The Best Gluten-Free Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread with Pecan Crumble

Okay, so I know that I’m a teeeeny bit late since summer (aka the season of zucchini abundance) is now officially over, BUT I had a ton of leftover zucchini in my fridge the other week and was itching to finally develop my own version of the *perfect* zucchini bread. To be honest, this is a recipe that’s been in the back of my mind for quite some time, as I could never really find a gluten-free, naturally-sweetened version that actually tasted great.

I decided to base this gluten-free zucchini bread recipe off my tried-and-true combination of gluten-free baking flour and almond flour, and it worked perfectly to create a thick, moist bread that holds together really well. The texture is truly incredible and - dare I say - as good if not better than a gluten version.

I obviously added a generous few handfuls of dark chocolate chunks to this bread because I think pretty much everything is better with chocolate. You can of course leave them out or replace with chopped toasted nuts! What I will say is: please do not skip the pecan streusel topping. It’s sweet, crunchy and really takes this bread over the top by adding incredible texture and flavour. It’s AMAZING!

Even though it’s fall now, I hope you make this gluten-free zucchini bread and love it as much as we do. It is:

• Made gluten-free from a mixture of GF baking flour (make sure you get one with xantham gum, I always order Bob’s Red Mill from PlantX where you can use my code KULASKITCHEN15 for 15% off!) and fine almond flour

• Naturally sweetened with maple syrup and coconut sugar

• Packed with shredded zucchini for extra moisture and nutrition

• Topped with the most addictive coconut sugar and pecan streusel, which makes it extra delightful

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chunk Zucchini Bread with Pecan Crumble

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Ingredients

• 2 cups grated zucchini (from 2 large zucchini)

• ¼ cup maple syrup

• ⅓ cup coconut sugar

• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted + cooled

• 1 tbsp almond milk (or other milk)

• 2 eggs, room temp

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 ¼ cup almond flour

• ¾ cup GF baking flour

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• 2 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp sea salt

• ⅔ cup chopped dark chocolate (or chips)

For the pecan crumble:

• 2 tbsp cold butter (vegan or regular)

• 3 tbsp coconut sugar

• ½ cup GF baking flour

• ⅓ cup chopped pecans

• Pinch of cinnamon

• Pinch of sea salt

Method

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a standard loaf pan.

Place your shredded zucchini in a clean towel and squeeze it over a bowl or sink to remove all of the excess water - a lot will come out! Once it’s squeezed, you should be left with about 1 ½ cups of grated zucchini.

In a large bowl, whisk together your shredded zucchini, maple syrup, coconut sugar, melted coconut oil and almond milk. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.

To the bowl, add all dry ingredients (almond flour through sea salt) and gently mix to evenly combine everything. Fold in your chocolate, then pour batter into your prepared loaf pan.

To make the pecan crumble, place all ingredients in a small bowl and combine with your fingers or a fork until you have a slightly moist, clumpy mixture. If it seems too wet, you can add a bit more flour. It should stick together between your fingers but still be crumbly.

Add the pecan crumble evenly on top of your zucchini bread, then bake for 45-55 minutes until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Let cool completely for at least 30 minutes, then slice and serve! Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Makes 12 slices