This easy Chocolate Zucchini Bread is rich and chocolatey, lightly sweetened, made with plenty of fresh zucchini, and chocolate chips. A blend of whole-wheat and all-purpose flour keeps it hearty without making the loaf heavy.
One thing about me: I love a good chocolate recipe. From my favorite chocolate cake to my homemade brownies, you'll find plenty of chocolate favorites on the site.
My kids took turns baking with me this summer, and armed with fresh zucchini, we decided to try chocolate zucchini bread. I wanted a loaf with a rich chocolate flavor that was wholesome enough for breakfast without being overly sweet. As a bonus, it was a fun recipe to bake together, the kids stayed busy grating the zucchini!
The result is a tender quick bread made with a blend of whole-wheat and all-purpose flour, plenty of zucchini, and chocolate chips throughout. It's sweet, but not dessert-level sweet, and I think it tastes even better the next day.
Ingredient Notes
- All-Purpose & Whole Wheat Flour: I use a blend of all-purpose and white whole-wheat flour to add a little more whole-grain goodness without making the bread heavy or dense. I used King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour, which has a milder flavor.
- Granulated Sugar: This bread is intentionally not overly sweet. If you prefer a sweeter chocolate zucchini bread, you can increase the sugar by ¼ cup.
- Cocoa Powder: Use natural unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's). If yours has lumps, sift it into the dry ingredients before mixing.
- Oil: You can use any neutral-flavored vegetable oil such as canola oil. Do not substitute a solid fat (like butter or coconut oil) for the liquid oil.
- Zucchini: Use 2-3 small to medium-sized zucchini and grate them coarsely with a box grater. Leave the peel on. You don't have to squeeze out all the liquid in the zucchini, I tested both ways and the results were similar. The batter needs the moisture from the zucchini.
- Chocolate Chips: I like to bake with Hershey's Dark Chocolate Chips. You can also sprinkle extra chocolate chips across the top before baking, my kids fight over the slices with the most chocolate chips.
Recipe Tips
- Don't squeeze the zucchini completely dry. The moisture from the zucchini helps keep the bread tender.
- Don't overmix the batter. Mix just until the flour is incorporated.
- Using 9 × 5-inch loaf pans? Start checking the loaves a few minutes early, as they may finish baking sooner than they do in the smaller 8.5 × 4.5-inch pans.
Serving & Storage
Slice the loaf when you're ready to serve. It's delicious with a cold glass of milk. No butter or frosting necessary. It's great for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
Store leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. After 3 days, transfer into the refrigerator, where it will stay good for up to a week. Because the whole-wheat flour continues to absorb moisture from the zucchini, this bread tastes even better on the second and third day.
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Equipment
- 2 loaf pans (8.5×4.5-inch)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup canola oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups lightly packed, coarsely grated zucchini (not pressed or drained)
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray two 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray.
- Whisk together all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Pour mixture into dry ingredients. Add grated zucchini and stir just until dry ingredients are incorporated (a few streaks are fine - avoid overmixing). Fold in chocolate chips.
- Transfer the batter evenly between the prepared loaf pans. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs, not wet batter.
- Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Zucchini: Don't squeeze the zucchini completely dry. The moisture helps keep the bread tender.
- Pan size: I used 8.5 × 4.5-inch loaf pans. If using 9 × 5-inch pans, start checking the loaves a few minutes early.
- Sweetness: This bread is intentionally not overly sweet. For a sweeter loaf, increase the sugar by ¼ cup.
- Chocolate chips: Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips over the tops before baking, if desired.
We have been baking this bread on repeat all late summer! With lots of chocolate and plenty of summer zucchini, the only downside is the trail of crumbs left on the floor when my kids sneak a slice. If you have more zucchini to use, try my Cinnamon Zucchini Cake next.
If you make this, leave a comment below to let me know what you think. I look forward to hearing from y'all!
Alaine
Alaine says
Me and my kids can't stop making this chocolate zucchini bread.