Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Chocolate chip zucchini bread is extra-moist, tender, and loaded with warming spices, chocolate chips, and crunchy walnuts. This recipe makes two loaves that can be enjoyed as breakfast, dessert, or a delicious snack!

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Ingredients
How to make zucchini bread with chocolate chips
Top tips
FAQ
More quick bread recipes
Recipe

Have you jumped on board the vegetables-in-baked-goods-wagon yet? Hopefully you tried my vegan zucchini brownies and can trust me on this.

No, this bread does not taste like a vegetable. I would actually argue that it tastes more like cake. Cake with green freckles, but still, cake.

Zucchini bread is great to make in the summer when you've got a surplus of zucchini in your fridge. The zucchini adds moisture without adding any flavor, making it a magical ingredient for baking!

I adore the fact that this recipe makes two loaves. Obviously, if I'm making a quick bread, one loaf is not going to be enough.

A slice of chocolate chip zucchini bread works as an easy grab-and-go breakfast, satisfying snack, or easy lunch box addition.

Ingredients

All-purpose flour
Whole wheat flour
Salt
Baking soda
Sugar
Cinnamon
Walnuts
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Zucchini
Water
Vanilla
Eggs
Coconut oil
Butter

How to make zucchini bread with chocolate chips

In a large bowl, mix flours, salt, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon, nuts, and chocolate. In another bowl mix zucchini, water, vanilla, eggs, oil, and butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well.
Divide the batter between the two greased pans and bake at 350ºF for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Top tips

How to shred zucchini

To shred a zucchini, cut off one end and then use either a large box grater (affiliate link to the one I have) on the largest holes or use the shredding disc on a food processor.

I laid my shredded zucchini out on a clean kitchen towel while preparing the rest of my ingredients in order to allow the extra moisture to drain out. You can also freeze shredded zucchini for later use.

To thaw, place the frozen zucchini in the microwave just until thawed, 30-60 seconds. You can drain off a little bit of the excess water that may come out after microwaving.

Don't overmix

When making any muffin or quick bread, make sure you're only stirring as much as necessary to incorporate the ingredients together. Over-mixing will result in dense, dry baked goods.

How to keep zucchini bread from sticking to the pan

With bread this tender, it can occasionally fall apart when removing from the pan. Be sure to spray or butter the pan well to prevent sticking (or use homemade cake release) and allow it to cool for a while before trying to remove it.

You may also want to run a knife around the outside edges of the bread before trying to remove it. I always place a cooling rack on top of the pan, then flip them upside down together before lifting the loaf pan. If the bread sticks, give it a gentle tap on the counter or give it a little more time to cool before removing.

If you're nervous about your bread sticking, you could always line your pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang to grab and remove the bread after it has cooled.

Two loaf pans filled with zucchini bread batter.

How to store chocolate chip zucchini bread

Zucchini bread will keep wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days.

You can also freeze your zucchini bread. I would recommend slicing the extra loaf, wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap, and placing it in a zip top freezer bag. Pop it in the freezer and any time you feel the need for a slice, just pull out one slice and microwave it for 30 seconds or so.

Tips for customizing zucchini bread with chocolate chips

Top with this vanilla icing
Top with a chocolate ganache frosting
Swap the whole wheat flour for all-purpose flour
Use an equal amount of applesauce in place of the oil
Use any combination of chocolate chips you prefer such as milk, dark, or white chocolate

A loaf of chocolate chip zucchini bread on a small cooling rack surrounded by chocolate chips and a zucchini.

FAQ

How much zucchini do I need?

Zucchini can vary in size, but you'll need about 2 medium zucchinis for this recipe.

Do I need to peel the zucchini first?

It's totally up to you! I don't peel it before I grate it, but you can if you'd like. There's no taste or texture difference either way.

Do I need to remove extra moisture from my zucchini?

Some recipes require you to drain or pat dry shredded zucchini before using. This recipes does not require that, but instead uses the moisture of the zucchini to create a moist quick bread.

If your grated zucchini seems exceptionally wet and is dripping or puddling, you can pat it gently with a few paper towels, but try not to remove all the moisture. Alternatively, if your zucchini seems very dry (resulting a difficult to stir batter that is thicker than cookie dough), try adding a small splash of water until the texture improves.