Disadvantages such as side reactions and dendrite growth in zinc electrodes restrict the application of zinc electrodes in energy storage. A high electrochemical performance zinc-attapulgite (i.e., Zn-ATP) composite electrode was prepared via a strategy of coating attapulgite on the surface of zinc electrode. The results show that the porous functional coating is formed by the stacking of ATP rod crystals, and it has high mechanical strength properties. The assembled Zn/Zn-ATP symmetrical battery and Zn-ATP/manganese dioxide full cell both have high performances of charge and discharge cycling. The hydrogen evolution side reaction of the electrode is significantly suppressed under the work of ATP coating. Meanwhile, the formed Zn plate crystals flatly precipitate on the electrode surface, thus effectively reducing a possibility of the dendrites penetrating the battery membrane.