Like my chocolate zucchini cake, this moist and fudge-like double chocolate zucchini bread raises a huge question: How on earth is there a vegetable in THIS?! Readers have loved this recipe for years, and it’s on my menu all summer long when zucchini is plentiful.
I originally published this recipe in 2015 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more success tips. I also made a few small changes to the recipe to yield a more moist, flavorful loaf.
One reader, Kristin, commented: “I never review recipes, but had to write one for this one. This bread, cake, dessert—whatever you want to call it—is fabulous! Just the right amount of sweet, chocolate, and is perfectly moist. I have made it for different people (just in the last two weeks because I can’t stop thinking about it) and everyone has loved it. I made no substitutions to anything and it was perfect… ★★★★★”
I firmly believe that the biggest baking mistake one could ever make is… not doubling today’s recipe. After 1 slice, you’ll instantly realize you need far more than 1 loaf of this chocolate bliss. With its moist and rich fudge-like crumb, deep chocolate flavor, and melty chocolate chips inside, it’s almost impossible to believe there’s zucchini in the batter.
One reader, Deb, commented: “Wow! I made this today and it is sooo good! Even my guys (who don’t want anything to do with zucchini) LOVED it! No one can believe there is shredded zucchini in it. One mistake I made—I only made one. ★★★★★“
Here’s What You’ll Love About This Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Batter comes together quickly and easily
- Sneaks in veggies (which, along with the Greek yogurt, make it one of my healthier dessert recipe ideas)
- Freezes well—make several loaves when zucchini is plentiful, and freeze for future chocolate cravings
- Use this recipe for muffins or cupcakes, too
- Super moist and deeply chocolatey—just read the reviews!
Why Bake With Zucchini?
If you’re new to combining zucchini + chocolate, welcome to the not-so-secret club!
Zucchini is one of my favorite baking ingredients and I have a lot of published recipes using this summer vegetable. My recipes for zucchini bread and zucchini muffins are both incredibly popular with readers, and you’ll find a whopping 3 cups of the nutrition-boosting green shreds in my chocolate zucchini cake, but only if you are looking for it—no one will know if you don’t tell them!
It sounds odd to bake with a green vegetable, but here’s why you should:
- There are only so many zucchini side dishes to make (looking at you, zucchini casserole). Zucchini is abundant in the summer months, so sneaking it into baked goods is a great way to use up a bounty of squash.
- Zucchini adds flavorless moisture. We’re talking pure moisture with zero savory vegetable flavor. You’ve had carrot cake, right? Well, zucchini adds even more moisture and hides even better!
Once you’re convinced, try this zucchini cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting next. For even more inspiration, see all my favorite zucchini recipes—both sweet and savory! You absolutely don’t want to miss these savory zucchini biscuits.
Success Tip: Shredding Zucchini
Today’s zucchini bread comes together in just minutes with simple kitchen tools including a couple bowls, a whisk, and a 9×5-inch loaf pan or an 8×4-inch loaf pan like this one or this one. You also need a grater to shred the zucchini. If you’re looking for recommendations, I own and love this box grater because it’s easy to use, grates quickly, and has held up well with regular use. It’s what I use when making zucchini fritters, too.
Key Ingredients You Need & Why
- Zucchini: Zucchini can vary in size, but 1 medium zucchini is plenty for this recipe. You need 1 and 1/2 cups shredded, which is about 180g, depending on how tightly you pack it.
- Flour: Doesn’t seem like a lot of flour, and it’s not. Keep in mind there’s also cocoa powder which is another dry ingredient. Most of the volume is the zucchini!
- Cocoa Powder: Make sure to use unsweetened natural cocoa powder, not Dutch-process, in this recipe. Read about the difference between Dutch-process vs natural cocoa powder.
- Instant Coffee/Espresso Powder: A little espresso powder gives this double chocolate zucchini bread the richest-tasting chocolate flavor; the bread doesn’t taste like coffee, rather, the espresso powder deepens the flavor of the cocoa. It’s a trick I use in chocolate chess pie and chocolate cake, too. You can find it in the coffee aisle at the grocery store or online.
- Chocolate Chips: Chocolate chips provide some sweetness, while also creating melty pockets of chocolate throughout every slice.
- Oil: I prefer to use oil in my quick breads, like in strawberry bread and peach quick bread, because of the unparalleled moisture it provides. Lately I’ve been making this chocolate zucchini bread with melted coconut oil.
- Plain Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt adds protein, while also adding tenderness. I always use nonfat here, but you can use low-fat or full-fat Greek yogurt, or regular yogurt, if you prefer.
You also need 2 eggs, baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla, and sugar.
If you love this recipe, you’ll also love my double chocolate banana bread which uses many of the same ingredients. And if you like some peanut butter with your chocolate, my peanut butter chocolate chip zucchini bread is right up your alley!
If you don’t have or don’t want to use coconut oil, a neutral oil such as vegetable oil works instead. Expect a very, very thick batter:
The bread takes about 50 minutes to bake. Begin checking at 45 minutes, though, just in case your oven works extra hard!
While it’s incredibly tempting to slice right into this double chocolate zucchini bread while it’s warm, try to resist. I’ve found that with most baked goods starring zucchini, the flavor is noticeably better once it’s completely cooled. This goes for zucchini oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, too.
You can peel the zucchini if you’d like, but I never do. There’s no taste or texture difference. If you’re worried that picky eaters will be suspicious, peeling the zucchini will prevent any trace of green specks sharp eyes might detect.
Slice the bottom end off of the zucchini, hold onto the stem end, and scrape the squash against the shredder side of a box grater like this one until you get to the stem you’re holding. The shredder side is the one with the largest holes.
When I first published this recipe in 2015, I included a step for blotting some moisture out of the zucchini. I don’t find this necessary anymore. In fact, you WANT that extra moisture in every single slice. Just shred the zucchini and add right to the batter.
Fan-Favorite Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 1 loaf; 10 slices
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This double chocolate zucchini bread is moist and fudge-like, and comes together quickly with a couple bowls and a whisk. Readers have loved this recipe for years, and it’s on my menu all summer long when zucchini is plentiful. See recipe Notes for freezing and doubling instructions.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 cup (41g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch process)*
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder*
- 3/4 cup (135g) semi-sweet chocolate chips*
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- 1/3 cup (80g) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream*
- 2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) shredded zucchini (no need to blot)*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or 8×4-inch loaf pan (for a taller loaf) with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder together until combined. Mix in the chocolate chips. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, yogurt, granulated sugar, and vanilla together until combined. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently whisk to combine. Fold in the zucchini. The batter is very thick.
- Bake for 45–55 minutes, making sure to loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent the top from over-cooking. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with only a few small moist crumbs. The 9×5-inch pan takes closer to 45 minutes, and the 8×4-inch pan takes closer to 55 minutes. All ovens vary, so begin checking around the 45-minute mark.
- Remove bread from the oven and allow the bread to cool in the pan set on a wire rack for 1 hour. While it’s still warm, I gently press a few more chocolate chips into the top; this is optional and only for looks.
- Remove bread from the pan and place the loaf directly on the wire rack to cool completely.
- Cover and store bread at room temperature for 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Freeze baked & cooled loaf, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. If desired, bring to room temperature before serving. To learn more details about how to freeze quick breads, see my post called Make-Ahead Baking.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×5-inch Loaf Pan or 8×4-inch Loaf Pan | Box Grater | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack
- Double the Recipe: You can double the recipe by doubling all of the ingredients and dividing the batter between 2 loaf pans. If the batter seems much too thick, you can add a splash of milk.
- Chocolate Zucchini Muffins: Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C) and spray a 12-count pan with nonstick spray or line with cupcake liners. Prepare batter as directed above, fill each liner to the top with batter and bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C). Then, keeping the muffins in the oven, lower the temperature to 350°F (177°C) and continue to bake for an additional 14–15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Makes 10–12 muffins.
- Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a 12-count pan with cupcake liners. Prepare batter as directed above, fill each liner 2/3 full with batter and bake for 19–20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely, then frost with chocolate buttercream. Makes 12 cupcakes.
- Cocoa Powder: Use natural cocoa powder, not Dutch-process. See Dutch-process vs natural cocoa powder for more information.
- Espresso Powder: Espresso powder deepens the chocolate flavor. You can find espresso powder in the coffee aisle at the grocery store or online. You can skip it or use 1 teaspoon of instant coffee powder instead.
- Chocolate Chips: Don’t leave these out! They sweeten the bread and give the bread more chocolate flavor. The bread is a little bland without them.
- Yogurt: I usually use nonfat plain Greek yogurt. You can use full-fat, low-fat, or even vanilla Greek yogurt instead. Or use regular plain yogurt, or sour cream. Prior to 2023, this recipe called for 1/4 cup (60g) yogurt, but I now use 1/3 cup (80g) as listed above. Extra moisture!
- Sugar: For a sweeter bread, use 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar.
- Zucchini: I do not peel the zucchini before shredding, but you certainly can if you’d like. I like to use a box grater for shredding zucchini. Zucchini can vary in size, but 1 medium zucchini is plenty for this recipe. If using frozen zucchini, thaw first and lightly blot before using.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 246
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 76.4 mg
- Fat: 11.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 33.2 g
- Protein: 5.4 g
- Cholesterol: 37.6 mg
Reader Comments and Reviews
Delicious! Did not change recipe at all. :). Love heating it up in the microwave so the chocolate chips are all merry and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, makes for a perfect dessert.
OMG the CHOCOLATE! Made the bread, made some muffins…. am making more muffins as we speak… great great recipe. Added some walnuts, for guy who loves them.
I never review recipes, but had to write one for this one. This bread, cake, dessert – whatever you want to call it – is fabulous! Just the right amount of sweet, chocolate and is perfectly moist. I have made it for different people (just in the last two weeks because I can’t stop thinking about it) and everyone has loved it. I made no substitutions to anything and it was perfect. I usually tweak recipes I find online, but have never had to tweak any of yours. Thank you for sharing your recipes with us! Keep them coming!
Great recipe for zucchini “bread”. Not sure I’d call it bread (I guess it is because it is in a loaf pan) because it is a great dessert. If you love dark chocolaty desserts, you’ll love this one. It is moist and especially great with the chocolate chip nuggets.
Question! I have to avoid dairy and I live in Guatemala, where it’s basically impossible to find vegan yogurt. Instead of yogurt, could I possibly use another form of oil instead such as coconut oil? Or coconut cream? What do you think? I’m mainly concerned about the consistency.
Hi Jasmine! We haven’t tested vegan substitutes. Something thicker like yogurt would work best.
Absolutely delicious!
What is the calorie count in a slice? Thanks.
WOW! I’ve been baking for55 years. I have 3 all time favs for go to choc cake for whatever use; ice cream cakes, basic choc.cake with an icing and this is my third!
I used a super fine grate on the side of my box grater, added 60% Ghiradelli large chips in the batter; baked as Sally suggested, 435 for the first 5 mins. and 350 for 14-15 more mins. I baked them for 14. Came out to cool, but right away sprinkled Neilson’s Chipits mini semi-sweet chips on top. They did melt and stick to the cupcake but the top of the Chipits retained their shape making them appear bakery worthy.
Thx Sally. Every single one of your recipes turns out wonderfully!
I made the cupcakes with gluten free flour and they turned out great! Do you you have suggested bake times for mini loafs of bread?
Thank you!
I used mini loaf pans today and they took about 28 minutes 🙂
This bread is delicious. My kids devour this, too. I especially like the notes and explanations you give throughout the recipes.
loved this recipe so much! made it with black cocoa — omg, it is amazing!!!
Making this recipe as muffins for the second time in a week. Everyone loves them!
I loved this recipe its easy and my husband loved it I will definitely be making this again
Wow! I made this today and it is sooo good! Even my guys (who don’t want anything to do with zucchini) LOVED it! No one can believe there is shredded zucchini in it. One mistake I made – I only made one. I’m going to make several now that the zucchini is ready and freeze them for the middle of winter. Thanks for the great recipe!!
I just made this with zucchinis from our garden! You are right I should have made 2 loaves! Once it cooled I enjoyed 2 slices. It’s absolutely delicious, not overly sweet, and looks so gourmet! I love vegetables and I did use sour cream rather than yogurt because that’s what I had in my fridge and you cannot tell any difference! Another hit Sally, thank you!
My son is allergic to eggs. What would you recommend as the best substitute for the eggs in this recipe? (and what quantity)
Hi Shana, we haven’t tested any egg substitutes in this recipe so we’re unsure of the best option. If you give anything a try, we’d love to know how it goes! In the meantime, here are all of our egg-free recipes.
Can i use coconut oil in this recipe?
Hi K, yes, you can use melted coconut oil in place of the vegetable oil.
So good! I made as a dozen muffins (used vanilla Greek yogurt) with a very ripe zucchini. Followed recipe as is. Easy easy to put together and it is really fudgy! Sally knows what’s up! Can’t even tell it’s zucchini.
Can you use avocado or grapeseed, or olive oil instead of vegetable or canola? thanks!
Hi Brenda, you can definitely try any of those. Just choose an oil that doesn’t have a strong flavor.
I would like to make mini bread loafs. Can you tell me how long to bake them?
Hi Joyce, the bake time required will depend on the size of your mini loaves (the sizes vary greatly!), so keep an eye on them as they bake and use a toothpick to test for doneness. Hope they’re a hit!
Help! I mistakenly looked at the ingredient below flour and put in 225 grams of flour in instead of 125 grams, but everything else was measured correctly. I only noticed when I added the wet ingredients and realized it was way too thick! Is there any way to salvage this or use it for something else? I was also have just the dry ingredients (with the extra flour) without the wet because I was preparing two batches. Can either/or be saved? I re-did everything and the fixed versions are in the oven now, and your recipes are always winners so I’m sure they’ll be terrific! Just hoping I can still do something with the “oops” batter and dry ingredient mix!! Thanks!
Hi NP, unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do at this point for the mixed batter. For the dry ingredients, you could try to add additional amounts of other ingredients to proportionally match the added flour. Hope you enjoyed the bread!
Quick question: several of the ingredient have an * next to them; however, I can not find a correlating footnote. What does the * mean?
See recipe notes!
I would love to add even more chocolatey taste by using a chocolate glaze or frosting. Can you suggest a chocolate glaze or frosting that can be used for this loaf?
Hi Rose, you may enjoy the dark chocolate glaze from our baked banana donuts! Enjoy!
Hi there! I am wondering if I can use caffeine free instant coffee to avoid the caffeine… would this still work?
Hi Sarah, that should be fine. You can also leave it out!
Hello hello hello… was in the kitchen today using up some of the abundant zucchini we got this year from the garden . Used your recipe for both the double chocolate and the regular spice zucchini bread. They both were delicious, but I must say as much as I am a chocolate girl the spice zucchini bread was knock you down awesome!!! I added the walnuts , gave the bread. Just the right texture!!! Thanks so much for some great recipes !!!
I have just baked the zucchini bread. It is so mosit and tase exceptionally good. My husband kept on eating them once it is ready to cut out. I have followed all the steps and they are very easy. However, it took 1 hour for me to bake. thank you
can i substitute yogurt with apple sauce ?????
We haven’t tested it but applesauce could definitely work here – let us know if you give it a try!
This recipe is great. I added chopped walnuts, with the chocolate chips. Very tasty.
Can I used chopped semi chocolate instead of the chocolate chips?
Absolutely!
Have you tried making a gluten free option of this recipe?
We haven’t tested this recipe with gluten free flours, but some readers have reported success using 1:1 flour substitutes (like Cup4Cup). If you try it, let us know how it goes!