This chocolate chip zucchini bread is moist and loaded with freshly grated zucchini and chocolate chips! Use up some of your garden zucchinis or any frozen grated zucchini. You can also freeze zucchini bread and enjoy it later!

I love chocolate chip sweets in any form! If you’re like me, you’ll love my chocolate chip banana bread, chocolate chip coffee cake and my banana chocolate chip muffins!

We had a big garden growing up, and the zucchinis were always huge! I remember making so many batches of zucchini bread with my mom and sister. We’d make a few to freeze, a few to give away, and a few to eat right then. It was the perfect way to use up our fresh and frozen zucchini.

A slice of Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread on a gray plate.

Why This Recipe Works

  • This is a great way to use up any frozen zucchini you have or to use up some of your fresh garden zucchini. 
  • Zucchini bread with chocolate chips is a great way to incorporate some vegetables into your dessert offering. Instead of making a completely nutrient-less chocolate-y dessert, zucchini bread at least incorporates some nutrition your family can enjoy!
  • This recipe is the best chocolate chip zucchini bread recipe because it’s always moist (thanks to a few tips) and I even show you how to keep the chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom — a great baking trick.

Ingredients

Ingredients used to make chocolate chip zucchini bread on a light wooden background.
  • Flour: Just normal, all-purpose flour works great.
  • Eggs: Using eggs helps add moisture and works as a binding agent.
  • Baking Soda: The defining element of a quick bread — and chocolate chip zucchini bread is a type of quick bread — is baking soda instead of yeast. The baking soda is the leavening agent that will help the bread rise when baking in the oven.
  • Ground Cinnamon: I love adding cinnamon to this recipe. I promise you will too!
  • Zucchini: You can leave the skin on the zucchini while you grate. Don’t squeeze the liquid out of the grated zucchini. This removes moisture and the bread will be a lot drier. Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips: I save a handful of chocolate chips for the very top of the batter.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. In a medium size bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Whisk until combined.
  • The dry ingredients used to make zucchini bread, in a glass bowl.
  • A whisk stirring flour and dry ingredients.
  1. In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients and whisk until combined.
  • Shredded zucchini, eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a glass bowl.
  • Shredded zucchini in a glass bowl with a whisk.
  1. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix the batter until combined. Don’t overmix.
  2. Toss the chocolate chips in flour to prevent them from slipping to the bottom of the bread pan.
  3. Fold the chocolate chips into the zucchini bread batter.
  • A glass bowl with flour poured overtop of green batter.
  • Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread batter in a glass bowl.
  1. Divide the batter evenly among the 2 loaf pans. (I use cooking spray with flour. If you don’t have that, I suggest you grease then flour the pans to ensure the loaves don’t stick.)
Two bread pans with Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread batter in each.
  1. Remove the pans from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Baked golden brown Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread in two bread pans, side by side.

As usual, lets go over a few common questions that are associated with making zucchini bread.

Recipe Tips

Leave the peel on the zucchini. The peel has nutrients and fiber.

You can use a cheese grater or food processor to grate the zucchini. 

Don’t over mix the batter. Overmixing leads to a tougher bread.

To prevent the bread from sinking, keep the oven door shut. (I’m not a patient person, I know this tip from experience!)

Before removing the bread out of the oven, make sure it is fully cooked. If the bread is undercooked it will sink in the middle.

To test for doneness, insert a toothpick in the center of the loaf, the toothpick should come out clean. 

Store chocolate chip zucchini bread at room temperature, covered, for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

FAQs

Do you have to peel zucchini to make zucchini bread?

No. I like keeping the zucchini’s skin on. Plus, the skin is the most nutrient-rich part of zucchini!

Can you freeze fresh zucchini?

Yes. Using a box grater, grate the zucchini. Once the zucchini has been shredded, portion out the zucchini and place the grated zucchini in a freezer safe zip top bag. Be sure to label the bag with the date so that you can keep track of how long it has been in the freezer. Freeze for up 3-6 months. Technically it lasts longer than 3 months. 

Can you use frozen zucchini to make zucchini bread?

I’ve used frozen zucchini that have been in the freezer for 1 year and the zucchini bread still turned out great! Just be mindful that the longer you keep it in the freezer the greater chance freezer burn can affect the flavor and texture of the zucchini. When ready to use for zucchini bread, simply thaw the frozen grated zucchini, drain excess liquid, and use as recipe describes.

How to prevent chocolate chips from sinking while baking

Simply toss the chocolate chips in a little flour. This will help suspend them in the batter. Reserve a handful of chocolate chips to sprinkle over the zucchini bread batter once it has been placed in the bread pans.

Do you squeeze water out of zucchini for bread?

I know some people do, but I don’t. I’ll lightly dab it with a paper towel, but I don’t squeeze out the water. Leaving the water in makes the bread a lot more moist.

A hand grabbing a slice of chocolate chip zucchini bread.

Other Quick Bread Recipes

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Click here to leave a rating and review, or scroll below the recipe card and do so there. 

A slice of Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread on a gray plate.
Print Review
5 from 14 votes

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Super moist Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread loaded with freshly grated zucchini and chocolate chips!
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 50 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
Servings: 2 loaves

Ingredients
 

  • 3 eggs
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 cups grated zucchini - see notes
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips - plus more for sprinkling overtop
  • 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1 tablespoon all purpose flour

Instructions
 

  • Spray 2 – 9"x5" loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray that contains flour (see notes). Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a medium size bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon. Whisk to combine. Set aside. 
  • In a large bowl whisk the eggs, sugar, zucchini, oil, and vanilla until well blended. 
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Using a large spoon or spatula, mix until combined. 
  • In a small bowl add the chocolate chips and 1 T. flour. Toss until flour is coating the chocolate chips. 
  • Add the chocolate chips to the zucchini bread batter. Fold to combine. 
  • Place batter in the two loaf pans. Top with additional chocolate chips if desired. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs on it.
  • Remove from the oven. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes then remove from the bread pans and let sit on a cooling rack to cool completely. 

Notes

Pan size: I made this recipe in 2 – 9″x5″ inch loaf pans and my bread baked for about 47-48 minutes. You can make this recipe in smaller pans such as 8×5 or 8×4 pans for taller loaves, just bake for a bit longer, about 55-60 minutes. 
Cooking spray: Use a cooking spray that contains flour for easy removal. If you don’t have this you can butter and flour the pan instead. 
Zucchini: You don’t need to peel your zucchini. I also only lightly dab the shredded zucchini with a paper towel prior to mixing it into the batter. I do not ring it out.
Leave the peel on the zucchini. The peel has nutrients and fiber. You can use a cheese grater or food processor to grate the zucchini. 
Don’t over mix the batter. Overmixing leads to a tougher bread.
To prevent the bread from sinking, keep the oven door shut. (I’m not a patient person, I know this tip from experience!)
Before removing the bread out of the oven, make sure it is fully cooked. If the bread is undercooked it will sink in the middle.
To test for doneness, insert a toothpick in the center of the loaf, the toothpick should come out clean. 
Storing: Store chocolate chip zucchini bread at room temperature, covered, for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 2324kcal (116%)Carbohydrates: 413g (138%)Protein: 34g (68%)Fat: 59g (91%)Saturated Fat: 26g (130%)Cholesterol: 254mg (85%)Sodium: 1836mg (77%)Potassium: 1054mg (30%)Fiber: 14g (56%)Sugar: 248g (276%)Vitamin A: 450IU (9%)Calcium: 285mg (29%)Iron: 16.5mg (92%)
author: Whitney Wright
Course: bread, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
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Overhead view of sliced chocolate chip zucchini bread with a square of butter on a slice of bread.