My healthy chocolate zucchini bread is moist, fluffy, and bursting with chocolate flavor. Made in the blender, each slice has around 100 calories. Even my picky family couldn’t believe this bread was made with zucchini- it tastes just like classic chocolate cake.
One of the best sneaky dessert pairings with zucchini is chocolate (yes, what a strange sentence). When done correctly, you can fold zucchini into any chocolate-based dessert, and no one will know (hello, zucchini brownies and zucchini chocolate cake).
My healthy chocolate zucchini bread has become a weekly staple in my house- it’s wholesome, simple to make, and tastes every bit as indulgent as traditional quick bread.
Loosely adapted from my healthy zucchini bread, I tested this chocolate version dozens of times in my own kitchen (sharing slices with my family and some very picky friends!) to ensure it delivers the perfect balance of flavor and texture while still packing in plenty of zucchini.
The secret to a moist, fluffy loaf is using overripe bananas for natural sweetness, the right amount of cocoa powder for depth, and squeezing just enough moisture from the zucchini so that it blends seamlessly into the batter. The result? A rich, chocolatey bread that’s sneakily nutritious and comes in at around 100 calories per slice.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this healthy chocolate zucchini bread
- Clean ingredients. No flour, no butter, and no oil are needed, but you’d never tell.
- Perfect texture and flavor. The bread is super moist and fluffy, with a gorgeous, tender crumb. The zucchini adds natural moisture while disappearing entirely into the batter (you can’t see a shred of green in my photos!), leaving behind nothing but rich chocolate flavor.
- Easy to make (and clean up). The batter comes together in one blender or food processor, which means minimal mess and a recipe you’ll actually want to make each week.
Key Ingredients
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
- Oats. Quick-cooking oats that are broken down to a powder-like consistency. You can use rolled oats, but you’ll need to blend them very well to ensure none of them remain whole (I tested both, and quick oats always gave the fluffiest texture).
- Cocoa powder. Unsweetened cocoa powder. For a deeper chocolate flavor, I prefer using Dutch-processed or dark cocoa (like Hershey’s Special Dark).
- Baking soda. Gives the bread some rise and fluffiness.
- Bananas. Mashed and overripe bananas. The riper the bananas, the sweeter the bread will be. Look for bananas with plenty of brown spots as they’ll add extra moisture, too.
- Maple syrup. Gives sweetness to the bread. You can also use honey or agave nectar.
- Eggs. Room temperature eggs.
- Vanilla extract. Gives a subtle vanilla flavor.
- Zucchini. Finely shred the zucchini and squeeze out the excess moisture before adding it to the batter. I prefer using a box grater for consistent shreds that disappear into the bread. In my testing, leaving too much liquid in the zucchini made the loaf gummy in the center, so don’t skip this step: press the shreds gently with a paper towel or clean kitchen cloth until just damp.
- Milk. I used unsweetened almond milk, but any milk works. I’ve tested it with dairy milk too, and both gave the same results.
- Chocolate chips. Optional, but gives delicious pools of chocolate throughout.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“Absolutely fantastic, best ever! Applesauce works well instead of bananas, and rolled oats are fine, giving it a nice texture. Agave works well, also.” – Linda
Expert tips for perfect chocolate zucchini bread
- Don’t overbake. This bread continues to cook as it cools, so pull it out once a toothpick comes out mostly clean (a few moist crumbs are acceptable). In my resting, even five extra minutes in the oven made the loaf dry out. (One of the first things I learned in culinary school was to trust carryover cooking- baked goods continue to set as they cool.).
- Banana swap. Not a fan of bananas? Equal parts unsweetened applesauce or pumpkin puree both work- I’ve tried them, and applesauce makes the loaf slightly sweeter while pumpkin gives it a heartier texture.
- Make muffins instead. The batter bakes beautifully as muffins- just divide it between a greased 12-count muffin tin and bake for 18-20 minutes. If you want to skip the chocolate, try my healthy zucchini muffins.
- Gluten-free option. Use certified gluten-free quick oats. I tested with Bob’s Red Mill and got the same fluffy texture.
- Mix-ins. Customize it with fresh or frozen berries, chopped nuts (walnuts give the best crunch), or even white/milk chocolate chips for extra sweetness.
Frequently asked questions
If you’ll be enjoying it within 3 days, keep the loaf covered at room temperature. Any longer, I recommend storing it in the refrigerator where it stays moist and fresh for up to 1 week.
Absolutely! I like to slice the bread first, then place slices in a zip-lock bag or an airtight container. It keeps well in the freezer for up to 6 months.
For best results, thaw slices overnight in the fridge, then warm them briefly in the microwave or toaster oven. This brings back the soft, just-baked texture and makes the chocolate chips gooey again.
More healthy chocolate recipes
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line a loaf pan and set aside.
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Add the oats, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, banana, zucchini, maple syrup, eggs, and milk to a blender or food processor. Blend until a very smooth batter remains. Fold through the chocolate chips.
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Transfer the batter into the lined pan. Add extra chocolate chips on top.
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Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean (a few moist crumbs is great).
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Remove the bread from the oven and let cool completely, before slicing.
- Zucchini: I tried this with all kinds of zucchini sizes, and medium (around 6 ounces) was ideal. Don’t worry if your zucchini is smaller or larger. As long as the moisture is removed, you’ll be fine.
- Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oats.
- Leftovers: Store at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can also freeze slices for up to 6 months.
Serving: 1servingCalories: 102kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 4gFat: 2gSodium: 209mgPotassium: 185mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 55IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 16g
Originally published April 2021, updated and republished August 2025
