This Healthy Zucchini Bread is deliciously soft, moist and easy to make with simple wholesome ingredients. It’s made with almond flour and naturally sweetened without any refined sugars or wheat. This gluten-free quick bread recipe is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack and is also grain-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free and paleo-friendly.
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Updated July 2023
Healthy Zucchini Bread: A Delicious and Nutritious Treat
Are you craving a delicious and guilt-free treat that’s perfect for breakfast, snack time, or dessert? Look no further than this mouthwatering Healthy Zucchini Bread recipe! Packed with wholesome ingredients and delightful flavors, this zucchini bread will satisfy your sweet tooth without compromising your health goals. Plus, it’s an excellent way to sneak in some veggies, making it a perfect option for kids and picky eaters too.
Whether you’re looking for a nourishing breakfast, a satisfying snack, or a wholesome dessert, this zucchini banana bread fits the bill. Plus, it’s a great way to use up that abundant zucchini from your summer garden or the farmer’s market.
Recipe Ingredients you need:
Most zucchini banana bread recipes are typically made with a combination of all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter and milk. To keep this chocolate chip zucchini bread healthy and paleo-friendly, we are using:
Wet Ingredients
- Banana: The small, ripe banana acts as a natural sweetener, adding a lovely sweetness to the bread without the need for excessive sugar. You can also use applesauce or pumpkin puree for a keto-friendly version.
- Eggs: Eggs not only provide structure and stability to the bread but also offer a good dose of protein and essential nutrients. Want vegan zucchini bread? Try swapping the eggs with flax eggs to make this zucchini bread vegan.
- Maple Syrup: For a touch of sweetness, we use pure maple syrup. If you’re following a keto diet, you can opt for sugar-free maple syrup or your preferred liquid sweetener.
- Almond Butter: Creamy unsalted almond butter lends richness and a nutty flavor to the bread, enhancing its taste and texture. You could also use cashew butter or any other nut or seed butter, if preferred.
- Coconut Oil: The melted coconut oil (or another neutral-tasting oil) keeps the bread moist and adds a subtle hint of coconut flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: A dash of vanilla extract elevates the overall taste, making this zucchini bread even more delightful.
Dry Ingredients
- Almond Flour and Coconut Flour: These gluten-free flours serve as the base, giving the bread a tender crumb and nutty taste.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: These leavening agents help the bread rise and become light and fluffy.
- Fine Sea Salt: Just a pinch of salt balances the flavors and enhances the sweetness of the bread.
- Ground Cinnamon: A warm and comforting spice that complements the zucchini and chocolate perfectly.
- Grated Zucchini: This is the star of the show! Zucchini adds moisture and a nutritious boost to the bread, while its mild flavor blends seamlessly with the other ingredients. Wondering how to grate zucchini, check out the instructions here.
- Dairy-free Chocolate Chunks: Who can resist the combination of zucchini and chocolate? These delightful gems take the bread to the next level, making it an indulgence you can feel good about.
Instructions: How to make Zucchini Bread
- 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, mash the banana and whisk in the eggs, maple syrup, melted coconut oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, until combined.
- Add the Dry Ingredients: Place a large mesh sieve on top of the bowl, and sift in the 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 3/4 tsp baking soda, almond flour, coconut flour, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and salt and stir until the batter is well mixed.
- 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 fold in the zucchini, followed by the 1/2 cup 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 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let Cool: Remove your bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for 35 minutes. Flip it out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Tips for Success
Achieving the best results with this Healthy Zucchini Bread is a breeze with these helpful tips:
- 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.
- For a keto-friendly version, feel free to use applesauce or pumpkin puree instead of the mashed banana and opt for a sugar-free maple syrup.
- To keep the bread dairy-free, choose chocolate chunks or chips that are free from any milk products.
Why you’ll love this simple recipe
- A simple and delicious treat that is made in just one bowl
- Uses simple pantry-friendly items from your kitchen
- Perfect for using up the abundance amount of July and August zucchini
- Every bite of this bread is filled with bursts of zucchini with dark chocolate. It’s so yummy and hard to believe that it’s made without any gluten or refined-sugar.
What makes this healthy?
- Made with wholesome ingredients like almond flour, coconut flour and maple syrup instead of refined flours and sugars.
- Grain-free, dairy-free and paleo-friendly.
- Totally kid-friendly and includes a keto-friendly sweetener option. All you have to do is make a few simple substitutions. Use Lakanto Sugar-Free maple syrup and trade in the bananas for pumpkin puree.
Variations and Substitutions: Get Creative
Feel free to put your own spin on this recipe and make it your own! Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Nutty Delight: Add a handful of chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans for some extra crunch and nuttiness.
- Fruitful Twist: Mix in some dried fruits such as raisins, cranberries, or chopped apricots to enhance the flavor and texture.
- Citrus Zest: Add a touch of freshness with some grated lemon or orange zest.
- Spice it Up: For a more adventurous flavor, sprinkle a pinch of nutmeg or ginger into the batter
- Banana: Swap out the banana and make your zucchini bread with applesauce or even pumpkin puree for a keto 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.
- 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
With these options, you can create a variety of zucchini bread versions to suit your preferences and keep things exciting.
Serving Suggestions: Enjoy Every Slice
This Healthy Zucchini Bread is delightful on its own, but you can take it to the next level by spreading a dollop of almond or cashew butter on top. Pair it with a warm cup of herbal tea or your favorite dairy-free milk for a cozy and satisfying snack or breakfast option.
Storage Instructions
If you manage to resist eating the whole loaf at once, you can store the cooled zucchini bread in wrapped n plastic wrap or keep it an airtight container at room temperature. 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 Zucchini Bread be Frozen?
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: If you want to freeze gluten free zucchini bread, we 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!
How to thaw: When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen zucchini bread, just thaw it on the counter overnight before serving.
Can Zucchini Bread be made into muffins?
Yes, to make zucchini bread muffins, check out our recipe here where we divide the batter evenly into muffin pans to make zucchini muffins. Or you can even divide the batter into mini loaf pans for mini bread loaves.
More healthy zucchini recipes you might like:
Crispy Zucchini Fritters with Cheese
Extra Crispy Zucchini Fries
Crispy Zucchini Chips
Recommended Tools You’ll Need For this Recipe:
This Healthy Zucchini Bread is deliciously soft, moist and easy to make with simple wholesome ingredients. It's made with almond flour and naturally sweetened without any refined sugars or wheat. This gluten-free quick bread recipe is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack and is also grain-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free and paleo-friendly.
- 1 small very ripe banana , mashed, about 1/3 cup. May sub with 1/3 cup applesauce or 1/3 cup pumpkin puree for keto.
- 3 large eggs , room temperature
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup , for Keto, sub with 3 tbsp Lakanto Sugar-free maple syrup or preferred liquid sweetener.
- 2 tbsp creamy unsalted almond butter , or cashew butter
- 2 tbsp melted coconut oil OR another neutral tasting oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups superfine blanched almond flour
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup grated zucchini , be sure to squeeze out as much water as possible after measuring
- 2/3 cup dairy-free chocolate chunks or chocolate chips , plus more for topping - we like Hu's Kitchen Gems or Lily's Sweets
Lightly grease an 8.5"x4.5" loaf pan and preheat oven to 350ºF.
In a large mixing bowl, mash the banana and whisk in the eggs, maple syrup, almond butter, melted coconut oil and vanilla, until combined.
Place a large sieve over the bowl and sift in the baking soda, baking powder, almond flour, coconut flour, cinnamon and salt and mix until the batter is uniform.
Grate 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 to the batter and stir to combine.
Fold in the chocolate chunks or chips. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread it evenly. Top with more chocolate.
Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 35 minutes. Flip out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.
How to store: Start by tightly wrapping this healthy zucchini loaf in plastic wrap or keep 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!
How to freeze: Wrap the loaf 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!
How to thaw: When you're ready to enjoy your frozen zucchini bread, just thaw it on the counter overnight before serving.
Disclaimer: This updated post was generated on July 26, 2023 by ChatGPT, an AI language model, and all info should be reviewed and validated by a human for accuracy and relevancy before implementation.
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