This Chocolate Zucchini Bread is deliciously moist and the perfect healthy breakfast or snack to use up your summer zucchini. This quick bread recipe is easy to make with almond flour, maple syrup and bursting with a rich chocolate flavor. It’s also paleo-friendly, gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free with low carb and keto sweetener options.
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Updated August 2021
Healthy Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Wondering what to do with all that garden zucchini? This healthy chocolate zucchini bread is easy to make and one our favorite quick bread recipes to make once zucchini season arrives.
It’s delicious rich, chocolatey and wonderfully moist and tender. My kids love enjoying a tasty slice for breakfast, as a quick afternoon snack or even as a healthy dessert in place of a decadent chocolate cake. So flavorful and perfect if you’ve got a ton of zucchini from the farmer’s market or grocery store to use up.
Looking for more yummy baked goods or zucchini desserts? Check out our Paleo Zucchini Bread, Zucchini Muffins, Zucchini Cookies and Zucchini Cake.
Why we love this recipe
- A simple and delicious treat that is made in just one bowl
- Uses simple pantry-friendly items from your kitchen
- Made with wholesome ingredients and completely grain-free, dairy-free and paleo-friendly.
- Totally kid-friendly and includes a keto-friendly sweetener option
- Perfect for using up the abundance amount of July and August zucchini
Every bite of this death by chocolate zucchini bread is filled with a rich cocoa flavor and bursts of dark chocolate. It’s so yummy and hard to believe that it’s made without any gluten or refined-sugar. Instead, we’re using wholesome ingredients that are completely gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free and paleo-friendly.
Plus, it’s easy to turn this homemade chocolate zucchini bread into a Keto-friendly recipe. All you have to do is make a few simple substitutions. Use a granulated sweetener and Lakanto Sugar-Free maple syrup and trade in the apple sauce for pumpkin puree.
Ingredients you need for this Chocolate Zucchini Bread Recipe
Most double chocolate zucchini bread recipes we saw used whole wheat flour along with all purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, dutch process cocoa, butter and milk. To keep this chocolate zucchini bread gluten free and paleo-friendly, we are using:
Wet Ingredients:
- Applesauce – we are using unsweetened applesauce to add extra moisture and sweetness. You can also use a very ripe mashed banana to make this a chocolate zucchini banana bread or swap with pure pumpkin puree for a keto chocolate zucchini bread.
- Eggs: Bring your eggs to room temperature. Want vegan chocolate zucchini bread? Try swapping the eggs with flax eggs to make this zucchini chocolate bread vegan.
- Unsalted Almond Butter: You could also use cashew butter or any other nut or seed butter, if preferred.
- Pure maple syrup – Adds natural sweetness and extra moisture. You can sub with another liquid sweetener of your choice such as coconut nectar syrup, Lakanto Sugar-free maple syrup for low carb or honey if not vegan.
- Vanilla – adds flavor and makes this gluten-free chocolate zucchini bread delicious
Dry Ingredients
- Baking powder and baking soda: this combination of leaveners help the paleo chocolate zucchini bread rise
- Super fine almond flour: our favorite grain-free flour to use in place of all purpose flour.
- Coconut flour – another gluten-free flour that helps to provide the right structure when making gluten-free bread. We have not tested with any other flour combination for this bread recipe, but you may try subbing with tapioca flour or arrowroot starch if you don’t have any coconut flour on hand.
- Cacao powder OR unsweetened cocao powder – be sure to use a high quality brand for that extra rich chocolatey flavor.
- Ground cinnamon and sea salt – add flavor and balances out the sweetness
- Grated zucchini – adds moisture and a delicious way to sneak in some healthy greens, vitamins and antioxidants. Be sure to squeeze out the water from your grated zucchini after measuring. Wondering how to grate zucchini, check out the instructions here.
- Dairy-free chocolate chunks or vegan mini chocolate chips – we like Hu’s Kitchen Gems or Lily’s Sweet Chocolate Chips. Leave out or swap in nuts if you don’t love chocolate and zucchini together.
How to Make Zucchini Bread
Be sure to read all the step-by-step instructions and watch the video below to see how easy this is to make!
- Prepare for Baking: Lightly grease a 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan and preheat your oven to 350ºF.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs then whisk in the almond butter, applesauce, maple syrup, coconut sugar, apple cider vinegar and vanilla until well combined.
- Grate the zucchini using a box grater. Wrap the shredded zucchini in a kitchen towel, paper towels or a nut milk bag and squeeze well to remove the excess water. Drain and add the zucchini to the wet ingredients and stir to combine.
- Add the Dry Ingredients: Place a large mesh sieve on top of the bowl, and sift in 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, almond flour, coconut flour, cacao powder and salt and stir until the batter is well mixed. Fold in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips.
- Assemble: Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread it evenly. Top with more chocolate.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let Cool: Remove your bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for 35 minutes. Enjoy alone or with a smear of almond butter.
Tips for the Best Zucchini Bread
- Remove Moisture From Zucchini: It’s important to remove any water from your shredded zucchini to prevent the bread from getting soggy.
- Let Bread Cool Before Slicing: If your bread hasn’t completely cooled before you slice it, it could be too crumbly. Let it cool before serving so it’s nice and firm.
- Use Fresh Zucchini: This recipe is perfect for the summer in July when zucchini season is in full swing! In-season zucchini will give you the moistest, most delicious bread ever.
Variations
Want to switch up this zucchini recipe?
- Applesauce – swap out the apple sauce and use a mashed ripe banana or even pumpkin puree for a keto chocolate zucchini bread.
- Fresh or Frozen Berries – we love adding blueberries to add some extra moisture and sweetness.
- Pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds or flaxseeds – add an additional crunch and bumps up the protein.
- Nuts. We love adding chopped walnuts or pecans
- Spread a dollop or a smear of nut butter or dairy-free cream cheese on a slice for a delicious afternoon snack or after-dinner dessert
Frequently Asked Questions
Can this chocolate chip zucchini bread be made into muffins?
Yes, to make zucchini chocolate muffins, simply divide the batter evenly into muffin pans. Or you can even divide the batter into mini loaf pans for mini bread loaves.
How to Store this Chocolate Zucchini Loaf
You can store this bread by tightly wrapping it in plastic wrap or keeping it in an airtight container. It will stay fresh on the counter for up to 3 days. If you store it in the fridge, it will stay good for a few extra days!
Can you freeze Chocolate Zucchini Loaf?
If you’ve ever wondered if I can freeze zucchini bread, you definitely can. This gluten-free chocolate chunk bread is freezer friendly.
How to Freeze Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
If you want to freeze gluten free chocolate chip zucchini bread, I recommend wrapping it in a layer of aluminum foil followed by a layer of plastic wrap. It will stay good in the freezer for up to 2 months! When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen chocolate chip zucchini bread, just thaw it on the counter overnight before serving.
More zucchini recipes you might like:
Crispy Zucchini Fritters with Cheese
Extra Crispy Zucchini Fries
Recommended Tools You’ll Need For this Recipe:
This Chocolate Zucchini Breadis deliciously moist and the perfect healthy breakfast or snack to use up your summer zucchini. This quick bread recipe is easy to make with almond flour, maple syrup and bursting with a rich chocolate flavor. It's also paleo-friendly, gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free with low carb and keto sweetener options.
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 cup creamy almond butter
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce , may sub with mashed banana OR pumpkin puree for low carb / keto
- 1/3 cup maple syrup , may sub with SF liquid sweetener for keto
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar , may sub with granulated monk fruit sweetener for low carb
- 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup grated zucchini
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 2/3 cups superfine almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/3 cup cacao powder
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 3/4 cups dairy-free chocolate chips , divided ( we like Hu's Kitchen Gems or Lily's Sweets )
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and line an 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs then whisk in the almond butter, applesauce, maple syrup, coconut sugar, apple cider vinegar and vanilla until well combined.
Grate zucchini using a box grater. Wrap in a kitchen towel, paper towels or a nut milk bag and squeeze well to remove the excess water. Drain and add to the wet ingredients and stir to combine.
Place a large mesh sieve on top of the bowl, and sift in the baking soda, almond flour, coconut flour, cacao powder and salt and stir until the batter is well mixed. Fold in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips, reserving the rest for topping.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the rest of the chocolate chips on top.
Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before slicing.
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