Deliciously soft and swirled with gooey chocolate chips, this Protein Zucchini Bread makes a tasty treat anytime of day. Naturally dairy and gluten-free, this chocolate zucchini bread still delivers a rich, indulgent flavor (and 21 grams of protein!). It’s the perfect way to use up summer zucchini and fuel your body with something that tastes like dessert.
Loved the chocolate flavor in this bread and really love the addition of collagen for some protein! Slathered with almond butter, it was a delicious afternoon snack.
- Gina
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 55 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 7
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 333 kcals and 21 grams of protein
- 📋 Main Ingredients: Gluten-free baking flour, cacao powder, zucchini, collagen powder, and cane sugar.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free and gluten-free
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Fudgy, sweet, and protein-packed to prevent the energy crash.
Have some extra garden zucchini? Use them up with this chocolatey, high-protein zucchini bread or bake a batch of paleo morning glory muffins. And if you're planning dinner, this beef and zucchini casserole s always a hit.
This protein bread is gluten-free, dairy-free, and a total win for sweet cravings with it's sweet and fudgy taste (seriously my kids BEG for it). It’s my go-to when I want dessert but need fuel (like a lot of my high-protein snack recipes). As a mom juggling chaos and carbs, recipes like this keep me on track without giving up chocolate. Just smarter swaps. Learn more about benefits of a high-protein diet and the difference it makes.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy to make: You only need a handful of high-protein food staples to whip up the recipe.
Flavorful: Sweet and moist with a double chocolate flavor, this zucchini protein bread is a hit with everyone.
Healthy: Dairy-free, gluten-free, and with 21 grams of protein, it's a healthy way to indulge.
Ingredients and Substitutions
One of the best parts about this protein zucchini bread is that it uses up ingredients you probably already have on hand if you have gluten-free pantry staples.
Gluten-free baking flour: Make sure to use baking flour and not all-purpose flour. And for the best results, grab Bob's Red Mill 1:1 as it’ll make the high protein zucchini bread perfect every time.
Collagen powder: This is one of the purest forms of protein and the easiest to use in baked goods! Pure collagen powder is great for hair, skin, and nails, but also amping up your daily protein intake. Check out these foods high in collagen.
Zucchini: If your zucchini is extra watery, let it sit in a strainer for a few minutes and press it down to remove any excess. Otherwise, the texture of your bread will be off. If you have extra, make these keto sliced zucchini too.
Easy substitutions: Know that any granulated sugar will work in place of cane sugar and that cocoa powder can be used in place of raw cacao powder (though cacao has more benefits!). I use homemade hemp milk the most but any non-dairy milk will do, with the exception of coconut milk.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Flavor Variations
- Nutty: If you want to bring out a nuttier flavor, add a dash of almond extract to the batter along with a handful of chopped nuts for extra crunch.
- Indulgent dessert: For a full-on dessert, drizzle the zucchini protein bread with dairy-free caramel sauce with coconut milk or homemade chocolate glaze.
- Dried fruit: Add some dried cherries, apricots, or cranberries for a chewy texture and a pop of sweet flavor.
Expert Tips
You want to drain any extra water out of the zucchini. Otherwise, the bread will end up a bit “wet”. To do this, place the shredded zucchini in a strainer and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then, press it down to get any extra water out.
Make sure to use a silicone baking pan or line your tin pan with parchment paper. Otherwise, the dairy-free zucchini bread is hard to take out.
Make sure to use baking soda and not baking powder. Baking powder causes the protein-packed zucchini bread to rise and then deflate, whereas baking soda gives it a light, consistent texture.
Make it paleo: To make this chocolate zucchini bread paleo. You can substitute cassava flour in a 1:1 ratio for baking flour.
How To Make Protein Zucchini Bread
Step 1: Finely grate the zucchini and mix with the wet ingredients.
Step 2: Mix together the dry ingredients and pour into the wet.
Step 3: Fold in the chocolate chips and mix well.
Step 4: Pour into a loaf pan and bake until cooked through.
Choosing Collagen Powder
Type 2 collagen powder is amazing when it comes to hair, skin, nails, and also gut health! Collagen is different from bone broth, but it still has a ton of benefits, plus, it's an easy way to increase protein intake.
I grab my collagen from Perfect Supplements because they source their collagen from pasture-raised (grass-fed) cows. So, I trust it. I use it in all of my collagen powder recipes. You can give it a try by using code mamabear10 to save some money.
How To Store It
Fridge: Store leftover zucchini bread once cooled in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. When you want to enjoy it, heat it up lightly in the microwave for the ultimate bite of comfort.
Freezer: You can freeze this zucchini bread in slices or full loaves in a freezer-safe bag. Separate slices of bread between layers of parchment paper. Freeze for up to 3 months and let it thaw fully in the fridge before enjoying it. Then, reheat it to enjoy.
Protein Zucchini Bread FAQs
This bread is best stored in a sealed container in the fridge and will last 4-6 days. Though you can eat it chilled, it tastes even better just slightly warmed up or left to sit at room temperature.
Freeze protein zucchini bread in slices in a sealed container. Separate any layers between parchment paper. When you need it, let it thaw overnight in the fridge. To enjoy it, reheat it a bit as the texture changes a bit upon thawing.
Protein powder and collagen powder absorb very differently and are not interchangeable. Collagen powder is much better for baking because it leaves baked goods with a “light” feeling, whereas protein powder will make them dense. For this chocolate protein zucchini bread, vanilla protein powder cannot be used.
This dairy-free zucchini bread recipe can be made into muffins easily. Follow the recipe as listed and then portion the batter into a silicone muffin pan, only filling the cups ⅔ of the way full. Then, bake the tin for 40 minutes, keeping a close eye on the muffins in the last 5 minutes so that they don't burn.
More High-Protein Dessert Recipes
If you tried this Protein Zucchini Bread recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Chocolate Protein Zucchini Bread
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Gluten-free 1:1 Baking Flour
- ½ cup Collagen powder
- 2 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1.5 cups Zucchini shredded
- ½ cup Cane sugar
- 2 tbs Cacao powder
- ¼ cup Mini chocolate chips plus more for topping
- ¼ cup Avocado oil
- 1 cup Almond milk
Instructions
- Preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the shredded zucchini into a strainer.
- Mix together the dry ingredients except for chocolate chips.
- One by one, add in the wet ingredients and mix well.
- Fold in the zucchini and the chocolate chips.
- Portion into an 8x4 lined loaf pan. Top with extra chocolate chips if using.
- Bake for 50 minutes.
- Turn off the oven and let cool for 30 minutes before removing.
Notes
- You want to drain any extra water out of the zucchini. Otherwise, the bread will end up a bit “wet”. Place the shredded zucchini in a strainer and let sit for 5 minutes. Then, press it down to get any extra water out.
- Make sure to use a silicone baking pan, or line your tin pan with parchment paper. Otherwise, the dairy-free zucchini bread is hard to take out.
- You can top the bread with extra chocolate chips if you wish, or sprinkle on some ground cinnamon before baking.
- Avocado oil works best in the recipe but melted coconut oil can be used. Just know that it changes the texture slightly.
- Enjoy the zucchini bread as is, with some dairy-free butter, or even topped with peanut butter!
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Gina says
Loved the chocolate flavor in this bread and really love the addition of collagen for some protein! Slathered with almond butter, it was a delicious afternoon snack.
fitasamamabear says
Collagen solves life problems hehe
Rosie says
Delicious! A great way to use zucchini (we grow our own) and this was super tasty
fitasamamabear says
It's the best way to use up all the extra!
Giangi Townsend says
Sounds amazing, rich, and moist. Making it for my son as he is training and this protein zucchini bread is what he needs.
Thank you.
fitasamamabear says
Zucchini bread is definitely what everyone needs hehe
Jane says
The moist texture, rich chocolate swirl, and abundance of wholesome ingredients create a flavor profile that is both satisfying and guilt-free.
fitasamamabear says
The chocolate swirl is totally the best part!
Addison says
Loved this loaf of protein bread! It was moist, filling and so flavorful.
fitasamamabear says
So happy everyone enjoyed it!
Kris says
This was so rich and moist and you would never guess that it's gluten-free! Can't wait to make it again!
fitasamamabear says
Super happy you enjoyed it!
Rosanna Stevens says
This was such a delicious way to use up the last of our homegrown zucchini (or courgette as we call it in the UK) - thank you!
fitasamamabear says
Ahh homegrown is the best!!
Jennifer says
Loved this healthified version! So delish!
fitasamamabear says
Yay!
Sara Nelson says
Was super impressed by how easy this was to make. I only had monk fruit sweetener on hand, so I subbed that in 1:1 for the sugar. Worked perfectly!
fitasamamabear says
Ohh you're awesome, thanks for the substitution tip! Happy it worked so well!
Emily says
I love zucchini bread with chocolate chips! I especially love giving to my kids. They loved this recipe. Thanks!
fitasamamabear says
My kids love it too! Such a huge win knowing that there are sneaky nutrients!
nancy says
this zucchini bread is super moist and flavourful. I love that you added protein to it to keep it a bit more dense and filling!
fitasamamabear says
Yeppers, protein is my jam:D
sc says
Can I use regular protein powder for this since I do not have collegin on hand?
fitasamamabear says
So, I haven't tried it with protein powder. I think it would work with whey protein but a vegan protein as vegan absorbs a ton of liquid. I'd love to know the result if you give it a go!
Elena says
Thank you for another delicious and healthy recipe!
fitasamamabear says
Thanks for the kind words!
Camilla says
Sounds delicious! I will make this tonight. I love baking with zucchini and enjoy trying different recipes. Thanks for sharing!
fitasamamabear says
Enjoy it!