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.

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.

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.

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.

How to make the best chocolate chip zucchini bread recipe
- First, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda.
- Then, in another large bowl, whisk the eggs until they’re light and fluffy. Add in the sugar and beat until well blended.
- Next, stir in the apple sauce, oil, vanilla, grated zucchini, and chocolate chips.
- Then, pour in the dry ingredient mixture and stir until just combined.
- 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.

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.

Need more ways to bake with zucchini? Try these:
- Zucchini Brownies
- Chocolate Marble Zucchini Bread
- Zucchini Banana Bread
- Apple Cinnamon Zucchini Muffins
- Lemon Zucchini Bread
- Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Originally published 10/10/11



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Chocolate Marble Zucchini Bread
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Quick Bread
Apple Cinnamon Zucchini Muffins
Hi! I’m a new follower from the hop. This look delicious!
Ashley
http://www.modernmommymagic.blogspot.com
New Follower from Finding New Friends Blog Hop. Hoping you will follow back! =0)
My Crazy Life
yum! Looks great! I am your newest follower from the blog hop! i would love it if you would follow me too! Thanks!
-Nikki
http://chef-n-training.blogspot.com/
Thanks so much for linking up with Zillions of Zucchini! 🙂
Hi Melissa, this is great. I hope you bring it over to Food on Friday: Zucchini. Cheers from Carole’s Chatter
i have never thought to add chips–this is kind of GENIUS!!
See, & I never think to make it without 😉