Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mini Loaves
These rich pumpkin chocolate chip loaves are a cross between super moist quick bread and tender, pumpkin spiced, chocolate studded cake. Glazed with white chocolate ganache and baked into individual serving size mini loaves, these are one of my favorite things about Fall.
*Recipe includes instructions for baking these Pumpkin Bread loaves in two standard 9-inch loaf pans OR in an 18-cavity mini loaf pan.
{This recipe was originally published in November of 2017. Updated October, 2019}
A while back, I baked up batches of Cinnamon Streusel Mini-Muffins and mini Double Chocolate Muffins and suddenly I wanted to make mini versions of everything. The day I made those tasty little two-bite muffins, I ordered a mini-loaf pan that makes 18 individual serving size loaves at once. I adore it and use it more frequently than I ever would have thought.
Besides these pumpkin chocolate chip loaves, I use my mini-loaf pan to make Lemon Ricotta Olive Oil Loaves, a delicious dessert that’s become a holiday tradition around our house, and Mini Lime Pound Cakes, which are one of the first things I bake every spring.
I also started baking mini Bundt Cakes and mini Cupcakes, mini eclairs, and mini upside down cakes.
In other words, the mini thing was quite a thing. Not was. It IS a thing. As much as I love big, showy, decadent desserts, I also really love to bake up muffins and desserts in small, individual size portions.
These mini loaves are great because one entire loaf is about the size of a large cupcake – a good size portion without being huge. But, they can also be cut into 4 or 5 two-bite slices, for those times the you just want a bite or two of something rich and sweet and delicious.
I am not one of those people who wants pumpkin versions of everything this time of year.
The same cannot be said for my two daughters, one of which has been begging me to make pumpkin bread since, oh… about June. They are pumpkin-bread-eating, pumpkin-latte-drinking, kind of people.
I kind of get it. There’s something about cool, crisp Fall weather that makes me want to eat things with warm flavors and rich spices – like Caramel Apple Pie and Gingerbread. But, the craving for all things pumpkin spice mostly eludes me. For the most part, a slice of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving just about does it for me.
It goes without saying that if you’re one of those pumpkin spice people, these mini pumpkin chocolate chip loaves are for you.
But, I gotta tell you that if you’re not one of those pumpkin spice people, these pumpkin loaves are for YOU too. Because… these are tasty little suckers.
The “secret” ingredient that makes these pumpkin loaves so delicious.
In addition to the white chocolate ganache glaze, these pumpkin loaves include some melted white chocolate in the batter. If you’re one of those people who don’t really care for white chocolate, stay with me here. The baked loaves taste of pumpkin, spices, and chocolate – not white chocolate.
As I discovered when developing the recipe for Gluten Free Caramel Cake, adding some melted white chocolate to the batter adds an amazing richness to the finished product that no one would ever attribute to white chocolate. It’s a handy little trick that I find myself coming back to time and again.
This recipe also calls for a decent amount of butter and a small amount of vegetable oil. Many quick bread recipes rely on vegetable oil to create a bread that is very moist. This works quite well, except that vegetable oil does not add any flavor.
By using mostly butter (Mmmmmmmm, butter) and just a bit of vegetable oil, these pumpkin chocolate chip loaves are both super moist AND rich and buttery, proving that every now and then, in some small ways, we really can have it all. š
Used in this Recipe:
I love baking this pumpkin bread in a mini-loaf pan, but it also works well in a regular size 9-inch loaf pan. These are the two pans that I use and recommend:
If baking in a mini-loaf pan, using paper liners makes the preparation and clean-up a bit easier.
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More “mini” recipes:
- Cinnamon Streusel Mini-Muffins
- Mini Cranberry Bundt Cakes with Lemon Glaze
- Mini Sorgum Ginger Cookies
- Mini Lemon Ricotta Olive Oil Loaves
- Individual Almond Cakes with Cranberry Sauce
- Chocolate Peppermint Mini Cupcakes
- Mini Lime Pound Cakes
- Mini Chocolate Banana Cream Pies
- Min Butterscotch Eclairs
- Individual Cranberry Upside Down Cakes
- Mini Chai Latte Cupcakes
If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or take a picture and tag it #ofbatteranddough on Instagram.
Happy baking!
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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mini Loaves
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins (for mini loaf pan) OR 75 mins (for 9-inch loaf pans)
- Total Time: 45 mins (for mini loaf pans) OR 95 mins (for 9-inch loaf pans)
- Yield: 18 mini-loaves OR 2 standard size 9-inch loaves
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Pin RecipeDescription
*Recipe includes instructions for baking these Pumpkin Bread loaves in two standard 9-inch loaf pans OR in an 18-cavity mini loaf pan.Ā
Ingredients
- 8 oz white chocolate chips (if using a white chocolate bar, break it into small pieces)
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 stick (4oz) butter, at room temperature
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup full-fat buttermilk
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 29 ounces (3 cups) pumpkin puree
- 10 oz. mini dark chocolate chips
FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE GLAZE:
- 5 oz white chocolate chips (if using a bar, break into small pieces)
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp butter, cut into 4 pieces
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare an 18-cavity mini loaf pan OR two 9-inch loaf pans: If using a non-stick pan, spray the pan with non-stick baking spray. If your pan is not non-stick, grease and flour the loaf cavity of the pans. If using a mini-loaf pan, you can also line the loaf cavities with paper liners.
- Put the white chocolate in a small bowl and microwave it on medium for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir the chocolate and microwave on medium for another 30 seconds – 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after every 30 seconds, just until melted. Set aside.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice to a medium sized bowl and stir with a wire whisk to combine.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the butter, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is lightened and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Stop every now and then to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl and beating on medium speed for 20 seconds after each addition.
- In a small bowl, add the buttermilk, vanilla, and pumpkin puree and whisk to combine.
- Add the pumpkin-buttermilk mixture and the dry ingredients in alternating additions, beating on low speed after each addition just long enough to combine: flour-pumkin-flour-pumpkin-flour-pumpkin-flour.
- Add the melted white chocolate and mix on low speed just until combined. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
- Distribute the batter evenly among mini-loaf cavities OR between two 9-inch loaf pans. The batter should come almost to the top of each cavity.Ā
- If baking mini-loaves: Bake for 20-25 minutes. If baking 9-inch loaves: Bake for 70-80 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into one of the loaves. If it comes out without any sign of raw batter, the loaves are done.
- Allow the loaves to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then gently remove using a small spatula or butter knife to a wire rack to cool completely.
PREPARE THE WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
- Add the chocolate to a small bowl.
- Pour the cream into a glass measuring cup and microwave on high for 45 seconds – 1 minute, just until it begins to boil.
- Pour the cream over the white chocolate and allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Stir the cream and chocolate, until all the chocolate is melted and the ganache is smooth. Add the butter, and stir until completely incorporated.
- Allow the ganache to cool to room temperature, then drizzle over the mini pumpkin loaves.
Notes
The size of mini-loaf pans vary, so one recipe may, or may not, yield the same amount of mini loaves as it did for me. I used this 18-Cavity mini-loaf pan, which creates loaves that are approximately 2 1/2 inches wide and 3 3/4 inches long.
Keywords: pumpkin bread, pumpkin cake, pumpkin chocolate chip, mini loaves, pumpkin spice dessert
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Hi! I just found you tonight! Just received my Wilton/18 pan and I am excited to try these!! Can I make these ahead and freeze? Need them for Sunday am at church. If so, do I glaze first? Please just tell me what you have done. Was excited about the pan but haven’t found many recipes to cover so many loaves. Made 2 batches of lemon loaves (one adding coconut)today and both were incredibly dry. Love to cook….this pan is a new “adventure” for me. Thank you!!!!!!
Hi Sherrie! I am so excited that you’re going to try these with your new pan. These pumpkin loaves are one of my favorite things in the world. You can absolutely make these ahead and freeze them. I’d suggest wrapping them individually in plastic wrap before popping them in the freezer, but they should keep well in there for at least 3 months. I’d also suggest glazing them the day you plan to serve them. I don’t think the glaze will thaw well. Just take the loaves out of the freezer the night before, letting them thaw at room temperature overnight, then glaze them the next day.
If you’re looking for another lemon loaf recipe, this is another one of my favorite treats in the world: https://ofbatteranddough.com/mini-lemon-ricotta-olive-oil-loaves/
Please let me know if you have any questions and if you try either – or both! – of these recipes, I’d love to hear what you think. I love making mini-loaves because people who only want a small taste can just have a slice, and people who are hungrier can have the whole loaf. Happy Baking! xo
I can’t tell you how much I love these! They are perfect! I love mini versions of cakes, they’re perfect for when you want something nice but are still trying to watch the calories. Saving this until I get some of those mini pans. The flavours in these mini loaves are just gorgeous too.
★★★★★
Thank you Michelle! I can’t wait to hear what you think of these little pumpkin loaves! xo
Wow this pumpkin bread is amazing!! Love that you paired white chocolate with the pumpkin, such a great combo! The melted white chocolate in the batter adds so much richness. Delicious!
★★★★★