Gluten-free chocolate zucchini bread is moist and rich. Dairy-free and easy-to-make.
I’ve got a question for you! What does zucchini bread taste like? You probably didn’t answer zucchini.
Like pumpkin bread, zucchini bread is based on a bland, watery vegetable*. (Yes, pumpkin is rather bland. Don’t believe me? Try a spoonful of pumpkin the next time you open a can.)
*Fun fact: botanically speaking, both pumpkin and zucchini are fruits. Since they aren’t sweet, we treat them as vegetables in the kitchen.
The point of zucchini bread isn’t to celebrate the flavor of zucchini. It’s usually made for one of two reasons: 1. to use up excess zucchini from your summer garden. 2. nostalgia. Someone in your life made zucchini bread and you liked it. So when summer rolls around, you want to make a loaf. Both of these are excellent reasons to make zucchini bread.
Traditional zucchini bread tastes mostly of cinnamon and is often studded with nuts or raisins. And, frankly, when I’m in the mood for a spiced quick bread, I usually make gluten-free pumpkin bread or gluten-free banana bread.
But chocolate zucchini bread? Well, that’s a different story. This is a bread I get excited to make. Chocolate zucchini bread is dense, moist, and, compared to other chocolate cakes, lower in fat. You can eat a slice without it feeling like an overindulgence.
The zucchini almost melts during baking and leaves behind a mild vegetable-sweetness that pairs really well with cocoa powder. And the texture, especially for gluten-free quick bread, is soft. There’s not a hint of gumminess in this bread.
Ingredients Explained
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe.
- Zucchini. Make sure your zucchini is fresh－not dried out. Select zucchini that’s about 12-inches long. If you have an overgrown zucchini, slice it in half. Scoop out the seeds, and then grate. There’s no need to remove the seeds from small zucchini.
- Gluten-Free Flour: To keep things easy, I used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. It makes a bread with a very delicate crumb. If you use your own flour blend or a different brand, be sure it contains xanthan gum for structure. Do not substitute coconut or almond flour for the all-purpose gluten-free baking flour. It won’t work.
- Cocoa Powder. Use unsweetened regular cocoa powder－not Dutch-process for this recipe. It works with the baking soda to make the bread rise.
- Brown sugar. Adds sweetness and a light molasses flavor.
- Eggs. Give the bread structure. This recipe hasn’t been tested with an egg replacer.
- Oil. Adds richness.
How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Grate the zucchini. Use in-season zucchini. The bread needs the moisture it contains. To grate, use a box grater or food processor fitted with a grating disk.
- Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together the gluten-free flour with the cocoa powder and other dry ingredients. You don’t need a stand mixer for this recipe but you can use one.
- Make the batter. Add the eggs, oil, and zucchini. Stir until the zucchini is coated with batter. At first, the batter might look dry. This is normal.
- Give it a rest. Allow the batter to rest for two minutes. The zucchini gives off liquid during this time. Don’t skip the rest.
- Bake. Spoon batter into a greased pan and bake until set.
- Cool. Cool the bread, set on a wire rack, until cool to the touch.
Storage Tips
Store this bread covered on the counter for up to three days.
Gluten-Free chocolate zucchini bread freezes really well.
After baking, allow the loaf to cool completely. Slice and place parchment paper between the slices. Place the slices into a freezer bag and freeze up to three months.
Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread
Moist and rich, this gluten-free chocolate zucchini bread is an easy-to-make summer classic. Dairy-Free.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Bob's Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free baking flour (4 ¾ ounces ; 138 grams)
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar (5 ½ ounces; 155 grams)
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (1 ounce; 28 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups grated zucchini, see note (9 ounces; 255 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil (2 ⅓ ounces; 65 grams)
- 1 tablespoons chocolate chips, optional (⅓ ounce ;10 grams)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
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Whisk together gluten-free flour, dark brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Break up any pieces of brown sugar with your fingers. Add grated zucchini, eggs, and oil. Stir until a batter forms. Allow batter to rest for two minutes. This allows the zucchini to release a little moisture. It’s an important step. You don’t want to skip it.
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Stir the batter one more time to ensure no dry flour clings to the bottom of the bowl. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top of the pan.
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Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the loaf comes out with only a few crumbs clinging to it, about 45 minutes.
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Place pan on wire rack. Allow bread to cool in the pan. Slide a metal spatula gently around the edges of the pan to loosen. Turn out bread. Slice with a serrated knife. Store zucchini bread, wrapped, on the counter for up to four days. To freeze: Slice bread and place parchment paper between the slices. Place the slices into a freezer bag and freeze up to three months.
Recipe Notes
Grated Zucchini
For small (under 12-inches) zucchini, there is no need to drain or blot. For large zucchini, over, blot to remove excess moisture.
map says
Rich & moist! Tastes like my old gluten recipe.
Katherine Ercolano says
Need to bake longer than 35mins. When I did it for 35mins. raw in middle. Baked for 20 mins. more. Total 55mins to make it perfect.
Elizabeth says
Oh! Thank you for this. I’ll retest the recipe to double-check the baking time. It might take me a few days to get my hands on some zucchini. We are only doing groceries once a week.
Judi says
This was so delicious and not too sweet! The consistency was perfect unlike many gf cakes. I had all I could do to not eat it all in one sitting! The recipe and bake time worked just as written! I used milk chocolate chips on top for a little taste of more sweetness here and there. So easy, so yummy!
Paige Brandt says
Literally the best gluten free dessert I have made yet! So freaking delicious!!
Bonnie says
Hi Elizabeth! This recipe looks amazing! I was just wondering, did you use Bob’s 1:1 gluten-free baking flour? Most recipes call for the zucchini to be dried, but it seems that is not necessary for this recipe. Is that correct? Thank you so much! I am looking forward to making it! 🙂
Elizabeth says
Yes, I used Bob’s 1:1 GF Baking Flour
As for draining the zucchini, I found that this recipe benefited from not draining. After mixing the batter, you allow it to sit. The zucchini gives off liquid, making the bread moist and really tasty!
Caleigh says
Really came out great. Two picky kids like it too! I also had to bake it longer, at least twice as long. Awesome recipe though I am going to save it and definitely make it again with my immense abundance of zucchini from the garden!
Lori says
Fantastic recipe, I used a brown sugar substitute and dark chocolate chips. I baked it for 40 minutes and it was perfect!
Michelle says
Thank you for an amazing recipe! The taste and texture of this bread are spot-on. My friend even requested it for her birthday cake!
I LOVE that you include the gram measurements for the zucchini and that your recipe doesn’t require wringing the moisture out of the zucchini. It makes it so fast and takes the guesswork out of it.
Echoing others that my bake time is around 45-55 minutes with garden-fresh zucchini. I found that if I pull it at an internal temperature of 206° F (as advised in your non-chocolate zucchini bread) that the interior was a bit too damp. Aiming for an internal temperature of 210-212° has worked well for me.
Cassandra says
Thank you Michelle for adding an internal temp. I was just told I have Hashimoto’s and have to go gluten free. This is the first thing I tried to make and it is awesome. I do have one question though has anyone tried putting chocolate chips in the bread? Will this work?
Christine Wright says
Thank you for the gram measurements! That makes it so much easier to get the recipe exactly right. The cook time was about 50-60 minutes for me though. Also, the chocolate zucchini bread tastes much better the next day, stored in an airtight container at room temperature, and even better a few days later! I used King Arthur’s Gluten Free measure for measure flour.
Johnny says
Thank you for this Great recipe,
I added dried cherries the first time I baked it and cranberry raisins today. Both worked well and make a delicious bread.
lil says
super delicious without the chocolate chip I covered with chocolate ganache!! thank you!!!
Linda says
Are we peeling the zucchini before grating it?
Elizabeth says
Nope! You don’t need to peel the zucchini.
Jen says
Oh my gosh is this recipe delicious! I did make a few small changes. First, I had yellow squash to use up instead of regular green zucchini, but it worked wonderfully. Second, I realized I was out of Bob’s Red Mill flour, so instead I used Better Batter’s Artisan blend flour. Finally, I mixed about a half cup of chips into the batter, because my kids love chocolate. Otherwise I followed the recipe exactly and it is SO delicious. It’s moist and chocolatey, and tastes exactly like my old non-GF recipe I used to make. Thank you for a great recipe!
Annie says
This a great chocolate craving fix.
Baked around 50 minutes in my larger toaster oven.
Used 1/4 cup less sugar and it was still delicious
The zucchini makes it delicate and moist.
I can’t wait to try more of your recipes
Elizabeth Cyr says
Made this yesterday and it’s really yummy! I ended up not having quite enough zucchini so I added one small-ish grated carrot and the recipe still turned out great!
Kimberly says
This is so good! I was using up extra zucchini & satisfying a chocolate craving! ? I used Great Value AP Flour and baked it in a 8 in square pan for approximately 37 minutes. It came out great! Wil definitely make again!
Kimberly says
I used Great Value **Gluten Free AP Flour.
Meera says
I made muffins out of this and they turned out perfect! Only had to bake for 20 mins. I live at elevation too and didn’t make any adjustments. Thank you!!
Cathi says
OMG this recipe totally ROCKS!!!! I am usually always disappointed with GF recipes – too gummy, too dry and crumbly, too yuk but this . . . this . . . is fabulous!! Just moist enough and delicious! I added lots of dark chocolate chips to the batter and then made it into three small loaves. It did take about 50 minutes to cook through but it ended up to be just a fantastic result!!! Thank you!!!
Indigo says
Making kiffins with this right now and its coming out awesome!
MJ says
Freakin amazing. I used Krusteaz gf mix and subbed the egg for some Just Egg (since we have egg allergy in the house). It tastes just like the pudding cakes my mom used to buy when I was a kid. I did bake it for 45 minutes because I have found that if the top isn’t sproingy when I pull it out, it won’t be done in the middle. But it turned out great!!
Angie W says
This is my first time baking gluten free. It is delicious. My husband had me make some for him to take work so have made 5 loaves thus week! Thanks for the recipe. I used King Arthur GF flour