Best Sourdough Zucchini Bread with Chocolate Chips

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If you are looking for the best sourdough zucchini bread recipe, look no further! Made with sourdough starter (discard or active), natural sweeteners, subtle hints of cinnamon and vanilla, your favorite flour (all-purpose, whole wheat or freshly milled), and chocolate chips, this recipe will become your new favorite sourdough quick bread to use up summer’s bounty of never-ending zucchini.

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The supply of zucchini on our little homestead always seems to be feast or famine. There are years when it seems that the zucchini plants take forever to start producing. We’ve even had years where the zucchini failed completely. But when the plants are in full swing? We can’t keep up! We love pan-fried zucchini for the smaller fruits, but anything larger gets immediately shredded for bread and muffins. Any extra zucchini gets frozen so that we can make this delicious quick bread all year long. 

Here is why this sourdough zucchini bread is so well-loved:

• It’s easy to make with simple ingredients you probably have on hand. 
• The prep time is just 15 minutes, and then your oven does the rest.
• You can make it with zero refined sugar (just honey and maple sugar) or just a little brown sugar – both taste amazing!
• It’s the perfect way to use up sourdough discard (leftover starter). You can use sourdough discard or active (bubbly) sourdough starter. 
• It’s extremely moist and flavorful – not dry and bland like so many zucchini bread recipes out there. 
• Add in the chocolate chips (highly recommended) or leave them out for a more traditional loaf. The choice is yours!

How to Prepare Zucchini for Bread

Harvesting Zucchini

If you’re growing your own zucchini, timing your harvest is key. For baking, smaller to medium-sized zucchini—around 6 to 8 inches long—are ideal. These younger squash are tender, have smaller seeds, and a milder flavor. Letting zucchini grow too large can result in a spongy texture and large, tough seeds, which aren’t ideal for bread. 

If you have a tendency to find baseball bat-sized zucchini hiding in your squash patch (don’t worry, so do I), don’t toss them to the chickens yet! With a little prep (see below), they can work just fine.

Harvest in the morning if possible, when the plants are crisp and cool, and use a knife or garden snips to avoid damaging the vine.

Peeling Zucchini

Good news: you don’t have to peel zucchini for bread! The peel is thin, tender, and full of nutrients, and it softens nicely during baking. Leaving it on adds a lovely touch of green flecks throughout your loaf. 

However, if your zucchini has grown large and the skin has become tough, you may want to peel it for a smoother texture. It’s totally up to your preference—and your zucchini!

Shredding or Grating Zucchini

Shredding zucchini is quick and easy. A basic box grater works just fine—use the medium holes for best texture. If you’re making multiple loaves or preserving for later, a food processor with a shredding disc can save time. 

My favorite way to shred zucchini is with a Salad Shooter. I can get through piles of zucchini in no time! Go ahead and use whatever tool you have available to you.

Once shredded, measure the zucchini by gently packing it into your measuring cup (but don’t press it down hard). If it’s very juicy, give it a light squeeze in a towel to remove excess moisture before adding it to your batter. You can also freeze shredded zucchini in one-cup portions for future loaves—just thaw and drain before using.

Tips for Making Sourdough Discard Zucchini Bread

• For the best results, measure out your flour and sourdough starter since measuring by volume can vary greatly
• Do not overmix the batter or your bread will be dry. Gently mix until well combined. 
• Do not overbake. Since oven temperatures can vary, I recommend you check on it frequently the first time, and as soon as a toothpick comes out clean, it’s good to go.
• When cutting the bread, even a day or more later, the moisture of the bread keeps some chocolate chips in a softened state, so chocolate ‘streaking’ may happen. Be sure to cut in a sawing motion versus a pushing down motion to keep the crumb of the bread open and not crushed.
• Make sure to get the excess water out of the grated zucchini so that you don’t end up with soggy bread.

How to Make The Best Sourdough Zucchini Bread

Recipe notes before you get started…

• Pressing the zucchini removes excess moisture and keeps the crumb balanced, not too dense or gummy.
• See below for how to convert this recipe to freshly milled flour.
• You can use sourdough discard or active sourdough starter since the rise comes from the baking soda.

Step-by-Step Directions

Step 1: Prep Oven and Pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter using a hand or stand mixer. Reserve a small pinch of maple or brown sugar for topping, and add the remaining sugar to the butter. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Stir in the sourdough starter, honey, oil, vanilla, and shredded zucchini. Mix until well incorporated (the zucchini shreds are fine for texture).

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold gently with a spatula until just combined—do not overmix. Fold in most of the chocolate chips, reserving a small handful for the top.

Step 5: Bake

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top, then sprinkle with the reserved chocolate chips and a pinch of maple or brown sugar.

Bake for 65–75 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Tent loosely with aluminum foil or a piece of parchment paper if the top is browning too quickly during baking.

Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.

Best Sourdough Zucchini Bread with Chocolate Chips

By Staci Drovdahl

Made with sourdough starter (discard or active), natural sweeteners, subtle hints of cinnamon and vanilla, your favorite flour (all-purpose, whole wheat, or freshly milled), and chocolate chips, this recipe will become your new favorite sourdough quick bread to use up summer’s bounty of never-ending zucchini.

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Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

SERVINGS 1 9×5 loaf

Equipment

• 1 9×5 loaf pan
• Box grater, food processor, or Salad Shooter

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 cups flour all-purpose or up to ½ whole wheat (240 g) or 1 ¾ cup fresh milled hard white wheat flour (see notes in blog) (210 g)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup 1 stick butter, softened (115 g)
• ½ cup packed maple or brown sugar (100 g)
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• ¼ cup sourdough starter fresh or discard (90 g)
• 2 tablespoons honey 40 g
• 1½ cups shredded zucchini gently pressed dry (250g)
• 3 tablespoons avocado oil or other neutral-flavored oil 40 g
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup chocolate chips semi-sweet or dark (120 g)

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter using a hand or stand mixer. Reserve a small pinch of maple or brown sugar for topping and add the remaining sugar to the butter. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Stir in the sourdough starter, honey, oil, vanilla, and shredded zucchini. Mix until well incorporated (the zucchini shreds are fine for texture).
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold gently with a spatula until just combined—do not overmix. Fold in most of the chocolate chips, reserving a small handful for the top.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top, then sprinkle with the reserved chocolate chips and a pinch of maple or brown sugar.
• Bake for 65–75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Tent loosely with foil or parchment paper if the top is browning too quickly during baking.
• Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

• Pressing the zucchini removes excess moisture and keeps the crumb balanced—not too dense or gummy.
• See blog post for how to convert this recipe to freshly milled flour.
• You can use sourdough discard or active sourdough starter since the rise comes from the baking soda.

Keyword chocolate chip zucchini bread, sourdough discard zucchini bread, sourdough zucchini bread

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How to Make Zucchini Bread with Freshly Milled Flour

To make this recipe using freshly milled flour, you should use white hard wheat. It will give the bread a nice texture and flavor while also not being too dense. 

Use 1 ¾ cups of freshly milled flour instead of the 2 cups called for in the recipe. 

Allow the batter to sit for 15–30 minutes before baking. This lets the bran hydrate and softens the texture.

If you want it lighter (closer to all-purpose), sift out some of the bran.

Freshly milled flour may cause baked goods to brown faster. Watch the top closely and reduce the temperature by 5–10°F if it starts over-browning. You can also put some foil or parchment paper over the top towards the end of the baking time.

Recipe Variations

• Chocolate Zucchini Bread
   Add ¼ cup cocoa powder to the dry ingredients and increase the sweetener slightly for a rich, brownie-like loaf.
• Zucchini Nut Bread
   Stir in ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans for added crunch and flavor.
• Coconut Zucchini Bread
   Mix in ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut and a splash of coconut extract for a tropical twist.
• Lemon Zucchini Bread
   Add the zest of one lemon and 1–2 tablespoons of lemon juice for a bright, tangy flavor.
• Zucchini Apple Bread
   Add ½ cup finely chopped or shredded apple and a dash of cinnamon or apple pie spice.
• Sourdough Zucchini Muffins
   Pour the batter into muffin tins and bake for 18–22 minutes at 350°F for individual servings.
• Glazed Zucchini Bread
   Drizzle the cooled loaf with a simple glaze made of powdered sugar and milk (or lemon juice for a citrusy touch).

Recipe Substitutes

• To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute the flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking mix.
• To make this recipe dairy-free free you can substitute the butter for coconut oil or avocado oil.
• Replace with flax eggs (1 Tbsp flax + 3 Tbsp water per egg) or ¼ cup mashed banana per egg for an egg-free option.

Freezing and Storing

Zucchini bread is fine on the counter, wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container, for up to 4 days. For longer storage, it is best to freeze it.

Freezing: To freeze zucchini bread, wrap it well in plastic wrap, followed by tin foil, place it in a freezer bag, or put it in a freezer-safe container. Then, freeze for up to 3 months. 

For even more delicious recipes, you may like these:

Sourdough Discard Strawberry Rhubarb Breakfast Muffins

Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping

Easy Sourdough Burger Buns (Same-day Recipe!)