Chocolate Chunk Almond Butter Zucchini Bread.
Welcoming the weekend with this Chocolate Chunk Almond Butter Zucchini Bread. One bowl, pantry staple ingredients, super quick to mix up, kind of healthy, and oh so delicious! That pretty much sums up this zucchini bread. With just a couple of zucchini, some pure maple syrup, creamy almond butter, and your favorite chocolate bar, this is sure to become your favorite way to use up your summer garden zucchini. Great for breakfast, as an afternoon snack, or a late-night dessert…enjoyed just out of the oven with a generous smear of sweet maple butter. So GOOD!
We highlighted summer strawberries on Tuesday, so it only seems fair that today we highlight summer zucchini. But zucchini in a sweet way, and with the addition of chocolate and creamy almond butter.
Hey, it’s Friday…this is needed!
You guys, I love a good Friday dessert. You all know this. Last week we had cookies n’ cream ice cream sandwiches, the week before it was raspberry pies. And today we have zucchini bread. And yes, I know, zucchini bread…really? That doesn’t sound that exciting. But hear me out, I promise you this bread is worth your time. It’s delicious, and even, kind of sort of…healthy…depending on how you define healthy. For me ” healthy” definitely includes zucchini and chocolate, so…
The quick back story of this recipe is really pretty simple, I had a lot of zucchini in the fridge and a fresh jar of almond butter in the pantry. I’ve recently become very excited about baking with almond butter (more to come). The sound of a buttery zucchini bread with chocolate chunks and creamy almond butter was truly exciting to me. Normally I would sit on an idea like this for a while, probably overthink it, and then potentially never share it. But I have a new motto, stop over-thinking and just start doing.
So I went with it. It was kind of a dreary day and I felt like baking something slightly sweet anyway. And since I’ve been sharing plenty of berry-filled summer desserts, I thought I would switch it up and go for chocolate today.
A very good idea.
Making this almond butter zucchini bread is simple…
You only need one bowl, some pantry ingredients, fresh zucchini, about 20 minutes of time to prep, and about an hour for baking.
The first step is the zucchini. Here’s the thing, when baking with zucchini it’s really important to remove any excess moisture (so the water). You want to do this so your baked goods don’t end up super dense and watered down. Simply shred the zucchini, let it sit on paper towels for 10 minutes, then ring the zucchini out to squeeze out all the water. It’s really easy. The drier you can get the zucchini, the lighter your loaf of bread will be.
While the zucchini sits, make the batter.
The rest is so quick and easy. In a bowl, mix up melted butter, a couple of eggs, maple syrup – for sweetness, and a splash of vanilla. Then stir in the zucchini. Now add in some whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, cinnamon, plus a touch of salt. And lastly, add in the chocolate chunks.
The final step is essential to this bread. The almond butter swirl…well it’s not must, MUST, but it sure is DELICIOUS. But the chocolate chunks…well there’s no negotiating there, the chocolate chunks are a MUST!
Now, bake and wait…the absolute hardest part. Distract yourself and use the time to knock out some emails, watch your favorite show, sit in the summer sun. I could go on and on. Hey, an hour is a long time, but the upside is that the house smells incredible as this bread bakes away in the oven.
The final (extra special) finishing touch.
While the bread bakes, mix together a little butter and maple syrup to create a sweet maple butter to slather over the warm bread.
Is this really needed? No, but as I said above, it adds that extra special finishing touch. Especially if you plan to enjoy this warm…which you should do. It’s just perfectly sweet, nutty, and heavy on the melty, warm, gooey puddles of chocolate. The sweet maple butter creates that “roll your eyes back” deliciousness with every last bite.
So very good!
I’m thinking some afternoon/weekend baking sounds just perfect. Especially if it happens to be a rainy summer afternoon. Nothing’s better than this bread on a rainy day.
Looking for other sweet zucchini recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Sneaky Zucchini Chocolate Chunk Coconut Bread
Chocolate Chip Olive Oil Zucchini Banana Bread
Zucchini Peach Streusel Muffins
Lastly, if you make this chocolate chunk almond butter zucchini bread with salted maple butter, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the How To video:
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Chocolate Chunk Almond Butter Zucchini Bread with Salted Maple Butter
One bowl, pantry staple ingredients, super quick to mix up, kind of healthy, and oh so delicious!
Ingredients
- 2 medium-size zucchini, grated (about 2 cups grated before squeezing out water)
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) melted coconut oil or melted butter
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chunks
- 1/2 cup creamy almond butter
Maple Butter
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
-
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5 inch bread pan.
2. Lay a clean towel on the counter and spread the zucchini out in an even layer, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, cover with another towel, and let sit 10 minutes, then squeeze out any excess water.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the melted coconut oil or melted butter, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla until combined. Mix in the squeezed out zucchini. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate. Dollop the almond butter in teaspoon size amounts directly into the batter. Gently swirl the almond butter in, being careful not to overmix.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared bread pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until center is just set. If the bread is browning before it's done cooking, cover with foil.
5. Meanwhile, make the maple butter. In a small bowl, combine the butter and maple syrup.
6. Remove the bread and let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting...or just eat it warm with a smear of maple butter. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
To Make Gluten Free: Use an equal amount of your favorite gluten free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour. I recommend Cup4Cup gluten free flour.
Storing: this bread keeps well for 2-3 days at room temperature.
Freezing: cool the bread, wrap well with plastic wrap, then store in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw for a few hours on the counter before slicing.
Our Favorite Recipes
Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Chickpea Salad.
Your photography is amazing. Little details and thought goes into every photo, so enjoyable. I have made your Monster Oatmeal Bars several times, becoming a favorite.
Thank you so much Roberta!! I am really glad those bars turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This recipe looks yummy but I am wondering if/how I can substitute the maple syrup.
I do not like baking with maple syrup/honey and would rather just use sugar. What would you suggest..white or brown …and how much?
Any help would be appreciated.
Hey Nancy,
I would recommend using an equal amount of brown sugar. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Thank you for your many delicious recipes which I have tried quite a few. This bread is no exception and looks so delicious. I would love to make it, however my son has an extreme allergy to all nuts. Could I omit the almond butter, or would it affect the outcome of the recipe. Also I wanted to say how much I appreciate the photography in these posts. My husband and sons are not only photographers, but one is an artist, and I have learned over the years howto truly appreciate not only the art , but the artist as well. Again thank you. Stay safe and be well.
Hi Jaonne,
I would recommend using this recipe: https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/zucchini-chocolate-chunk-coconut-bread/
I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Yes!! I have so many zucchini and love making chocolate chip zucchini bread. Perfect timing. Can I use PB instead of almond butter?
Hey Adriana,
Yes you can use peanut butter. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Wow! I can’t wait to try it.
Thank you so much Cynthia! xTieghan
This was amazing!! Thanks so much for this recipe, Tieghan. I made this today to use up a massive zucchini I’d just received in my veg box and subbed the almond butter for peanut butter – my kids went crazy and couldn’t stop repeating how they couldn’t believe this was made with courgette (what we call zucchini in the UK). Mummy win! This is a keeper – definitely go with the instinct to stop over-thinking and start doing!
Yes!! I am really glad this one turned out so well for you and your family! Thank you for trying it, Denise! xTieghan
Amazing! Modified to make it gluten free but it was over the top amazing! Don’t forget the maple butter, it truly is the icing on the cake!!
Amazing! Thank you for trying these, Stefanie! xTieghan
Is the pastry flour a must? Would other flours work?
Hey Beth,
You could use all purpose flour or gluten free flour. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
thanks for sharing this post!
I really like it!
Thank you so much! xTieghan
Ok, I made this for my neighbors but I’m not sure they’re going to get it. It smells and looks delicious and I’ll be making it again very soon!
Thank you Anna! I am so glad you loved this! xTieghan
Concerned I did something wrong though I followed recipe exactly. Batter was more like a cookie dough–thick and dry. In the oven now, so time will tell.
The batter will be thick, but should not be as thick as cookie dough…Please let me know how this turns out for you, Leslie! I would love to help! xTieghan
I tries it today, I had this HUGE ZUCCHINI to pass and it was perfect ! Simply perfect recipe !!!
Thank you so much Sonia! xTieghan
Can you make these muffins?
Hey Stacy,
I haven’t tried these as muffins but you certainly could, I would just recommend cutting down on the baking time! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi there
I would love to know what your favorite Housewarming gift would be.
Thanks for all the inspo.
warm regards,
Hi Natalie! I really love giving cutting boards or cheese board sets! I feel like its something that most people would not buy for themselves! I hope this helps! xTieghan
Another fabulous recipe! I have zucchini coming out of my ears. I’ll be making it again soon
Thank you so much Emilie!! I am so happy to hear that! xTieghan
I made it this morning (omitted the chocolate chunks) and it turned out great! Family and friends loved it! So simple, and so delicious. Will definitely make it again.
Love that! Thank you so much for trying this Maria! xTieghan
Silly question I’m sure: but to be clear, when you say … or all purpose flour, you are referring to white AP flour right?
I recently discovered your site via Pinterest, and have now purchased your two cookbooks. Recipes take the ordinary and make the food extraordinary! And the photography—just love it.
Hey Robyn,
Yes, white AP flour is correct!
Thanks so much for ordering the books and your support! xTieghan
Hi! So excited to try this. I was wondering if you can make these in a muffin tin instead, and how the times and/or temperature might differ? Love your recipes !!!
Hey Zoe,
I haven’t tried this in a muffin tin but seems like it would work! I would just recommend reducing your baking time. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This is a great recipe! I substituted sugar for the maple syrup and it still came out moist. This texture is definitely more of a bread than a dense cake, which is what a wanted. I will use this again!
Thank you Taylor! So happy to hear that! xTieghan
I had a zucchini lying around and i didn’t know what to do with it… and then this recipe popped up in my inbox! it was perfect timing 🙂 I don’t bake very often so I overcooked the bread, but it is still delicious, especially with more butter and almond butter slathered on top!
Thank you so much Genevieve! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I’ve never made any kind of bread before, and I made this for the first time last night. The flavor is incredible! I added a few butterscotch chips and some sea salt on top before baking. Will definitely make this again, thank you, Tieghan!
Jenn
Thank you Jenn!! I am really glad this bread turned out so amazing for you! I hope you continue to love this and other breads of mine!! xTieghan
Taste is amazing, but the bread seemed very crumbly, almost a like dry, but it wasn’t dried out. Any suggestions?
Hey Steph,
So sorry you had issues with the bread. I am wondering if you adjusted the recipe at all? Could it possibly have been over baked? Please let me know how I can help! xTieghan
Love it. In my opinion the almond butter is a must. So good. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Thank you for trying this one, Tressa! I am so glad you enjoyed it! xTieghan
I just made this and it’s my favorite zucchini bread recipe ever!! I LOVE the addition of peanut butter in the batter, which just takes the deliciousness to a whole other level! Yummy!!
Thank you so much Sheilyn! xTieghan
This recipe is so good! It has replaced my mom’s zucchini bread recipe that I’ve made for years. It has the perfect balance of flavors. I may have snuck a second piece!
Haha nothing wrong with a second piece thats for sure! I am so happy you loved this bread, Ashley!! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! What brand/kind of chocolate did you use for this? I love how the chocolate chunks create little pockets of chocolatey goodness. Thanks for the brilliant recipe!
Hey Sarah,
I love using Chocolove or Lindt for my chocolate, I find they melt really nicely. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Absolutely LOVED this bread! Thank you! It was soooo yummy! I used coconut oil, AP flour, vanilla almond butter, & mini chocolate chips.
Thank you so much Megan!! So glad this turned out so amazing for you! xTieghan
This was INCREDIBLE! My husband and daughter gave it a 10/10, I give it a 11/10. It’s so delicious! Thank you!
Thank you so much Isabelle! xTieghan
Wow talk about your mouth doing a happy dance Fantastic dinner I made your salmon dish followed by this incredible dessert with a glass of Pinot Greigo.
Sounds like an amazing night! Thank you so much for trying this Marie! xTieghan
So this recipe tastes delicious… but my loaf completely falls apart when I try to slice it and it is very crumbly. I am an experienced baker and did not make any substitutions to the recipe (I used melted coconut oil when it gave the option between that & butter). It’s not over baked or too dry or too moist, it just falls apart and is kind of a crumbly mess! Like I said, taste is great but very difficult to handle. I’d love to be able to make this again for the taste but don’t think I will because of the texture.
Hi Lauren! I am sorry this did not turn out as well as you hoped! If there is anything I can help you with, please let me know! xTieghan
I followed the recipe, even under baked. This was dry and mostly just lacking flavor. Find another tried and true recipe to use your zucchini.
Hi Stephanie! I am sorry this did not turn out well for you.. Please let me know if there is anything I can help you with! xTieghan
The bread looks beautiful once baked. I was surprised that it wasn’t sweeter, but with the maple butter it was PEFECT! Definitely needs the maple butter. My house smells amazing!
Thank you so much Tyra!! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Made this today – it was INCREDIBLE. I did a mix of dark chocolate chunks and regular chocolate chips – so good!!
Thank you so much Lee! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Absolutely amazing me and my family couldn’t stop eating it!!!!
Thank you Gillian! xTieghan
Soooo delicious! This was my first time baking zucchini bread, and I’ll definitely be back for more! The loaf was super moist, it’s better to slightly under-bake than over-bake this one. I didn’t have that much maple syrup, so I used molasses instead and it really added a nice depth to the flavor.
Love that!! I am so glad this turned out so well for you, Neomi! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
So so yummy! I would love to see more baking recipes with zucchini!!
Thank you Sania!! I am really glad you liked this! xTieghan
love this recipe! i made one loaf last week and this week i’m making two!
Thank you so much Erin! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
OMG SO DELICIOUS!!! I made this without the almond butter because they were out of my favorite one and I felt that my dislike for the flavor of the other options would have taken away from this delicious recipe, and after tasting it I am anxious to make it again with the almond butter!! Thank you so much for putting together such a scrumptious treat the even sneaks in some veggies. 10/10 would recommend!!
Hi Rachel! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! I hope you love it even more with almond butter when you get a chance to try it! xTieghan
The flavor is spot on and so delicious. But this is the second time I’ve made this bread and I ran into the same problem I did the first time. I followed directions to a T and everything looks great but once I slice into it it’s a crumbly mess and falls apart. The bread is moist so it’s not over baked. I’m not sure what causes this but it seems others ran into the same issue. I so badly want to love this recipe because the flavor is amazing but I wouldn’t be able to gift this or serve it to guests because of how difficult it is to handle which is a huge bummer. 🙁 maybe third times a charm? But side note the maple butter is a MUST. It really is so delicious with this bread!
Hey Alex! So sorry you are having some trouble. What kind of almond butter are you using? Is it very dry? I wonder if the almond butter is too dry and it’s causing the bread to crumble in the middle. I like to use an oily almond butter that you can easily spread. I have found this to have better results.
Please let me know if you have any other questions. Hoping that helps a little! Let me know! Thank you!! xTieghan
Don’t know where I went wrong with this. Batter was thicker than the photo, came out dense. Even baked it 10 minutes less than the initial time. I made sure to squeeze all the water out of the zucchini. It smelled great while it was baking, but taste wise, a bit bland. The chocolate chunks did not melt, which made me sad. I was so excited to make this, but am disappointed with the final product. What to do if the batter is too thick?
Hey Victoria! I am sorry you had trouble. Was there anything you did differently at all? Any ingredients different? Method of baking this? Any info will be helpful to help me problem solve and figure out what might be happening for you. It’s hard to know without knowing any details.
Also, what brand chocolate are you using? And what about the almond butter? Is that oily or dry?
Hope I can help you! xTieghan
Absolutely delicious!! I liked this a lot better than the sneaky chocolate chunk zucchini bread, but I think that’s because when I made that one I didn’t let the zucchini sit with the salt long enough nor squeeze out enough moisture, and that made it dry. This time I let it rest for a long time and then squeeze the living heck out of that zucchini. I also veganized this recipe, using vegan butter and flax eggs. It came out incredible! So moist and chocolatey (with those extra choc chunks on top) and the flavor is on point. I’m definitely making this one again 🙂
Love to hear that! Thank you so much Anya! xTieghan
I’ve always left zucchini bread up to my mom bc I thought mine would never measure up. Your recipe was approachable, unique and delicious! The whole thing was gone in 3 days!
Wow yes!! Love to hear that this turned out so well for you, Thy! Thank you for all of the comments! xTieghan
Oh yeah, uh huh, this is a keeper! Super moist, super yummy, and the maple butter is the epic finish to this bread that everyone needs to make!
Love to hear that! Thank you for trying this! xTieghan
I made this today, but as muffins. They get a big thumbs up from me, my boyfriend, and my 4 year old. For muffins they take 18-20 min in the oven at 350, and made about 14 muffins. Super delicious.
Thank you so much for trying this Kristen! I am so happy this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
SO BOMB. Made it twice, and it was devoured each time! First time with whole wheat flour, and felt like it could have been baked for less time. The 2nd time was perfect!
Wow yes!! So happy this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This is incredible! I’ve been making zucchini bread for years and this is my new go to recipe. I love the coconut oil and almond butter. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Thank you for trying this Lindsey! I am so glad it turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I’ve made this twice now and it just keeps getting better! I subbed almond flour for regular and used Lily’s dark choc chips. SO delicious!! Thank you for the recipe and I love the videos on your Instagram where we can see how you make it 🙂
I am really glad you enjoyed this recipe, Katie! Thank you! xTieghan
To date, I have baked this recipe three times. The first was a fail only because the loaf did not hold it’s shape, and was basically just mushy, but once my wife and I got to the tasting part, all was well. DELICIOUS! What I was most disappointed about was not being able to get some food photography practice in with this recipe. All you have to do is scroll up and see how such a simple food item can look SO appetizing through some good camera and post processing work. The second and third bake were excellent. My main adjustment was giving the zucchini extra time to dry and REALLY making sure I squeezed out the moisture through a thin dish towel. Combined between those two bakes I have had nine people try a slice and everyone has loved it…..especially with the maple butter. Looking forward to posting it on my Instagram story!
Great recipe Tieghan
Thank you so much! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I tweaked the recipe a bit, didn’t have almond butter so added 1/2 cup almond flour and 1 n 1/2 cup all purpose flour. Also replaced 1/2 cup maple syrup with equal proportion of honey.
I ate it warm just out of the oven, and loved it!!
Thanks for this super easy recipe and a cure for the extra lot of zucchini 😀
Hi Piyu! I am really glad this bread turned out so well for you! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
I must have messed up this recipe somehow. I cooked the bread for 50 minutes and it was extremely dry. Any ideas on what went wrong?
Hey Sue,
So sorry about the bread, did you happen to adjust the recipe at all? Since all ovens can be slightly different I would recommend to start checking for doneness around 45 minutes next time. I hope this helps! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! Is it possible to use almond flour? Also, can maple syrup be substituted with stevia?
Hey Joanna,
I would not recommend using almond flour, I like Cup4cup GF flour. I’ve never used stevia so I am unsure of those results. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
So amazing!
Thanks so much Emma! xTieghan
Absolutely delicious — and a little bit healthy! What could be better!?
Hey there,
I am delighted you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan