Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

This gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip bread will give you all the autumn feels. And you can make this dairy-free too!

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure page for more information. Thanks!

The leaves are changing early this year, and with it, I'm breaking out all the pumpkin. Pumpkin bread is a classic fall baking recipe. Whether you enjoy it for breakfast with a dab of butter, or indulge in a slice for dessert, you can't go wrong!

About This Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread Recipe

This pumpkin bread recipe evolved from a handwritten recipe my Mom found! It was in my own, 5th grade handwriting too. I made modifications to lower the sugar, make it gluten-free but still moist and delicious, and was able to make it without the dairy as well. Plus, the addition of the chocolate chips from Enjoy Life makes it amazing.

Has adding chocolate to something ever made it worse?! Nope, didn't think so!

Ingredients For Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

Gluten-Free Flour: You'll need a gluten-free all purpose flour for this recipe. See below for my recommendations!

White & brown sugars: For sweetness and texture.

Baking Soda & Powder: This will provide our rise in the quickbread, since there is no gluten to do that job!

Salt: For balance.

Cozy spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, & allspice will give us all the cozy fall vibes.

Melted cococonut oil or vegetable oil: This will be our fat content in the gluten-free pumpkin bread.

Eggs: These will thicken the batter and provide moisture & lift.

Canned Pumpkin: This will give us that pumpkin flavor! I use Libby's but you can use whatever canned pumpkin you prefer. Just make sure it's canned pumpkin, and not pumpkin pie filling (not the same thing).

Chocolate Chips: The chocolatey goodness we all love! I like Enjoy Life which are allergy-free but Nestle (gluten-free) works too.

How To Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

The process for making pumpkin bread is very simple. You'll need some staple pantry ingredients you probably have on hand already. The additional items you may need to check for are the spices (cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, allspice), canned pumpkin, and chocolate chips.

After combining the dry ingredients, you whisk together the oil and brown sugar, and add the eggs. Add the wet ingredients into the dry mixture, stir in chocolate chips, pour into the pan, and let it rest briefly before baking to golden brown perfection!

Gluten-Free Flour Blend

Gluten-Free Flour: I use Cup4Cup multi-purpose gluten-free flour for this recipe. It is my #1 choice for cookies, pastries, and yeast-based baked goods. Cup4Cup has given me great success in the kitchen over the last eight years, helping me to create delicious croissants, empanadas, naan, chocolate chip cookies, pierogi, bagels, and more. Please note if you use a different gluten-free flour your results may vary.

For more tips on baking gluten-free, check out my top five in this post here!

Can I Make This Recipe With Almond or Coconut Flour?

I do not recommend substituting a single gluten-free flour, like almond flour or coconut flour, for my recipes. My recipes use a gluten-free flour blend, a mixture of different gluten-free grains, starches, and thickeners, to substitute for all purpose flour. Using just one of them, like almond or coconut, will not give you the same results, and will probably lead to a lot of frustration in the kitchen. For most of my recipes, you'll need a blend, like Cup4Cup, King Arthur Measure For Measure, Bob's Red Mill, or GF Jules, to name a few.

For more my top tips on gluten-free baking with success, check out this post!

Can I Make This Pumpkin Bread Gluten AND Dairy Free?

Yes, absolutely! I've tested it and it still came out super yummy. You'll need to use a different gluten-free flour blend (See below for my recommendations) and dairy-free chocolate chips, like Enjoy Life.

Other Blends To Try: I also tested this recipe with both Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour, and King Arthur Measure For Measure GF Flour. For best results, I recommend King Arthur. I previously tested it with Bob's Red Mill but found I liked the texture much better with King Arthur. Both of these blends are gluten and dairy free. You are welcome to use another gluten-free flour too, but note that the results might be different. Gluten-free flours are not the same from one bag to the next!

Can I Substitute Pumpkin Pie Spice Instead?

Honest answer: probably! But I haven't tested it.

I like using individual spices because it gives me more control over how much of a certain ingredient I am adding. I don't usually use pumpkin pie spice (I do sometimes!) and for this recipe, I use individual cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ground cloves.

If you wanted to try to substitute pumpkin pie spice instead (which is a mixture of these spices, along with sometimes ginger too), you are welcome to try it out! I would do 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice and see what you think. Again, I haven't tested this, and prefer to use the individual ones. Please feel free to report back in the comments!

Tips For Making Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

Let the batter rest. Remember to let the batter rest for 10-15 minutes before pouring into your pan, which can help prevent grittiness in your final product from gluten-free flour blends. This tip is something I learned from America's Test Kitchen and one of my top gluten-free baking tips. Learn more about baking gluten-free with success in this post!

What if it cracks on the top? Honestly, this is a good sign because it means your gluten-free pumpkin bread is cooked all the way! So it's not a problem, but perhaps, not as visually pleasing as you may have hoped.

Let it cool in the pan. This bread has a tendency to be very soft, so allow it to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely. Don't slice early - it needs time to set or it might be too soft!

How To Serve Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

My suggestion for eating all of the quickbreads and muffins recipes on my website is usually similar - with a small dab of softened butter when the bread is nice and warm. You can't go wrong with it! I'd also say in the spirit of the fall season, this would be delicious with some pumpkin butter for additional fall flavors, if pumpkin is really your thing!

Trader Joe's has a pumpkin butter along with LOTS of gluten-free fall products. Have you tried them? Check out this post to read all about it!

How To Store Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin bread should be kept covered at room temperature for 3-4 days, then move to the freezer. If it hardens, soften in the microwave for 5-10 seconds. This can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Can I Freeze Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread?

Yes! Just make sure to wrap it thoroughly (I do multiple layers of saran wrap or foil) and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, defrost in the fridge, and soften in the microwave as needed.

More Fall Gluten-Free Baking Recipes

Feel like another easy quickbread? This banana bread with walnuts is a winner!

Looking for a gluten-free scone recipe? Be basic and enjoy it with these gluten-free pumpkin scones and maple frosting.

Want to practice your pie making skills? Homemade apple pie hits the spot. Gluten-free but no one will know!

Ready to take your baking skills to the next level? Try these delightful, buttery, and flaky gluten-free croissants.

Discover all the gluten-free baking recipes on the blog right here.

Here's how to make this gluten-free chocolate chip pumpkin bread!
If you love this recipe, please leave a comment. Thank you so much!

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Are you a pumpkin bread fan?

What pumpkin-flavored treats will you be making gluten-free this fall?

Let me know in the comments if you've tried this gluten-free chocolate chip pumpkin bread!