Healthy Zucchini Bread

Healthy zucchini bread is perfectly moist, slightly sweet, with bites of chocolate chips and walnuts. With no refined sugar, just a touch of coconut oil, and whole wheat flour, it’s a healthier treat to enjoy with a cup of coffee.

When it comes to baking, I like to keep things simple. Quick breads like lemon blueberry bread or pumpkin bread are great because you need just one bowl and ten minutes to mix up the batter and get them into the oven!

This healthy zucchini bread is another great quick bread option, especially when you have a garden that over-produces zucchini.

Slightly sweet, perfectly moist, with a crunch from the walnuts and a little hit of chocolate from the mini chocolate chips, this zucchini bread is a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth without overdoing it.

Some zucchini bread recipes have a TON of oil and sugar in them, and I love that this recipe only uses a touch of coconut oil and no refined sugar.

Start by squeezing the zucchini

Zucchini is a very watery vegetable, and we need to press out the extra liquid to allow our zucchini bread to bake through properly.

After shredding the zucchini, scatter it on a paper towel-lined plate and allow it to sit for ten minutes. Use a second paper towel to gently press the liquid out of the zuccchini.

One bowl for easy prep

One bowl recipes are perfect for lazy baking days, and I’m happy to report that this healthy zucchini bread can be mixed up in one bowl. I do recommend using a microwave safe bowl such as a large glass measuring cup, so you can start by melting the coconut oil.

Next, add in the rest of your wet ingredients (apple sauce, maple syrup, vanilla and 2 eggs). If your coconut oil re-solidifies at this time, just pop the wet ingredients back into the microwave and heat on 20-30 second increments, stirring each time, until it melts again. Do not heat vigorously as we don’t want to cook our eggs.

Next, add in the dry ingredients: whole wheat flour, salt, baking soda and powder and cinnamon. Mix until *just* combined and no flour lumps remain.

The final step? Fold in our add-ins: the shredded and pressed zucchini, mini chocolate chips, and walnut pieces.

Grease and flour the pan

This recipe requires a standard 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. To ensure that your healthy zucchini bread comes out of the pan easily, we have a two-step method to prepare the pan:

1. grease

To grease the pan, spray with spray oil, or rub softened butter all over. Make sure you get the bottom and the sides, and that you get the corners as well.

2. flour

Next, take 1/4 cup of flour and add into the pan. Tap the pan while changing its position to get the flour to stick to the greased surface. If you have extra flour leftover, simply tap it back into your flour container.

How to tell when it’s done

There are a few different ways to tell when your zucchini bread is baked through. The standard way is to insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean, your bread is ready. If sticky crumbs are stuck to the toothpick, it needs to go back into the oven.

Another way to check is to use a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the bread. Once it reaches 200°F, it’s ready to come out.

Serving zucchini bread

Allow the bread to cool completely, then work a knife around the loaf pan, turn it over on a cutting board, and give it a firm smack. This should release the zucchini bread from the pan.

Serve zucchini bread with a smear of butter. As this loaf is only mildly sweet, you may also want to serve with a little drizzle of honey.

Storage + freezer directions

We love to double this recipe and freeze one loaf. Cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap (or beeswax wrap) and store in an air tight container or freezer bag (use a straw to suck out any air).

• Fridge- store for up to 1 week wrapped in plastic or beeswax wrap in the fridge.
• Freeze- for up to 3 months.
• Thaw- overnight in the fridge.

Swaps + variations

• zucchini- swap for yellow squash, shredded carrots or shredded apples
• walnuts- swap for pecans, almonds, or any other nut you’d like (or leave them out!)
• flour- swap the whole wheat flour for white whole wheat or all purpose; it has not been tested with gluten-free or any alternative flours
• coconut oil- swap for vegetable oil or butter
• maple syrup- swap for honey

More summery snacks

• Creamy Chocolate Dessert Hummus
• Smoky Sweet Potato Hummus
• Ultra Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas
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• Perfect No Bake Energy Bites (+ 7 Flavors)
• Healthy Blueberry Muffins