Chocolate Chip Bread

Why You’ll Love It

Irresistibly sweet and chocolatey: Each bite is packed with gooey chocolate chips, delivering a perfect balance of sweetness and rich chocolate flavor.
Tender and fluffy texture: The blend of ingredients creates a soft, moist crumb that’s oh-so-satisfying.
Simple to make: If you’re looking for a beginner baking recipe, this is it!

Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Bread

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

All-purpose flour: Regular white flour is great, or you can use a 1:1 gluten-free flour.
Baking powder: Helps the bread rise, ensuring a light and fluffy texture.
Mini chocolate chips: The mini size distributes well. Try dark, white or milk chocolate chips.
Salted butter: Adds richness and moisture, while the salt in the butter complements the sweetness.
Egg: Acts as a binder, providing structure and moisture for a soft and fluffy loaf.
Sour cream (or Greek yogurt): Adds moisture, a subtle tang, and keeps the bread tender. It also helps get a rich texture.
Milk: Keeps the batter smooth and gives the bread its tender, moist crumb.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Quick Bread

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips until they’re well coated. Set aside.
Mix wet ingredients: In a separate large bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth.
Add egg and sour cream: Mix in the egg and then the sour cream, ensuring each is well combined before moving on.
Combine dry and wet ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk. Mix until everything is just combined, being careful not to over-mix.
Pour the batter: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan, add topping, and bake.

Substitutions and Variations

Flour: For a heartier texture, you can swap all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour or use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Bread or cake flour is great in this recipe.
Baking powder: If you’re out of baking powder, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of baking soda with 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar.
Mini chocolate chips: Swap with regular-sized chocolate chips, dark chocolate, white chocolate, or even chocolate chunks for variety. You can also mix in nuts like walnuts or pecans. For more sweetness, add in extra chocolate chips!
Salted butter: Unsalted butter works just as well – just add an extra pinch of salt. For a dairy-free option, use melted coconut oil or a plant-based butter alternative.
Sour cream: Greek yogurt is a great substitute for sour cream, offering the same creamy texture. You can also use buttermilk for a slightly tangier flavor.
Granulated sugar: For a richer, caramel-like taste, replace granulated sugar with coconut sugar or use a sugar substitute like monk fruit for a lower-sugar version.
Milk: Any milk works – dairy, almond, oat, or soy milk.
Flavor add-ins: Enhance the flavor with a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, or espresso powder for a twist. You can also mix in dried fruit like raisins or cranberries for extra sweetness. Add some mashed banana for a chocolate chip banana bread version.
Toppings: For a crunchy finish, sprinkle coarse sugar or cinnamon sugar on top before baking. A glaze is lovely too.

Serving Suggestions

Appetizer: Start with chicken nachos or fresh caprese-style salad. And these salt and pepper pork bites make a yummy appetizer.
Main: Slow cooker chicken Alfredo is rich and creamy, while eggplant bake makes a yummy vegetarian main with a light salad.
Dessert: Serve a slice of warm chocolate chip quick bread generously smeared with Nutella or soft butter.

How to Store Chocolate Chip Loaf

Store: Keep it at room temperature for 3 days in an airtight container
Freezer: Freeze it whole or in slices wrapped individually. It will freeze for up to 2 months.
Thaw: Leave your chocolate chip loaf overnight in the fridge to defrost.
Reheat: Pop it in the oven for a few minutes to warm through.