Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips

This post was last updated on March 14, 2021 by India

Bake up a loaf of this Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread! It’s gluten free, dairy free, naturally sweetened, and has the most amazing pumpkin flavor with Chocolate chips sprinkled throughout.

Why I love this Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread Recipe

On crisp fall weekend mornings, there are few things I love more than whipping up a loaf of this Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips to have with my morning tea.

This gluten free pumpkin bread is not only dairy free, but it’s naturally sweetened with coconut sugar and maple syrup which gives this pumpkin bread a rich, caramel-like flavor you don’t get when baking with regular sugar.

This recipe creates a moist and dense loaf that is perfectly spiced, packed with flavor, and speckled with chocolate chips. I love to eat it while it’s still warm with a smear of butter and sprinkle of flaky sea salt, or with a dollop of greek yogurt for breakfast

While it may have the word bread in the name, don’t let that fool you. It’s basically a cake masquerading as bread. But because it is named bread and looks like bread, it’s a perfectly suitable breakfast in my opinion!

Ingredients You’ll Need for Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread

This is a great recipe using mostly pantry staples! Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this gluten free pumpkin bread with coconut flour and chocolate chips:

Wet Ingredients

Pumpkin Puree. You can either make your own or use canned. Do not use pumpkin pie filling! There is more information on the differences between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling below.

Vanilla extract.

Coconut milk. I use full fat coconut milk. Thai Kitchen is my favorite brand.

Coconut oil. Melted to ensure it mixes evenly with the other wet ingredients.

Eggs.

Coconut sugar. To naturally sweeten. I love the caramel flavors coconut sugar gives to this recipe. So good!

Maple syrup.

Salt.

Dry Ingredients

Tapioca flour. This is one of my favorite gluten free flours for baking!

Coconut flour.

Pumpkin pie spice. Either storebought or your own homemade blend. This gives that wonderful flavor we associate with pumpkin goods.

Baking soda.

Baking powder.

How to Make Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread

This gluten free pumpkin bread is a quick bread, meaning we don’t have any long rising times to let the yeast develop. Here is how you make this gluten free pumpkin bread with coconut flour in six easy steps:

1. Beat the eggs and sugar. Using either a stand mixer or large bowl and hand mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, maple syrup and a few other ingredients until the eggs get frothy and sugar has dissolved (see photo 1 below).
2. Combine the wet ingredients. Add the pumpkin, salt, and coconut milk to the egg and sugar mixture (see photo 2).
3. Add the dry ingredients. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a small bowl and with the slowly incorporate into the wet ingredients. Let rest for 5 minutes to let the coconut flour absorb some of the moisture (see photo 3).
4. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix the baking soda and baking powder and fold in the chocolate chips (see photo 4).
5. Bake. Line the bread pan with parchment paper and bake at 350 at 350 for 60 – 75 minutes, or until a tooth pick is clean when inserted into the center (see photo 5).
6. Cool and serve. It’s hard to wait, but the bread needs to cool before cutting into it. This helps prevent the inside from being gummy. Once cool, you’re ready to slice and serve! (See photo 6).

Tips, Tricks, and Frequently Asked Questions

What is coconut sugar?

Also known as coconut palm sugar, coconut sugar is made by dehydrating the sap from the coconut palm.

I love using coconut sugar in this pumpkin bread recipe because it has a wonderful caramel-like flavor that complements the warm flavors of the pumpkin pie spices.

What is pumpkin spice?

Pumpkin pie spice is what gives that quintessential pumpkin flavor most people associate with pumpkin pie!

At the very basic level, pumpkin spice has warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. I like to add cardamom for a little extra complexity.

You can buy pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice at the grocery store, but if you already have the spices in your pantry, it’s more affordable and super easy to mix up your own batch to use throughout the fall baking season. Plus you can adjust the seasonings based on what you actually like!

How to make pumpkin puree

Pumpkin puree can be made by roasting pie pumpkins until the flesh is soft, scooping the flesh from the skin, and blending it in a food processor until smooth.

I don’t notice a difference in this recipe when I make homemade pumpkin puree, so I tend to use the canned stuff to save on time and effort!

What is the difference between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling?

As described above, pumpkin puree is literally just pureed pumpkin flesh. Pumpkin pie filling is pumpkin puree that has been pre-seasoned with sweeteners and spices.

Can I use pumpkin pie filling in this gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe?

Because pumpkin pie filling is pre-seasoned with sweeteners and spices, if you use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree, your pumpkin bread will be way sweeter and more spiced than intended!

Can you freeze pumpkin bread?

Yes! This gluten free pumpkin bread freezes well. To freeze, let the bread cool completely before slicing the pumpkin bread and wrap individual slices in freezer paper and aluminum foil before putting them all into a large zip lock bag.

Pumpkin bread will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months and is such a treat to pull out the night before to enjoy with your morning coffee. Just let it come to room temperature before enjoying,

What is the best pan to use to make pumpkin bread?

This recipe was developed and written using this Norpro nonstick bread pan that measures 8 inches long by 4.5 inches wide by 3 inches high.

Because this recipe uses parchment paper, I think you can use a bread pan that isn’t nonstick without any issues.

I haven’t tested a glass bread pan but I don’t think it would work well since this bread bakes for an hour. The long cook time in a glass bread pan may result in a bread that is drier and has a crispy crust. If you try a glass bread pan, please let me know in the comments how it works for you!

Why is your pumpkin bread not cooking in the middle?

If your pumpkin bread hasn’t cooked in the middle, then it’s not done yet and still needs some more time. Keep baking the bread in five to ten  minute intervals until baked through and a toothpick is clean when inserted into the center. You can tent the bread with aluminum foil to prevent burning if your loaf starts to get overly browned.

Oven temperature can drastically vary and I always recommend using an oven thermometer to ensure you’re baking at the right temp.

How to store pumpkin bread in the refrigerator

This pumpkin bread will keep in the fridge for up to four days. Store the bread in a sealed container lined with paper towels to wick away moisture.

How to store pumpkin bread in the freezer

This pumpkin bread will keep in the freezer for up to three months. To freeze, let the bread cool completely before slicing the pumpkin bread and wrap individual slices in freezer paper and aluminum foil before putting them all into a large zip lock bag.

Did you LIKE THIS RECIPE? CHECK OUT THESE other gluten free recipes that are perfect for fall:

If you enjoyed this recipe, here are some other recipes you’ll love for fall:

• Roasted Beet Salad with Apples, Arugula, Mint, and Orange Za’atar Dressing
• Dairy Free Chocolate pudding
• Gluten Free Chicken and Dumplings
• Dairy Free Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

DID YOU MAKE THIS Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread?

If you’ve tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, please rate this recipe and let me know how you liked it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also like me on facebook and follow me on Instagram and Pinterest to see more delicious meals I’m cooking! You can also mention @indiafromindianaor tag #indiafromindiana on Instagram so I can see what you’re making in the kitchen.