Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Bread

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Healthy chocolate zucchini bread is perfect for anyone who loves chocolate. It's rich, moist, and so good that you honestly wouldn't know there was a vegetable in it!

Loaf of healthy chocolate zucchini bread topped with mini chocolate chips with a few slices cut.

Death by Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This death by chocolate zucchini bread is packed with chocolate flavor but lower in sugar and saturated fat than typical breakfast breads. It could honestly be eaten as part of a balanced breakfast (simply add your favorite protein like Greek yogurt or eggs!), a pre-workout snack, or dessert 🙂

Slice of healthy chocolate zucchini bread with a knife in the bottom left corner, more pieces in the top right, and chocolate chips in the top left.

Black Cocoa Powder

It uses 2 types of cocoa powder: traditional unsweetened cocoa and black cocoa powder. I discovered black cocoa powder last year and am now obsessed with it (check out these double dark chocolate cupcakes!). My go-to black cocoa is this one linked here.

I love baking with black cocoa powder because it's been heavily alkalised, which removes most of the bitter taste commonly found in cocoa powders. The result is a smooth flavor and baked goods that are literally black. Fun fact: it's used to make Oreos!

Four slices of death by chocolate zucchini bread on top of each other. A glass of milk in the background.

Ingredient Highlights - Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Bread

White whole wheat flour - this provides some extra fiber and B vitamins that all-purpose flour wouldn’t provide but has less of a “wheaty” taste than regular whole wheat flour. You can sub all-purpose flour here if you’d like.
Almond flour - since this flour is made from almonds, it has a higher fat content than regular all-purpose or whole wheat flours. Therefore, it keeps this bread soft and moist!
Zucchini - zucchini adds so much moisture to baked goods and you'd never know it was there! It's a rich source of vitamin A, specifically the nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin, which are helpful for our vision! I highly recommend squeezing out as much water as you can before mixing into the batter.
Black cocoa powder - black cocoa has been heavily alkalized, which removes most of the bitter taste commonly found in cocoa powders. I'm a big fan of using black cocoa powder (check out these double dark chocolate cupcakes!)
Kefir - I started using kefir in baked goods to add some acidity to balance out the cocoa powders and I'm obsessed with it. It can be used in a 1:1 ratio with buttermilk, which is more commonly used; however, buttermilk is high in saturated fat. Kefir is lower in fat and also a great source of natural probiotics, which are beneficial for gut health!
Coffee - this ingredient is optional, but I like to include it as it brings out a rich, chocolatey flavor!

Step-by-step instructions on how to make healthy chocolate zucchini bread.

Recipe FAQ

Can you freeze zucchini bread?

Absolutely. I wrap individual pieces in plastic wrap and then 4-5 pieces in foil. I write the date on the foil so I know when I baked it and then freeze for up to 3 months!

How to store zucchini bread

Since this healthy chocolate zucchini bread is so moist, I recommend storing it in the fridge! It may spoil faster at room temp. I also love wrapping individual pieces in plastic wrap and then multiple pieces in foil to keep in the freezer!

Why is my zucchini bread soggy in the middle?

Since zucchini has such a high water content (~90% water!), it can cause baked goods to hold a lot of moisture. It's important to really squeeze out any water before adding zucchini to any baking recipe to prevent this from happening. I layer the shredded zucchini between paper towels and squeeze multiple times to remove as much water as I can.

Do you remove skin from zucchini for bread?

This is totally optional. I keep it on to save time (and you don't even notice the skin) but you can definitely remove the skin if you'd like!

Loaf of healthy double chocolate zucchini bread with a few slices cut laying in front of the loaf. a couple of slices next to the loaf, a knife in the bottom left corner, plates in the top left, and mini chocolate chips in the top right corner of the scene.

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A loaf of healthy death by chocolate zucchini bread with a few slices cut, laying in front of the loaf. Plates and a napkin are behind the loaf.

Rate & Review

If you made my healthy chocolate zucchini bread, please rate and review my recipe below! I would love to hear your feedback. Also snap a photo and tag me on insta @theperfectpearr so I can see your creation!