This chocolate chip squash bread is the perfect way to enjoy butternut squash. It's extremely moist and tender with a sweet, nutty flavor. This bread is made with pureed butternut squash and almond flour, making it gluten free, dairy free and paleo.

Butternut squash is one of my favorite winter squash varieties. While the rest of my family doesn't like squash, they'll gladly eat it in the form of baked goods. So you can often find me whipping up a batch of chocolate squash muffins, butternut squash brownies or savory squash waffles.

This chocolate chip butternut squash bread is a recipe I've been making frequently the last month. The first time I tested it we were all blown away. It has the most tender, soft texture and sweet, nutty flavor. You can ever-so-slightly taste the squash, but my kids still devoured this recipe, asking me to bake another loaf.

This sweet squash bread is made with almond flour, pureed butternut squash and sweetened with maple syrup. I steamed and pureed squash from my garden, but canned should work as well.

Why You'll Love this Squash Bread

gluten free and grain free - made with a mixture of almond flour and tapioca starch.
paleo friendly - made with simple, minimally processed ingredients you can feel good about.
dairy free - no milk or butter
easy to make - just combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another. Then combine, pour into a loaf pan and bake!
kid approved - all of my squash hating kids (and husband) loved this loaf

Ingredients

The full recipe for this gluten free squash bread can be found in the recipe card below, but here's an overview of the ingredients you'll need:

almond flour - keeps this recipe gluten free and paleo friendly and also adds to the moist texture and nutty flavor. If you need this bread to be nut free, the best swap would be tigernut flour.
tapioca starch - added for texture purposes. The best swap is arrowroot starch.
baking powder - for the rise. I used Otto's grain free baking powder for this recipe, but any brand will work.
salt - enhances the flavors.
eggs - large eggs are used to bind the ingredients and create a structured loaf. I do not recommend an egg substitute.
butternut squash - I recommend steaming and then pureeing your own squash, however canned should work if that's all you have. I've also tested this recipe with honeynut squash and it was just as good!
maple syrup - to sweeten the bread.
avocado oil - adds moisture to the loaf. The best swap would be a light olive oil. You might be able to use a runny, unsweetened yogurt as well (like coconut yogurt), but I have not tried this swap myself.
vanilla extract - for flavor
chocolate chips - I used miniature dark chocolate chips, but you can use regular sized or a chopped chocolate bar, or even leave the chocolate out.

Ingredients needed to make gluten free butternut squash bread with chocolate chips.

How to Puree Butternut Squash

Making your own pureed butternut squash is easy! Wash your squash and cut it in half, from top to bottom. Scoop out any seeds, then cut the squash into cubes. I cut off the skin, but you don't have to. Next, place the squash cubes in a steamer pot and steam until soft (you can easily pierce the squash with a fork). Cool the steamed squash to room temperature, then blend the squash in a food processor or high powered blender.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Squash Bread

The batter for this chocolate chip squash bread is made in two mixing bowls, poured into an 8" x 4" loaf pan and then baked in the oven. Here are the steps:

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Dry ingredients in one bowl and wet in another.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until smooth. Then fold in the chocolate chips.

Batter in lined loaf pan, ready to bake.

Pour the batter into a lined loaf pan.

Baked squash bread cooling in lined loaf pan.

Place the squash bread in your oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes.

After baking, let the loaf cool for about 10 minutes in the baking pan, then transfer it to a wire cooling rack.

Storage

Let the loaf cool completely, then place it in an airtight container or baggie. Store the squash bread in the fridge, up to 10 days.

For longer storage, slice the bread and wrap it in parchment paper, then place it in a baggie. Store it in the freezer for up to 1 month.

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