Chocolate Zucchini Bread

5 from 5 votes
6 Comments

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Chocolate Zucchini Bread is so rich and moist, you may mistake it for chocolate cake. Who would guess it is full of a healthy vegetable?

Chocolate zucchini bread sliced on a white platter

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

That’s right! Rich chocolate flavor and grated zucchini are a match made in heaven! A little unsweetened cocoa powder and some semisweet chocolate chips turn zucchini bread into a decadent treat full of moisture and flavor that tastes more like dessert. If you have zucchini growing faster than you can eat it, this is the recipe for you. It will fly off the plate every time you slice it up.

Quick bread recipes are the perfect gift idea for the holidays, birthdays, or just to give out as snacks to the neighbors. Try a Cranberry Bread with Cream Cheese Swirl, this decadent Homemade Banana Bread or go gluten free with this Gluten Free Zucchini Bread recipe. YUM!

How to Shred Zucchini

Preparing zucchini for any kind of zucchini bread is pretty simple. Wash the zucchini thoroughly. Peel the skin from the zucchini with a vegetable peeler. If the zucchini is large, slice it in half and remove the seeds. Use a box grater or a food processor to shred the zucchini. Don’t wring the liquid from the zucchini and gently pack it in a measuring cup to get the proper amount for the recipe.

A loaf of baked Chocolate Zucchini Bread with chocolate chips on top.

Can I Freeze Chocolate Zucchini Bread?

Absolutely! Chocolate Zucchini Bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. We highly recommend it! This recipe makes 2 loaves of bread. Eat one now and freeze one for later! We’ve found the best way to freeze this bread, or any sweet bread, is to follow the following steps:

  1. Allow bread to cool completely.
  2. Wrap cooled loaf twice in plastic wrap, making sure every part of the bread is covered.
  3. Wrap loaf again in aluminum foil or place it in a resealable freezer bag.
  4. Freeze up to 3 months.
  5. Remove foil or take bread out of the freezer bag. Thaw overnight (in plastic wrap only) in the refrigerator before serving.
Two loaves of chocolate zucchini bread, one is sliced with a knife to the side.


Variations to Chocolate Zucchini Bread

  • Try shredding yellow squash along with the zucchini. They’ll mix beautifully together.
  • For a deeper chocolate flavor, add a little instant coffee or espresso powder to the batter. 
  • Sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top of the bread before baking. 
  • Substitute vegetable oil with applesauce.

READ NEXT: 33+ Breakfast Ideas

More Zucchini Recipes

Do you have more zucchini than you know what to do with? Zucchini is such a mild and versatile vegetable, it can be used in a variety of delicious recipes.

How to Make Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Chocolate zucchini bread sliced on a white platter.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

5 from 5 votes
Chocolate Zucchini Bread is so rich and moist, you may mistaken it for chocolate cake. Who would guess it is full of a healthy vegetable?
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine American
Servings 20 slices

Equipment

  • Two loaf pans 8 ½ x 4 1/2

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter
  • 2 cups light brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 3 ½ cups flour
  • cup cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 4 cups zucchini, shredded (about 2 medium zucchini)
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 loaf pans (8 ½ x 4 1½) with nonstick cooking spray.
    Microwave butter in a large bowl for one minute, or until melted. Stir sugars into butter until completely smooth. Stir in eggs and vanilla.
    Eggs, brown sugar, and oil in a glass mixing bowl with a wooden spoon.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Stir until well combined. The batter will be very thick.
    Dry ingredients in a glass bowl for the chocolate zucchini bread recipe.
  • Stir in shredded zucchini and 1 ½ cups chocolate chips.
    Divide the batter equally between the two prepared loaf pans. Evenly spread the batter in the pans. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup chocolate chips on top of the loaves before baking.
    Chocolate zucchini dough in a glass bowl mixed in with chocolate chips with a wooden spoon.
  • Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean (except for maybe a little melted chocolate from the chocolate chips).
    Allow loaf loaves to cool in pans on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then turn loaves out onto the rack to cool completely.
    A loaf of baked Chocolate Zucchini Bread with chocolate chips on top.

Notes

To freeze, completely cover the loaf in plastic wrap twice. Wrap again in aluminum foil or place the wrapped loaf in a resealable freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 395kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 6gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 336mgPotassium: 300mgFiber: 3gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 396IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 3mg

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About the author

Echo Blickenstaff

Echo lives in Spanish Fork, Utah with her husband, Todd, who works in advertising. She has four kids: two girls and two boys. She deploys her accounting degree as the blog’s resident problem solver. In her time outside the kitchen, Echo loves to get away from the phones and busy schedules and spend quality time with the family. Anywhere’s great – but getting out into nature in the mountains or on the beach – is the best kind of getaway.

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5 from 5 votes

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Whole family loved it! Youngest hates veggies and most fruit but loves chocolate-Little does he know 🤣. These 2 loaves didn’t last long! 👍👍

  2. 5 stars
    My boys kept asking me if it was ready yet while it was in the oven. They were so excited to try it and just about devoured the whole loaf. Needless to say, it was a hit!