This easy Chocolate Zucchini Bread recipe is moist, chocolaty, and will remind you of your favorite chocolate cake. You will never know it is made with a vegetable!
Tis the season for lots and lots of ZUCCHINI! This is my favorite time of year because I LOVE zucchini, it is one of my favorite vegetables. I love zoodles, eating zucchini in salads, grilling it, and baking with zucchini. You can find my favorite zucchini recipes here.
I recently made the most epic Chocolate Zucchini Bread and it’s definitely going on the favorite list. It is the BEST! It will remind you of my Chocolate Banana Bread…if you’ve made it, you know it is AMAZING. This version is made with zucchini and it is just as good!
I don’t know who invented baking with zucchini, but they deserve a medal. If I could meet them, I would give them a giant hug. Zucchini in baked goods is genius! Baking with zucchini is probably my favorite way to enjoy zucchini because you all know I have a major sweet tooth. BUT you don’t have to feel guilty about eating a sweet treat when zucchini is involved because you are eating a vegetable!
I love sneaking zucchini into all of my baked goods, especially during the summer months when it is exploding in the garden and on everyone’s front porch:)
This Chocolate Zucchini Bread is guaranteed to be your new favorite zucchini recipe. You will be begging your neighbors for more zucchini so you can make multiple loaves of this bread. It is crazy good!
So what makes this Chocolate Zucchini Bread so good?
- It is made with cocoa powder AND chocolate chips. Double the chocolate, double the fun! There are chocolate chips in the bread and on top!
- The bread is super moist. I use eggs, melted butter, oil, and zucchini. All of the ingredients come together to create a flavorful and moist bread.
- The zucchini bread is easy to make. You don’t need a mixer and can have it in the oven in no time.
- Your house will smell amazing while it is baking.
- This easy chocolate zucchini bread will remind you of your favorite chocolate cake. Don’t be afraid to eat a slice with ice cream. You can thank me later for that tip:)
You are going to fall in love with this Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread! Even if you think you don’t like zucchini, make this bread. It will change your mind. Zucchini has never tasted so good!
If you like this Chocolate Zucchini Bread, you might also like:
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
- Classic Zucchini Bread
- Zucchini Brownies
- Zucchini Muffins
- Lemon Zucchini Bread
- Zucchini Banana Bread
- Zucchini Coconut Bread
Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa or unsweetened cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1/4 cup canola, vegetable oil, or melted coconut oil
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups packed shredded zucchini
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the eggs, melted butter, oil, vanilla extract, and brown sugar. Stir until smooth. You might have a few small brown sugar clumps and that is fine.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, don’t overmix. Stir in the shredded zucchini until just combined. Stir in ¾ cup of the chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips over the top of the bread. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out mostly clean, you might have some melted chocolate chips on the toothpick and that is fine. You just don’t want a lot of gooey batter.
- Remove the pan from the oven and set on a wire cooling rack. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the bread and carefully remove from the pan. Let the bread cool on the wire cooling rack until slightly warm. Cut into slices and serve.
- Note-if you use coconut oil, make sure it is melted and slightly cooled. The bread will keep on the counter, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 4 days. This bread also freezes well. To freeze, cool the bread completely and wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost before slicing.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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Made this today with some free zucchini. So yummy!
Just had 2 slices, it was beautifully moist & delicious. Being a huge lemon anything fan, I will double both the lemon juice & zest. A near-perfect recipe, thank you!
Second year making this recipe! It’s so delicious! Not complicated and leaves you with a nice rich, chocolately, moist bread! The zucchini makes it feel healthy…highly recommend
*Fan-flipping’-tastic!*
This is so good!! Moist, and enough chocolate for me…which is mind-bending!
Instead of Dutch processed cocoa, I used Ghiradelli Sweet Ground Cocoa, and I used 3/4 cup of brown sugar instead of the proscribed 1.5 cups. There was so much batter that I made two loaves. Baked for 47 minutes at sea-level altitude.
Wonderful recipe!
I just finished making the chocolate zucchini bread… have made it several times now, and it always is so delicious. I made the lemon zucchini loaves earlier today and will freeze them. I made the lemon zucchini bread for our church fellowship time last week, and everyone wanted the recipe. It may be my husband’s favorite, as he loves anything lemon. I’m looking forward to trying the coconut version next. Thank you for making me look good in the kitchen.
Thank you for this recipe! It’s amazing and highly recommend warming up each time. The chocolate melts into gooey yumminess! Also loving the lemon zucchini bread recipe.
How can I make it gluten free
Substitute the flour with all purposes cup for cup GF flour. I never really go wrong doing that.
I have lost track of how many times I have made this wonderful recipe but over the past two months I have gone from making 1 loaf to 4 at a time. Why? because my neighbours and family gush every time I bring them a loaf. I have harvested the last of my zucchini this weekend so today’s bake is somewhat ceremonial so it will be just a little bit richer and a little more chocolatey 😉
Thank you for posting this awesome recipe.
You are welcome!
Just wow!! I chose your recipe based off the reviews and I can say it definitely lived up to the hype!! I have issues with breads and cakes turning out dry due to my oven but this was just perfect!!! Extremely moist and so so good!!! I used dark chocolate in mine and a little extra zucchini. Can’t wait to bake again!!!
Glad you loved it!
These work really well as muffins too.. bake for about 25-30 minutes.
Thank you! I was just searching for this exact info!!!
I’m looking forward to making this tonight! I have a mini muffin pan. How long do you suggest I bake them for?
The BEST zucchini bread recipe there is. I felt like I’ve tried them all, then came across your IG page and decided to try yours. I’m so glad I did cause I’m CONSTANTLY coming back to it! Even my five year old calls them Zucchini Cupcakes, they’re that amazing! (I make them as muffins so it’s easier for my kid to grab) THANK YOU FOR THIS RECIPE AND NEVER TAKE IT OFF
Great recipe!
This is so yummy! I added 1tsp cinnamon to add a bit of depth, and it was delicious. Rave reviews. I am a peanut butter lover, and spread some on a slice for breakfast. Mmmm! I baked up a batch of mini-loaves and keep them in the freezer. When unexpected guests arrive, I can quickly pop one or two in the microwave for a lovely snack with coffee.
I haven’t made this yet, but I plan to. Any suggestions on adjusting the recipe to high altitude?
Hi, I follow King Arthur Baking Resources for high altitude tips. Their suggestions work well, such as increase in temp, increase in flour, etc.
I haven’t tried this recipe yet but have tried other recipes before and failed. So I just have a few questions: you don’t need to grate and squeeze all the liquid out of the zucchini? Do you really mean pack the zucchini when measuring? The prior recipes I’ve used said squeezing out the liquid is a must but forgot to mention measure the zucchini before squeezing out the liquid and don’t pack. My recipes came out more like spice bread and too moist, if there’s such a thing. They didn’t rise. Appreciate any feedback.
I measure before squeezing out any liquid and don’t pack. But I just squeeze out the zucchini if it is super water and I don’t squeeze it dry. You want some moisture so the bread is moist.
I loved this recipe. I doubled it and used a Bundt Pan and made a glaze for the top. It more like a wonderful dense old fashioned chocolate cake. Yum.
Hi I’m doing these as muffin how long do I bake them??
18-23 minutes, check early to be safe. Every oven is different.
Fantastic recipe!!! Even my husband, who is not a fan of zucchini and chocolate loves it. I want to make a very black version of it for Halloween, could I simply replace the regular cocoa powder with black cocoa powder?
Just made this. The zucchini I had shredded made 2 cups, but it still turned out fine with the extra zucchini. Moist, light and tastes like cake. Yum!
I have no idea what happened, but this batter did not come out as batter but super thick like cookie dough.
Great recipe!
This recipe is amazing, I can’t believe I never tried looking for a chocolate zucchini bread before! It does not last long in my house.
A few tips, having made this several times: you can reduce the oil and butter a tad. Quickbreads with fruit are usually plenty moist. I reduce the sugar a little bit, but not much because the dark, bitter chocolate flavor is quite intense and the zucchini is of course not sweet on its own. I would recommend chocolate chips and not chunks because chunks melt and will disappear into the bread. Lastly, you can make a dozen muffins with this – I set the timer for 25 minutes but could have pulled them out a little earlier. If you put them in the microwave, it’s like a molten lava cake in your mouth 🙂
incredible recipe. everyone LOVES when i make bread or muffins. thank you!!!!
This is fantastic! Just the right amount of chocolate & wonderfully moist. Did not make any changes. Positively delicious!
Hi Maria, the shredded Zucchini are supposed to keep all their moisture? No squeezing at all? Thanks!
If it is super watery you can squeeze a little moisture out but don’t wring it dry! You want the moisture to keep the bread moist.
My girlfriend made this recipe a few times and I just love it ! Today I decided to make my own! Let me tell you this bread is AMAZING! It’s super moist and chocolatey. You can’t even tell there zucchini in it! That’s the best part. If I could give this 10/10 I definitely would. This is my favourite chocolate bread! Will be making many more times. My son even loves it and he’s a picky teenager ! He couldn’t believe there’s zucchini in it.
Have made this multiple times!
This time used 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce to replace the fats and used Lilys Semi-Sweet style chocolate chips. 1 pan made 16 slices at 140 calories per slice for my ingredients. I like using the sugar blends, but was unable to find the brown sugar one this time around.
my go to recipe for zucchini bread. thank you for the recipe!
fantastic treat and the kid eats it up! sometimes i sub in oat flour but no matter what – bread or muffins – it is amazing. thank you for your wonderful recipe!!
You are welcome! I am glad you loved the recipe.
Made this and it turned out perfect. So moist and my grandchildren like it too!!
My husband is diabetic and I’ve been experimenting with different recipes, making them diabetic friendly. I replaced the brown sugar with Truvia Sweet Complete brown sugar replacement, and used sugar free dark chocolate chips. It turned out great and my husband loved it!!
Thanks for sharing. Glad it worked out!
If i don’t have sea salt can i use table salt?
Yes!
I love this recipe. I make small loaves to share & mini loaves to eat like brownies.
Fun!!