe