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    Home » Bread Recipes

    Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread (& Muffins!)

    Published: Aug 5, 2020 by Allison Ferraro · Modified: Jun 20, 2022 · 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe

    This chocolate chip zucchini bread is delightfully moist and flavorful thanks to freshly grated zucchini, brown sugar, and cinnamon! This easy recipe comes together fast with minimal tools and ingredients (no stand-mixer needed) and includes instructions for baking zucchini bread muffins, too.

    angled overhead view of sliced chocolate chip zucchini bread on a cooling rack this Recipe

    When summer is at its peak and the garden is overflowing with ripe zucchini, you know it’s time to make homemade zucchini bread! This easy zucchini bread recipe is adapted from the recipe my family has been using for years, passed down on a handwritten recipe card. It's deliciously simple, with a subtly-sweet cinnamon flavor and a moist crumb.

    This chocolate chip zucchini bread recipe could not be easier to make and takes less than 30 minutes. A mixing bowl, a whisk, and a wooden spoon are all you'll need to whip up a batch of this perfectly moist zucchini bread. Flavored with brown sugar and cinnamon, it makes a delicious breakfast treat or a snack. And while the chocolate chips are technically optional, but I'm obviously on team chocolate chip (yes, even for breakfast)!

    Oh, and this recipe works great for muffins, too! Check out the recipe notes for instructions for baking zucchini bread muffins.

    angled view of chocolate chip zucchini bread muffins in a muffin pan

    Why bake with zucchini?

    Much like carrots in carrot cake and the bananas in banana bread, grated zucchini adds moisture and texture to breads, muffins, and cakes. Because of its mild flavor, it pairs well with other flavors and spices like chocolate and cinnamon (both of which are included in this recipe). It also adds a bit of nutrition, which isn't a bad thing because 1) this bread doesn't taste healthy and 2) it helps to balance all of the chocolate that I eat.

    angled view of sliced chocolate chip zucchini bread on a cooling rack atop a white surface with a green linen napkin

    Do I peel zucchinis for zucchini bread?

    You can if you wish, but there's no need to peel zucchini before grating it. I leave the skin on when grating zucchini for zucchini bread and zucchini bread muffins.

    side view of slices of chocolate chip zucchini bread stacked on a cooling rack with a green linen napkin

    How to grate zucchini for zucchini bread

    The easiest way to grate zucchini when baking zucchini bread is to use a box grater. You can also use a food processor, though this will release more of the zucchini's liquid, which will slightly impact how moist the bread is. The food processor can also be a pain to wash, so for this simple grating job I much prefer to use a box grater.

    close up view of a sliced chocolate chip zucchini bread muffin

    How to store homemade zucchini bread

    Zucchini bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. It also freezes well stored in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Do not refrigerate zucchini bread, as this will cause the bread to dry out more quickly. All of these storage recommendations apply when making zucchini bread muffins as well.

    overhead view of sliced chocolate chip zucchini bread on a cooling rack

    Love this chocolate chip zucchini bread? Leave a review and be sure to check out these other sweet bread recipes!

    • Homemade Banana Bread
    • Cranberry Walnut Bread
    • Chocolate Buttermilk Biscuits

    side view of slices of chocolate chip zucchini bread stacked on a cooling rack with a green linen napkin

    Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

    This chocolate chip zucchini bread is delightfully moist and flavorful thanks to freshly grated zucchini, brown sugar, and cinnamon! This easy recipe comes together fast with minimal tools and ingredients (no stand-mixer needed) and includes instructions for baking zucchini bread muffins, too.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 25 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
    Servings: 10
    Yield: 1 loaf (8.5 in. x 4.5 in.) or 12 standard muffins
    Calories: 316kcal
    Author: Allison Ferraro

    Ingredients

    • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • 2 large eggs
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • ½ cup vegetable oil
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 cup grated zucchini (about half a medium-sized zucchini)
    • ¾ cup chocolate chips, divided (optional)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a standard loaf pan (8.5" x 4.5") with cooking spray and set aside.
    • In a medium bowl, add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder. Whisk to combine and set aside.
    • In a large bowl, beat eggs with a whisk until yolks and whites are well blended and eggs are just lightly fluffy.
    • Add both sugars to eggs and whisk to combine. Add oil and vanilla and whisk to combine.
    • Add about a third of the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir just until combined using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Add about a third of the grated zucchini to the mixture and stir to combine. Repeat two more times until all of the flour mixture and grated zucchini has been added and stirred into the batter just until combined. Do not over mix the batter.
    • Add ½ cup (119 grams) chocolate chips (if using) to the batter and stir just until they're evenly distributed throughout the batter.
    • Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup (59 grams) chocolate chips over the batter.
    • Bake the zucchini bread for 1 hour or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
    • Let the loaf cool in the pan on a wire rack before removing it from the pan and letting it cool completely on a wire rack.

    Notes

    Storage: Store zucchini bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Zucchini bread can also be frozen for up to 3 months; for best results, wrap the completely cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil and a plastic bag or other airtight container before freezing.
    Zucchini Bread Muffins: To make zucchini bread muffins, prepare the batter as directed. Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners and divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin liners (about 3 Tablespoons of batter per muffin). Top the muffins with the reserved ¼ cup chocolate chips (if using) and bake at 350ºF for 20-25 minutes, until muffins are puffed and golden and a cake tester inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Let muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack before serving. Muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 124mg | Potassium: 84mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 73IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg

    More Bread Recipes

    • Cinnamon Applesauce Bread with Streusel Topping
    • Chocolate Buttermilk Biscuits
    • Quick & Easy Buttermilk Biscuits (Small Batch)
    • Dill & Honey Cornbread

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tiffany

      September 10, 2020 at 1:59 pm

      5 stars
      Fantastic! I doubled the recipe because two loaves are always better than one 🙂

      Tiffany

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    Hi there!

    I'm Allison, the cookie-obsessed baker, recipe creator, and food photographer behind Always Eat Dessert.

    Here you’ll find made-from-scratch recipes designed for busy people who love to bake. From cookies to quick breads, you'll discover detailed, easy-to-follow recipes for everyday life along with practical baking tips to help you whip up indulgent treats from scratch with confidence.

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