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You can make zucchini bread with chocolate chips by combining grated zucchini, melted butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and a generous handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips in one bowl.
It sounds a little strange if you’ve never tried it, but zucchini bread with chocolate chips is one of those recipes that turns skeptics into believers fast.
The zucchini keeps the loaf incredibly moist without adding a strong vegetable flavor, while the chocolate chips melt into little pockets of sweetness in every slice.
In this post, we’ll walk through exactly how to make zucchini bread with chocolate chips, from prepping the zucchini to baking it perfectly every single time.
Let’s get baking.
How to Make Zucchini Bread with Chocolate Chips: The Recipe
Learning how to make zucchini bread with chocolate chips starts with gathering the right ingredients.
This recipe makes one standard 9×5 inch loaf, which gives you about 10 to 12 slices.
Here’s what you’ll need.
1. The Ingredients
You’ll need 1½ cups of grated zucchini, 1¾ cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, ½ teaspoon of baking powder, ½ teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ¾ cup of granulated sugar, ¼ cup of brown sugar, 2 large eggs, ½ cup of melted butter or neutral oil, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips.
If you want your zucchini bread with chocolate chips to taste extra rich, you can add a second ½ cup of mini chocolate chips to fold in at the very end.
2. Prep the Zucchini the Right Way
The most important step when you make zucchini bread with chocolate chips is how you handle the zucchini.
Wash it, trim the ends, and grate it on the large holes of a box grater.
You don’t need to peel it, and you don’t need to squeeze out every drop of liquid.
That moisture is exactly what makes zucchini bread with chocolate chips so soft and tender.
That said, if your zucchini is really watery, gently pat it with a paper towel to remove the excess.
Too much liquid and your loaf turns gummy, so a quick blot is a smart move.
3. Mix the Wet and Dry Ingredients
Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.
Stir in the grated zucchini.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together.
Now pour the dry ingredients into the wet ones and stir gently with a spatula.
Stop mixing the moment you no longer see streaks of flour, because overmixing makes zucchini bread with chocolate chips tough instead of tender.
Finally, fold in the chocolate chips, saving a small handful to sprinkle on top.
Tips for the Best Zucchini Bread with Chocolate Chips
Anyone can learn how to make zucchini bread with chocolate chips, but a few small tricks separate a good loaf from a great one.
1. Don’t Overmix the Batter
The single biggest mistake when you make zucchini bread with chocolate chips is overmixing.
Stir just until the flour disappears.
A few small lumps are totally fine, and they actually help the loaf stay light instead of dense.
2. Use Mini Chocolate Chips if You Can
Mini chocolate chips distribute more evenly through zucchini bread with chocolate chips than regular ones do.
That means you get chocolate in practically every bite instead of a few big clusters at the bottom.
If all you have is regular chocolate chips, no problem, just toss them in a spoonful of flour first so they don’t sink.
3. Don’t Skip the Cinnamon
Cinnamon is what makes zucchini bread with chocolate chips taste warm and cozy instead of flat.
You can also add a pinch of nutmeg or a teaspoon of espresso powder.
The espresso doesn’t make it taste like coffee, it just deepens the chocolate flavor.
4. Bake It Low and Slow
Bake your zucchini bread with chocolate chips at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes.
Start checking at the 50 minute mark by inserting a toothpick into the center.
If it comes out with a few moist crumbs, it’s done.
If the top starts browning too fast, tent it loosely with foil and keep baking.
Let the loaf cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack.
Storing and Serving Your Zucchini Bread with Chocolate Chips
One of the best things about zucchini bread with chocolate chips is how well it keeps.
Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it at room temperature for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, slice it, wrap each slice, and freeze for up to 3 months.
It also gets even moister on day two, which is when most people say their zucchini bread with chocolate chips tastes best.
Serve it warm with a little butter, or go all in and add a smear of cream cheese.
Either way, it disappears fast.
So, How Do You Make Zucchini Bread with Chocolate Chips?
You make zucchini bread with chocolate chips by grating fresh zucchini, mixing it into a simple batter of flour, sugar, eggs, butter, and cinnamon, then folding in chocolate chips and baking it at 350°F for about an hour.
It’s one of the easiest quick breads you can bake, and it’s a brilliant way to use up a bumper crop of zucchini.
Plus, that combination of moist, spiced crumb and melty chocolate makes zucchini bread with chocolate chips a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Grab your grater and your chocolate chips, and let’s bake.