Banana Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread: One Bowl Recipe

This banana zucchini chocolate chip bread is devilishly good — a moist zucchini banana bread packed with melty chocolate chips, leftover bananas, and fresh zucchini, all with no added oil or butter!

I could have titled this recipe in lots of ways. For instance, I could have gone with…

Gloriously Melty Chocolate Chips Everywhere Bread,

or You’d Never Believe There are Vegetables (and Fruit!) Hidden Inside Bread,

or I Will Never Use Zucchini Any Other Way Again Bread.

Side note: For the life of me, I still have not mastered the art of taking the bread out of the oven at just the right time! See that big crack down the middle? I’d estimate I took it out about 5 minutes too soon. Always trust your toothpick test — you want moist crumbs, not wet batter!

Why You’ll Have Mad Love for This Chocolate Chip Zucchini Banana Bread

Okay so, can we talk about how this is genuinely the perfect way to use up summer zucchini AND overripe bananas at the same time?! I have mad love for a recipe that solves two problems at once. If you’ve been eyeing other chocolate chip zucchini bread recipes or classic banana bread recipes, trust me — this chocolate chip zucchini banana bread is the mashup you didn’t know you needed. It’s an easy quick bread that uses simple ingredients you probably already have, and the end result is absolutely dreamy. We’re talking tender zucchini bread with a moist texture, dark chocolate chips in every single bite, and that gorgeous golden crust. Be still my heart!

All About the Chocolate Chips (Obviously)

One of my favorite parts of this banana zucchini chocolate chip bread was — shockingly — the chocolate chips. No surprises there 😄. You can use any chocolate chips you’d like, but I’m very partial to dark chocolate chips, like 60% cacao bittersweet chips by Ghirardelli. They get so gooey and melty inside the loaf, kind of like a cross between your favorite banana bread and a chocolate cake. I literally can’t even. And yes, of course you can slather melted butter on top of a warm slice alongside all that melty chocolate, because anything less would be downright uncivil.

No Oil, No Problem — How This Recipe Works

Another awesome thing about this chocolate chip banana zucchini bread is that it has NO vegetable oil or melted butter in the batter! I simply tweaked my mom’s classic chocolate chip banana bread. We discovered ages ago that her recipe doesn’t really NEED the oil, so most of the time we skip it altogether. I was nervous that adding shredded zucchini would bring too much moisture — because zucchini has a ton of moisture — so I decided against the oil entirely. And voila! The grated zucchini and overripe bananas keep every single slice perfectly moist without any extra fat. You can even swap in greek yogurt or a splash of maple syrup if you want less sugar and a little tang. So good!

Tips for the Best Results With Extra Zucchini

If you want the best results with this chocolate zucchini banana bread, here are my favorite tips! First: squeeze that excess moisture out of your grated zucchini. Use a paper towel or a clean dish towel to press out the excess water — too much moisture in quick breads is the enemy of a properly set loaf. Use the large side of a box grater for thicker shreds that add great texture, or the small side of a box grater for a more invisible finish. Second: don’t over-mix! Use a gentle stirring motion when combining the wet ingredients into the flour mixture in your large bowl — no hand mixer needed. Over-mixing develops too much gluten and makes the bread tough. Third: measure your flour correctly in a measuring cup so you don’t add too much flour, which dries everything out. Spoon and level, friends!

Flour Options and Fun Swaps

This recipe uses all-purpose flour — purpose flour adds structure to the loaf and keeps it from falling apart — but honestly, there are so many fun ways to mix it up! Whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour (Bob’s Red Mill makes a great one!) adds a lovely taste of whole grain flour without making the loaf dense. For gluten-free folks, a purpose gluten-free flour blend works beautifully as a swap. You could also experiment with a small amount of almond flour or coconut flour, though coconut flour absorbs a lot of liquid, so proceed carefully there. I’ve even seen vegan breads made with coconut oil instead of butter that turn out fabulous! Just make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before you start, add brown sugar and vanilla extract to your wet ingredients in a separate bowl or medium bowl, then combine everything. Pop the batter into a prepared loaf pan lined with parchment paper and bake. Check the full recipe card below for exact measurements! Once it cools, store single slices in an airtight container or a plastic bag at room temperature for a couple days, or pop the whole loaf in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. This is a great recipe for extra zucchini all summer long, and next time you have leftover bananas going spotty on the counter, THIS is your sign. 🍌 Also try my Triple Chocolate Zucchini Muffins and Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread if you’re on a quick bread recipes kick — you will not regret it!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Banana Bread

Yield: 8 servings

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This chocolate chip zucchini bread is devilishly good. You'd never guess that it was full of fruits and veggies!

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Ingredients

• 3 medium, overripe bananas
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup shredded zucchini
• 1 1/2 cups All Purpose flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• dash of ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips + additional for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Prepare a 9x5 baking pan by lining it with parchment or foil and lightly spraying with nonstick spray.
2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Prepare a 9x5 loaf baking pan by lining it with parchment or foil and lightly spraying nonstick spray.
3. Mash the bananas with a fork or whisk. Whisk in the sugar, egg, and vanilla.
4. Pat the shredded zucchini with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Mix the zucchini into the banana mixture.
5. Mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. The batter will be lumpy.
6. Fold in the chocolate chips.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan (top with more chocolate chips if you want). Bake for 55-60 minutes (start checking for doneness with a toothpick at 55 minutes). Let cool.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 253Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 162mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 3gSugar: 29gProtein: 4g