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Two slices of rich vegan chocolate chip zucchini bread lie on a light surface in front of a whole loaf on a wooden board, surrounded by zucchini pieces and chunks of chocolate.
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Vegan Chocolate Chip Christmas Zucchini Bread

Fresh coffee, twinkly lights, and a thick slice of chocolate zucchini bread on your plate is the kind of cozy baking that fits right into December. This vegan chocolate chip Christmas zucchini bread is fudgy like a brownie, full of deep cocoa and warm spice, and secretly packed with zucchini for extra moisture.
It is the kind of loaf you can bake on a quiet afternoon, slice for Christmas breakfast, set out for dessert, or wrap up as a little holiday gift. Grab one bowl, a grater, and your loaf pan, and let’s get a festive zucchini bread in the oven.
Prep Time15 minutes
Bake Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Servings: 10 - 12 slices
Calories: 265kcal
Author: Chop and Cheers

Ingredients

Dry ingredients

  • 1 ¾ cups plus 2 tbsp 225 g all purpose flour
  • 4 tbsp 20 g cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Optional: 1 tsp instant espresso powder for extra depth

Wet ingredients

  • 1 cup 205 g packed light brown sugar
  • ⅔ cup 156 ml oat milk, at room temperature
  • 1 tbsp 15 ml apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup 120 ml neutral oil
  • 8 oz 225 g, about 2 cups shredded zucchini, gently blotted then weighed
  • ½ cup 90 g vegan dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Optional for even more Christmassy vibe:

  • finely grated zest of one orange add to the batter along with the other spices for a bright, cozy twist
  • 1 tsp ground cardamon add to the batter along with the other spices for a bright, cozy twist

Instructions

Prep the pan and oven

  • Grease a 5 x 9 inch loaf pan or line it with parchment so you can lift the bread out easily. If you have one, choose a light colored metal pan so the crust does not darken too quickly.
  • Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat to 350 °F (175 °C) and give it a full 20 minutes to come up to temperature while you mix the batter.

Whisk up quick vegan buttermilk

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the oat milk and apple cider vinegar. Let it stand for about 2 minutes. The mixture will look slightly curdled and it will help the baking soda lift the loaf later.

Sweeten and enrich

  • Add the brown sugar and oil to the bowl. Whisk until completely smooth, taking a moment to break up any pockets of sugar so they do not leave wet streaks in the baked bread.

Stir together the dry mix

  • In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and espresso powder if using. Make sure the color looks uniform so the cocoa and spices are evenly distributed.

Combine wet and dry

  • Tip the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. A few streaks of flour are fine. Over mixing can make the loaf tougher instead of tender.
  • Optional: Add the finely grated zest of one orange plus 1 tsp ground cardamom to the batter along with the other spices for a bright, cozy twist.

Fold in zucchini and chocolate

  • Blot the shredded zucchini with a clean towel or paper towels, then weigh it so the moisture is consistent from loaf to loaf. Fold the zucchini and chocolate chips into the batter until evenly distributed.
  • Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and tap the pan once on the counter to release any large air bubbles. Try to work fairly quickly at this stage, since the flour and sugar keep drawing moisture from the zucchini.

Bake

  • Place the pan on the center rack. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, rotating the pan after about 35 minutes to help it bake evenly.
  • The bread is done when a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, or when an instant read thermometer in the center reads about 205 °F (96 °C). If the top begins to look too dark before the center is set, tent it loosely with foil and continue baking.

Cool

  • Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a thin spatula around the edges, then lift or turn the bread out onto a wire rack. Cool for at least 1 hour before slicing so the crumb can set and slice cleanly.

Notes

How to make it feel extra Christmassy:

You can keep the base recipe exactly as it is and still give it a holiday twist:
  • Lightly dust the cooled loaf with powdered sugar before serving to mimic a snowy top.
  • Serve slices warm with a mug of coffee, tea, or vegan hot chocolate as part of a Christmas brunch spread.
  • Wrap cooled slices in parchment and twine for simple, allergy friendly neighbor gifts.

Storage and freezing:

  • Fridge: Cool the loaf completely, then wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Let slices come back to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
  • Freezer: Slice the bread, then wrap individual pieces in parchment and place in a zip top bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen for 15 seconds in the microwave or about 5 minutes in a 325 °F (165 °C) oven. 

Make it yours:

  • Seed butter swirl: Dollop about 3 tbsp sunflower or pumpkin seed butter over the top of the batter and gently swirl before baking for nut free richness.
  • Hearty version: Swap 1 cup of the all purpose flour for whole wheat pastry flour and add 2 tbsp extra oat milk for a slightly heartier crumb.
  • Gluten free option: Use a 1 for 1 gluten free flour blend that includes xanthan gum and add 2 tbsp extra oat milk to keep the texture soft.