Quick Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

If you ask me, sneaking vegetables into baked goods is one of the best kitchen tricks ever.

This double chocolate zucchini bread combines everything you love about a rich, chocolatey treat with the goodness of fresh garden zucchini. The shredded zucchini melts right into the batter, keeping the bread moist while adding a subtle nutrition boost.

It’s loaded with cocoa powder and chocolate chips, making each slice feel like an indulgent dessert rather than a veggie-packed snack. The simple ingredients come together to create something that both kids and adults reach for.

It’s a crowd-pleasing recipe that works any time of day, perfect for breakfast, afternoon snacks, or dessert.

What Kind of Zucchini Should I Use?

For zucchini bread, medium-sized zucchini (about 6-8 inches long) are your best bet since they’re tender and have smaller seeds than larger ones. If you can only find large zucchini at the store, they’ll work too – just cut them lengthwise and scoop out the seedy center before grating. Fresh summer zucchini are great, but you can make this bread year-round with store-bought ones. When grating, use the large holes of a box grater and don’t worry about squeezing out the moisture – the natural water content actually helps keep the bread moist and tender.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe has several ingredients that you can swap if needed. Here’s what works:

• All-purpose flour: You can use whole wheat flour for a nuttier taste (though the bread might be slightly denser), or gluten-free all-purpose flour blend with xanthan gum for a gluten-free version.
• Natural cocoa powder: This is important to keep as natural (not Dutch-processed) since it reacts with the baking soda. Dutch-processed cocoa will affect the rise of your bread.
• Greek yogurt/sour cream: These are interchangeable with each other, or you can use plain regular yogurt (strain it first), or buttermilk as alternatives.
• Vegetable oil: Any neutral oil works here – canola, melted coconut oil, or even light olive oil. Melted butter is also fine but might make the bread slightly less moist.
• Chocolate chips: Feel free to use dark, milk, or white chocolate chips, or even chopped chocolate bars. Nuts like walnuts or pecans make good additions too.
• Instant coffee powder: This is optional and can be skipped, or replaced with espresso powder. It’s just there to boost the chocolate flavor.
• Zucchini: While zucchini is key to this recipe’s moisture, you can swap it with yellow summer squash – it works exactly the same way.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making zucchini bread is over-mixing the batter – stop stirring as soon as the dry ingredients are incorporated to keep your bread tender and prevent it from becoming tough and dense. Another common error is squeezing out the moisture from the zucchini, which isn’t necessary for this recipe and actually helps create a perfectly moist bread. When measuring your cocoa powder, avoid the temptation to pack it into the measuring cup – instead, spoon it in and level it off, as packed cocoa powder can make your bread too dry and bitter. For the best chocolate flavor, don’t skip the instant coffee powder – it won’t make your bread taste like coffee, but it deepens the chocolate taste and makes it even more delicious. Finally, check your bread about 5 minutes before the recommended baking time, as ovens vary and overbaking can lead to a dry loaf.

What to Serve With Chocolate Zucchini Bread?

This rich chocolate zucchini bread is perfect for breakfast or as an afternoon snack with a hot cup of coffee or cold glass of milk. For breakfast, try serving a warm slice with a dollop of cream cheese or butter, and pair it with some fresh berries on the side for a nice balance of flavors. If you’re enjoying it as a dessert, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top while the bread is still slightly warm – the ice cream will start to melt just a bit, creating an amazing combination. You can also serve it alongside a hot cup of tea or hot chocolate for the ultimate cozy treat.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This chocolate zucchini bread stays moist and yummy at room temperature for up to 3 days. Just wrap it well in plastic wrap or keep it in an airtight container. If your kitchen is warm, you might want to pop it in the fridge where it’ll stay good for up to a week.

Freeze: Want to save some for later? Cut the cooled bread into slices, place some parchment paper between each slice, and freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. This way, you can grab just one slice whenever you’re craving something chocolatey!

Thaw & Enjoy: When you’re ready for a slice, let it thaw at room temperature for about an hour. If you like it warm (and who doesn’t?), give it a quick 10-15 second zap in the microwave – it’ll make those chocolate chips all melty and wonderful again.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	45-55 minutes
Total Time	60-75 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1500-1700
• Protein: 30-35 g
• Fat: 60-70 g
• Carbohydrates: 220-240 g

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (125g, spooned and leveled)
• 1/2 cup natural cocoa powder (41g, not dutch processed)
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee powder
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (135g)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup vegetable or melted coconut oil (60ml)
• 1/3 cup plain greek yogurt or sour cream (80g)
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar (135g)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 1/2 cups grated zucchini (180g, no blotting needed)

Step 1: Prepare the Baking Equipment

Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C).

Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or an 8×4-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray, based on your preference for loaf height.

Set the prepared pan aside.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder until well combined.

Stir in the chocolate chips to evenly distribute them throughout the dry mixture.

Set this bowl aside.

Step 3: Combine the Wet Ingredients

In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, yogurt, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract together until they are fully combined.

This mixture should have a uniform texture.

Step 4: Make the Batter

Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients.

Gently whisk until they are just combined, being careful to not overmix.

Fold in the grated zucchini, which will make the batter thick.

Ensure all ingredients are fully incorporated.

Step 5: Bake the Bread

Pour the thick batter into your prepared loaf pan.

Place it in the preheated oven and bake for 45–55 minutes.

At the halfway mark, loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil to prevent the top from becoming overcooked.

The bread is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.

Step 6: Cool and Serve

Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 1 hour.

While it’s still warm, you can optionally press a few more chocolate chips into the top for decoration.

Then, remove the bread from the pan and place it directly on the wire rack to cool completely.

Step 7: Storage Instructions

Once completely cooled, cover and store the bread at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Alternatively, you can refrigerate it for up to 1 week.

Enjoy your delicious homemade chocolate zucchini bread!