Paleo Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This Paleo Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread is a one-bowl recipe that’s moist, slightly sweet and has double the chocolate!

Cocoa powder and chocolate chips make this healthy zucchini bread feel like an indulgent treat.

But since it’s made with almond flour, honey and unsweetened cocoa powder, there’s no reason to feel guilty when cutting a thick slice for a snack.

Plus it’s naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, oil-free and refined sugar-free.

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Paleo Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Let’s be honest: adding shredded zucchini to bread doesn’t automatically make that bread “healthy,” especially when it’s loaded with white flour and sugar.

And if we’re really being honest, then let’s also admit zucchini doesn’t have a ton of flavor on its own.

So this Paleo Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread tackles both problems. Instead of refined flour and sugar, it uses almond flour (packed with protein, healthy fats and fiber) and honey.

But to make sure there’s some flavor in it, we’re also adding unsweetened cocoa powder and chocolate chips.

So it’s light and fluffy, perfectly moist (<– sorry, I know, but I had to use the word as it is accurate), just sweet enough and won’t give you a sugar crash later.

What you need for Paleo Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 medium zucchini
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (you won’t taste it! It’s there to react with the baking soda to give the bread its rise)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups superfine blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips or chopped baking chips, plus more for the top if desired

Equipment:

• a 9×5″ (2 quart) loaf pan
• a large mixing bowl
• measuring spoons (these are my favorite as they actually fit into spice jars)
• measuring cups
• a measuring glass
• a cutting board
• a chef’s knife or paring knife
• a box grater
• cheesecloth or a thin, clean kitchen towel
• a whisk
• a spatula
• parchment paper
• cooking spray for the loaf pan, such as avocado oil spray
• a cooling rack

How to make Paleo Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

First, heat the oven to 350°.

Line a loaf pan with parchment paper along the long sides and spray the short sides with cooking spray. Set aside.

If using chocolate baking chips, roughly chop them and measure out 1/2 cup. Set aside.

Trim off the ends of the zucchini.

Lay down a layer of cheesecloth or a thin, clean kitchen towel over the cutting board. Using the big holes on a box grater, shred the zucchini.

Gather up the cheesecloth or towel and twist the top so you have the zucchini bundled up into a sack.

Over a sink, twist and squeeze the sack of zucchini for all your worth. You want to get as much water out of it as possible. When you think you’re done, give it a few more squeezes and twists. Measure 1½ cups of shredded zucchini and set aside. Save any extra for another use.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, honey, apple cider vinegar and vanilla.

Add the almond flour, cocoa powder and baking soda and use a spatula to stir until completely blended. The batter will be thick.

Fold in 1.5 cups of shredded zucchini and the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips or chopped baking chips.

Scrape the mixture into your prepared loaf pan and dot the top with more chips, if desired. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean (make sure not to stab a chocolate chip).

Set on a cooling rack and let cool completely before slicing and serving.

Make ahead and storage

The bread can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature (lay a paper towel over the bread to absorb moisture before putting on the lid) or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

The bread can also be frozen: wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then put in a freezer-safe container or baggie. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

If you’ve already sliced the bread, place a small piece or parchment paper (about the same size as a slice of the bread) between each slice, wrap up the bread as one whole loaf in plastic wrap, and proceed as above.

Substitutions and variations

• You can use chocolate chips (I like the dairy-free ones from Enjoy Life!) or chocolate baking chips (such as these Paleo-friendly ones from Guittard). You could also try a Paleo-friendly chocolate such as Hu, roughly chopped.
• You can use lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar
• I haven’t tried this with maple syrup instead of honey but I think that would work
• I also haven’t tried this with raw cacao powder instead of unsweetened cocoa powder but I think that would work

Other recipes you might like:

• Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins (Paleo, gluten-free)
• Zucchini Fritters (Paleo, gluten-free, Whole30)
• Almond Flour Banana Bread (Paleo, gluten-free)
• Pecan Molasses Bread (Paleo, gluten-free)
• Apple Bread (Paleo, gluten-free)
• Pumpkin Bread (Paleo, gluten-free, nut-free)

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Paleo Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Light, slightly sweet and packed with two kinds of chocolate, this healthy zucchini bread will become your new favorite treat! It's also gluten-free, dairy-free, oil-free and refined sugar-free.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time55 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate, gluten free, healthy, paleo, zucchini bread

Servings: 10 slices

Author: Don Baiocchi

Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchini
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ⅓ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups superfine blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup chocolate chips, chopped baking chips or chopped chocolate, plus more for the top if desired

Instructions

• First, heat the oven to 350°.
• Line a loaf pan with parchment paper along the long sides and spray the short sides with cooking spray. Set aside.
• Trim off the ends of the zucchini. Lay down a layer of cheesecloth or a thin, clean kitchen towel over the cutting board. Using the big holes on a box grater, shred the zucchini.
• Gather up the cheesecloth or towel and twist the top so you have the zucchini bundled up into a sack.

  Over a sink, twist and squeeze the sack of zucchini for all your worth. You want to get as much water out of it as possible. When you think you're done, give it a few more squeezes and twists. Measure 1½ cups of shredded zucchini and set aside. Save any extra for another use.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, honey, apple cider vinegar and vanilla.
• Add the almond flour, cocoa powder and baking soda and use a spatula to stir until completely blended. The batter will be thick.
• Fold in the shredded zucchini and the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, chopped baking chips or chopped chocolate.
• Scrape the mixture into your prepared loaf pan and dot the top with more chocolate chips, if desired. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean (make sure not to stab a chocolate chip).

  Set on a cooling rack and let cool completely before slicing and serving.

Notes

Make ahead and storage

The bread can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature (lay a paper towel over the bread to absorb moisture before putting on the lid) or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

The bread can also be frozen: wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then put in a freezer-safe container or baggie. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

If you've already sliced the bread, place a small piece or parchment paper (about the same size as a slice of the bread) between each slice, wrap up the bread as one whole loaf in plastic wrap, and proceed as above.

 

Substitutions and variations

• You can use chocolate chips (I like the dairy-free ones from Enjoy Life!) or chocolate baking chips (such as these Paleo-friendly ones from Guittard). You could also try a Paleo-friendly chocolate bar such as Hu, roughly chopped.
• You can use lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar
• I haven't tried this with maple syrup instead of honey but I think that would work
• I also haven't tried this with raw cacao powder instead of unsweetened cocoa powder but I think that would work

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