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This mini chocolate zucchini bread is soft, moist, and full of deep chocolate flavor. Made with simple ingredients, it’s the perfect way to use a small zucchini in a quick and easy baked treat.
Featured Comment
“Made this today. I used dark chocolate chips which made it chocolatey rich. So good!!…”
– TF
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No Mixer Needed: Comes together easily with basic kitchen tools.
- Perfectly Portioned: Makes just the right amount for one or two people.
- Chocolate-Forward: Deep chocolate flavor with a soft, tender texture.
- Simple Ingredients: Made with pantry staples and ready for the oven in minutes.
This chocolate zucchini bread is one of my favorite ways to use a small zucchini. It’s soft, moist, and filled with rich chocolate flavor in every bite. You’d never guess there’s a vegetable in it, and it bakes up beautifully in a small dish. If you’ve got a zucchini on the counter and a few pantry staples, this is the recipe to make.
Try it on its own or add a dollop of homemade whipped cream, a handful of fresh berries, or a single scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy with our homemade chocolate frosting for added indulgence. These are simple ways to turn this chocolate zucchini bread into an even more satisfying treat.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small chocolate zucchini bread recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Zucchini: Use 3/4 cup (100 grams) of grated zucchini, which is about 1 small or 1/2 medium zucchini. Keep the skin on. Grate with a box grater, food processor, or high-powered blender. Leftover zucchini can be used in Greek chicken for one, small vegetable lasagna, or ratatouille for one.
Tip: Choosing the Best Zucchini
Use small to medium zucchinis with firm, smooth, slightly shiny skin. Larger ones may be spongy or have more seeds, which can affect the texture of the bread.
- Sugars: A mix of white and brown sugar adds depth of flavor. Out of brown sugar? Make your own with our quick homemade brown sugar recipe.
- Unsweetened Applesauce or Melted Butter: Use 1/4 cup of either one. Measure 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce or use 1/4 cup butter (4 tablespoons/60 grams) – melted, and add it with the zucchini, egg, sugars, and oil.
- Cocoa Powder: Use regular unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed). Its acidity helps the bread rise properly.
- Leavening Agents: A combination of baking soda and baking powder ensures a good rise.
- Oil: Use avocado, vegetable, or canola oil.
- Chocolate: Use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. Both work well. Extra chocolate can be used in single serving chocolate chip banana bread, a serve single brookie, or small batch chocolate scones.
How To Make Chocolate Zucchini Bread
These photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a small loaf of chocolate zucchini bread. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Grate the Zucchini: Use a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, a box grater, or a food processor with a shredder blade.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the egg, oil, both sugars, applesauce (or butter), vanilla, and grated zucchini.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
Pro Tip: For accurate flour measurement, fluff the flour first, spoon it into a dry measuring cup, then level it with the flat edge of a knife. Avoid scooping directly from the bag, which can lead to too much flour.
- Add Chocolate: Stir in chocolate chips or chopped chocolate.
- Bake: Pour the batter into a lightly buttered 5×5 inch baking dish. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Read First: Before baking, read the full recipe and Ingredient Notes. The step-by-step details and photos will help guide you through the process.
- Grating Zucchini: Use a box grater, mini food processor, or high-powered blender.
- Don’t Squeeze the Zucchini: Keep the natural moisture in, this helps create a soft, moist loaf.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Use the spoon and level method to avoid using too much flour.
- Mix Gently: Stir just until combined. Overmixing can make the bread dry.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the zucchini adds moisture but has a very mild flavor that blends into the chocolate.
No, leave the skin on. It softens as the bread bakes and adds texture and nutrients.
Wrap your bread and store it at room temperature for up to 3 days. For a longer shelf life of up to a week, keep it refrigerated.
Certainly! When doubling the ingredient quantities, choose a 6.5 x 6.5 inch or a 6×8 inch baking dish.
Yes! Grate the zucchini, squeeze out excess moisture, and freeze it in labeled freezer bags. When ready to bake, thaw and squeeze again before adding it to your batter. Frozen zucchini works well in quick breads, muffins, and soups.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small chocolate zucchini bread recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this small chocolate zucchini bread or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Mini Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil , canola oil or avocado oil
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce or ¼ cup butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup grated zucchini (do not drain or squeeze out excess moisture)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
- Optional: powdered sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease a 5-inch baking dish or similar size with cooking spray or butter.
- In a medium bowl, mix the egg, oil, both sugars, applesauce, and vanilla. Stir in the zucchini.
- Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir just until no flour remains.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into the prepared dish and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Slice and dust with powdered sugar, if desired.
Notes
- Read First: Before baking, read the full recipe and Ingredient Notes. The step-by-step details and photos will help guide you through the process.
- Grating Zucchini: Use a box grater, mini food processor, or high-powered blender.
- Don’t Squeeze the Zucchini: Keep the natural moisture in, this helps create a soft, moist loaf.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Use the spoon and level method to avoid using too much flour.
- Mix Gently: Stir just until combined. Overmixing can make the bread dry.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This is one of my favorite chocolate zucchini bread recipes and I’ve made it several times. But today I was wanting to make it, but had only yellow squash. I’m happy to report, yellow squash worked just as well as the zucchini! This is an amazing recipe and always turns out delicious.
Just made this for the first time. It does make a very moist and rich chocolatey cake (honestly too decadent to be called a bread imo), but it took me way longer than 30min to bake till a toothpick stopped coming out covered. Like, over 50min baking, and I think it might still be a little underdone? Very tasty, though.
Can you put a banana in it?
You can add banana to the chocolate zucchini bread, but since bananas add quite a bit of moisture, it can make the loaf overly soft or dense if not adjusted. If you’d like to try it, I recommend using about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of mashed banana in place of some of the oil—maybe reduce the oil to 1 tablespoon. Keep in mind that banana adds natural sweetness, so you could also slightly reduce the sugar if you’d like.
Also, the baking time might need to be increased slightly since banana can slow how quickly the center sets. I haven’t tested this version myself, but it’s definitely a fun idea to experiment with. Let me know how it turns out if you try it!
Hi Joanie,
When doubling the recipe you would still use a 5 inch size pan? I’ve got it in the oven now and it’s still baking after 30 minutes. Center toothpick still comes out not done. I’m using an electric oven.
Thank you,
Dawn
Thank you, Dawn! As we mentioned in the FAQ section on the recipe page, we recommend using a 6.5×6.5 or 6×8 inch baking dish. It sounds like you have too much batter in the dish you’re using, which is likely why the cake isn’t done yet. I hope this helps!
Made this today. I used dark chocolate chips which made it chocolatey rich. So good!! Will make again and add nuts. Great recipe and easy. Thank you.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the zucchini bread. Thanks so much for your feedback!
Hi Joanie,
I made this recipe today using a small bundt cake pan. It was perfectly moist and absolutely delicious! Just right for 2 people.
PS. I have your cookbook and follow you on Instagram. I’ve have made several of your wonderful recipes. Thank you for sharing!
Good morning Joanie
Thank you for your efforts in building this site. I am now cooking for one, sometimes two. Your website is going to be very helpful. Will the recipes come out ok if I use a stand mixer instead of a hand mixer?
Hi Pat, they should turn out just fine using a stand mixer. I use a hand mixer because my stand mixer is very deep and with small batch recipes, it’s harder to mix the ingredients together in my deep mixer.
Super tasty!! Doubled it and cooked it in an 8×8 glass pan. Used some of the last zucchini from my garden and for the chocolate, I had a chunk of bulk milk chocolate that was a bit past it’s prime in that it was crumbly with a lot of white but it tasted just fine… man this cake is good!! Seriously cannot tell it has zucchini in it. Like a super moist chocolate cake. Mmmm.. thanks so much!
Hi Joanie Love your recipes
Look forward to Fridays to see what you are cooking .
Just a quick question ——zucchini’s are getting overwhelming ( but I never get tired of them) the zucchini bread can that be made in the microwave ?
Thank you, Janet. I don’t recommend using the microwave for this recipe.