Once this honey sweetened and whole grain chocolate chip zucchini bread recipe is sliced, it stands no chance of lasting more than a few minutes. It will be devoured in no time! It is so yummy for a snack or to bring to a party. It is sweetened with honey and made with whole-wheat flour and mini chocolate chips, so it is healthier than most chocolate chip zucchini breads. It has a cup and a half of shredded zucchini, which makes it incredibly moist.

An overhead view of a loaf of zucchini chocolate chip bread sliced on a white platter with a hydrangea blossom

This post may contain affiliate links. This post was originally shared on June 14th, 2016. I have updated the images and text and added a video.

Why You’ll Love This Whole-Wheat Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread

I know what you’re thinking, that if it’s healthier, it’s not going to taste as good. But let me tell you, this whole-wheat Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread recipe has been tried and tested by a swarm of hungry kids and they gave it the thumbs-up approval.

I brought a fresh loaf of this chocolate chip zucchini bread to the final celebration of our Girls On the Run Team. It was still a little warm from the oven, and the pieces were snatched off the snack table quickly, even though it was up against brownies, cupcakes, and cake.

I’d say that’s a testament to the power of the still-a-little-melted chocolate chip. Just a spoonful of chocolate helps the zucchini go down!

Ingredient Nots

Grate zucchini
  • Zucchini: You’ll need 1 ½ cup shredded zucchini
  • Honey: To sweeten the bread I opted for honey. If your honey has become thickened and crystallized you can warm it up in the microwave for several seconds, or set the jar in a hot water bath to get it moving again.
  • Whole-wheat flour: I used white whole wheat flour for this zucchini bread because it contains the whole wheat kernel, so it has the entirety of the nutrition of the wheat bran too which has vitamin e and fiber. I also added a little all-purpose flour which helps the structure of the bread rise and hold together. 
  • Oil: Since the fat in this recipe is liquid oil, and it is relatively a small amount, it’s super easy to just mix the oil into the wet ingredients. No creaming is required!
  • Leaveners: Like the vast majority of zucchini breads, this one is classified as a “quick bread”. Quick Breads are typified by being leavened by a chemical leavener (baking soda and baking powder) instead of yeast.
  • Flavorings: Cinnamon, salt and vanilla are added to enhance and flavor the batter
  • Eggs: To make this vegan you can omit the eggs and use two flax eggs instead.
  • Mini chocolate chips: A little goes a long way since they spread out more evenly in the batter.

Whole Wheat Flour Tip: Store your whole wheat flour in the freezer to keep it fresh longer. Because it has natural oils from the wheat bran, it can go rancid more rapidly than all-purpose flour, so freezing it will slow that process down. I store mine in a resealable freezer bag. 

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread slices up close

How to Make Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread

Step 1: Preheat Oven and Prep Pan

Make sure your oven is fully preheated to 350 degrees F before you place the bread in the oven. Generously coat a 8 ½ by 4 ½-inch glass loaf pan with cooking spray.

Step 2: Whisk Dry Ingredients

Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, (or gluten-free all-purpose flour) baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients

Whisk eggs, oil, honey and vanilla in a large bowl. Stir zucchini into the wet mixture with a silicone spatula.

Measuring Tip: Measure out your oil first, then the honey. Once your pour the oil into the bowl it will coat the measuring cup. Next when you add the honey, it won’t stick to the cup and slide right out! 

Step 4: Mix Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread Batter Together

Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir with the silicone spatula until moistened. Add chocolate chips and stir until just combined. I like to save a small amount of the chips to scatter over the top of the bread to make it look extra chocolatey! 

Overworking the batter causes “tunneling” or uneven air pockets to form in the bread. It can also make it tough. 

Step 5: Spread the Batter In The Pan

Spread the batter out into the prepared loaf pan. If you reserved any chocolate chips for the top, sprinkle them evenly over the batter.

Step 6: Bake Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Bake until the bread has risen and the center springs back when lightly touched, 50 to 54 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack. Run a knife along the edges, then turn out of pan.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread slice on a plate and sliced loaf

Expert Tips and FAQs

Can this zucchini bread be made gluten free?

To make this Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread Gluten-free, simply omit the two wheat flours and instead use 1 1/2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour.
The reason the amount  is higher than the total of the wheat flour is that whole wheat flour is more absorbent, so more of the gluten-free flour is needed to allow the bread to rise, and to hold the chocolate chips in suspension.
Even still I found that half of the chocolate chips ended up in the bottom half of the loaf because they settled into the batter before it set up. FYI, I found that the gluten-free version was a little drier than the wheat version. 

How long does it last?

This loaf is really moist so it will stay fresh at room temperature for two days. Once the loaf is cool, wrap whole loaf well with plastic wrap. I do not recommend pre-slicing the loaf unless you are planning to freeze it.

Freezing Instructions

To Freeze the Whole Loaf of Zucchini Bread

If you plan to serve the bread at a single event, like for the holidays, I recommend freezing the entire loaf. Let it cool completely, then wrap it in aluminum foil then placing it in a resealable freezer bag. To thaw it out, remove it from the bag and set it on the counter for 12 hours.

To Freeze Slices of the Zucchini Bread for Snacks

Though our favorite zucchini bread for lunch boxes is actually my low sugar zucchini oat bread, which gets its sweetness from dates and raisins. It’s a little more sturdy. We do love to make this (more tender) zucchini bread with chocolate chips for snacks too.

What we do in my house most often is freeze the bread for make-ahead snacks. I slice the loaf into servings, then individually wrap each slice with plastic wrap. Then I place the slices into a resealable freezer bag. Freeze for up to 4 months!

More Zucchini Recipes and Quick Bread Recipes You’ll Love

Quick Breads Recipes

Zucchini Recipes

Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!

Happy Cooking! ~Katie

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
a close up of slices of zucchini chocolate chip bread

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.7 from 6 reviews

  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 12 slices 1x

Description

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread made with honey and whole wheat flour. It’s super moist and just sweet enough for breakfast or an after school snack. It’s a great baking project even for beginners because it only takes 15 minutes to get it in the oven!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 cup white whole-wheat flour *see notes for gluten-free alternative
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour *see notes for gluten-free alternative
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup avocado oil or organic canola oil
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cup shredded zucchini
  • 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Generously coat a 8 ½ by 4 ½-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
  2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, (or gluten-free all-purpose flour) baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
  3. Whisk eggs, oil, honey and vanilla in a large bowl. Stir zucchini into the wet mixture with a silicone spatula.
  4. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir with the silicone spatula until moistened. Add chocolate chips and stir until just combined.
  5. Spread the batter out into the prepared loaf pan.
  6. Bake until the bread has risen and the center springs back when lightly touched, 50 to 54 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack. Run a knife along the edges, then turn out of pan.

Notes

To make this zucchini chocolate chip bread gluten-free, do not use the white whole-wheat flour or all-purpose flour, and instead substitute 1 1/2 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour.

1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini can be made by grating a medium zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. (see video.)

The bread can stick to the loaf pan, so make sure to generously grease your loaf pan, or you can line it with parchment paper if you like.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Category: Snack, Breakfast
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 261
  • Sugar: 20 g
  • Sodium: 120 mg
  • Fat: 14 g
  • Saturated Fat: 4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 32 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 3 g