Rich, moist, and ultra fudgy, this homemade chocolate zucchini bread recipe is perfect for a healthy breakfast or delicious dessert!
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Healthy chocolate zucchini loaf
This super easy chocolate zucchini bread packs in over a full cup of zucchini.
Sneaking the nutrition powerhouse zucchini into the recipe adds an incredible amount of softness and moisture, without all the extra fat and calories.
The chocolate loaf cake can be whole grain, vegan, gluten free, low fat, and egg free, with an out-of-this-world bold chocolate flavor!
Readers also love this Healthy Banana Bread
Above: Watch the video how to make chocolate zucchini bread
Add ins and topping ideas
Try stirring in a handful of crushed walnuts or almonds, toasted hazelnuts, roasted pecans, or shredded coconut with the dry ingredients.
Or add half a cup of finely chopped dates, pumpkin seeds, or chocolate chips.
After baking, spread slices with Homemade Nutella or almond butter, coconut butter, apple or pumpkin butter, cream cheese, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
The skinny chocolate zucchini bread is rich and sweet enough that you can easily serve it unfrosted if you prefer.
Death by chocolate zucchini cake
This is a really great way to use up extra zucchini.
The chocolate zucchini quick bread makes an amazing healthy dessert, perhaps with a side of Keto Ice Cream, or Coconut Ice Cream, or even Banana Ice Cream.
It’s also healthy enough for a filling breakfast packed with wholesome nutrition.
The absolute best part about this easy zucchini recipe is that it honestly tastes like actual chocolate cake!
The recipe was adapted from these Zucchini Brownies
How to make zucchini bread
Wash the zucchini, and cut off the edges. I find it easiest to grate zucchini by pulsing it in the food processor. You can shred it by hand with a box grater if you prefer.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan, then set it aside.
Stir all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl until evenly mixed. Add the wet ingredients, including the shredded zucchini, and stir to form a batter.
Smooth the chocolate batter into the prepared loaf pan, using a spoon or spatula. Press some extra chocolate chips into the top if you wish.
Bake the bread on the oven’s center rack for 55 minutes, then insert a toothpick into the center of the chocolate zucchini cake. If the toothpick comes out mostly clean, remove the baking pan from the oven.
Let cool completely. Then very loosely cover, allowing an opening for excess moisture to escape. If you can wait, I highly recommend letting the recipe sit a day before slicing, because the texture is better and the taste is so much richer!
After a day, store leftovers in the refrigerator for freshness. You can also slice and freeze leftover zucchini bread to have on hand for a quick breakfast in the future.
Chocolate zucchini bread ingredients
The recipe calls for flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, yogurt, eggs or flax eggs, oil, pure vanilla extract, and finely grated zucchini.
Use spelt, oat, or all purpose white flour for best results. I have not tried whole wheat flour here so cannot recommend it. Report back if you do experiment.
If you are looking for a paleo, grain free, flourless, or low carb bread recipe, you may like this Almond Flour Banana Bread or my Keto Pumpkin Bread.
For gluten free chocolate zucchini bread, use oat flour or certified gluten free oat flour. There’s also an oil free option for those who prefer a version without oil.
To achieve the richest flavor, I recommend a combination of regular unsweetened and Dutch cocoa powders. Dutch cocoa gives baked goods a deep brownie-like taste.
The sweetener can be regular white sugar, unrefined coconut sugar or date sugar, evaporated cane juice, or xylitol or granulated erythritol for a sugar free zucchini bread.
Leftover zucchini? Use it up in this Tofu Scramble
Substitutions for the yogurt or oil
No yogurt on hand? It works to substitute an equal amount of sour cream or coconut cream. If using coconut cream, feel free to replace the oil in the recipe with milk of choice or additional coconut cream.
Mashed banana is also a great substitute for the yogurt and turns the dessert into a wonderful chocolate banana zucchini bread.
For oil free chocolate zucchini bread, replace the oil with an equal amount of additional yogurt. I also once used softened almond butter instead of oil and loved the results.
Vegan chocolate zucchini bread
For a plant based version, I often use coconutmilk yogurt. Other nondairy yogurts, such as almond or soy yogurt, work as well.
The recipe already does not call for any butter. If adding chocolate chips, look for dairy free brands, which should be readily available at most grocery stores.
To make egg free zucchini bread, either use two flax eggs or replace the eggs with half a cup of additional nondairy yogurt. If using all yogurt instead of flax eggs, the loaf will not rise as much, but it’s still just as delicious!
Converting the recipe to gram measurements
If you prefer to use grams instead of cups, here are the measurements to use:
280 grams shredded zucchini, 30 grams cocoa powder, 10 grams Dutch process cocoa, 180g flour, 120 grams yogurt, 140 grams sugar, 50 grams oil, and 15 grams pure vanilla extract. Also remember to add in the other ingredients not measured in cups.
Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup spelt, white, or oat flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp Dutch or additional regular cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt, just over level
- 2/3 cup sugar, unrefined or xylitol if desired
- 1 1/4 cup finely grated zucchini (gram measurements listed above)
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt, dairy free if desired
- 1/4 cup oil, or additional yogurt for oil free
- 2 eggs or flax eggs (substitutions are listed above)
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup mini or regular chocolate chips, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan. Stir together all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients, and stir to form a batter. Smooth into the loaf pan. Press some extra chocolate chips into the top if desired. Bake on the center rack 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Once cooled, I highly recommend loosely covering with a cloth and letting sit overnight, either on the counter or in the fridge, because the flavor and texture are even better the next day!View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
More Easy Chocolate Desserts
I printed this in the morning and forgot it required Zucchini when I started making this after work. I winged an oil free zucchini free version and it turned out great! Here’s what I did if anyone is interested…. Thanks for the base recipe! I love your site and that you give lots of alternatives for different diets!!!
1-1/4 C Oat Flour
1/4 C + 2 TBS Cocoa Powder
3/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
2/3 C Brown Sugar
1/4 C Cinnamon Apple Sauce
1/4 C Canned Pumpkin
Bake in 8 x 8 pan @ 350 for 20 mins
Ha wow that sounds amazing!
My son licked the bowl clean! I told him there were zucchinis in it and he didn’t believe me. He got mad at me for lying to him!
This is really delicious. I used white flour and olive oil ail. I used monk fruit instead of sugar. In one world delicious!!! Doesn’t taste “healthy “. I used an 8×8 pan am the same baking time listed. I couldn’t wait until tomorrow to try a piece so I had one when it cooled off. Waiting for tomorrow to see how it is refrigerated all night. Thanks for the recipe!
I made this bread last night, and it is delicious! I used oat flour and coconut sugar. It is so moist and chocolaty.
So I’m notorious for changing recipes as I follow them, but this one I followed very closely. I was disappointed that the cake sank so much in the middle! But, I left it in the fridge for the next day before I served it to friends. Despite the sinking, IT WAS DELICIOUS! I will totally make it again! I’m just not sure if the sinking is an issue with my oven cooking too cool, or if it’s because there’s no egg?
Hmm, I’ve never had mine sink before so it’s definitely not the egg. What flour and other ingredients did you use? Definitely could have been an oven or even a climate issue! Glad it turned out well in any case 🙂
Jason
I’ve cooked this dozens of times and every time it sinks!
The only time it didn’t was when I subbed spelt for gluten free self raising.
I’ve tried everything – leaving it in the oven overnight after cooking, more baking powder, NOT opening the oven (at all – turning it off at 60 mins and just leaving it).
I have no idea why…
Hi Sal! Are you in a humid climate? And is your oven calibrated? Baking loaves at too low a temperature can cause them to not rise enough in the beginning. You can also try using thinner zucchini (less moisture) and a little more flour. How does the loaf taste?
Thank You for this delicious recipe. I wanted to tell you I used shredded carrots, beets and apple left over Friday m my juicer after making juice I. Place of the zucchini. I added one ripe banana and reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup. Might try reducing the sugar further next time but it was delicious! I am always looking for ways to use my veggies leftover from my juicer! Thank You
That sounds so amazing!
I took the no oil version to a vegan pot-luck and it was a BIG hit!! I have since made 4 more loaves for some non-vegan friends. Everyone raves about it.
Made this recipe with the oil and actually used plain Greek yogurt instead of plain yogurt. It turned out good and my daughter really liked it. I tried a piece both the night I made it and then I put in fridge and covered with saran wrap and ate another piece the next day – SO MUCH BETTER AND RICHER AND FLAVORFUL and all the good words. Not that it wasn’t good the first night, but as you said, stick in the fridge and wait – AND I DID, AND IT WAS EVEN MORE GREAT!
Can I put the batter in muffin cups instead of a loaf pan?
You could, just baking time would probably be less!
Jason
Did you try this and how many minutes did it take?
I tried this. I baked for 18 minutes at the 350° And then let rest die the 5 minutes with oven off.
OMG OMG OMG I made this tonight and it’s rich, super moist and soooooooo good!!
I had to use light sour cream because I didn’t have any yogurt and left it in 5 minutes longer…PERFECTION. I cooled in fridge for 40 minutes before serving and it was slightly warm with melty chocolate chips. Everyone LOVED and I had 3 pieces.
THANK YOU FOR THIS RECIPE