Chocolate Chip Sweet Potato Bread (Easy Fall Bread Recipe)
Published on September 28, 2026
This sweet potato bread is the loaf I make the second the air gets that first cool snap to it. It’s soft, it’s a little sweet, it’s got pockets of melty chocolate chips in every slice, and it makes the whole house smell like fall decided to move in.
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Slice it up on a board for a Thanksgiving brunch, set it out next to coffee for a fall get-together, or wrap a loaf in parchment and give it as a hostess gift. It’s also the perfect dessert after a big Thanksgiving meal.
Looking for more cozy fall recipes? My fall party food roundup and these fall appetizer recipes are always a hit, and if you want another cozy baked good going, check out my cranberry brie pull apart bread too.
Quick Look: Chocolate Chip Sweet Potato Bread (Easy Fall Bread Recipe)
- •Prep Time: 20 minutes
- •Cook Time: 50 minutes
- •Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- •Perfect For: Fall and Thanksgiving
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What You Need For This Sweet Potato Bread
All-purpose flour: Standard flour is all you need here, no need to get fancy.
Sweet potato: Pick one that feels heavy for its size, it’ll be extra moist once roasted and mashed.
Egg: Helps bind everything and gives the loaf its structure.
Unsalted butter: Softened butter creamed with the sugar is what gives this bread its rich flavor.
Granulated sugar: Just regular white sugar, nothing special required.
Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet are my go-to, but use whatever you’ve got in the cabinet.
Walnuts: Roughly cracked or chopped, they add a little crunch against the soft bread.
Baking powder: Helps the loaf rise up nice and tall.
Baking soda: Works alongside the baking powder for a good even rise.
Egg whites: For the topping, these whip up into a pretty meringue-style finish.
Powdered sugar: Sweetens the topping and helps it hold its peaks.
Salt: Just a pinch, it balances all that sweetness.
How To Make Sweet Potato Bread with Chocolate Chips
Step 1: Start by cooking your sweet potato until it’s completely soft. Roasting it whole at 400°F brings out its natural sweetness and gives the bread a deeper flavor, but the microwave works in a pinch if you’re short on time. Once it’s cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh away from the skin and mash it until there are no lumps left. You’ll need 1 cup for the batter.
Step 2: Turn the oven down to 350°F and line your loaf pan with parchment, leaving a little extra hanging over the long sides. Those parchment “handles” make it easy to lift the loaf out later without disturbing the meringue on top.
Step 3: In one bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and warm spices. Whisking them first spreads the leavening evenly through the flour, so your bread rises the same all the way through.
Step 4: In a larger bowl, whisk the melted butter with the sugar, then add the eggs one at a time. Stir in the mashed sweet potato, milk, and vanilla until everything is smooth and a bright orange color.
Step 5: Gently stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients just until you no longer see dry streaks. A few small lumps are fine; overmixing is what makes quick breads tough. Fold in the chocolate chips and most of the walnuts, saving a small handful for the topping.
Step 6: Spread the batter into your pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Sweet potato bread is dense and moist, so it needs the full time to cook through the center. Check it with a toothpick: moist crumbs are good, wet batter means it needs a few more minutes. If the top is getting too dark before the middle is done, lay a piece of foil loosely over the pan.
Step 7: While the bread bakes, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they turn foamy, then add the powdered sugar a little at a time. Keep beating until the meringue is thick and glossy and holds stiff peaks when you lift the beaters. Room-temperature egg whites whip up faster and fluffier than cold ones.
Step 8: Give the baked bread about 10 minutes to cool slightly, and bump the oven up to 400°F. Spoon the meringue over the top, swirling it into peaks with the back of a spoon, and scatter the reserved walnuts over it. A quick 5 to 7 minutes in the hot oven is all it needs to turn the peaks a toasty golden brown.
Step 9: This is the hardest part! Let the loaf rest in the pan for another 10 minutes, then use the parchment to lift it onto a wire rack. Waiting until it’s completely cool keeps the slices from crumbling and gives the chocolate chips time to set.
Tips For The Best Sweet Potato Bread
Make ahead:
- Roast and mash your sweet potato a day ahead so it has plenty of time to cool completely before mixing.
- You can bake the loaf itself a day in advance and add the meringue topping right before serving so it stays fresh looking.
Storage:
- Store leftover slices in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerate for up to a week if your kitchen runs warm, especially with that egg white topping on there.
- This loaf also freezes well without the topping, just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil.
Sweet Potato Bread Variations To Try
Nut Options: Pecans work just as well as walnuts if that’s what you’ve got on hand.
- Leave the nuts out entirely if you’re serving a crowd with allergies.
Chocolate Chip Swap: Dark chocolate chips or even chopped chocolate bars give this a slightly less sweet, more grown up flavor.
- White chocolate chips are a fun swap if you want something a little different for a fall brunch.
Topping Options: Skip the meringue topping altogether if you want a simpler loaf, it’s totally optional.
- A simple cream cheese glaze drizzled on top is a great substitute if egg whites feel fussy.
- A dusting of plain powdered sugar works in a pinch too.
Spice It Up: Add a teaspoon of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to the batter for an extra cozy, fall flavor.
- A little nutmeg goes a long way here too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely, the loaf is delicious on its own. Just skip that last baking step once the bread comes out of the oven the first time.
You can, just make sure it’s plain mashed sweet potato with nothing added, and drain off any extra liquid first.
This usually means the batter was underbaked or the sweet potato wasn’t fully cooled before mixing. Give it the full bake time and check with a toothpick before pulling it.
Yes, just divide the batter into a lined muffin tin and cut the bake time down to about 18 to 20 minutes.
You can bake the loaf itself up to two days ahead, then add the meringue topping the morning you’re serving it so it looks fresh.
Chocolate Chip Sweet Potato Quick Bread
Ingredients
For the bread:
- 1 large sweet potato about 1 cup mashed
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup walnuts chopped, divided
For the meringue topping:
- 2 large egg whites room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Cook the sweet potato. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pierce the sweet potato a few times with a fork and bake for 45–60 minutes, until very tender. You can also microwave it for 8–10 minutes, turning halfway. Let it cool, then scoop out the flesh and mash until smooth. Measure 1 cup.
- Prep the pan. Lower the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang to lift the bread out later.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and sugar until combined. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the mashed sweet potato, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined. Don’t overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips and all but 2 tablespoons of the walnuts.
- Bake the bread. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50–60 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too fast, tent loosely with foil.
- Make the meringue. While the bread bakes, beat the egg whites and pinch of salt with a mixer until foamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Top and brown. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes and raise the oven to 400°F. Spread the meringue over the top of the bread and sprinkle with the reserved walnuts. Bake for 5–7 minutes, until the meringue peaks are golden brown.
- Cool. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out with the parchment and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
