This Crockpot Pumpkin Bread is moist, fluffy, and loaded with melty chocolate chips. This throw-and-go recipe is the best way to use up that extra can of pumpkin puree!

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Ingredients
How to make
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Frequently Asked Questions
Make this in the oven?
How to store
Nutrition information

I LOVE pumpkin bread so much. It’s basically cake, but it’s called bread, so it’s socially acceptable to eat for breakfast. 😉 This crockpot pumpkin bread is particularly delicious. It’s subtly sweet, perfectly pumpkin-y, and is so fluffy!

Ingredients

This pumpkin bread uses an entire can of pumpkin! There’s no waste AND it’s super moist. Win win!

Unsalted Butter – quick breads (a bread made without yeast), like this pumpkin bread, need some sort of fat (typically oil or butter) to provide flavor and moisture. Oil will produce a bread that’s more moist, but butter provides a rich, buttery flavor. This bread is plenty moist from the pumpkin, so oil is not necessary.
Dark Brown Sugar – adds sweetness and a rich, molasses flavor. It also provides moisture which keeps the bread’s texture very tender. Dark brown sugar is approximately 20% molasses and light brown sugar is 10%. Dark brown sugar is called for in the recipe, but either can be used.
Maple Syrup – not pancake syrup. We’re looking for pure maple syrup for this recipe which adds moisture and a rich, molasses sweetness.

Egg – provides structure and helps bind the ingredients together. Be sure to use a room temperature LARGE egg (eggs come in different sizes) so the egg can evenly incorporate with the rest of the ingredients. Because the butter is melted, if a cold egg was used, it would cause the butter to clump.
Vanilla Extract – adds a sweet flavor and depth to any quick bread! Pure vanilla extract is always preferred, but imitation will be fine in a pinch. Pure vanilla is made with vanilla bean, water, and alcohol whereas imitation vanilla is made without vanilla beans. Imitation is cheaper and often does not taste any different than pure vanilla extract in baked goods, so the choice is yours!

Pumpkin Puree – not pumpkin pie filling, there’s a difference! Canned pumpkin puree is made with just pumpkin (or sometimes squash like butternut — you can read more about that in this article about canned pumpkin puree) whereas pumpkin pie filling also contains water, sugar, salt, spices, and preservatives. If you’d like, homemade pumpkin puree may be substituted. You’ll need 15 oz, or about 1 3/4 cups, to make this bread.

All-Purpose Flour – a good base for all different kinds of baked goods, especially quick breads, that will produce a light, yet moist and tender pumpkin bread. The only other flour that *may* work in this recipe would be whole wheat pastry flour. Anything else would greatly affect the texture of the bread.

Spices: Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Cloves, and Salt – our homemade pumpkin pie spice seasoning mix. If you’d rather use a store-bought pumpkin spice blend, omit the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves and use 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice instead.

Baking Soda and Baking Powder – our leavening agents which give the pumpkin bread a lift to prevent it from becoming too dense. Quick breads are made without yeast (which normally is what makes bread rise), so today, we’re using baking soda and baking powder.
Chocolate Chips – use whatever chocolate chips you like — semi-sweet, milk, dark chocolate, or even a combination of the three! You could even try butterscotch chips, cinnamon chips, or white chocolate chips.

Pro tip

If you’re not a fan of pumpkin pie flavors, just use the cinnamon and salt and omit the other spices (nutmeg, ginger, and cloves).

How to make

Mix, pour, slow cook, serve. It doesn’t get an easier than that!

Grease a crockpot with cooking spray, then line it with a parchment paper cross sling.
In a large bowl, whisk together butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, egg, vanilla, and pumpkin.
Fold in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, salt, baking soda, and baking powder until just combined.
Fold in chocolate chips, then transfer the batter to the prepared crockpot. Top with extra chocolate chips, if desired.
Cover the crockpot with a thin towel, then place on the lid. Cook on LOW for 2-4 hours.
Use the sling to remove the bread from the crockpot, then cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Pro tip

Covering the crockpot with a thin kitchen towel before placing the lid on catches any condensation that may form during cooking. This prevents the top from becoming soggy.

Can you make this in the oven?

Double the recipe by using the 2X scale button in the recipe card, then pour the batter into a greased 9×13 inch glass baking dish. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 45-60 minutes or until the pumpkin bread is baked through. You may need to cover the bread halfway through to prevent the top from becoming too brown.

How to store

Leftover pumpkin bread will last in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for 3-4 months.

To enjoy again, microwave to warm!

– Jennifer

Crockpot Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

How to make

Can you make this in the oven?

How to store