Extra-Moist Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This double chocolate zucchini bread is the answer when your garden is overflowing and you’re craving something deeply chocolatey. It’s a tender, fudgy quick bread that hides a whole lot of shredded zucchini under a rich cocoa crumb and pockets of melted chocolate.

It comes together in one bowl, no mixer needed, and the hardest part is waiting for it to cool enough to slice. Perfect for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or a not-too-sweet dessert.

What Makes This Bread So Good

The double dose of chocolate (cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips) makes every bite deeply satisfying without being overly sweet. The shredded zucchini melts into the batter, keeping it incredibly moist for days, but you’d never guess there’s a vegetable in there.

I love that it uses up a generous amount of zucchini, which practically disappears into the chocolate. It’s the kind of loaf that gets even better on day two, if it lasts that long.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour: spooned and leveled, not scooped
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder: Dutch-processed for a smoother, darker flavor
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 large eggs: at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil: or any neutral oil
• ½ cup plain yogurt: Greek or regular, full-fat preferred
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups packed shredded zucchini: excess moisture squeezed out (see tips)
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips: plus a few extra for the top

Variations / Substitutions

• Yogurt swap: sour cream or buttermilk work just as well for tang and moisture.
• Oil swap: melted coconut oil or melted unsalted butter both give great results.
• Gluten-free: use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum.
• Add-ins: fold in ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch.
• White chocolate: swap the dark chips for white chocolate for a sweeter twist.

If you love this, you’ll also want to try our classic banana bread.

How to Make Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients

Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the 1½ cups flour, ½ cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt.

The cocoa can be lumpy, so take an extra moment to break up any clumps. You want a uniform, sandy-looking mixture with no white streaks.

Step 2: Whisk the Wet Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk the 2 eggs, 1 cup sugar, ⅓ cup oil, ½ cup yogurt, and 2 teaspoons vanilla until smooth and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

The mixture will look glossy. The sugar won’t be fully dissolved yet, and that’s fine—it will melt as the bread bakes, giving the crumb a tender, fudgy texture.

Step 3: Fold in the Zucchini and Chips

Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula just until a few streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix. Then fold in the 1½ cups shredded zucchini (make sure you’ve squeezed out the excess moisture first) and 1 cup chocolate chips.

The batter will be very thick, almost like a brownie batter. The zucchini might seem like a lot, but trust it—the baking will mellow the green flecks into the chocolate.

Step 4: Scrape into the Pan and Bake

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top if you like. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.

The top will puff up and crack slightly. If it’s browning too fast, tent loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes.

Step 5: Slice and Serve

Let the loaf cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment and let it cool completely on the rack before slicing. Slice with a serrated knife and serve.

If you can wait, the texture improves after it’s fully cooled, but there’s nothing wrong with a warm slice where the chips are still molten. The crumb will be deeply chocolate, dense but tender.

A Few Tips Before You Start

• Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Don’t peel it—the dark skin adds tiny flecks that blend right in.
• Squeezing out the moisture is non-negotiable. Wrap the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and twist it over the sink until you’ve released at least a few tablespoons of liquid. This keeps the bread from turning gummy.
• Use Dutch-processed cocoa for a deeper, smoother chocolate flavor. Natural cocoa works too, but the bread will be lighter in color and a bit less rich.
• Start checking for doneness early. Every oven is different. At 45 minutes, insert a toothpick—it should have moist crumbs, not wet batter.

Bake times by pan size:

Keeping the Bread Moist

• Refrigerate: Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. The fridge can dry it out, so wrap it well.
• Reheating: To rewarm, microwave slices for 10 to 15 seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different type of oil?

Yes, any neutral oil works. Melted coconut oil or light olive oil are fine, but the flavor will be slightly different.

Can I reduce the sugar?

You can cut it down to ¾ cup, but the bread won’t be as moist and the chocolate taste will seem more bitter. I’d stick with the full cup.

Why did my bread sink in the middle?

It’s often because the zucchini wasn’t squeezed dry enough, adding too much liquid to the batter. Overmixing or opening the oven door too early can also cause sinking.

Can I freeze this chocolate zucchini bread?

Absolutely. Wrap the cooled loaf (or individual slices) tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature.

Can I make this dairy-free?

Yes, use a thick dairy-free yogurt and make sure your chocolate chips are dairy-free. The texture will be a bit less tender but still very good.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 340

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups packed shredded zucchini, squeezed dry
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until no lumps remain.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, oil, yogurt, and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until a few streaks of flour remain. Fold in the shredded zucchini and chocolate chips.
5. Scrape batter into the pan, smooth the top, and bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then lift out and cool completely on a rack before slicing.

Notes

Squeezing the zucchini is the most important step to avoid a dense, gummy loaf. The bread tastes even better the next day. To check doneness, look for moist crumbs on the toothpick, not wet batter.