Step 1: Preheat and Prepare Pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray, or line with parchment paper for easy removal. Set aside.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until well combined. This ensures even distribution of leavening agents and spices throughout the bread. Set aside.

Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and oil (or melted butter) until well combined. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth and slightly thick. Stir in the pumpkin puree, water (or milk), and vanilla extract. Whisk until completely smooth with no lumps. The mixture should be uniform in color and texture.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold together just until combined. Don’t overmix – it’s okay if a few small flour streaks remain. Overmixing develops gluten and creates tough, dense bread. Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see large pockets of flour.

Step 5: Add Chocolate Chips
Reserve about 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips for topping. Fold the remaining chocolate chips (and nuts if using) into the batter with just a few strokes. Again, don’t overmix – just fold until evenly distributed throughout.

Step 6: Pour into Pan and Top
Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips over the top for a prettier presentation. The batter will be thick – this is correct.

Step 7: Bake
Bake in the preheated oven for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). The top should be golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely tent with aluminum foil after 40 minutes.

Step 8: Cool
Remove from the oven and let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes. Then carefully remove from the pan and let cool completely on the wire rack before slicing. Warm bread is delicious but slices more cleanly when cooled.