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!

We had a big garden growing up, and we always had huge zucchini! 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. Plus, the chocolate chips were a big win! 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!

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

Why This Recipe Works

  • Best way to use up all that zucchini! This is a great way to use up any frozen zucchini you have or to use up some of your fresh garden zucchini. Adding fresh, grated vegetables to bakes are a great way to sneak in some healthy ingredients when your kids ask for something sweet! My Carrot Cake recipe is the same way! Freshly grated carrots in every bite 😉
  • Healthy twist to dessert. Zucchini bread with chocolate chips is a great way to incorporate some vegetables into your dessert offering. Instead of making a chocolate dessert void of any nutrients, zucchini bread at least incorporates some nutrition your family can enjoy!
  • Moist bread recipe. This 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.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients used to make chocolate chip zucchini bread on a light wooden background.
  • Baking Soda: The defining element of quick breads — and chocolate chip zucchini bread is a quick bread recipe — 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. It gives it a nice warm flavor depth.
  • Zucchini: The zucchini needs to be washed prior to grating. However, you don’t need to peel the zucchini. Leave the skin on because it is the most nutrient dense part of the vegetable. The skin will soften within the batter as it bakes so you won’t even notice it’s there. Don’t squeeze the liquid out of the grated zucchini. This removes moisture and the bread will be a lot drier. 
  • Vegetable Oil: Using vegetable oil provides the moisture for the bread. You’ll get a much more moist crumb texture using oil than you would using butter. You can use canola oil or vegetable oil. 
  • Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips + Mini Chocolate Chips: Using both sizes of chocolate chips gives you a better distribution of the chocolate throughout the bread. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Combine the dry ingredients. Add the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and ground cinnamon to a medium bowl and whisk until combined.
The dry ingredients used to make zucchini bread, in a glass bowl.
A whisk stirring flour and dry ingredients.
  1. Combine the wet ingredients. Add the eggs, sugar, shredded zucchini, oil and vanilla extract to a large bowl. Mix 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. Pour the flour mixture into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. 
  2. Coat the chocolate chips in flour and fold into the batter. Add the chocolate chips and the 1 tablespoon flour to a small bowl. Mix until the chocolate chips are coated in the flour. Fold 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. Place in prepared pans. Spray two 9×5-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray that contains flour. Pour half the batter in each pan. You can add additional chocolate chips to the top of the bread before baking for a prettier baked look.
Two bread pans with Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread batter in each.
  1. Bake. Bake the chocolate chip zucchini bread at 350°F for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. Remove and let cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool on a wire rack. Enjoy! 
Baked golden brown Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread in two bread pans, side by side.

Recipe Tips

Leave the peel on the zucchini. The peel is the most nutrient dense part of the zucchini! You can use a cheese grater or food processor to grate the zucchini. 

Don’t over mix the batter. Over mixing causes the gluten in the batter to tighten, resulting in a tougher bread.

If you want, you can substitute whole wheat flour for the all purpose flour for a healthier option. Dark chocolate chips will also be a tad healthier than regular milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips! Adding chocolate chips really makes this the best zucchini bread! 

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

To help keep the chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom of the loaf, toss them in a tablespoon of flour. 

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. 

Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing

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

To freeze, let cool completely then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. The chocolate chip zucchini bread will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Remove and let thaw in the fridge overnight.

Overhead view of sliced chocolate chip zucchini bread with a square of butter on a slice of bread.

Recipe 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 to 6 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 water, and use as recipe describes. Using frozen zucchini is a great way to make this delicious zucchini chocolate chip bread any time of the year! 

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.

Can you freeze chocolate chip zucchini bread?

Yes you can! Let cool completely and then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. 

A hand grabbing a slice of chocolate chip zucchini bread.

Other Quick Bread Recipes

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A slice of Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread on a gray plate.
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5 from 16 votes

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Super moist Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread loaded with freshly grated zucchini and chocolate chips!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
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. 
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.
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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