Chocolate Zucchini Bread Recipe (2024)

Rich, moist, and ultra fudgy, this homemade chocolate zucchini bread recipe is perfect for a healthy breakfast or delicious dessert!

Healthy chocolate zucchini loaf

This super easy chocolate zucchini bread packs in over a full cup of zucchini.

Sneaking the nutrition powerhouse zucchini into the recipe adds an incredible amount of softness and moisture, without all the extra fat and calories.

The chocolate loaf cake can be whole grain, vegan, gluten free, low fat, and egg free, with an out-of-this-world bold chocolate flavor!

Readers also love this Healthy Banana Bread

Above: Watch the video how to make chocolate zucchini bread

Add ins and topping ideas

Try stirring in a handful of crushed walnuts or almonds, toasted hazelnuts, roasted pecans, or shredded coconut with the dry ingredients.

Or add half a cup of finely chopped dates, pumpkin seeds, or chocolate chips.

After baking, spread slices with Homemade Nutella or almond butter, coconut butter, apple or pumpkin butter, cream cheese, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

The skinny chocolate zucchini bread is rich and sweet enough that you can easily serve it unfrosted if you prefer.

Death by chocolate zucchini cake

This is a really great way to use up extra zucchini.

The chocolate zucchini quick bread makes an amazing healthy dessert, perhaps with a side of Keto Ice Cream, or Coconut Ice Cream, or even Banana Ice Cream.

It’s also healthy enough for a filling breakfast packed with wholesome nutrition.

The absolute best part about this easy zucchini recipe is that it honestly tastes like actual chocolate cake!

The recipe was adapted from these Zucchini Brownies

How to make zucchini bread

Wash the zucchini, and cut off the edges. I find it easiest to grate zucchini by pulsing it in the food processor. You can shred it by hand with a box grater if you prefer.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan, then set it aside.

Chocolate zucchini bread ingredients

The recipe calls for flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, yogurt, eggs or flax eggs, oil, pure vanilla extract, and finely grated zucchini.

Use spelt, oat, or all purpose white flour for best results. I have not tried whole wheat flour here so cannot recommend it. Report back if you do experiment.

If you are looking for a paleo, grain free, flourless, or low carb bread recipe, you may like this Almond Flour Banana Bread or my Keto Pumpkin Bread.

For gluten free chocolate zucchini bread, use oat flour or certified gluten free oat flour. There’s also an oil free option for those who prefer a version without oil.

To achieve the richest flavor, I recommend a combination of regular unsweetened and Dutch cocoa powders. Dutch cocoa gives baked goods a deep brownie-like taste.

The sweetener can be regular white sugar, unrefined coconut sugar or date sugar, evaporated cane juice, or xylitol or granulated erythritol for a sugar free zucchini bread.

Leftover zucchini? Use it up in this Tofu Scramble

Substitutions for the yogurt or oil

No yogurt on hand? It works to substitute an equal amount of sour cream or coconut cream. If using coconut cream, feel free to replace the oil in the recipe with milk of choice or additional coconut cream.

Mashed banana is also a great substitute for the yogurt and turns the dessert into a wonderful chocolate banana zucchini bread.

For oil free chocolate zucchini bread, replace the oil with an equal amount of additional yogurt. I also once used softened almond butter instead of oil and loved the results.

Vegan chocolate zucchini bread

For a plant based version, I often use coconutmilk yogurt. Other nondairy yogurts, such as almond or soy yogurt, work as well.

The recipe already does not call for any butter. If adding chocolate chips, look for dairy free brands, which should be readily available at most grocery stores.

To make egg free zucchini bread, either use two flax eggs or replace the eggs with half a cup of additional nondairy yogurt. If using all yogurt instead of flax eggs, the loaf will not rise as much, but it’s still just as delicious!

Converting the recipe to gram measurements

If you prefer to use grams instead of cups, here are the measurements to use:

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup spelt, white, or oat flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tbsp Dutch or additional regular cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt, just over level
2/3 cup sugar, unrefined or xylitol if desired
1 1/4 cup finely grated zucchini (gram measurements listed above)
1/2 cup plain yogurt, dairy free if desired
1/4 cup oil, or additional yogurt for oil free
2 eggs or flax eggs (substitutions are listed above)
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini or regular chocolate chips, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan. Stir together all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients, and stir to form a batter. Smooth into the loaf pan. Press some extra chocolate chips into the top if desired. Bake on the center rack 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Once cooled, I highly recommend loosely covering with a cloth and letting sit overnight, either on the counter or in the fridge, because the flavor and texture are even better the next day!
View Nutrition Facts

Notes

Also be sure to try this healthy Chocolate Banana Bread.

Have you made this recipe?

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More Easy Chocolate Desserts

Brownie In A Mug

Deep Dish Cookie Pie

Avocado Chocolate Mousse

Peanut Butter Dip

Overnight Oats

Chocolate Truffles

FAQs

Should you squeeze water out of zucchini for bread? ›

Squeezing is optional.

But unless your zucchini is excessively juicy, squeezing the squash could be removing some of the moisture you really do want in the bread. It's up to you, though. Squeeze for lighter, drier bread. Leave it as is for denser, moister bread.

Explore More ›

When you shred zucchini for bread do you peel it first? ›

But how do you make a great loaf? These tips can help. Don't peel the zucchini – Yes, it's tempting to remove the zucchini's skin, but there is no need to do that. Zucchini melts into the bread, so peeling is just an unnecessary step.

Keep Reading ›

Why does my zucchini bread taste weird? ›

When they are larger, zucchinis tend to contain more water, which leads to excess moisture in the batter. Additionally, larger zucchinis don't taste as good, with a more bitter flavor. They can also have larger seeds. These large seeds can throw off the texture of your zucchini bread.

Read The Full Story ›

Why is my zucchini bread batter so dry? ›

Why does my zucchini bread come out dry? This is usually due to either not measuring ingredients carefully or over-baking the bread. Be sure to bake until toothpick inserted in center of bread comes out with just a few tiny, tender crumbs attached.

Tell Me More ›

How many zucchinis is 2 cups grated? ›

You'll need about 2 medium size zucchinis to make 2 cups of grated zucchini. Be sure to measure the zucchini after you grate it to be sure you have 2 cups.

Read On ›

Why do you soak zucchini in salt water? ›

Salt causes zucchini rounds to release excess water. This important extra step helps the zucchini to sauté rather than stew in its own juices.

Know More ›

Why does my zucchini bread fall apart when I cut it? ›

The most common reason for zucchini breadand other quick breads (and cakes) to collapse as they cool is the ingredients are too vigorously or quickly mixed, which incorporates lots of less stable air bubbles into the batter.

Read On ›

Why is my zucchini bread raw in the middle? ›

The main issue here is that the bread just isn't cooked through. Zucchini bread batter is thick, and loaf pans are narrow and tall, so there is a lot of batter in a relatively small pan. The center will be the last to cook through, so pay special attention to this area when checking your bread for doneness.

Learn More Now ›

How to tell if shredded zucchini is bad? ›

Mushy/soft/stringy flesh texture - Along with these brown/dark spots, the flesh of the zucchini may begin to look and feel mushy, stringy, and soft. If your zucchini looks stringy, not firm and meaty, it's time to be discarded.

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Should I peel zucchini for bread? ›

There's no need to peel the zucchini or remove the seeds. You also shouldn't press or squeeze any of the excess moisture out of it. You want all that to go into the bread!

Keep Reading ›

Can you put undercooked zucchini bread back in the oven? ›

Fixing Undercooked Bread

It is pretty simple to salvage an undercooked bread and create a decent loaf. Heat the oven to 350 F, return the bread to the oven, and bake for another 10 to 20 minutes. This will work even if the loaf has cooled, which is similar to par-baking bread.

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What is a substitute for baking powder in zucchini bread? ›

For every teaspoon of baking powder, you'll want to substitute in ¼ tsp of baking soda with ½ tsp of cream of tartar. If you don't have any cream of tartar, you can also substitute one teaspoon of baking powder with a mixture of ¼ tsp of baking soda plus ½ tsp of either vinegar or lemon juice.

Do you need to remove water from zucchini? ›

When cooking with grated zucchini, it's important to squeeze out the moisture to stop your dish from going soggy.

Find Out More ›

Does zucchini need to be drained before baking? ›

Zucchini adds a ton of water unless you extract water from your grated zucchini. Grated fresh or frozen zucchini, without being pressed or drained, is about 50% water. So you have to cut back on the water in the recipes. If you add two cups of zucchini, you need to cut one cup of liquid from your recipe.”

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What to do if zucchini bread is too wet? ›

You can just take handfuls of grated zucchini and squeeze them over the sink or a bowl, or you can wrap the grated zucchini in a clean towel, and twist it to get rid if the water. Heat the oven to 350 F, return the bread to the oven, and bake for another 10 to 20 minutes.

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How do you cook zucchini so it is not watery? ›

You only need a little salt — half a teaspoon of kosher salt for one medium zucchini, say — to start pulling the water out. Use more, and the zucchini will simply taste like zucchini-flavored salt.