Looking for a healthy recipe for pumpkin bread with chocolate chips? I’ve got you! My Healthy Pumpkin Bread Recipe leaves out the unhealthy oil and refined sugar and replaces it with good-for-you ingredients. It’s moist, flavorful and completely delicious!
Healthy Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips
If you love Starbucks Pumpkin Loaf, but not all the sugar, fake oils and calories then I’ve got a treat for you. This Healthy Pumpkin Bread recipe is amazing. All the same great flavors as the Starbucks version, but this one is made with NO refined sugar and NO oil!
Instead I’ve swapped in better for you ingredients like Greek yogurt to replace the oil and honey and maple syrup to keep this snack sweet. Making this pumpkin bread healthy is one of the best things you can treat yourself to!
Is This Pumpkin Bread Actually Healthy? (The Nutrition Breakdown)
Pumpkin bread is one of my favorite fall treats. But I can’t stand the fact that it contains so much sugar, unhealthy oils and excessive calories. Here’s a breakdown of the nutritional content for some popular pumpkin treats and how it compares to my healthier pumpkin bread option:
- Starbucks Pumpkin Loaf: 39g of sugar, and 410 calories.
- Dunkin Donuts Pumpkin Coffee Cake Muffin: 40g of sugar and 550 calories
- Crumbl Cookie Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie: 32g of sugar and 320 calories – and that is for 1/4 of the cookie!! (A single Crumbl cookie is actually 4 servings.)
- Panera Pumpkin Muffin: 52g of sugar and 560 calories per muffin
In comparisonm a slice of my Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread is a much better option at 184 calories, with no refined sugar (13g of natural sweetener) per serving. You’re still getting that delicious pumpkin spice flavor at a fraction of the calories and sugar.
The simple steps to making a healthy pumpkin bread recipe:
Step 1: Start by mixing the dry and wet ingredients separately
Just like any other quick bread recipe, this one starts by mixing the dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls. The dry ingredients include:
- White Whole Wheat Flour (unbleached & unbromated – more on what unbromated means below)
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Pumpkin Pie Spice (if you don’t have this, you can also add cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg, which I will outline in the recipe)
- Salt
For the wet ingredients you’ll need:
- Canned Pumpkin Puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix – be sure to look for 100% pumpkin)
- Eggs
- Plain Greek Yogurt (I prefer whole milk, full fat yogurt – I like Fage)
- Maple Syrup
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Chocolate Chunks (these are optional, but a fantastic add-in!)
Step 2: Line a 9 x 5″ loaf pan with parchment paper
I got rid of my non-stick baking spray quite a long time ago for parchment paper sheets instead. This also helps eliminate some of those bad-for-you oils! You guys – these sheet are amazing, and the perfect size for a loaf pan or cookie sheet. Get these easy pre-cut parchment paper sheets here (Amazon Affiliate Link).
Press the sheet into the pan and secure the sides of the paper with binder clips. I’ve found this little trick to be useful. It helps keep the paper in place when pouring the batter into the pan. Just don’t forget to remove the clips – these are not oven-safe.
Step 3: Mix the dry & wet ingredients, and fold in chocolate chunks
Once you’ve mixed your wet and dry ingredients separately, you’ll add both together to create your batter. Use a rubber scraper to make sure you adequately scrape down the side of the bowl.
Once the wet and dry ingredients are fully incorporated, you can then fold in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chunks.
Step 4: Add chocolate chunks to the batter and top
This is an optional ingredient, but these chocolate chunks really make this recipe. Feel free to leave them out if you would prefer to go even lower with calories.
I wanted to keep this recipe on the healthier side, but because I removed quite a bit of sugar from this recipe, I wanted to replace it with a bit of sweetness from chocolate.
I chose to use these chocolate chunks from Enjoy Life. (Not sponsored, just really like this product.) If you cannot find these chocolate chunks in your grocery store health food section, you can get them here on Amazon. (Amazon Affiliate Link)
These chocolate chunks contain just 3 ingredients: cane sugar, unsweetened chocolate and cocoa butter. Yep, just 3 ingredients!! No weird oils or fillers like some other chocolates have.
Pumpkin Bread Ingredient Substition and Variations
- Egg-Free Option: to make this pumpkin bread egg free you can go with one of these two options. First, a mashed banana option, substituting 1/4 cup of mashed banana for each egg. For this recipe you would need 1/2 cup of mashed banana. Note that this will give the bread a distinct banana flavor. Section option is to do a flax egg, using 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water, letting it sit for 10 minutes until it achieves a gel-like consistency.
- Making Sugar-Free: while maple syrup and honey are great sweeter options, if you want to go complete sugar free you can substitue with a granular monk fruit sweetener. I use and enjoy Whole Earth Granular Monk Fruit Sweetener, which bakes well in muffins and breads. This is a 1:1 swap with with honey and maple syrup.
- Making Gluten-Free: you can definitely make this pumpkin bread gluten-free. I recommend using a gluten-free flour option, like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free flour blend, which is fantastic in breads and muffins.
What makes this pumpkin bread healthy?
- No processed sugar: Many recipes have granulated sugar and brown sugar, which are both highly processed. Instead, I’ve substituted the sweetener in this recipe with honey and maple syrup. A little bit of these goes a long way, so only 1/4 a cup of each is necessary. You can also make this recipe completely sugar free by using a granular monk fruit sweetener, like Whole Earth. I use Whole Earth in my Sugar Free Peach Muffins and my Lemon Blueberry Loaf.
- No fake or toxic oils: An ingredient that continues to get us in trouble is vegetable oil, canola oil and other highly processed, toxic oils. To eliminate oil from this recipe, I’ve substituted it with plain full-fat Greek yogurt. The yogurt does an amazing job. It keeps the bread moist, and helps retain a great consistency.
- Using white whole wheat flour instead of bleached, processed all-purpose flour. I tested this recipe with multiple flour types, and found that white whole wheat (unbromated) maintained the best consistency for this bread. If you can, look for unbromated on the label of the white whole wheat. Unbromated means it is a higher protein baking flour that does not contain potassium bromate.
How to Store & Freeze Healthy Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin bread can be stored at room temperature. Keep it in an airtight contain to keep from drying out. I can be kept as a whole loaf or as individual slices. At room temperature, the bread will keep for 3-4 days.
Pumpkin bread can also be stored in the refrigerator, as a whole loaf or individually sliced. Store it in an airtight container to prevent from drying out. Kept refrigerated, the bread will keep for up to a week.
Freezing pumpkin bread is a great way to enjoy pumpkin bread later. If freezing, make sure the loaf is completely cooled to room temperature. You can freeze entire loaves by wrapping in press-and-seal or plastic wrap, and then placed in freezer zip-loc bags. You can also wrap individual slices in press and seal wrap to be frozen. Thaw whole loaves or individual slices at room temperature on your kitchen counter.
FAQ’s for making Healthy Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips:
Yes, this healthy pumpkin bread recipe can be easily made into muffins. To adapt this quick bread into muffins, mix the batter as directed in the recipe. Line a cupcake pan with paper or silicone liners, then spoon the batter into the muffin cups until nearly full. Top each muffin with a few extra chocolate chips. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean and crumb-free.
Yes, you can use a Bundt pan to bake a pumpkin bread recipe. The pan and recipe will need a few adaptations. First, spray the Bundt pan really well with non-stick baking spray. A single-loaf recipe will only fill the bottom portion of a Bundt pan, so doubling the recipe would be a good option for baking. Bake at 350, and start checking for doneness at the 45 minute mark. The bread is done when a toothpick comes out clean and crumb-free.
When freezing pumpkin bread or any other quick bread, make sure the loaf is completely cooled to room temperature after baking. You can freeze entire loaves by wrapping in press-and-seal or plastic wrap, and then placed in freezer zip-loc bags. You can also wrap individual slices in press and seal wrap to be frozen. Thaw whole loaves or individual slices at room temperature on your kitchen counter.
Yes, you can make this pumpkin bread recipe vegan by replacing the eggs. You can use the flax-egg option by mixing 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed with 3 tablespoons of water, to create a gel-like consistency. Mix into the batter as a substitute for the eggs. Substitute the Greek yogurt with a 1/2 cup of applesauce or mashed banana.
Pumpkin puree is very watery, so making sure the pumpkin bread is fully baked before taking out of the oven is really important. The bread may look done and browned, but if the center is still moist, it is still underbaked. To prevent a gummy, underbaked pumpkin bread, insert a toothpick to test for doneness. If the toothpick comes out clean and crumb-free the pumpkin bread is done and can come out of the oven. Pumpkin bread make become gummy if it is sliced when it is still hot. Allow the bread to cool to room temperature before slicing.
Healthy pumpkin bread with chocolate chips will keep at room temperature for 3-4 days when stored in a resealable container. The bread will keep for about 7 days when refrigerated in an airtight container.
If you loved this delicious pumpkin bread with chocolate chips, check out some of my other healthy breakfast & snack ideas:
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Protein Bites
- Banana Bread with Chocolate Chunks
- Healthy Pumpkin Muffin Recipe
- Pumpkin Spice Waffles
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins
- Starbucks Pumpkin Scones
- Healthy Apple Muffins
- No Bake Granola Bars
- Pumpkin Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats
- Blueberry Protein Muffins
- Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal
- Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
If you love quick bread, check out some of my top bread recipes:
- Amish Cinnamon Swirl Bread
- Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread
- Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Bread
- Cinnamon Swirl Zucchini Bread
- Award Winning Banana Bread Recipe
- Cinnamon Apple Bread Recipe
- Double Chocolate Banana Bread
- Better Than Starbucks Pumpkin Loaf
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Healthy Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips
Equipment
- Loaf Pan This 9" non-stick loaf pan by Wilton is the perfect size for any quick bread or loaf cake recipe!
- Parchment Paper Sheets These pre-cut parchment paper sheets are super convenient and the perfect size for lining a loaf pan.
- Mixing Bowls These stainless steel mixing bowls are an essential cooking tool for every kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree canned
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup maple syrup use REAL maple syrup, not pancake syrup
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup chocolate chunks divided (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 5″ loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: pumpkin, eggs, yogurt, honey, maple syrup and vanilla. Set wet ingredients aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir together with a rubber scraper until fully combined. Batter will be thick. Fold in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chunks, reserving the rest for the top of the loaf.
- Pour batter into prepared pan, and spread evenly. Top with the remaining chocolate chunks.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes at 350 degrees. After 45 minutes I would recommend topping the loaf with a sheet of aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
- Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Lift loaf out of pan by the edges of the parchment paper. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
I actually tried this recipe and it came out very well. It tasted so good and i don’t need to worry about making pumpkin bread very often because it is completely healthy. Looking forward for more recipes like this! Thanks.
Very full of flavor and moist!
Hi!
I want to make this based on your recipe for my family but also want to make it for a group of young kids and a couple of them have an egg/dairy allergy. I was planning on using plain coconut yogurt. Do you think substituting bananas for eggs would be a good idea? I read that it’s best to use 1/4 cup mashed banana per egg. Do you have a recommendation? Excited to try this recipe!
Hi Leann,
I haven’t tested the substitution of mashed bananas for eggs – but it could certainly work. The eggs act as a binding ingredient, meaning it helps the bread hold its shape after being sliced. The bananas could provide some great flavor and additional sweetness, so the flavor would likely be great. I predict it would be a bit crumbly, but I’m sure the kiddo’s wouldn’t mind. Let me know how it turns out. Best of luck! -Erin
Hi Erin!
Thank you so much for your reply! I will try this recipe per your instructions for our household since we don’t have those allergens and I will let you know how the banana substitution goes! For those under 1- would you recommend just doing 1/2 cup maple syrup instead of honey? I’m making this recipe into mini muffins! Thank you!
Yes, the maple syrup would be a great swap for the honey. Similar flavor profile and nearly similar consistency. Good luck! -Erin
I make this bread often and love it!! Can I put this recipe put this in a bundt pan with same results?
Thinking of making for neighbors for Christmas 🎄
Definitely! Bake time may vary slightly. Check for doneness at the 45 minute mark – if toothpick inserted comes out clean and crumb-free it is done. Enjoy!
Can I replace the syrup with monk fruit or stevia? How much would I use to substitute it in to the recipe. Thank you
Hi Sandra! Yes, you can definitely substitute the maple syrup. I personally like baking with Whole Earth granular monk fruit sweetener. Do a 1:1 substitution, so 1/4 cup will give it some good sweetness. Enjoy!
Tried this recipe a few times and my family LOVES it! If I wanted to make this in a muffin pan how long would you say to bake this for?
Thanks!!
Awesome! So glad they love it! Yes, you can definitely make this into muffins. Bake at 35 for 18-22 minutes. Insert a toothpick to test for doneness. If toothpick comes out clean and crumb-free, muffins are done. Enjoy! -Erin