This chocolate zucchini bread uses shredded zucchini, cocoa powder, and semi-sweet chocolate chips in a rich, fudgy quick bread batter with no milk needed. It bakes in one loaf pan for 50 to 60 minutes and tastes exactly like chocolate cake, with the zucchini working quietly in the background to keep it incredibly moist.
I am going to tell you how to make a chocolate zucchini bread with chocolate chips and walnuts. Kids these days are just so picky, so we gotta get a little creative.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Chocolate Zucchini Bread (And Why Your Kids Will Too!)
- It is The Ultimate Disguise: You cannot taste the vegetables at all! The cocoa and chocolate chips completely hide the zucchini, making it taste just like a rich chocolate cake.
- Super Quick and Easy: It is so fast to throw together, and amazingly, there is no milk or extra liquid needed. The zucchini does all the heavy lifting to keep it moist.
- Perfect for Busy Mornings: When your kids start back to school, make this, slice it up, and give it to them for breakfast. They will think they are eating dessert!
- Not Overly Sweet: It is rich, fudgy, and delicious without giving you a sugar crash.
If you love a moist, easy quick bread loaded with mix-ins like this one, you are also going to want to try my Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, another soft and chocolatey favorite that comes together just as fast.
What You Will Need
Special Equipment
- 9 by 5 inch loaf pan
- 2 mixing bowls (one medium, one large)
- Wire whisk
- Large spoon or rubber spatula (do not use a whisk for the final mixing!)
- Oven thermometer (to ensure your oven is baking at exactly 350°F)
The Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
The Wet Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
The Goodies
- 1 1/4 cups shredded zucchini (unpeeled, gently patted but not squeezed dry)
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional (see allergy note below)
Let us Get Baking!
1. Prep Your Oven and Pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper. Get your apron on, get your oven thermometer right, and let us do some serious cooking!
2. Whisk the Dry Ingredients
First, you are going to get your dry ingredients right. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until it is all combined. Put that to the side!
3. Whisk the Wet Ingredients
Then, move on to the wet ingredients. In a separate and larger bowl, add your room temperature eggs, melted butter, canola oil, pure vanilla extract, and light brown sugar. Whisk this together vigorously until it is really, really smooth. You might still see little specks of brown sugar, but do not worry, that will dissolve once it bakes.
4. Combine Wet and Dry
You are going to stir those dry ingredients into the wet ones. Pour your dry mixture into your wet mixture. Gently stir the dry ingredients in until they are just moistened. Do not overmix! Note that the batter will be thick, and there is no milk added because this is exactly how it should be.
5. Fold in the Veggies
Next, add the star of the show which is the shredded zucchini. But listen to me carefully, put down the whisk! You gotta get a wooden spoon or spatula to fold this in gently.
6. Add the Goodies
After that, dump in your semi sweet chocolate chips and your walnuts. Stir everything up just until the chips and nuts are evenly distributed. The walnuts are optional, so if you or your kids do not like them, you just leave them right out.
7. Bake
Pour that beautiful batter evenly into your prepared 9 by 5 loaf pan and get it into a 350°F oven. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Because every oven is different, start checking it at the 40 minute mark. Insert a toothpick into the center, and once it comes out clean without wet batter on it, it is done!
If your family loves easy, foolproof baking projects, my Easy Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies are another fast and kid-approved treat worth adding to the rotation.
8. Cool and Serve
When it comes out, you are left with a gorgeous and incredibly moist loaf. Let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Slice and enjoy!
How to Store Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight container or wrapped tightly for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Refrigerator: Extend freshness to about a week by storing wrapped in the fridge.
- Freezer: This bread freezes beautifully! Once your loaf is completely cooled down to room temperature, wrap it up tight in plastic wrap, then put a layer of aluminum foil over it. It will stay good in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just let it thaw on the counter overnight when you are ready to eat!
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FAQs
Can you taste the zucchini in this chocolate zucchini bread?
No, you cannot taste it at all! Zucchini has a super mild flavor that completely melts right into the batter while it bakes. The rich cocoa powder and those semi sweet chocolate chips completely take over. The zucchini is just in there working behind the scenes to make the bread incredibly moist!
Do I have to peel the zucchini before grating it?
No peeling necessary! We are hiding it in that dark chocolate batter. The skin of a zucchini is thin and softens completely in the oven, and because the bread is so dark from the cocoa, your picky eaters will never even see the green flecks. Just wash it, trim the ends, and grate it up!
Do I need to squeeze the water out of the zucchini?
There is no need to aggressively squeeze the water out for this recipe, unless you are using a giant, super-watery garden zucchini. A light pat with a paper towel is fine. The batter actually relies on that natural moisture since there is no milk added!
Why is my zucchini bread dense and gummy instead of fluffy?
If your bread comes out rubbery, you mixed it too hard! Like I said in the recipe, once you get to the step where you add the zucchini, put that whisk down. You gotta use a spoon to fold it in. If you stir too much, you develop the gluten in the flour, and that is what makes your bread gummy instead of soft and cake like.
Can you freeze chocolate zucchini bread?
Yes, it freezes beautifully! Once your loaf is completely cooled down to room temperature, wrap it up tight in plastic wrap, and then put a layer of aluminum foil over it. Put it in the freezer, and it will stay good for up to 3 months. Just let it thaw on the counter overnight when you are ready to eat!
Can I make this chocolate zucchini bread gluten-free?
You can! Substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend that includes xanthan gum. The results are usually very close to the original, though texture can vary slightly depending on the specific blend you use. This swap has not been extensively tested in this exact recipe, so start with a trusted 1:1 blend and expect the batter consistency to look slightly different than with regular flour.
Chocolate Zucchini Bread (Kid-Approved!)
Course: Breakfast, DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy10
Slices15
minutes55
minutes285
kcal1
hour20
minutesA rich, fudgy, double-chocolate quick bread that hides over a cup of vegetables! No milk needed, perfectly moist, and absolutely kid-approved.
Ingredients
- Equipment Needed:
9×5 inch loaf pan
Whisk
Two mixing bowls
Rubber spatula or large spoon
Oven thermometer
- Ingredients:
- Dry Ingredients
120g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
50g (1/2 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
6g (1 tsp) baking soda
1.5g (1/4 tsp) salt
- Wet Ingredients
2 large eggs (100g), room temperature
57g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
60ml (1/4 cup) canola oil
5ml (1 tsp) pure vanilla extract
150g (3/4 cup) light brown sugar, packed
- Mix-Ins
185g (1 1/4 cups) shredded zucchini, unpeeled and lightly patted
170g (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips
60g (1/2 cup) chopped walnuts, optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, canola oil, vanilla extract, and brown sugar until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir gently until just combined.
- Using a spoon or rubber spatula, not a whisk, fold in the shredded zucchini.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts until evenly distributed.
- Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Check at the 40-minute mark with a toothpick; the bread is done when it comes out clean of wet batter.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Do Not Overmix: Put the whisk down when you add the zucchini. Overmixing or using a whisk at this stage develops gluten and makes the bread gummy instead of soft.
- Zucchini Moisture: No need to aggressively squeeze the water out unless using a very large watery zucchini. A light pat is enough since the batter relies on that natural moisture.
- Gluten-Free Swap: A 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend can be substituted, though results and texture may vary slightly.
- Allergen Note: Contains gluten, eggs, and dairy. Walnuts are optional but present a tree nut allergen risk if included. Always check with the people you are serving before adding nuts.
- Storage: Airtight at room temperature for 3 to 4 days, or freeze wrapped in plastic and foil for up to 3 months.
- Nutrition: Calories are estimated, with walnuts, and will vary based on slice thickness and whether walnuts are included.
