Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread (Paleo)
This gluten free Chocolate Zucchini Bread is chocolaty, fluffy and soft! It is made in one bowl for a quick and easy Paleo quick bread. This almond flour double chocolate zucchini bread is great for breakfast, a snack, and even dessert!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This gluten free chocolate zucchini bread is packed with chocolate!
- It is made with wholesome healthy ingredients.
- More than a cup of zucchini goes into this recipe.
- This Paleo chocolate zucchini bread is great for any time of the day.
- This recipe is a great way to sneak in veggies.
- Check out this Paleo Zucchini Bread with Chocolate Chips for another fun recipe!
- This recipe is Paleo, grain free, gluten free, and dairy free.
Gluten Free Baking Flours
A combination of almond flour, coconut flour and tapioca flour give this Paleo chocolate zucchini bread the perfect texture. See this Guide to Gluten Free Baking and Gluten Free Flours for more information.
Almond flour is made from ground up blanched almonds. It is lighter than coconut flour. It has a slightly nutty and hearty flavor.
Tapioca flour has the same consistency as cornstarch. In contrast, it is made from starch extracted from cassava plants. Arrowroot powder or cornstarch can be used as direct replacements if needed.
Coconut flour is a dense and absorbent Paleo flour. This flour is made from dried ground up coconut meat. It is extremely absorbent and best used in small quantities or in combination with other flours.
Best Zucchini To Use
Fresh ripe zucchini yields the best results. Freshly grown zucchini is common in the summer months.
Smaller sized zucchini is picked when in its prime. It tends to be less bitter and have thinner skin than its larger counterparts.
When making zucchini bread, do not peel zucchini. The thin skin adds both flavor and texture (and nutrients!) to the bread.
Zucchini is low in calories, high in Vitamin C and Vitamin B6. In addition, this squash contains high levels of Vitamin A. It can be used in both sweet and savory recipes.
Ingredients & Substitutions
The almond flour, coconut flour, and tapioca flour are vital to the texture. Tapioca flour can be replaced with cornstarch or arrowroot powder. Otherwise, do not substitute for the flours.
I have successfully made this bread using zucchini noodles. Simply chop up zucchini noodles finely and then squeeze out moisture.
The eggs are very important! I do not recommend using flax eggs or an egg replacement.
The mashed banana adds both natural sweetness and moisture to this bread. If desired, an equal amount of applesauce can be used.
Replace maple syrup with honey if desired.
Any variety of chocolate chips work well! I am partial to dark chocolate chips.
How to Make
Step 1
First, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a bread pan with parchment paper.
Step 2
Grate zucchini. Place on towel and squeeze out ALL excess moisture from zucchini. Set aside.
Step 3
In a large mixing bowl, combine flours, cocoa powder, baking soda and sea salt. Stir to combine.
Step 4
Add in eggs, banana, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
Step 5
Then, fold in grated zucchini and chocolate chips.
Step 6
Next, pour batter into lined bread pan.
Step 7
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Step 8
Finally, allow bread to cool completely, about 2 hours or so.
Expert Tips & Tricks
Grate zucchini finely. In addition, squeeze out ALL excess moisture from zucchini.
Use a ripe banana for natural sweetness.
Mix batter until combined. Batter will be thick!
Bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Do not over bake!
This bread will be gooey and tender, so allow it to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Want to make muffins? Check out these Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Muffins!
How to Serve & Store
Serve cooled bread. If desired, microwave each piece for a warm treat!
Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Store in fridge for up to 5 days.
If desired, freeze individual slices for up to 1 month. Thaw before eating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Grate zucchini using a grater. No need to peel zucchini beforehand.
No, I do not recommend making this bread without the eggs.
Yes, freeze each individual slice. Thaw before eating.
No, there is no need to peel the zucchini before grating. The skin adds color, texture and nutrients.
Sure! Use the same ingredients and pour batter into lined muffin tray, about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
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If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate a review! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. I would love for you to follow along!
Get the Recipe: Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread (Paleo)
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups grated zucchini
- 1 ½ cups almond flour
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- ½ cup tapioca flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- pinch sea salt
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup mashed banana, about 1 banana
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- First, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a bread pan with parchment paper.
- Grate zucchini. Place zucchini on a towel and wring out all excess moisture. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add flours, cocoa powder, baking soda and sea salt. Stir to combine.
- Add in eggs, mashed banana, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
- Then, gently fold in grated zucchini and chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into lined loaf pan.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Allow bread to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Grate zucchini finely. Then, be sure to squeeze out ALL excess moisture from zucchini.
- About 1 banana produces 1/2 cup of mashed banana.
- Arrowroot starch or cornstarch can replace the tapioca flour.
- Honey can be used in place of maple syrup if desired.
- Batter will be thick.
- Bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Do not overbake!
- This quick bread is naturally moist and gooey. Wait until it’s completely cooled to slice and serve.
- Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Bread can be frozen in individual slices for up to 1 month. Thaw before eating.
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4 Comments on “Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread (Paleo)”
Made this Chocolate Zucchini Bread yesterday & shared with neighbors to get feedback. They LOVED it! I loved it, too. It’s wonderful & fudgy without being too sweet. And I really appreciate the way you write your recipes, offering so many helpful tips & photos. Thanks again!
Could this recipe be made into muffins? Looks so good.
Also have a coconut allergy, what can I replace with?
Hi Wendy! Yes, it should work well as muffins. I’d start checking the muffins after 15 minutes of baking. There’s no great substitute for coconut flour, but you can try using 1/4 cup more almond flour instead of the 2 tablespoons coconut flour. Hope this helps!
This bread was so chocolaty and moist! My whole family devoured it. Definitely making again!