What’s better than classic zucchini bread? A moist and flavorful banana chocolate chip zucchini bread that takes it to the next level! This egg-free recipe combines the sweetness and moisture of ripe bananas with rich, melty chocolate chips and the subtle flavor of zucchini.
The result? A perfectly tender, chocolatey loaf that’s hard to resist. Whether you enjoy it for breakfast, a snack, or dessert, this banana zucchini bread will quickly become a household favorite. Plus, it’s the best way to use up those overripe bananas and extra zucchini lurking in your kitchen!
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This eggless banana chocolate chip zucchini bread recipe was first published in 2008, and it quickly became a reader favorite! Over the years, I’ve received wonderful feedback and suggestions, which I’ve now incorporated into this updated post.
I’ve added new photos, more detailed step-by-step instructions, and extra tips to ensure your bread turns out perfectly every time. Whether you’re a longtime fan or trying this eggless chocolate chip zucchini bread for the first time, I’m sure you’ll love the improvements. Enjoy baking!
Ingredients and Substitutes
Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients that make this banana chocolate chip zucchini bread so irresistible. Plus, I’ll share some easy substitutions in case you’re missing something or want to try a twist!
- All-Purpose Flour
This is the foundation of the bread, giving it that perfect balance of soft and sturdy. It’s like the canvas for all the delicious flavors to shine.
Want to mix things up? I often prefer using whole wheat pastry flour—it doesn’t affect the taste or texture much and adds a nutritional boost. While I haven’t tried replacing the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking mix in this recipe, it’s worked in others, so I’m confident it’ll work here too. - Leavening Agents (Baking Powder and Baking Soda)
These are your bread’s best friends, helping it rise and stay light and airy, even with all the moisture from the bananas and zucchini.
Pro tip: Stick with this combo for the fluffiest results—baking science at its tastiest! - Ground Cinnamon
Adds a subtle warmth that complements the sweetness beautifully. If you’re a cinnamon fan, bump it up to ½ teaspoon for a bolder flavor.
Not a fan? You can skip it, or swap it for nutmeg or pumpkin spice for a seasonal twist. - Banana
Ripe bananas not only add natural sweetness but also keep the bread irresistibly moist. Plus, they bring that comforting, familiar flavor we all love.
No bananas? Applesauce, mashed sweet potato, or pumpkin puree can step in, though the taste will vary slightly. - Sunflower Oil
Keeps the bread soft and tender for days, ensuring every bite is melt-in-your-mouth moist.
Looking for alternatives? Try melted butter or coconut oil for more flavor, or stick with any neutral-flavored oil if you prefer a subtle taste. - White Sugar
Adds just the right amount of sweetness to let the bananas and chocolate chips shine. If your bananas are extra sweet, you can reduce the sugar by a tablespoon or two.
Prefer a richer taste? Brown sugar or coconut sugar will give your bread a caramel-like depth. - Vanilla Extract
A little splash of vanilla rounds out all the flavors and takes the bread to the next level.
For a nutty twist, try almond extract—it’s a game changer! - Zucchini
The secret ingredient! It adds incredible moisture and a tender crumb without overpowering the flavor. Don’t worry—you won’t taste it, but your bread will thank you.
No zucchini? Grated carrots, beetroot, apple, or pear are great substitutes. Since these aren’t as water-rich as zucchini, you may need to add a few splashes of water or milk to achieve the right batter consistency. - Chocolate Chips
These little gems add bursts of gooey, melty chocolate in every bite. Who could resist that?
Feel creative? Dark chocolate chunks, white chocolate chips, or mini chocolate chips work beautifully too. Or simply omit them if chocolate isn’t your thing. - Walnuts
Add a delightful crunch and nutty contrast to the soft, chocolatey bread.
No walnuts? Pecans and almonds are excellent alternatives, or you can completely omit the nuts for a nut-free version. Seeds like sunflower or pumpkin can also provide a nice crunch.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these simple steps to whip up a delicious loaf of banana chocolate chip zucchini bread:
1. In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt.
2. Make a well in the center and set aside.
3. n a medium-sized bowl, combine the mashed banana, oil, sugar, and vanilla extract.
4. Beat the mixture well using an electric beater or a hand whisk until smooth and creamy.
Alternative method: Blend the wet ingredients in a blender for an ultra-smooth mixture.
5. Pour the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients.
6. Gently stir until both mixes are well incorporated.
7. Fold in the shredded zucchini, chocolate chips, and walnuts.
8. Mix until everything is evenly distributed. If the batter feels too thick, add a few splashes of water or milk to achieve the right consistency.
9. Line an 8x4 inch bread pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment with non-stick cooking spray.
10. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Tap the pan gently on the counter to release any air bubbles.
11. Place the pan in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C).
12. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
13. Allow the bread to cool completely in the pan before slicing.
14. Enjoy your homemade banana chocolate chip zucchini bread!
Expert Tips
Here are some handy tips to help you bake the best banana chocolate chip zucchini bread every time:
- Use Ripe Bananas
The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be. Look for bananas with plenty of brown spots for the best results. - Don’t Overmix the Batter
Once you combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until everything is incorporated. Overmixing can make the bread dense and chewy instead of light and tender. - Squeeze Excess Moisture from Zucchini (If Necessary)
If your zucchini seems especially watery, give it a gentle squeeze after grating to remove excess moisture. This prevents the batter from becoming too wet. - Prevent Add-Ins from Sinking
Toss chocolate chips and walnuts in a little flour before folding them into the batter. This helps them stay evenly distributed throughout the bread. - Adjust Sweetness to Taste
Depending on how sweet your bananas are, you can reduce the sugar slightly for a less sweet loaf or keep it as-is for a more indulgent treat. - Check for Doneness
Start checking the bread around the 50-minute mark. Insert a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If there’s wet batter on the toothpick, bake for a few more minutes and check again. - Prevent the Bread from Browning Too Quickly
If the top of your bread is browning too quickly while the inside is still undercooked, cover it loosely with aluminum foil during the last 10-15 minutes of baking. This will protect the top while allowing the center to bake through. - Let It Cool Completely
Resist the urge to slice the bread while it’s still warm. Allowing it to cool fully ensures clean slices and helps the flavors develop. - Enhance Flavor with Add-Ins
For extra texture and flavor, try adding shredded coconut, dried cranberries, or a sprinkle of coarse sugar on top before baking.
Serving Suggestions
- Perfect for Any Time of Day: Enjoy a slice with your morning coffee, as a mid-afternoon snack, or as a comforting dessert.
- Top It Off: Spread a little butter, cream cheese, or even a dollop of whipped cream for an indulgent treat.
- Pair with Beverages: It pairs beautifully with a warm cup of tea, coffee, or even a glass of cold milk.
- Make It Fancy: Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a decadent dessert option.
- Pack It Up: This bread makes an excellent lunchbox treat or picnic snack.
How to Store and Freeze?
Storing
- Room Temperature: Keep your bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Make sure it’s completely cooled before storing to prevent moisture buildup.
- Refrigerator: Store in the fridge for up to a week. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container.
Freezing
- Whole Loaf: Wrap the entire loaf in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. It will stay fresh for up to 3 months.
- Individual Slices: For quick and easy servings, slice the bread before freezing. Wrap each slice in plastic wrap and store them together in a freezer-safe bag.
Thawing and Reheating
To enjoy your bread, let it thaw at room temperature or warm individual slices in the microwave or oven. The chocolate chips will melt slightly, making each bite extra delicious!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking mix. While I haven’t tested this particular recipe with gluten-free flour, it has worked well in other similar recipes.
Yes! With the exception of the chocolate chips, this recipe is almost entirely vegan. Simply use vegan chocolate chips to make it fully plant-based. You won’t miss the dairy or eggs!
You can replace bananas with applesauce, mashed sweet potato, or pumpkin puree. Keep in mind that the flavor will be slightly different depending on the substitute.
No, you don’t need to peel the zucchini. The skin is thin and blends right into the bread, adding extra texture and nutrients.
Yes, you can substitute zucchini with other shredded vegetables like carrots, beetroot, or even grated apple or pear for a slightly different flavor and texture.
If you want to skip the zucchini altogether, you can make this recipe as a banana bread. Just note that zucchini adds moisture, so if you omit it, check the batter’s consistency and consider reducing the flour slightly or adding a splash of water or milk if it seems too thick.
For this recipe, an 8x4 inch pan works best for optimal rise and texture. If you only have a 9x5 inch pan, the batter might spread out more and the bread won’t rise as much, resulting in a flatter loaf. Alternatively, you could bake the batter as a couple of mini loaves, which will turn out beautifully.
If the top starts to brown too fast while baking, cover it loosely with aluminum foil during the last 10-15 minutes. This helps the bread bake evenly without burning the top.
Absolutely! If you prefer a nut-free loaf, simply leave out the walnuts or replace them with seeds like sunflower or pumpkin for some crunch.
It’s best to bake the batter immediately after preparing it, as the leavening agents start working as soon as they’re mixed with the wet ingredients. However, if you need to prepare ahead, you can mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately. Then, combine them just before baking.
Absolutely! This batter works beautifully for muffins. Simply divide the batter evenly into a lined muffin tin and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Ready to bake?
Now that you’ve got all the tips, tricks, and answers to your questions, it’s time to get baking! Below is the complete recipe card for this moist and flavorful banana chocolate chip zucchini bread. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a first-timer, this recipe is sure to be a hit. Let’s get started!
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Recipe
Banana Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
PART 1:
- 1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
PART 2:
- 1 cup mashed banana 2-medium size bananas
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
PART 3:
- 1 and ½ cups grated zucchini
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup pecans chopped
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven at 350F/180C for 15 minutes. Line a 8x4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl sift together the dry ingredients listed under Part 1.
- In a medium size bowl add the ingredients listed in Part 2 and beat well using an electric hand mixer or use a whisk.
- Add this wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix it well. Make sure that the flour is incorporated well with the wet mix but do not over mix.
- Stir in the zucchini, chocolate chips and nuts.
- Mix together everything and add a splash of water or milk if the batter is too thick.
- Pour the bread batter into the prepared bread loaf pan.
- Bake it at 350F/180C for 50-60 min or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean.
- Cool the bread in the pan for 30 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack. Wait for the bread to cool completely before slicing.
My Notes
Taste & Texture
Nutrition
Jane Starr says
What size bananas? About 1/2 to 3/4 cup?
Madhuram says
Medium size
Liz baker says
AMAZING!!! I was hesitant to try a no egg recipe but I had no eggs in the house and was itching to bake. I am going to use this recipe from now on!!! It was moist, flavorful and perfectly sweet. I did a few little tweaks because I always do to any recipe. I used eh about 4 tablespoons less sugar, 3 bananas, 1 cup zucchini (all I had) almonds instead of pecans and a smudge of applesauce because I wanted to make sure it'd be moist. I also added chopped almonds and cinnamon additionally on top for a crunchy sweet topping. And 55 minutes was perfect. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!! <3
Madhuram says
Great Liz! Thanks for the feedback.
Norah says
I made the Banana Zucchini Bread and my kids (1 & 3) loved it. My 3 year old who is an extremely picky eater loved it, we just don't talk about the zucchini being in it (shhhhhh). We will make this again. I made 2 loaves and froze one, it freezes really nice. Thank you for the great recipe.
Madhuram says
You are very welcome Norah. I'm very glad that your kids liked it.
Me too says
Awesome recipe! Thanks so much for sharing it! Lately I bake this almost every alternate week as Banana cake which makes both kids happy and mom happy(I don't utter the "Z" word or they will not come near it!)!
Meghana says
Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe. I tried this over the weekend and
came out good. I used condensed milk instead of banana, not a big fan of that.
I tried removing it from the pan after 15 mins and that broke the bread.
I should have waited for 30 mins??
Meghana
Madhuram says
That's a nice idea to use condensed milk. The bread should cool completely. I would suggest even leaving it overnight. 15 minutes is too soon for quick bread especially.
Anu says
Hi Madhu,
I used your recipe for this bread and added my own fav ingredients to it- baked an
eggless strawberry chocolate almond bread with your recipe as base. Just
posted about it on my blog and thanked you for the recipe too.
Thanks again for this - you know I love your site and come here often.
My mom is visiting and she does not eat eggs and egg products.
Your site is a boon for me when I want to bake something for her! Thanks!
Anu
Madhuram says
You're welcome Anu. I'll check it out.
Meghana says
Thanks, I will give it a try with milk as a substitute!
Meghana says
Hi there,
I love this recipe and want to really try it. I am not a big fan of banana, can you please suggest a replacement for the 2 bananas?
Thanks,
Meghana
Madhuram says
You could use 1/2 to 3/4th cup (depending upon the consistency of the batter) unsweetened applesauce instead and increase the quantity of sugar to 1 cup because the applesauce will not be sweet like bananas.
Meghana says
Thanks for the tip about using Apple Sauce. Sorry for being picky, any other replacement?
Meghana
Madhuram says
Don't be sorry Meghana. You could use any pureed fruit or try plain milk. If you are using milk, add it little by little until you get the desired consistency.
Shilpi says
Thank You, Madhuram for the recipe. I want to try this out, but is there any substitution to the bananas? As I personally don't like bananas!
Madhuram says
Hi Shilpi, check below my reply for Meghana.
Sarah says
I just made this for my egg-allergic baby as a snack. I used chopped almonds instead of walnuts, no chocolate chips and doubled the recipes to freeze one loaf. IT WAS AMAZING!!! I used almost 4 cups of zucchini (we had a plethora)! Thanks for the website!
You're welcome Sarah. I too have to try freezing quick breads and muffins.
renu says
Thank you, Thank you and Thank you, I baked this with my friend today without chocolate chips and it came out so good.
You're welcome Renu.
bindu says
I came up with two great recipes of banana nut bread. Low fat and healthy. Key is to use very ripe bananas
I keep the banans in in a brown bag and leave it in pantry for few days. The skin shoukld be almost black and when you peel thay are not pelasant looking some times.
3 bananas + 3/4 cup brown sugar mash very well. Add 1/2 cup walnuts and 1/4 cup resins I used golden. 1 and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour. Two- three table spoon organic flex meal. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 tea spoon baking powder. 2 table spoon yogurt. 3-4 teaspoon olive oil. and baked in a greased pyrex bread pan at 335 for 20-25 minutes. toward the end i brushed 1 teasp of olive oil. Left in oven to cool for 15 more minutes. After cooling cut in slices and enjoy with icecream topping.
That's one healthy loaf of bread Bindu. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Disoruchi says
If I just want to have bananas in the bread, what will be the measurement(like banana nut choc chip cake)
(no carrots, no zucchini)?
I'm sorry about the delayed reply. I'm just back from my vacation. You can simply omit the carrots/zucchini and keep the quantity of banana the same. I think it would bake a couple minutes earlier, so do the toothpick test a couple of minutes before the time mentioned in the recipe.
Disorichu says
I dont find zucchini in india. Can I skip it?
Yes, you can use grated carrots instead.
abc says
Did you use ripe bananas or regular fresh bananas?
Ripe bananas are preferred because it can be mashed well.
Juniper says
My child is allergic to eggs and I found your site searching for recipes. I made your zucchini bread as I had a fresh one from our garden. I subbed raisin for the choco chips and added coconut. It is really good. I think I should have added a little milk as you suggested since the bread seems to be a little more dense than it should (almost too moist, like not done enough). However, the combo of raisins, pecans and coconut w/the banana and zucchini make this such a healthy treat. And, my daughter loves it! Thanks!!
You're welcome Juniper. You can also add grated carrots to make it even more healthy.
LaLita says
So flipping delicious!!! MMMMMMMMMMMMM Thank you thank you It's in the oven now, and it's wonderful with butter spread on top, or cream cheeze icing! (half a brick of plain cream cheeze mashed, add icing sugar to taste)
Sangeetha says
Awesome recipe.. I am always looking for eggless recipes.. I only wish I had seen this 15 mins ago as I already made a zuccini carrot bread with egg substitue and am sure it wont come this good