Chocolate Zucchini Bread is a moist chocolate zucchini bread recipe that’s full of chocolate chunks and nuts. This easy zucchini bread recipe makes a great breakfast, snack, or dessert!
Every summer, I wish that I had a garden overflowing with zucchini. I love zucchini in all sorts of recipes, and I look forward to making zucchini bread every year.
I also use zucchini to make muffins, frittatas, and zoodles. I wish that I had the space to grow a big patch of it! Instead, I settle for loading up on zucchini when it’s on sale to make treats like this Chocolate Zucchini Bread.
This bread is a family favorite. It’s moist and has a delicious chocolate crust and is full of chocolate chunks and chopped nuts.
It’s the perfect treat to whip up when you find yourself with some extra zucchini.
“Delicious! Family loved it. Moist and rich.” – Susan
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Oil: Feel free to substitute a similar oil like olive oil or canola oil.
- Buttermilk: Regular or low-fat buttermilk will work. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a homemade buttermilk substitute.
- Chocolate chunks: Milk chocolate chunks will give you a sweeter bread and bittersweet chocolate chunks will give you a less sweet loaf. Chocolate chips could also be used in place of the chocolate chunks.
- Nuts: If you don’t like nuts, you can either leave them out, or you can add in more chocolate chunks.
How to make chocolate zucchini bread
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients is given below.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, buttermilk, and granulated sugar until well-combined.
Step 3: Whisk in eggs and vanilla extract until incorporated.
Step 4: Add the zucchini, and whisk until combined.
Step 5: Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until just combined.
Step 6: Whisk in the chocolate chunks and chopped nuts.
Step 7: Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Step 8: Bake 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the bread starts to brown too quickly, tent with aluminum foil.
Step 9: Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.
Step 10: Remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
Recipe Tips!
- Mixing by hand: This is a really easy chocolate zucchini bread recipe. You just whisk everything together. I recommend mixing by hand to avoid overmixing the bread.
- Freezing: You can freeze this zucchini bread. Either wrap slices of zucchini bread in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer-safe container or tightly wrap a loaf in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container.
Storage
Store any leftover chocolate zucchini bread in an airtight container at room temperature. The bread will keep for 2-3 days when properly stored.
For longer storage, store the airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for 3-4 days when stored in the fridge.
More zucchini bread recipes!
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Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Equipment
- 9×5 loaf pan
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup zucchini grated squeezed then measured
- 1 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, buttermilk, and granulated sugar until well-combined.1/3 cup vegetable oil, 2/3 cup buttermilk, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Whisk in eggs and vanilla extract until incorporated.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the zucchini, and whisk until combined.1 cup zucchini grated
- Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until just combined.1 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Whisk in the chocolate chunks and chopped nuts.3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chunks, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.
- Remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
Video
Notes
- Oil: Feel free to substitute a similar oil like olive oil or canola oil.
- Buttermilk: Regular or low-fat buttermilk will work. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a homemade buttermilk substitute.
- Chocolate chunks: Milk chocolate chunks will give you a sweeter bread and bittersweet chocolate chunks will give you a less sweet loaf. Chocolate chips could also be used in place of the chocolate chunks.
- Nuts: If you don’t like nuts, you can either leave them out, or you can add in more chocolate chunks.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Originally published 5/22/2017. This recipe is regularly updated.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Sandra Parker says
Love the bread! I used bread flour and it worked very well,
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad! And thank you for commenting! =)
Kylee says
This is the zucchini bread recipe I’ve been searching for! The bread is perfect, can’t wait to make another loaf. I’m also trying your zucchini bread recipe. Thanks!
Kate says
So glad that you found it! I hope you enjoy the zucchini bread, too! We love both recipes. =) Thanks for commenting!
Jodi says
This bread is awesome! My husband hid the bread from me and told me to make another loaf! Definately me favorite (and my husbands) by far. Thanks!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you two liked it! That sounds like my house! I know that something is good when people start hiding it. =) Thank you for taking the time to come back to comment!
Amber Thayer says
Second time making this recipe this week! So good! I make it in an 8×8 square pan and everyone thinks it’s brownies! Soooo good!
Kate says
Thank you so much! That’s a helpful note! I get questions about baking with different pans, and it’s always nice to hear what else works. Thanks for commenting! =)
Maggie says
This is a really lovely zucchini bread! It is moist and delicious. Thank you!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m glad you liked it! =)
Susan Bates-Ballentine says
Delicious! Family loved it. Moist and rich.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that your family liked it! Thanks for taking the time to comment! =)
Jenny says
I just made this bread, and it is amazing!!! Thanks for the recipe!
Kate says
Glad you liked it! Thanks for commenting! =)