Soft and Moist Chocolate Chip Bread (Easy Quick Bread)
This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission. Full Disclosure Policy.
Chocolate Chip Bread is one of those easy baking recipes that makes mornings feel a little special without actually being complicated. Soft, buttery, loaded with chocolate chips, and mixed up in just two bowls. No complicated steps, no mixer. Just a simple quick bread that bakes in under an hour and makes your kitchen smell incredible.
It works for breakfast, snack time, or dessert. Slice it and serve with coffee, pack it into lunchboxes, or serve it after dinner when someone just wants something sweet. Homemade chocolate chip bread plays all the roles.
You can bake it as one full-size loaf or divide it into mini loaves for gifting. I love making a few small ones around the holidays and pretending I will give them away. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I absolutely do not.
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below, but you can jump right to the recipe card if you wish!
I have included step-by-step photos and instructions, as well as tips and tricks in the post. If you’d rather skip all that, scoot right on down to the full recipe card located at the bottom of the post.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy. Two bowls, no mixer, no complicated steps. This Chocolate Chip Bread comes together in under an hour and bakes up perfectly every time.
- Adaptable. Bake it as one large loaf, three mini loaves, or turn it into muffins. Make ahead, double the recipe and freeze a loaf for later, or gift one if you’re feeling generous.
- Loaded with chocolate chips. Every slice is soft, buttery, and packed with melty chocolate. It is basically impossible to stop at one slice.
What is a quick bread?
A quick bread is a type of bread that uses baking powder or baking soda instead of yeast to rise. Because there is no yeast, there is no proofing time. You mix the batter and bake it right away, which makes recipes like chocolate chip bread fast and simple.
Key Recipe Ingredients
Remember: this is just an overview and the why of the ingredients I choose here. The full list of ingredients and amounts is found in the printable recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour. This is the base of the batter. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off so you don’t pack in too much and end up with a dense loaf.
- Baking powder. This helps the bread rise. Make sure it’s fresh before you start because expired baking powder can leave you with a flat loaf.
- Salt. Just a small amount makes a big difference. It balances the sweetness and brings out the chocolate flavor.
- Butter. I use salted butter. Softened butter, not melted. Let it sit out for about 30 minutes so it creams smoothly with the sugar.
- White sugar. Sweetens the loaf and keeps the texture tender. You can swap half with brown sugar if you want a slightly deeper flavor.
- Egg. One large egg is perfect. Room temperature works best so it mixes in easily and evenly.
- Vanilla extract. Pure vanilla gives the best flavor. You can swap in almond extract if you want something a little different.
- Milk. Whole or 2 percent is great, but any milk works here. Almond, oat, or soy will all do the job.
- Mini chocolate chips. Mini chips spread through the batter more evenly than regular chips. Save a small handful to sprinkle on top before baking for that bakery-style look.
Would you like to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
How to make this recipe
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
JumpGet prepped. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan generously with butter or nonstick spray, then lightly dust with flour and tap out the excess. You can also line the bottom with parchment for easy removal.
Make the batter. In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Add about one third of the flour mixture and mix gently. Pour in half of the milk and mix. Repeat with another third of the flour, the remaining milk, then finish with the last of the flour. Mix just until combined. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Bake. Pour batter into 3 mini loaf pans, and (optional) sprinkle with 1/4 cup of chocolate chips. Bake 40-45 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before slicing.
Try chocolate chip cookie dough dip, or my Oreo cupcakes for some other sweet treats! Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake is another easy dessert that feeds a crowd.
Kylee’s Notes
Room temperature ingredients matter. Softened butter blends more smoothly and helps create an even texture instead of pockets of dense batter.
Do not rush the bake. Quick breads can look done on top before the center is set. Always test in the middle of the loaf, not near the edges.
Pan size changes bake time. Mini loaves and muffins will bake faster than a full-size loaf. Keep an eye on them and start checking early.
Sprinkle chips on top. Press a few extra chocolate chips into the top before baking for that bakery-style finish.
Let it cool fully for clean slices. Warm bread is tempting, but letting it cool completely gives you neater slices and better texture.
Bake times
Bake time will vary depending on pan size. Start checking early, especially for mini loaves or muffins.
- For 1 big loaf, bake time is 50-55 minutes at 350°F.
- For 3 small loaves, bake time is 40-45 minutes at 350°F.
- For muffins, bake time is 20-25 minutes at 350°F.
How to store
This treat will keep for up to 3 days if wrapped tightly and stored at room temperature.
It can also be frozen. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months. To use, a quick blast in the microwave or return the baked loaf to the original pan used and reheat in the oven.
Substitutions/Additions
- You can use dark chocolate or milk chocolate chips for this, or full-sized vs mini-sized choc chips if you prefer.
- Add a tsp espresso powder to the dry ingredients.
Troubleshooting Guide
- Bread is dense. Nine times out of ten, it was overmixed. Once the flour disappears, stop. You are not trying to build arm strength here. Overmixing makes quick bread tight instead of soft.
- Cracked top. A cracked top is completely normal for quick breads. It happens as the batter rises and sets. As long as the center is cooked through, it is not a problem.
- Chocolate chips all sank. Toss them with a spoonful of flour before folding them in. Also, mini chips behave better. Full-size chips are heavy and will absolutely abandon ship.
- Crumbly edges. This usually means it baked a little too long or there was slightly too much flour. Next time, check 5 minutes earlier and spoon and level your flour carefully.
- Center looks gooey but the top is brown. Your oven is doing its own thing. Loosely tent with foil and give it a few more minutes. Test in the very center, not near the edges where it bakes faster.
- Loaf stuck in the pan. Let it cool about 10 minutes first. Then run a knife around the edges and gently coax it out. If your pans have trust issues, line the bottom with parchment next time.
- Edges are done but the middle sinks after cooling. It likely needed just a few more minutes in the oven. Quick breads finish setting as they cool, but they still need structure before coming out.
If you have extra mini chocolate chips, make my Chocolate Chip Pancakes next!
Get free recipes in your inbox!
Find me on Pinterest, Facebook & Instagram.
If you make this recipe, please comment and let me know how it turned out and leave a star rating! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Chocolate Chip Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ cup butter softened (1 stick)
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 egg large
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk
- 4.5 ounces mini chocolate chips 3/4 cup
OPTIONAL (for sprinkling)
- 1.5 ounces mini chocolate chips 1/4 cup
Instructions
Get prepped
- Heat the oven to 350°F and grease/flour a loaf pan.
Make the Batter
- In a small bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoons salt.
- In a large bowl, beat together the ½ cup butter, 1 cup white sugar, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth
- Add the flour mixture and 1 cup milk to the batter (alternated adding and mixing) until combined.
- Fold in 4.5 ounces mini chocolate chips.
Bake
- Pour batter into loaf pan and sprinkle a small amount of chocolate chips over the top (optional), then bake 40-45 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean.
- Allow to cool in the pan 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Do not overmix. Stir just until combined for a soft crumb.
- Use mini chocolate chips. They distribute more evenly in every slice.
- Check early. Start testing 5 minutes before the listed bake time since ovens vary.
- Cool before slicing. It finishes setting as it cools, so give it a little patience.
Would you like to save this recipe?
We’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
Make sure to follow @kyleecooks on Instagram for more and tag me #kyleecooks so I can see!
About Kylee Ayotte
I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee
I did have to bake mine a few extra minutes but it turned out lovely!! I will definitely be making this again!
love it🤤
I love making this recipe, which has been a hit for my friends and me. I recommend trying almond milk as a milk substitute. I think I also enjoyed using coconut oil as a butter substitute before, although I also like it with butter!