HEALTHY Death By Chocolate Zucchini Bread

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A healthy version of a decadent treat with our favorite summer vegetable–zucchini!! This Death By Chocolate Zucchini Bread is moist, delicious, outrageously chocolatey, and best of all–HEALTHY!!

Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Bread for Breakfast

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This bread is packed with whole ingredients, vitamins, nutrients, and made without processed sugar. It’s also fully loaded with two forms of chocolate!

P.S–It’s also a great way to sneak veggies into the kids!

What makes this Death By Chocolate Zucchini Bread Healthy?

It’s hard to believe that this chocolate zucchini bread tastes like a slice of cake, but is actually healthy! It’s all because of the ingredients.

This bread has no refined sugar and uses whole food ingredients, including veggies!

Here’s what’s in it:

  • Zucchini– good green veggie, packed with nutrients and vitamins like, Vitamin C, antioxidants, and aids with eye health and digestion!
  • White Whole Wheat Flour– High in protein, fiber, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus! Nutrient wise, it’s the same as whole wheat flour, but is just lighter in color by nature.
  • Maple Syrup– a healthy, non refined sugar, anti-inflammatory, and full of antioxidants!
  • Applesauce- Unsweetened applesauce is a natural sweetener for this bread, a binder, and comes with all the vitamins and nutrients of apples!
  • Coconut Oil– Contains healthy fatty acids that raise HDL (good fats) and MCTs that may help boost brain function!
  • Cocoa Powder– full of iron and antioxidants

Sources include: healthline.com, bonappetit.com, webmd.com, and mainemapleproducers.com

How to make Healthy Death By Chocolate Zucchini Bread:

How to make healthy death by chocolate zucchini bread from scratch
  • 2-2 1/2 cups of shredded zucchini
  • 1 1/2 cups of white whole wheat flour
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt (plus more for the shredded zucchini)
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup!)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup + 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9×5″ loaf pan.

Add shredded zucchini to a strainer set over a medium sized bowl. Sprinkle zucchini with 1 teaspoon of salt and toss to mix. Let the zucchini drain in the strainer for 30 minutes, tossing every once in a while.

draining the shredded zucchini

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, until well combined.

Add 1 cup of chocolate chips to the flour mixture and give a quick stir. Set aside.

In a small saucepan or the microwave, melt the coconut oil until just melted, but not hot.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the applesauce, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, and coconut oil until well combined. 

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just mixed, but streaks of flour are still showing.

Using a paper towel, press out any remaining liquid from the zucchini through the strainer. Once you’ve gotten out as much liquid as possible, add the zucchini to the batter.

adding the zucchini to the batter

Gently fold the batter until all ingredients are well incorporated and the zucchini is evenly distributed throughout.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips.

Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

final baked zucchini bread

Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Do You Peel Zucchini For Bread?

Nope! The skin is so thin that it doesn’t ruin the texture of the bread and you can’t even taste it. The skin is what gives the bread the nice green flakes in each slice!

PREPPING AND DRAINING THE ZUCCHINI:

Zucchini is an extremely watery vegetable. Squeezing the water out of the zucchini before we add it to the batter ensures that our zucchini bread will bake through and won’t get soggy.

I use a little salt to help draw out the moisture of the grated zucchini. This also helps to tenderize the vegetable and remove any bitterness from the cocoa and/or the zucchini. Don’t worry, it won’t make the bread taste salty!

If you happen to be using a large or overgrown zucchini, it’s still good to use for bread. Just scoop out the seeds before shredding and draining. The seeds tend to be bitter and unpleasant to eat.

How to store your zucchini bread:

The Bread All Sliced

Your moist and delicious Death By Chocolate Zucchini Bread can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for 3-4 days. Zucchini bread does not need to be refrigerated, but in the hot and humid summer months, it’s nice to keep it in the fridge to keep it from molding too quickly.

Can I freeze this Chocolate Zucchini Bread?

Yes!

Generously wrap your baked (sliced or unsliced) zucchini bread in plastic wrap and store in an airtight (freezer safe) container.

When you’re ready to eat, thaw at room temperature and enjoy!

Tips for Making the Best Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Served Zucchini Bread
  • Drain, drain, drain that zucchini! Getting out as much water as possible will ensure that your zucchini bread will bake through, won’t get soggy, and won’t sink in the middle!
  • Try not to add too many chocolate chips to the batter. I learned the hard way that too many chocolate chips will prevent the bread from cooking properly.
  • Make this bread dairy free by swapping in dairy free chocolate chips or omitting them completely.
  • You can use plain Greek yogurt in place of the applesauce! It works really well–just be aware it cuts the sweetness a little bit.
  • Make sure you’re using unsweetened applesauce. Watch the labels, we don’t want any icky processed sugar in this bread!
  • Add walnuts or almonds for a nice healthy crunch. Replace the chocolate chips with your favorite crunchy nuts!
  • It never hurts to slather a slice of this bread with protein packed peanut butter
  • No one would hold it against you if you plopped some whipped cream on a slice either…

Other Recipes You Might Like:

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

Dairy Free Banana Bread

Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Bread for Breakfast

Healthy Death By Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Yield: 1 Loaf
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Delicious and moist chocolate zucchini bread that tastes like cake, and is deceptively healthy!

Ingredients

  • 2-2 1/2 cups of shredded zucchini
  • 1 1/2 cups of white whole wheat flour
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt (plus more for the shredded zucchini)
  • 1 cup + 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup!)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9x5" loaf pan.
  2. Add shredded zucchini to a strainer set over a medium sized bowl. Sprinkle zucchini with 1 teaspoon of salt and toss to mix. Let the zucchini drain in the strainer for 30 minutes, tossing every once in a while.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, until well combined.
  4. Add 1 cup of chocolate chips to the flour mixture and give a quick stir. Set aside.
  5. In a small saucepan or the microwave, melt the coconut oil until just melted, but not hot.
  6. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the applesauce, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, and coconut oil until well combined. 
  7. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just mixed, but streaks of flour are still showing.
  8. Using a paper towel, press out any remaining liquid from the zucchini through the strainer. Once you've gotten out as much liquid as possible, add the zucchini to the batter.
  9. Gently fold the batter until all ingredients are well incorporated and the zucchini is evenly distributed throughout.
  10. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips.
  11. Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  12. Allow to cool completely before slicing.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 280Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 194mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 4gSugar: 22gProtein: 6g

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2 Comments

  1. I love this recipe. Chocolate and zucchini are such good combos. It’s so moist and love that it’s healthier.

  2. I had never thought of using salt to draw out the water from zucchini, I’m definitely trying that next time.
    Can’t wait to try this recipe!

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