Gluten-Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Do you ever have one of those food items that, as a kid, you think is going to be gross, but when you eat it- it blows your mind? That’s me with zucchini bread—and dirt cake. Okay, don’t hate that one. I was six and thought it was actual dirt.

One of the best things we got in our garden was these extra-large zucchini. I’m trying to eat healthier, and this is a perfect thing. I prefer to eat it for breakfast, but it also is a sweet treat.

Ingredient Ideas

Wet Ingredients

• Shredded zucchini. It’s okay to leave the skin on – no one will notice since it’s in the bread.
• Eggs. I’m not going to lie; when I made this bread, I used one duck egg and one small chicken egg.
• Melted butter. According to this recipe, you should melt the butter and then measure it. However, not all butters are the same. You can weigh them at home; they won’t be the same weight. The more they weigh, the higher the fat ratio. Yep. I need to do a butter post… I’ll add that with the salt post. Soon. Thanks for keeping me on my toes, everyone!
• Honey. Buy from your local farmer. I repeat—buy from your local farmer. This will help your allergies because the bees are pollinating from local sources. If you’re lucky enough, they might even make infused ones. Right now, I swoon over Round Rock Honey’s bourbon barrel-aged honey.
• Plain Greek yogurt. Making this yourself is super easy (recipe coming soon, I promise)!
• Vanilla bean paste. Again, this is just me being a little extra. If all you have on hand is vanilla extract, use it. But vanilla bean paste is worth every penny.

Dry Ingredients

1. Dark cocoa powder. My baking instructor recommended spending a little extra on Dutch-processed cocoa powder; she couldn’t have been more right. King Arthur Flour is the way to go. Added bonus? If you need black food coloring, this is a great substitute.
2. 1:1 gluten-free flour- I am about to repeat myself- King Arthur Flour is the way to go
3. 1/2 teaspoon salt. Okay. I probably should write an entire post about stuff like this. Mainly because I never understood it as a young adult. Why do we put salt in bakery items? Because its purpose is to bring out the flavor in whatever it’s on/in. So your baked goods have that much more of an oomph.
4. Chocolate chips. I am a big fan of the mini chocolate chips. If you have bigger ones, that’s okay, too. It is whatever you prefer.
5. Don’t be afraid to add anything else you like to your bread. I’m a huge fan of pecans and will probably add some of them next time.

Helpful Tips

1. This recipe is versatile. You can make muffins or cupcakes with the same recipe- just be sure to watch them while they are cooking, as your baking times will be different.
2. Some other recipes require squeezing your zucchini, but I’ve never found this a deal breaker.
3. Shred these bad boys with a grater. It’s super easy. A box one works well, though I will always prefer a food processor.
4. You can use applesauce or mashed bananas in place of the Greek yogurt.
5. Need it completely dairy-free? Any other oil will work as a substitute for butter; I don’t recommend
6. These are amazing to freeze and eat later.

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