Zucchini Bread Recipe

Zucchini Bread So Good, You’ll Forget It’s Made with Vegetables

• Unbelievably moist. Shredded zucchini and a mix of oil and butter give this loaf a soft, tender crumb that stays moist for days. No dry slices here.
• An easy way to use zucchini. This recipe is one of the best ways to use summer zucchini. It tastes like your favorite spice cake, and you don’t even taste the zucchini.
• All the cozy flavor. Warm cinnamon, brown sugar, and just a hint of vanilla make it taste like a slice of spice cake… with a little help from your summer garden. You won’t even know the zucchini’s there.
• Perfect any time. Not too sweet and full of texture, it’s the kind of loaf you’ll want for breakfast, dessert, and everything in between. Try it toasted with a swipe of butter. You’ll see what I mean.

p.s. Want a chocolatey way to use up zucchini? Try my Chocolate Zucchini Cake.

Ingredients and Substitutions

You won’t need anything fancy for this zucchini bread recipe and you might already have a lot of it in your kitchen! Here’s a shopping list for you. Have a look at the recipe card below for precise measurements.

• All-purpose flour – Be sure to measure your flour accurately. Too much flour will give you a dense, dry bread. I like using a food scale, but the spoon and level method also works.
• Baking powder and baking soda – The combination of these two leavening agents gives the perfect rise and texture to the bread.
• Ground cinnamon – Just a little bit. But enough to notice.
• Salt – Without a little salt, your loaf will be bland.
• Unsalted butter (melted) and vegetable oil – You can use all butter, but the bread will be denser and slightly less moist. If you use just vegetable oil, you won’t get the flavor of the butter. So use both!
• Sugar and light brown sugar – I decided to use both granulated and light brown sugar. The brown sugar brings some extra depth to the flavor profile as well as added moisture.
• Eggs – Be sure to use large eggs, not medium or extra large.
• Vanilla extract
• Milk or applesauce – The applesauce adds a touch of flavor that you can’t place your finger on, but you miss it if you know it should be there. That said, milk will also work. I’d recommend 2% or whole milk.
• Shredded zucchini

How to Prep the Zucchini

I suggest grating your zucchini with a box grater. No need to peel them first. Set the grater over a bowl and grate the zucchini into it. It’s often suggested to squeeze out excess water, but I did not. My zucchini didn’t feel like it was full of excess moisture. If yours does, pat it dry. And watch your fingers, folks! Box graters are notorious for knicking pinkies.

How to Make Zucchini Bread

Grab your mixing bowls and measuring spoons! Here’s a quick overview of how to make this easy zucchini bread recipe. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for more thorough instructions.

• Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9X5-inch loaf pan with non-stick baking spray.
• Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
• Combine the wet ingredients. Whisk together the butter, vegetable oil, sugars, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk or applesauce.
• Put it all together. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and then fold in the zucchini.

• Bake. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes.
• Cool. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Variation Ideas

• Play with mix-ins. This zucchini bread is delicious on its own, but a handful of mix-ins can take it in a whole new direction. Stir in chopped walnuts, pecans, mini chocolate chips, or even dried cranberries. Keep it to 3/4 to 1 cup total so the batter doesn’t get too crowded.
• Make it a muffin moment. Want grab-and-go? This batter works beautifully as muffins. Grease a standard muffin tin well and fill each cup about 3/4 full. Bake at 375°F for 18–25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
• Add a crumble topping. For a little extra texture and sweetness, sprinkle a quick cinnamon streusel over the top before baking. Mix together a few tablespoons of brown sugar, flour, butter, and cinnamon until crumbly, then scatter it right over the batter. The topping from my blueberry streusel muffins works well.
• Try a glaze. Once the bread has cooled, drizzle it with a simple vanilla glaze (powdered sugar, milk, and a splash of vanilla) or even a cream cheese glaze if you’re feeling fancy. It gives it that bakery-style finish. The lemon glaze from my 7-Up Pound Cake would work!
• Go bold with spice. Want it a little warmer and more fall-ish? Add a pinch of nutmeg or cloves to the batter. Just a little goes a long way and pairs beautifully with the brown sugar and zucchini.

Tips for the Best Zucchini Bread

• Grease EXTRA well. This quick bread is prone to sticking to the pan. So make sure to grease the baking pan really well with butter or non-stick baking spray.
• Don’t over-mix. When combining the wet and dry ingredients and again when folding the zucchini into the batter, mix just until everything is incorporated. No more. Over-mixing can cause the glutens in the flour to overdevelop, resulting in tough, overly dense zucchini bread.
• Cool in the pan first. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for roughly 10 minutes before attempting to remove it. If you try to turn it out of the pan too early, it may fall apart.

How to Store

• Counter: Once cool, cover the zucchini bread with plastic wrap or put in an airtight container. You can also wrap individual portions in a double layer of plastic wrap. Store it on the counter for up to 5 days
• Freezer: Allow the bread to cool before wrapping it in a double layer of plastic wrap (the whole loaf or individual slices). You could also add a layer of aluminum foil, if it’ll be frozen for a while. You can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge before enjoying.
• To reheat: Zucchini bread is great at room temperature or heated up. To warm leftovers, unwrap the bread and pop a slice in the microwave for 5-10 seconds. You can also wrap a slice or two in aluminum foil and bake at 350°F for 5 minutes or until warm.

More Quick Bread Recipes

• Strawberry Bread
• Hummingbird Bread
• Pumpkin Bread
• Banana Bread Recipe
• Easy Apple Bread
• Beer Bread