Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This homemade chocolate zucchini bread turns out perfectly moist and fluffy, with a deep chocolate flavor. Made with natural sweeteners and sprinkled with chocolate chips, it’s the perfect easy breakfast or snack!

I have a love/hate relationship with zucchini season.

I LOVE that the one zucchini plant I can keep alive gives me enough zucchini to make my own Chocolate Zucchini Mug Cake when I get a chocolate craving but don’t want a whole batch of something sitting on the counter tempting me to have another piece.

And I LOVE that I can get zucchini for super cheap at the grocery store if my kids request my famous Zucchini Bread Muffins with Apples and Carrots.

But I HATE that my family tires of zucchini so quickly!! Just when I’m in the flow of taking advantage of sales and dreaming of all-things-zucchini-recipes (like Minestrone Soup and Butter Parmesan Zoodles and Shrimp Creole), they’re like, “Mom, we’re done. No more zucchini for a while.”

Friends, that’s where my healthy chocolate zucchini bread recipe is a lifesaver!

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD RECIPE

When we’re overrun with zucchini and my family wants me to stop adding it to every meal, I make healthy zucchini chocolate bread. I love it because:

• There’s zero guilt with this chocolate zucchini bread recipe. It’s naturally sweetened and uses vegetables. How can you go wrong with that for breakfast?!
• It’s freezer-friendly. Go ahead – bake up ALL THE CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD now and freeze it for later when everyone else has gotten over their “I’m tired of zucchini” phase.
• This lends well to a 2x or 3x batch. Make extra, bless the neighbors, and revisit my second point above if you still have some left.
• It’s easy to grab a slice for breakfast or snacking. Easy food is the best!
• Rich, moist, and delicious! A deep, fudgy chocolate bread that you’ll keep coming back to. Even if you’re tired of zucchini…

CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD INGREDIENTS

Chocolate chocolate zucchini bread has pretty typical ingredients for a quick bread recipe:

• Zucchini. Of course! You can’t make zucchini bread without it.
• Salt. To help draw the moisture out of the zucchini so you don’t end up with mushy bread.
• Coconut Oil. Melted butter also works well.
• Honey and/or Maple Syrup. We’re using natural sweeteners here. The flavor of the honey does come through, so if you don’t want to taste it as much, do a 50/50 mix of honey and maple syrup.
• Large Eggs. To help hold everything together. A flax egg should work here too.
• Vanilla Extract. To boost the flavor. Try my homemade recipe!
• Flour. I typically use all-purpose flour or einkorn all purpose flour for this recipe.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder. You can’t have chocolate zucchini bread without the cocoa! Natural cocoa powder and Dutch process cocoa powder will work.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda. To help the bread rise.
• Semisweet Chocolate Chips (optional). You don’t have to add chocolate chips, but they make this a double chocolate zucchini bread, and they look pretty sprinkled on top of the loaf.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CHIP ZUCCHINI BREAD

Follow these instructions for delicious chocolate zucchini cake bread!

Step 1. Line a colander with a tea towel or a thin kitchen towel. Shred the zucchini into the colander using a box grater or food processor and sprinkle with salt. Let it sit for 10 minutes while you continue with the recipe.

Step 2. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line an 8”x4” or 9”x5” loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Step 3. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the melted coconut oil, honey or maple syrup, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk together wet ingredients or mix on medium until well combined.

Step 4. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda, and stir the dry ingredients into the batter with one or two rounds of the bowl, mixing just until combined.

Step 5. Pull up the corners of the towel and twist the shredded zucchini so you wring out the excess moisture. Twist and wring out as much liquid as you possibly can, and then add the zucchini to the batter. Do not rinse the zucchini!

Step 6. Give the batter a few more rounds of stirring, or stir on low in a stand mixer, until everything is JUST combined.

Step 7. Pour into the prepared loaf pan and top with extra chocolate chips, if desired. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean (minus the chocolate chips). Let cool on a wire rack.

To make chocolate chocolate zucchini muffins instead, scoop the batter into a greased or lined muffin pan, filling until ¾ of the way full, and bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 8. Let the chocolate chip zucchini bread cool completely before slicing.

TIPS FOR MAKING CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP ZUCCHINI BREAD

• The flavor of honey really comes through in this recipe. If that bothers you, I recommend splitting the sweetener so it’s 50/50 honey and maple syrup.
• This chocolate chocolate chip zucchini bread freezes REALLY well. Bake as directed and let it cool completely. Slice as desired, and then wrap twice in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn. Then you can pull out and thaw as many – or as few – slices as you’d like. (Read all of my tips for freezing baked goods here).
• Easy to make double or triple batches. I like to make double or triple batches back-to-back, so each batch gets the right amount of ingredients. You still save time though, because all the ingredients are already out, and you still end up washing just the one bowl and spoon when you’re completely done. All the loaves can bake at the same time, but you may need to add a few extra minutes.
• Add chopped walnuts to the top of the loaf either instead of or along with the chocolate chips for a yummy addition.

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD FAQS

MORE YUMMY QUICK BREAD RECIPES

• Spiced Carrot Bread
• Best Caramelized Banana Bread
• Classic Pumpkin Bread Recipe
• Chocolate Banana Bread