This golden zucchini bread with hints of warm spices will be your new go-to dessert for your afternoon coffee. Packed with semi-sweet chocolate chips, you’ll love every fluffy, tender bite.
Why This Is The Best Zucchini Bread Recipe
If you’re looking for an easy dessert that sneaks more veggies into your diet, this spiced zucchini bread is just what you’re after.
- Freezer-friendly. Pop it out of the freezer whenever you’re craving a sweet treat.
- Chocolatey. Semi-sweet chocolate chips make this loaf feel more like a real dessert than something with hidden veggies.
- Versatile. You can turn the recipe into muffins, add chocolate protein powder, or chewy cranberries.
- Classic. Everyone needs a recipe for tender zucchini bread in their life.
What You’ll Need
A pinch of salt brings out the cinnamon and nutmegs’ natural spice. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.
- Olive oil – Feel free to use vegetable, corn, or canola oil.
- Eggs – You can use liquid eggs.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar and light brown sugar work too.
- Zucchini – Finely chopped up zoodles are fine.
- Vanilla extract – Go for almond extract if that’s what you’ve got on hand.
- All-purpose flour – Whole-wheat flour is a good swap but the bread will have a slightly earthy flavor.
- Ground cinnamon – You can skip it but the bread won’t have its warm spice.
- Ground nutmeg – Don’t swap it for more cinnamon.
- Baking soda – Sieve it if it’s clumped together.
- Baking powder – Make sure it’s unexpired.
- Salt – Kosher salt is best.
- Chocolate chips – I used bittersweet chocolate, but milk or dark chocolate works too.
- Pecans – You can add walnuts instead.
Add-In Ideas
Add-ins must be mixed into the dry ingredients for this recipe.
- Protein powder – Add 1 scoop of vanilla or chocolate protein powder.
- Dried cranberries – Go for 1/4 cup.
- Raisins – 1/4 cup of raisins or golden raisins is okay.
- Shredded coconut – Make sure it’s toasted so that it adds crunch. 1/3-1/4 cup is fine.
- Chia seeds – Add 1 tablespoon. Don’t let the batter sit for too long before baking because chia seeds are natural thickeners.
How To Make Zucchini Bread
The secret to this fluffy zucchini bread is making sure there are no streaks of egg in the batter or clumps of shredded zucchini. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe card.
- Prep the oven. Preheat the oven to 325F. Grease two 8×4″ loaf pans with cooking spray. Set them aside.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nuts, and chocolate chips in a large bowl.
- Whisk the eggs. Mix the oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl until completely smooth. Don’t beat too much air into the mixture. Gently fold in the zucchini.
- Make the batter. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just-combined. Don’t over-mix because it’ll make the loaves rubbery.
- Bake it. Divide the batter evenly between the greased loaf pans. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Serve. Remove the loaves from the oven. Let them cool for 20 minutes. Slice and enjoy!
Tips for Success
These simple tips will help you become a loaf-baking master beyond this sweet zucchini bread recipe.
- Cover it. If the top and sides of the loaves begin turning dark brown 30 minutes into the oven, cover them with foil to prevent burning.
- Confirm the temperature. Ovens aren’t always properly calibrated, resulting in a different internal temperature than the one you set it to. Place an oven thermometer on the center rack, next to your loaves, and adjust the temperature as needed until you’re actually baking at 325F.
- Leave it alone. Don’t open the oven door once the loaves are in. Doing so lowers the temperature significantly and will negatively affect your loaves’ texture and total baking time.
- Stick to the center. Never bake on the lowest oven rack, even if you’re in a rush. The heat will be too direct and the bottom of the loaves will burn before the center has had a chance to cook through. Always bake on the center/middle rack.
- Make muffins. Line a muffin tray with cupcake liners. You’ll be able to make 24 muffins in total. Fill the cavities with batter until 3/4s full. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Prevent sticking. Sometimes even if you grease the pans, the loaves can stick. Prevent this situation by lining the bottom and sides of the pans with parchment paper.
Proper Storage
I always slice up one loaf for the week and freeze the second one for later.
- Counter: Store it in a paper bag or cake dome for up to 2 days. This method isn’t recommended if you live in a high-humidity area.
- Fridge: Place it in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Keep it away from strong-smelling foods like onions. Let it come down to room temperature before digging in.
- Freezer: Wrap it whole or sliced in plastic wrap twice. Place it in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter for 15-20 minutes.
More Zucchini Recipes To Try
- Zucchini Noodles Meat Tomato Sauce {Gluten Free}
- Gluten Free Zucchini Chocolate Donuts
- Zucchini Carpaccio
- Zucchini Cheese Tart
- Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
Zucchini Bread
This tender zucchini bread recipe with cinnamon, earthy nutmeg, and semi-sweet chocolate chips is an easy way to sneak veggies into dessert.
Servings: 8 slices per loaf
Ingredients
- 1 cup olive oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups grated organic zucchini
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour use gluten free 1-to-1 flour if you want to make gluten free bread
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped pecans optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Set oven rack to the center of the oven.
- Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch loaf pans, or spray with baking spray.
- In a medium bowl combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt, as well as nuts, chocolate chips and stir to combine.
- In a large bowl add oil and whisk in eggs. Add sugar and vanilla, stir to blend.
- Once oil mix is evenly blended add in shredded zucchini. Stir to coat zucchini pieces and evenly mix.
- Stir flour mixture into the oil mixture.
- Divide the batter into prepared pans.
- Bake loaves for 60 minutes, plus or minus ten, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
