Tender and bursting with sweetly spiced goodness, this Mexican Chocolate Zucchini Bread is a delicious new twist on the much beloved quick bread recipe. This simple recipe yields two loaves with just 10 ingredients with all of 10 minutes of active time, making it the ideal make-ahead snack.

overhead shot of an oval white serving plate with a loaf of Mexican chocolate zucchini bread with half of it cut into slices and a mug of coffee to the side.

Why I Love This Recipe

Once the leaves start to change colors, I love firing up my oven for all kinds of baking projects. Lately, I’ve been on a serious Mexican chocolate kick. Mexican Chocolate Skull Cakes, Mexican Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies, Instant Pot Mexican Chocolate Brownies… I just can’t seem to get enough of the spicy-sweet flavor!

Feel free to choose your favorite brand — Which one is your favorite? I grew up with 👵🏼 Abuelita, but I love them all. Watch this Mexican Hot Chocolate Battle video.

If you’re not yet familiar with Mexican chocolate, it’s very sweet and is laced with cinnamon and chili. In short, it’s delicious! Using Mexican chocolate in this zucchini bread adds an element of richness and an exotic flavor that makes it extra special.

The best part about this recipe for chocolate zucchini bread is there is no need to pull out the electric mixer. You can literally make the whole thing using nothing more than a mixing bowl and a spoon! It’s seriously so easy. As the bread bakes your home will be engulfed with irresistible fall aromas, amping up the cozy factor in a big way.

I also love that this easy zucchini bread recipe yields two loaves in the same amount of time it would take to make just one. Feel free to freeze a loaf for the future, or share your bounty with a friend or neighbor! Either way, it’s sure to get eaten fast. My son loves getting a slice in his lunchbox every day, and I’ve taken to eating it for breakfast. I mean, it has vegetables in it, so it has to be virtuous, right?

ingredients for making Mexican chocolate zucchini bread recipe measured out on a table.

Ingredients & Substitutions

As promised, you don’t need much to make this yummy Mexican chocolate zucchini bread. In fact, I’d bet you already have most of what you need on hand! Here’s what to grab:

  • Unsalted Butter – Feel free to swap in salted butter if that’s what you have on hand; just be sure to cut back or omit the added kosher salt to compensate.
  • Zucchini – Any summer squash will do here, not just the long green zucchinis. Yellow squash, patty pan squash, zephyr squash… while they all look quite different, they cook up almost identically.
  • All-Purpose Flour – No need to get fancy with cake flour or bread flour here. Regular ol’ AP will do the trick.
  • Baking Soda – For leavening. Not to be confused with baking powder!
  • Ground Cinnamon – Adding even more cinnamon to the mix than what is in the Mexican chocolate gives this Mexican zucchini bread some serious warmth.
  • Granulated Sugar – Don’t try using brown sugar here; it has too much moisture and can cause the center of your loaves to collapse.
  • Eggs – I always use large eggs as my standard size. Let them come to room temperature for easier mixing.
  • Vanilla Extract – I love Mexican vanilla, but feel free to use what you have on hand or use vanilla powder or paste instead.
  • Kosher Salt – If you’re using a different type of salt, consult this conversion chart for proper measurement.
  • Mexican Chocolate – Nowadays you can find Mexican chocolate at most well-stocked grocery stores near the hot chocolate. If you can’t get your hands on any, swap in an equal amount of semisweet chocolate, add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and use a drop of almond extract for a pretty convincing dupe.

How To Make Mexican Chocolate Zucchini Bread

You won’t believe how easy it is to make homemade zucchini bread using this recipe. Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1: Prep. Preheat the oven. Drain any excess moisture from the zucchini. Grease two standard loaf pans.

Step 2: Dry Ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and ground cinnamon.

Step 3: Wet Ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt. Stir in the chocolate, zucchini, and melted butter.

Step 4: Combine the wet and dry mixtures and stir until well incorporated.

Step 5: Bake. Divide the batter equally between the prepared pans. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 6: Cool. Let the pans cool for 10 minutes before removing the loaves to a wire rack to finish cooling.

loaf tin filled with Mexican chocolate zucchini bread on a cooling rack.

Optional Variations

I love this recipe for Mexican chocolate zucchini bread, but there is always plenty of room for customizing any recipe to fit your needs. Here are a few variations to consider:

  • Dairy-Free – Swap in plant-based butter.
  • Vegan – Use plant-based butter and swap in 1/2 cup of soda water (or your favorite vegan egg replacement) for the eggs.
  • Add-Ins – Make things a little more texturally interesting by adding up to 1/2 cup of mix-ins like chocolate chips or toasted nuts.
  • Muffins – Pre-portion your zucchini bread by baking it in muffin tins rather than a loaf pan. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time down. I suggest starting to check them around the 20-minute mark.

Expert Tips

  • Feel free to halve the recipe for a single loaf.
  • Quickly shred the zucchini using a food processor fitted with the shredding blade instead of your box grater.
  • Store Mexican chocolate zucchini bread at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to peel zucchini to make bread?

Nope! Just wash off the dirt and shred using a box grater.

Do I have to remove the zucchini seeds to make bread?

If you have very large zucchini, you may want to remove the seeds inside. Otherwise, most normal-sized zucchini don’t need to be seeded.

hero shot of Mexican chocolate zucchini bread on a white oval plate on top of a woven cream, black and orange tablecloth.

More Quick Bread Recipes

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #muybuenocooking.

Mexican Chocolate Zucchini Bread

5 (2 ratings)
An exotic, easy-to-make, moist and chocolate zucchini bread recipe, with freshly grated zucchini, cinnamon, and Mexican chocolate.
Print Pin Rate
Yield: 16
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Place the grated zucchini in a colander over a bowl to drain any excess moisture.
  • Grease two 5 by 9 inch loaf pans.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and ground cinnamon.
  • In another bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt. Stir in the chocolate, zucchini, and melted butter.
  • Combine the flour mixture to the sugar egg zucchini mixture and stir until well incorporated.
  • Divide the batter equally between two greased loaf pans.
  • Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  • Let pans cool for 10 minutes before removing from to a wire rack to cool.

Notes

Here are a few variations to consider:
  • Dairy-Free – Swap in plant-based butter.
  • Vegan – Use plant-based butter and swap in 1/2 cup of soda water (or your favorite vegan egg replacement) for the eggs.
  • Add-Ins – Make things a little more texturally interesting by adding up to 1/2 cup of mix-ins like chocolate chips or toasted nuts.
  • Muffins – Pre-portion your zucchini bread by baking it in muffin tins rather than a loaf pan. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time down. I suggest starting to check them around the 20-minute mark.
Expert Tips:
  • Feel free to halve the recipe for a single loaf.
  • Quickly shred the zucchini using a food processor fitted with the shredding blade instead of your box grater.
  • Store Mexican chocolate zucchini bread at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Calories: 221kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 226mg, Potassium: 117mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 272IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 16mg, Iron: 1mg
Author: Yvette Marquez
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican