Healthy chocolate quick bread is a simple gluten free, dairy free quick bread that’s bursting with chocolate flavor. Think of it as if a brownie and bread had a baby.
The word bread always sounds daunting, but throw the word ‘quick’ in front and you feel like a professional baker. “I made bread today” you say, while the baker’s glow washes over you. {It’s a real thing, okay?}
This healthy chocolate quick bread will bring on all the feels after you only use one bowl to make it. Don’t worry that the bread doesn’t rise a whole lot like traditional bread. But that’s totally okay. The baker’s glow will still be upon you when you take just one bite of this fudgy, yet healthy chocolate quick bread.
One bowl, ten minutes: healthy chocolate quick bread
I love that this super chocolate-y, yet healthy and gluten free bread only requires one bowl and ten minutes of your time. I mean it’s ‘quick’ for a reason, right?
Besides chocolate, our main ingredient for this super moist and tender chocolate quick bread is applesauce. I love using applesauce in baking. It’s a nice way to gain moisture and natural sweetness.
For our fat component we mix in some olive oil. A healthy fat that has a neutral flavor and add to the tender, melt in your mouth factor.
Gluten free quick bread
I love making and using oat flour in baked goods. It adds a hearty texture and extra protein to this healthy chocolate quick bread. Just make sure that if you want to make this truly gluten free to buy gluten free oats.
While oats are naturally gluten free, they can be processed in a factory that makes products containing gluten. So if you have a major intollerance or allergy to gluten then seek out the truly gluten free version.
If you noticed earlier, I said that I like to make my own oat flour. It’s a little coarser than something you might buy at the store, but it’s so easy to make. If you have a high powered blender {I love this one} then you can just blend the oats by themselves until they become a flour-like consistency. Easy peasy {chocolate?} squeezy.
Bake and enjoy healthy chocolate quick bread
While the prep was nice and quick, you still have to bake your bread. 40 minutes stands between you and a healthy, brownie-like quick bread.
All of that chocolate flavor and melty chocolate chips will be calling your name soon.
Feel free to top your bread with a hefty spread of peanut butter for breakfast. Or eat plain after dinner for a chocolate dessert that will feel so sinful but maybe be one of the healthiest things you do all day.
Looking for more healthy quick breads? Give these a shot!
Strawberry Ricotta Sweet Breads
Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Pie Monkey Bread {okay, technically not a quick bread, but quick and delicious!}
- 1 ¼ cup applesauce
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup unsweetened vanilla cashew milk*
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 cup oat flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 ½ tsp. xanthan gum
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chips**
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Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a loaf pan.
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In a large bowl, stir together the applesauce, oil, milk and maple syrup until combined.
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Stir in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Stir in the vanilla.
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Add the oat flour, cocoa powder, protein powder, salt, xanthan gum and baking powder. Stir until oat flour is saturated. Fold in the dark chocolate chips.
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Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
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Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Remove and place on a wire rack to cool. Slice and top with peanut butter for breakfast, or eat plain as a healthy dessert.
*Note: you can also use unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
**Note: if you plan to make this dairy free, make sure to use dairy free chocolate chips.
