This easy Zucchini Banana Bread is studded with chocolate chips and packed with flavor! Enjoy it warm from the oven, or freeze a loaf for later!
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Banana Bread Recipe
Did you ever play school when you were growing up? I totally did and I was pretty darn sure I was going to grow up to be a teacher. I didn’t. But I did grow up to be a banana bread lover. Not sure what that has to do with being a teacher, but it’s the truth.
Zucchini bread on the other hand, gross. I did not like the texture as a kid at all. I refused to eat it, which must have been so much fun for my parents. And then I slowly forgot about it until I became a food blogger. If there’s one thing pinterest doesn’t need more of it’s quick bread recipes, so obviously I chose to give you all one.
Not true? Well, either way I decided it was high time I tried this whole zucchini bread thing again and guess what, I was a total chicken about it. I mean, I couldn’t just jump in right? I’m a toe dipper in the pool for heaven’s sake! I needed a slow start so what better thing to try than a chocolate chip zucchini banana bread? And guess what? It’s so blasted delicious I’m going to try a zucchini bread tomorrow. All by myself. If I hate it, I’ll give it away to the neighbors, ha!
I think the big win came because the zucchini was grated so fine and oil was used instead of butter. I know! Don’t get crazy on me. I love butter more than anyone, but oil really does make a better quick bread. It just does.
Zucchini Banana Bread Ingredients
As with most quick breads, this chocolate chip zucchini banana bread requires mostly pantry staples:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda and baking powder
- Cream of tartar
- Salt
- Canola oil
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Mashed banana
- Grated zucchini
- Chocolate chips
How to Make Zucchini Banana Bread
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, whisk together the egg, sugar, and oil.
- Whisk the grated zucchini into the egg mixture.
- Add in a little of the flour mixture, followed by some of the mashed banana. Continue alternating between the two until everything is added to the batter.
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Turn the batter into a loaf pan and bake until done.
How to Store Zucchini Banana Bread
To maximize the shelf life of banana zucchini bread, cover with foil or plastic wrap or place in a plastic bag to prevent drying out. Properly stored, freshly baked banana zucchini bread will last for about 1 to 2 days at normal room temperature.
Can You Freeze Zucchini Banana Bread?
Zucchini bread and Banana Bread definitely freezes well. It can remain frozen for two to three months if properly wrapped. I would suggest that you double-wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil. When you decide to thaw the bread, just remove the foil, but leave the plastic wrap on until it is completely thawed.
How to Make Banana Zucchini Bread into Muffins
Why Does Banana Zucchini Bread Fall in the Middle?
The most common reason for zucchini bread and other quick breads (and cakes) to collapse as they cool is the ingredients are too vigorously or quickly mixed, which incorporates lots of less stable air bubbles into the batter. As the bread or cake cooks, those air bubbles make it rise, but because they are unstable, the bread or cake then collapses as it sits.
An excessive amount of baking powder in a banana or zucchini bread recipe can also cause the dough to rise very quickly and then fall in the center when the resulting air pockets collapse. If you use baking powder or baking soda that has aged, it may lose effectiveness.
Excess moisture or an inaccurate dry-goods measurement can cause the middle of your loaf to sink because the center of the bread is too moist and soft. Use bananas that are overripe and soft, but not mushy. The softer bananas get, the higher the liquid content becomes. Add a tablespoon of flour at a time to help reduce the moisture of the batter, just until it is thick and not watery.
Too much banana or zucchini can create a heavy loaf that may sink in the center. Follow the recipe to ensure that you add enough banana or zucchini without adding too much.
Can I Make This Banana Zucchini Bread into Muffins?
Yes, this batter makes great muffins! You will follow the directions as written filling the cups of a muffin tin (use liners if you want) about 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes.
Tips for Making Zucchini Banana Bread
You’re welcome to add various mix-ins to this quick banana bread recipe. We kept it simple and used just chocolate chips, but a mixture of chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, chopped nuts, etc. will work.
If you’re not a fan of banana and want to make regular zucchini bread, I recommend checking out our recipe for Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread. This way, you won’t have to guess at any substitutions.
When baking this bread, note that lighter loaf pans yield better results than dark pans.
More Easy BANANA BREAD RECIPES:
- The BEST Banana Bread Recipe in the World!
- Double Chocolate Banana Bread
- Banana Bread with Sour Cream
- Biscoff Banana Bread
- Carrot Cake Banana Bread
- Pumpkin Banana Bread
- Peanut Butter Banana Bread
- S’mores Banana Bread
- Snickerdoodle Banana Bread
- Banana Crumb Bread
Chocolate Chip Banana Zucchini Bread
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Banana Bread
Description
Ingredients
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 1/4 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Cup Canola Oil
- 2/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Large Egg, , slightly beaten
- 1 Cup Mashed Banana, (not pureed), about 2 large bananas
- 1 Cup Finely Grated Zucchini, , about 1 zucchini
- 1 1/2 Cups Chocolate Chips , (any kind)
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F and grease a bread pan (not a large pan - see note).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a mixer, add the canola oil and sugar.
- Add the egg and mix again.
- Dump in the zucchini and mix on medium speed until everything is evenly combined.
- Starting and ending with the flour, add a little flour while the mixer is running on low.
- Next add a little mashed banana and continue to alternate until the last of the flour is added.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and pour into a greased bread pan. *See note below for instructions to make muffins.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-55 minutes, tenting with foil the last 15 minutes to avoid too much browning.
- Allow to cool before slicing, then serve warmed up with a little butter.
Notes
- Note that lighter bread pans provide better results than the dark pans.
- To make muffins, fill the greased muffin tin cups about 2/3 full (use liners if you want) and bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes. It will make about 18 muffins.
Brenda
Can you make this in a 8×8 pan
Sweet Basil
Hi Brenda! Yes, absolutely! The baking time will be about 35-40 minutes.
Sunshine Phelps
Oh my Goodness!!! This is the best tasting chocolate chip zuchini banana bread I have ever had!! I used my ninja to blend up the zuchini and followed the recipe to a T. I think this is going to be a family favorite!! Thank you for sharing!!
Krystal
Can you substitute the zucchini with a garden squash?
Sweet Basil
Yes, that should be fine! Be sure to peel it and remove the seeds if there are any. Enjoy!
Kim
I made this yesterday with zucchini from my garden. It was so delicious! My family loved it! I wish I could share a picture because it was beautiful!
Sweet Basil
Yay! Thank you so much Kim! This is a hit all summer with my family too!
Lisa Jones
My daughter calls these heaven sent muffins, very yummy!!
Sweet Basil
You’re daughter is smart! I love it!
Lia
Can I omit the cream of tartar?
Sweet Basil
Yes.
Cindy w
Hello… not sure if I read that right… it is 4, 210 calories and 195 grams of fat per serving? Or is that for the whole loaf? Thank you for your response!
Sweet Basil
Whole loaf…it makes it about 300 calories per serving depending on how thick you slice them.
Ashley
Does this freeze well?
Sweet Basil
Hi Ashley,
It freezes very well wrapped in plastic and placed in a freezer bag
Angie
I just made this and it is FANTASTIC!! I also doubled the recipe and used about half whole wheat flour. I also added a tablespoon of vanilla. In the past several weeks, I’ve been making lots of zucchini bread and when I saw this, it was a welcome change. This bread is awesome! Thanks for sharing the recipe 🙂
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much Angie. I am always subbing in whole wheat flour and I need to remember to do a separate post on that as many are more hesitant about experimenting. Glad you did it on your own. xoxo!
Lane & Holly @ With Two Spoons
Zucchini makes everything so moist! I bet this recipe is heavenly!
Rebecca | Let’s Eat Cake
This zucchini bread looks so moist and delicious! I love the addition of chocolate chips!
Sweet Basil
Thank you!
Lane & Holly @ With Two Spoons
I’m happy to eat anything that has chocolate chips added to it! (although I’ve always been a zucchini bread fan!)
Sara
My entire family LOVED this. I doubled the recipe, to make one with chocolate chips and one without. I also went half APF and half wheat flour. My kids never even noticed the difference!
Sweet Basil
Isn’t it such a great recipe to use whole wheat flour in? Thanks so much for the review, xoxo!
Liren
I can never resist a slice of zucchini bread, especially when there’s chocolate chips involved! xo
Sweet Basil
Right? It’s so good!
Heather
That melty butter and this chocolate chips together look amazing!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much!! xoxo
Ashley
This looks incredible!!! I know it won’t last long in our house 😉
Sweet Basil
Thank you!
Jen
I don’t like bananas. I was wondering what I can put in the place of them? I thought applesauce but is it too liquidy compared to bananas?? Any ideas??? Thank you.
Sweet Basil
Hi Jen, You could use pumpkin but unfortunately everything else has quite a bit of excess liquid. You could always increase the zucchini amount and remove the banana completely.
Jahaira
What can I use instead of regular flour ? Can I use almond coconut or oats flour to substitute
Anthony
I baked for 1 hour and 10 minutes, and it still wasn’t done… just had to stick it back in because it was still runny in the middle. Common or is it because of how wet the zucchini is?
Sweet Basil
Hi Anthony,
We’ve made this enough time that I can tell you it’s definitely that you had a higher water content in your zucchini. Unfortunately that happens sometimes. If you notice a lot of liquid after grating the zucchini just make sure you squeeze it out in a towel first. I’m so sorry that happened, but I promise it’s worth making again. We adore this recipe.
Charlotte Moore
I make chocolate chip coconut zucchini bread/muffins. Oh, they are soooo good. This sounds wonderful also.
Sweet Basil
ohhh, that sounds amazing! Do you use shredded coconut?
Erica
If I make muffins instead, how long would you say to bake them?
Sweet Basil
Hi Erica, usually 10-15 minutes depending on if you use a regular or large pan.
Erica
14 minutes for 12 regular sized muffins.
I used Bob’s Red Mill gluten free baking flour, stevia instead of sugar and 1/4 cup canola oil 1/4 cup applesauce.
They are delicious, moist and fluffy and my kids LOVE them! Thanks for sharing.
Lolly Jane
Just made this today! Doubled it in my KitchenAid…one loaf without choc for hubby and the other as is for me + the kiddos.
I literally tossed ALL the ingredients into the mixer and mixed it one time only. Turned out PERFECT! Great recipe…pinning for next time since we have a thriving zucchini garden!
Sweet Basil
Ahhhh, thank you so much!! xoxo
Sarah Nelson
It was delicious! I doubled the recipe and took a loaf to work where all of my coworkers also enjoyed it. Too bad I only had the one loaf! The other is for my family. Much praise!
Sweet Basil
Sarah, thank you so much!! It really is one of my absolute most favorite recipes!
mary vogt. patton
It good recipes
Emilee W.
So when I saw this recipe my cravings went wild and I was in the kitchen right away. Basically, it is delicious and turned out great! I laughed a little as I read your story to the recipe while my bread was baking, because I am totally pregnant too… Hence the lack of restraint when it comes to cravings at 10:00 at night. Thank you 🙂
Sweet Basil
Haha! I love it! How far along are you?
June @ How to Philosophize with Cake
That looks like a fabulous zucchini bread variation! With all those chocolate chips it has to be good 🙂
Sweet Basil
It’s kind of awesome if I do say so myself. 🙂