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The Best Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

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I’ve been making this zucchini bread recipe for years because it really is the best chocolate chip zucchini bread! Based off of Paula Deen’s recipe, It’s easy to prepare and it makes two loaves so you have plenty to share.

slice of zucchini bread with melty chocolate chips.

Best Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Zucchini is my favorite summer vegetable and every year, it seems anyone that grows it has an excess amount to share. This zucchini bread is a great way to use some up!

A moist quick bread that is easy to mix up and filled with dark chocolate chips. My entire family loves this bread, even my kids who don’t usually like zucchini.

This easy quick bread is great any time of day but I like to serve it with breakfast after a ham & potato breakfast casserole or for dessert after zucchini boat turkey tacos.

Why you’ll love this Zucchini Bread Recipe

Easy Recipe – You don’t even have to get out the mixer, you just stir it up.

Quick Bread Recipe – I love quick breads because there is no yeast to fiddle with or rise times.

Fresh Zucchini – It is the perfect way to use up some of that garden zucchini.

Cake-like Flavor – This definitely isn’t a boring bread, it has the texture and flavor of cake.

overhead shot of a loaf of zucchini bread in loaf pan.

Even if it isn’t zucchini season, I always keep zucchini on hand for dinner (I love roasted zucchini or zucchini noodles with meatballs) or for baking (try my zucchini brownies next!).

Tools you’ll need

  • Loaf pans – 9 x 5 loaf pans work best for this recipe.
  • Whisk – You don’t need a mixer for this recipe, but you do need a whisk.
  • Box Grater – For grating the zucchini.
  • Cheese Grater – I recently got this hand grater to grate cheese and it also works beautifully for zucchini!
  • Mixing Bowls – It helps that this set is so pretty!

Homemade Zucchini Bread Ingredients

Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card.

  • Flour – I’ve only tested this recipe with all purpose flour.
  • Baking Powder
  • Salt
  • Cinnamon – Use a high quality cinnamon, it’s worth it!
  • Nutmeg
  • Baking Soda
  • Eggs – Three large eggs, at room temperature.
  • Sugar – Granulated white sugar.
  • Vegetable Oil – canola oil will also work.
  • Applesauce – I like to use a combination of oil and half cup of applesauce. If you don’t want to use applesauce (or don’t have any), you can use all vegetable oil.
  • Vanilla Extract – A good quality pure vanilla extract, not imitation. I know it’s pricey! I buy mine at Sam’s or Costco in bulk.
  • Zucchini – You’ll need two cups of shredded zucchini, which is usually two medium zucchini.
  • Chocolate Chips – I like to use Ghirardelli baking chips. They’re large and good quality. Semi-sweet chocolate chips also work if that’s your preference.
sliced paula deen zucchini bread on white platter

This recipe makes two loaves. I sliced one, for these pictures, and ate a piece (or two) while shooting (look at that melty chocolate – can you blame me?!), then I wrapped up the other half to take to my mom’s.

The other loaf, I immediately wrapped up to send to work with Bob. By the next morning, I realized I had already eaten all the slices I left for myself and snuck into the wrapped loaf. Bob’s coworkers were slightly shorted.

close up of sliced zucchini bread with chocolate chips

How to make the best chocolate chip zucchini bread recipe

  1. First, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda.
  2. Then, in another large bowl, whisk the eggs until they’re light and fluffy. Add in the sugar and beat until well blended.
  3. Next, stir in the apple sauce, oil, vanilla, grated zucchini, and chocolate chips.
  4. Then, pour in the dry ingredient mixture and stir until just combined.
  5. Finally, evenly pour the batter into two greased 9 x 5 loaf pans. Bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
white platter of sliced zucchini bread

How to store it

Store leftovers covered with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to a week.

Can I freeze zucchini bread?

Sure can, zucchini bread freezes beautifully. Let the loaf cool and then wrap with foil or plastic wrap and drop it into a large freezer bag. Press out an air and store in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature and then enjoy any time of the year!

How to prepare zucchini for bread

Many people wonder when making zucchini bread do I peel the zucchini. The answer is no, you don’t. Just give the zucchini a wash then grate it, leaving the skin on, with a box grater or cheese grater. That’s it!

How to keep chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom

Often when you’re baking with chocolate chips, they have a tendency to sink to the bottom of the loaf or cake because they’re too heavy for the batter to support them. This is especially true when you use my favorite Ghirardelli baking chips that are larger.

To prevent the chocolate chips from sinking and keep them in the center of the loaf (or any baked good), give them a toss in about a tablespoon of cocoa powder before you add them to the batter.

sliced chocolate chip zucchini bread on white plate

Need more ways to bake with zucchini? Try these:

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Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Melissa Williams | Persnickety Plates
I’ve been making this zucchini bread recipe for years because it really is the best chocolate chip zucchini bread! Based off of Paula Deen's recipe, It’s easy to prepare and it makes two loaves so you have plenty to share.
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24 servings
Calories 173 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 large eggs at room temp
  • 2 cups (396 g) granulated white sugar
  • ½ cup (99 g) vegetable oil
  • ½ cup (128 g) unsweetened applesauce
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (242-300 g) grated zucchini
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven at 350°F. Line two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans with parchment paper (or grease them) and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda.
    3 cups all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • In another large bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy.
    3 large eggs
  • Add the sugar and continue beating until well blended.
    2 cups granulated white sugar
  • Stir in the oil, apple sauce, vanilla, grated zucchini, and chocolate chips.
    ½ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup unsweetened applesauce, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 cups grated zucchini, 1 cup chocolate chips
  • Stir in the whisked dry ingredients until just combined.
  • Pour evenly into the prepared loaf pans.
  • Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  • Remove loaves from pans and cool.

Notes

Makes 2 loaves which I slice into 12 pieces each. 
Store leftover bread wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to a week.
To prevent all your chocolate chips from settling to the bottom of your bread, pour your chocolate chips into a small bowl & sprinkle on cocoa powder, toss gently to coat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 173kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 3gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 158mgPotassium: 66mgFiber: 1gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 73IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Tried this recipe? Tag me!Mention @melissa_pplates or tag #persnicketyplates!

Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying/pasting and/or screenshots of full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Content and photographs are copyright protected.

Originally published 10/10/11

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  1. corabeth says

    New Follower from Finding New Friends Blog Hop. Hoping you will follow back! =0)
    My Crazy Life

  2. Angela Paris says

    Thanks so much for linking up with Zillions of Zucchini! 🙂

  3. Carole from Carole's Chatter says

    Hi Melissa, this is great. I hope you bring it over to Food on Friday: Zucchini. Cheers from Carole’s Chatter

  4. ellesees.net says

    i have never thought to add chips–this is kind of GENIUS!!

    • Melissa Williams says

      See, & I never think to make it without 😉

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