Healthy Chocolate Pumpkin Bread Breakfast Recipe for Fall
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Prepare to fall in love with this healthy chocolate pumpkin bread recipe. With only 20 minutes of active prep time, you can enjoy a low-carb bread that’s also 100% sugar-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free. Those on a vegetarian or keto diet can also indulge in this decadent yet wholesome breakfast treat.
There couldn’t be a better way to kick off the fall season than making this pumpkin bread at home. Moist, chocolatey, and full of warm spices, this quick bread beautifully combines the rich flavors of chocolate and pumpkin. The kitchen is filled with pumpkin and cinnamon’s warm, comforting aroma as the bread bakes. It’s so addicting!
A chocolate chunk pumpkin bread is a great example of how delicious and easy keto breakfast recipes can be. It tastes even better the next day and freezes beautifully, making it a great make-ahead option. Enjoy it as is or serve with dairy-free icing on top for a yummy holiday delight.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Like a classic pumpkin loaf, this healthy chocolate pumpkin bread is deliciously moist and satisfying, you’d never believe the healthy ingredients! It’s worth adding to your dairy-free baking routine. Here’s why:
- Simple ingredients: The recipe comes together using easy-to-find baking ingredients and keto pantry staples you may already have right now.
- Amazing flavors: Moist and tender, a little more delicate than traditional pumpkin bread, but oh-so-delicious and sweet-smelling! The rich dark chocolate flavor pairs well with the warm notes of pumpkin and fall spices.
- Basic kitchen equipment: No mixer or any fancy bakeware needed – just a few simple kitchen tools like a loaf pan, mixing bowls, a whisk, a spatula, and your trusty oven!
- Easy-to-follow directions: Mix the ingredients, pour into a pan, and bake. It’s easy enough for a newbie baker to make.
How to Make a Healthy Chocolate Pumpkin Bread
Chocolate and pumpkin are long-time friends. Adding chocolate chips to pumpkin cookies and muffins is common, so why not add some chocolate to a pumpkin loaf?
I doubled up with cacao powder and cacao paste in this pumpkin bread and loved the result! To balance out the bitterness of cacao, I use sugar-free maple syrup. The combination of maple and pumpkin is simply divine!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions to make this delightfully satisfying chocolate chunk pumpkin bread.
Ingredients You Need
This bread recipe may have zero sugar, but it’s positively loaded with flavors. You don’t even need all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour to make this recipe. Gather a few simple ingredients to make this yummy seasonal treat.
- Salt
- Eggs
- Coconut oil
- Baking soda
- Vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon
- Pecans: Optional; coarsely chopped for that added crunch.
- Coconut milk: Keeps the recipe dairy-free while keeping the bread moist, with a fluffy texture, tender crumb, and natural sweetness just like a classic pumpkin bread.
- Pumpkin puree: Use a canned variety for convenience, but you can also make your own puree from fresh pumpkins. Just avoid canned pumpkin pie filling because it always contains added sugar.
- Cacao powder: To give the bread a dark chocolate flavor.
- Raw cacao paste: Optional; coarsely chopped. Adding this intensifies the chocolate flavor while adding a texture of chocolate chunks.
- Gluten-free flour: A blend of coconut flour, almond flour, and flax meal makes up the base of this healthy chocolate pumpkin bread. It’s a real trifecta that results in a well-balanced, light, and fluffy bread. A pure coconut flour recipe can be a bit dense, so adding a small amount of almond flour can lighten up the batter. The flax adds an element of airiness to the bread. (You might remember this flour blend from my Macadamia Nut Coffee Cake Recipe.)
- Sugar-free maple syrup: Balances out the bitterness of cacao. I use Lakanto’s maple-flavored syrup to keep the bread moist and naturally sweet without a funky aftertaste. But if you don’t have it available, substitute with equal amounts of your preferred sweetener.
After discovering the wide world of keto and low-carb baking, there’s no going back to wheat flour. It’s so easy to replicate family favorites without traditional flour, starches, and sugar.
I highly recommend my cookbook, The Ultimate Guide to Low-Carb Baking, for all you need to know about sugar-free, family-friendly sweet and savory baked goods.
Step-By-Step Instructions
The process behind this healthy chocolate pumpkin bread is practically fool-proof! Follow these simple steps and you can never go wrong, even on your first try.
- Prep the pan. While preheating the oven, grease a loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
- Mix wet ingredients. Whisk together wet ingredients until smooth and thoroughly combined.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, stir dry ingredients with a spoon. Optionally, add chopped pecans.
- Form batter. Slowly combine dry into wet bowl, stirring just combined to prevent the bread from becoming tough. Do not overmix. Fold in some of the chopped cacao paste, saving a portion for topping.
- Bake and serve. Pour the batter into the pan, sprinkle the remaining cacao paste on top, then bake until set. Poke a toothpick or knife into the center. The bread is done when it comes out clean. Transfer onto a wire rack, let cool, and serve warm.
While you’re at it, browse through keto cinnamon recipes for more yummy treats that will keep you committed to healthy eating all season long!
Variations
- Oil substitute: Substitute half of the coconut oil for unsweetened applesauce or swap in avocado oil or olive oil.
- Chocolate: Instead of cacao paste, use baking chocolate or an 80% chocolate bar. Add dark chocolate chips for the ultimate chocolatey flavor.
- Milk alternatives: Substitute coconut milk with almond milk for a lighter option.
- Flavor boosters: Add more warmth to your breakfast bread with additional seasonal spices like cloves, ginger, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, or allspice. Mix in a teaspoon of orange zest for a citrusy twist that works well with chocolate and pumpkin.
Expert Tips
- Measure dry ingredients. Spoon flour into a measuring cup and level it off with a knife to avoid packing it in (which can lead to dense pumpkin bread). To get more accurate measurements, sift your flours and cocoa powder.
- Keep ingredients at room temp. Use room-temp eggs, coconut milk, and other ingredients to create a smooth, lump-free batter.
- Line the pan. Gluten-free baked goods tend to stick to pans more often. Line your pans with parchment paper and grease with coconut oil. Avoid using wax paper since it can melt or burn at high temperatures.
- Let cool. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing to prevent it from crumbling apart. I recommend slicing with a bread knife.
How to Store This Recipe
Prepare a big batch of this healthy chocolate pumpkin bread to have a quick yet filling breakfast to get out the door on rushed mornings. Store leftovers in food-safe containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. For longer storage, place in a freezer-safe bag or container and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When ready to eat, thaw frozen bread in the fridge overnight, then reheat it in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C), for 10 minutes.
What to Serve with Double Chocolate Pumpkin Bread
A healthy chocolate pumpkin bread is good enough as is, but if you want a more well-rounded meal, consider serving it with a side of fresh berries or pair with a healthy omelet or keto frittata.
It’s also the perfect sweet breakfast or snack with a bulletproof keto tea, latte, or berry smoothie.
If you want to indulge in a truly chocolatey experience, pair it with a cup of hot chocolate or chocolate milk chia drink from My Life Cookbook. The possibilities are endless!
More Easy Pumpkin Recipes to Try This Fall
- Sugar-Free Pumpkin Spice Syrup
- Dairy-Free Keto Pumpkin Muffins
- Keto Pumpkin Bread with Coconut Flour
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes
- Chicken Keto Curry with Pumpkin
- Dairy-Free Coconut Cream of Pumpkin Soup
If you make this healthy chocolate pumpkin bread, please leave a review. I really appreciate each and every 5-star rating and review comment!
Low-Carb Chocolate Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree 8 ounces
- 2 tablespoons coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- ½ cup Sugar-free maple syrup Save 20% with code PRIMALEDGEHEALTH
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ¼ cup ground flax meal
- ¼ cup cacao powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup pecans coarsely chopped, optional
- ⅔ cup raw cacao paste coarsely chopped, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F. Grease 8×4 loaf pan (standard size) or line with parchment paper.
- Combine all wet ingredients (pumpkin puree, coconut milk, coconut oil, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla) in a bowl. Whisk well to combine.
- Stir dry ingredients (almond flour, coconut flour, flax meal, cacao powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt) together in a second bowl. Add in optional pecans.
- Gently combine the dry bowl into the wet bowl to form batter. Stir just enough to evenly incorporate; do not over mix. Fold in chopped cacao paste. Save a few larger pieces to sprinkle on top of the loaf as decoration, if desired.
- Pour batter into loaf pan. Arrange cacao paste on top as needed. Bake for 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from heat, cool, and slice into 8 portions.
Notes
Nutrition & Macros
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, please calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients and amounts used, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Under no circumstances shall the this website and the author be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the given nutritional information.
We don’t have canned pumpkin in Ecuador. Can cooked pumpkin be used in place?
Absolutely, Ryan. There will be a slight difference in color when you use locally cooked and pureed pumpkin, but the texture will be essentially the same.
Wow this recipe is now printed and booked for the foreseeable future….the use of both cacao powder and cacao paste infuses such a luscious chocolate flavor into the pumpkin bread. This loaf didn’t even make it to the freezer my family finished it in no time.
Happy to hear you bookmarked it. Mine never makes it to the freezer either 😉
I loved this bread for breakfast and dessert! The chocolate and pumpkin flavors work so well together!
Lol, dessert for breakfast. We appreciate the five star review, Addison.
Um… where have you been all my life? This bread was SO delicious! I can’t wait to serve it to everyone at Thanksgiving this year!
Hope it’s a big hit at Thanksgiving too. Thanks, Brenda.
I wasn’t really a fan of using pumpkin for a bread recipe, but that actually turned out great. It’s moist and really delicious. I love it!
Happy to have surprised you 😉 Thanks, Shantel.
I love chocolate and pumpkin together – it makes such a flavorful and moist bread! I sprinkled some extra pecans on top 🙂
Nice add with the pecans. Thanks for your comments, Maria.
The depth of flavour is astounding, however the first batch was too moist, so I increased the coconut flour by quarter cup which did the trick! I loved the result of the lowered egg requirement. This is the most phenomenal quick Keto bread ever and I encourage all pumpkin & chocolate lovers to try it.
Is there a substitute for the maple syrup? I have never liked maple so it is not something I care to purchase. Thank you!
Sure, just use 1/4 cup keto sweetener instead. I like lakanto and you can save 20% with coupon code “primaledgehealth” 🙂
I love the sound of that sugar free maple syrup! I have not seen that before but am going to try it out! Thanks for the tip! The bread looks amazing!
The bread looks and tastes so good. It’s amazing that this is super low carb and is actually healthy! We can eat this for breakfast every day. 🙂
You had me at the title…. this recipe is amazing! And doesn’t even taste low-carb. Will be making this all pumpkin season!
Pumpkin breads like this are one of the reasons why I love fall so much. Such a fabulous recipe to make over and over again. I love your combination of flours – it sounds like an incredible idea!
Yum!! Absolutely loved this recipe. First time making pumpkin bread and I loved it. Thanks for the helpful tips! 🙂