This is a family-favorite recipe for homemade zucchini bread. One slice and you’ll taste why! It’s made with brown sugar, pure vanilla extract, cozy cinnamon spice, and summer’s favorite vegetable. See my recipe note for turning this batter into zucchini muffins, or try this similar zucchini muffins recipe.
I originally published this recipe in 2019 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more helpful success tips. I’ve also made a few improvements to the recipe, which are reflected in the printable recipe below.
Comes From An Award-Winning Zucchini Bread Recipe
This zucchini bread recipe is very slightly adapted from an award-winning family recipe. My husband grew up making this zucchini bread with his family, who entered it into the Maryland State Fair. And guess what? IT WON. You know a recipe is good if it’s winning state awards, right?
Now slightly scaled up to yield a taller 9×5-inch loaf (more zucchini, 1 extra egg, and a touch of applesauce for moisture), the quick bread is better than ever and ready to place 1st in your own kitchens too!
Here’s Why You’ll Love It:
- Batter comes together in less than 5 minutes
- Extra moist and flavorful
- Sneaks in veggies
- Can easily be doubled
- Welcomes add-ins like chocolate chips, nuts, or blueberries
- Makes great muffins (or try these zucchini muffins which are heartier and slightly less sweet)
- Freezes beautifully
A beginner baker can easily make this quick bread, and it’s a wonderful recipe if you have eager young bakers ready to help!
One reader, Emma, commented: “Zucchini bread is my absolute favorite, so I’m quite picky about how one tastes, the amount of spices, etc. This recipe yields a very moist and super flavorful zucchini bread! 5 stars from me. Everyone else thought so too! Definitely a keeper. ★★★★★“
Another reader, Linda, commented: “This was delicious and oh-so moist. I made it exactly per your recipe, adding walnuts as an extra ingredient. This zucchini bread recipe is a keeper! ★★★★★“
Why Bake With Zucchini?
Zucchini is one of my favorite ingredients for baking and I have a lot of published zucchini recipes on my website. My recipes for chocolate zucchini bread and zucchini muffins are both incredibly popular with readers. We use an entire zucchini in my healthier Greek yogurt zucchini bread and you’ll find a whopping 3 cups of it in my chocolate zucchini cake (you can’t taste it!).
It sounds odd to bake with a vegetable, but here’s why you should use it in your baking:
- There are only so many zucchini side dishes to make (looking at you, zucchini sweet potato fritters). Zucchini is abundant in the summer months, and it’s fun to incorporate this vegetable when baking, too.
- Zucchini adds flavorless moisture. We’re talking pure moisture with zero savory vegetable flavor. I don’t think I would bake a cake with a green vegetable if I could taste it. You bake carrot cake, right? It’s delicious, right? Well zucchini is even better! Hello, zucchini cake. It’s truly a magical ingredient in your baked goods and this includes zucchini oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, too!
Grab These Ingredients
One new addition is the applesauce. This, along with the oil, keeps the bread moist. You can use sour cream, Greek yogurt, or mashed banana in its place if needed. All you’re doing is whisking the dry and wet ingredients together separately, and then combining everything. Honestly, it’s as easy as pumpkin bread and uses a few of the same ingredients.
Success Tip: Shredding Zucchini
Today’s zucchini bread comes together in just 5 minutes with simple kitchen tools including a couple bowls, a whisk, and a 9×5-inch loaf pan. You also need a grater to shred the zucchini. If you’re looking for recommendations, I own and love this box grater because it’s easy to use, grates quickly, and has held up well with regular use. It’s what I use when making zucchini fritters, too.
- How much zucchini do I need? Zucchini can vary in size, but 1-2 medium zucchini are plenty for this recipe. You need 1 and 1/2 cups shredded, which is 180g.
- Do I need to peel the zucchini first? You can if you’d like, but I never do. There’s no taste or texture variance either way, but you’ll definitely have more flecks of green throughout the loaf if you keep the peel on. Pretty!
You do not need to blot the zucchini dry before using in the batter. (You want that moisture here! Unlike when we make zucchini biscuits, where ridding of that moisture is key.)
Expect a thick batter:
What Does This Zucchini Bread Taste Like?
Zucchini is like a chameleon and takes on the flavor of whatever’s nearby. Have you ever tried this peanut chicken zucchini noodles dish? The zucchini is basically a vehicle for the delectable savory peanut sauce.
Today’s zucchini bread includes cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and brown sugar so expect a lot of cozy, comforting, sweet flavors. In terms of texture, it’s not quite as dense as banana bread but not as light as white cake either. It’s soft and moist and actually reminds me of apple cinnamon bread, which is a favorite during the fall months. Combine them both in this apple zucchini bread!
If you love peanut butter and chocolate, be sure to try my peanut butter chocolate chip zucchini bread, too!
Let’s not forget optional add-ins like chocolate chips, chopped nuts, raisins, or even blueberries. Some readers have turned it into dessert with vanilla icing or cream cheese frosting (I’d halve the cream cheese frosting recipe). Honestly, this quick bread welcomes a bounty of tasty extras!
And if you’ve been itching to make some homemade honey butter, this zucchini bread is the perfect canvas to enjoy it on!
Can I Reduce the Sugar or Oil in Zucchini Bread?
You can absolutely slightly reduce either or both, but understand that sugar and oil help produce a moist, tender loaf; altering the ingredients may have disappointing results. Or for an option without refined sugar, you may enjoy this Greek yogurt zucchini bread instead!
Print
Zucchini Bread
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 1 loaf
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This zucchini bread recipe yields 1 9×5-inch loaf. With brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and a little applesauce for added moisture, the quick bread is flavorful, moist, and a great way to use summer’s favorite vegetable!
Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups (220g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60g) unsweetened applesauce (or sour cream or Greek yogurt)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) shredded zucchini (no need to blot)
- optional: 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips (or chopped nuts, raisins, etc)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. See notes for muffins.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla together until combined. Whisk in the zucchini. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently stir or whisk until *just* combined; do not overmix. Fold in any optional add-ins like chocolate chips or nuts. Batter is slightly thick.
- Spread the batter evenly into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55-70 minutes. (I like to loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent heavy browning on top.) Baking times vary so keep an eye on yours. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out *mostly* clean with zero raw batter. Remove the bread from the oven and set on a wire rack. Cool in pan for 1 hour before removing from pan. You can slice the bread at this point, but it will still be warm in the center and may not slice neatly. For neat slices, continue cooling bread directly on a wire rack and then slice once cooled.
- Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Make the bread ahead of time by freezing it. Bake it, cool it, wrap it up in aluminum foil and freeze the loaf as a whole. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before slicing and serving. Freezes well up to 3 months.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×5-inch Loaf Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Box Grater | Cooling Rack
- Update in 2022: Based on reader feedback and a few disappointing loaves in my own kitchen recently, I revised 2 ingredients in May 2022 (egg & zucchini) so the batter yields more for a taller loaf and there’s more moisture. I also added 1/4 cup of applesauce for added moisture, as you can see in the recipe. Rave reviews from taste testers. The original recipe used 1 egg and 1 cup of zucchini with no applesauce.
- Can I reduce the sugar or oil? You can absolutely slightly reduce either or both, but understand that sugar and oil help produce a moist, tender loaf and the results may be disappointing. For the oil, feel free to swap *some* for more applesauce. Or for a healthier option without any refined sugar, you may enjoy this Greek yogurt zucchini bread instead.
- Muffins: Grease a 12-count muffin pan or line with liners. Prepare batter in step 2. Spoon the batter evenly into each liner, filling each all the way to the top. Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C) then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 13-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 18-21 minutes, give or take. Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling. Yields 1 dozen.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi Sally. I was thinking of adding chopped apples to the bread. Do you think I need to adjust the applesauce amount since the apples themselves have moisture? Thanks!
Hi MMM, if using chopped apples, they’ll act more like an add-in than a wet ingredient, so you can keep the applesauce the same. Or, you could use shredded apples in place of some of the shredded zucchini. Hope you enjoy the bread!
Delicious! I opted to use plain Greek yogurt and this turned out so yummy! Added chocolate chips, of course!
How do I bake again to heat my FROZEN loaf of zucchini bread? Oven Temperature and length of time?
Hi Lorraine, for a baked and frozen loaf of bread, we recommend thawing overnight in the refrigerator. Then, you can reheat individual pieces in the microwave.
I’ve made many zucchini recipes in the past but this is a homrun! It is super easy. I weigh everything I can and attribute that to my baking success. I look forward to your recipes. Thank you!
These were great! I made a few changes to mine though. I used whole wheat pastry flour, I halved the sugar (I prefer a more savory muffin) and only used 1/3 cup of coconut oil substituting the rest for applesauce. I also put in 2 cups of zucchini. They were super moist and delicious.
Simple and easy to follow. Absolutely delicious recipe. I used a cup of miniature semi-chocolate chips as recommended and it was amazing. I will definitely be making this again.
Hi! This looks like a great recipe, any chance you’ve tried replacing the oil with browned butter? If I were to do so do you think I would need to add more moisture to make up for what is lost in the browning process? Any suggestions? Thank you!
Hi Jordan! Melted or browned butter will work (make sure to brown extra butter to make up for lost moisture), but we strongly recommend sticking with oil. It makes for a supremely moist loaf of bread!
My husband and I absolutely loved this pumpkin bread!! Although, I wasn’t sure exactly what you meant by using the foil on top the bread, did you mean to put it on top my bread the first half of baking or the last half..hahaha I’m still learning..xoxo
Hi Linda, we’re so glad you and your husband enjoyed it! You can tent the bread with foil during the second half of the bake time. This will prevent it from over browning. Hope this helps!
I am going to try this. I hope it’s as good as the previous recipe. I loved that one!! It was very moist! And of course I didn’t write that one down.
Can I substitute the AP Flour for whole wheat flour and does the amount change ? Making this now for the first time .
Whole wheat flour is a fine substitution, but the bread may taste a little dense. We recommend trying half white whole wheat flour and half all purpose for your first loaf and go from there.
Absolutely delicious and wonderful zucchini bread! This has been my go-to recipe for a long time and everyone raves about it. Thank you for a great recipe, Sally and team!
How many mini loafs can you get from this recipe
Hi Yvonne, you can use this recipe to make mini loaves. Yield and exact bake time will depend on the size of your mini loaf pans. Keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
If I use thawed zucchini, do I strain the juice off first? Do I even use the juice? How much juice do you need?
Hi Kathleen, yes, if using frozen and thawed zucchini, you will want to strain off all the excess water first.
Hi Sally et al!
I noticed that for this zucchini bread you add the wet mixture to dry mixture and fold; whereas on the banana bread recipe you do the reverse and add the dry to the wet. What’s the reason you don’t add the dry to the wet for both?
Since the banana bread uses a mixer (and some have a stand mixer), it’s easier to stick with the mixer and just pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients which are in the mixer’s bowl.
Omg This Zucchini Bread is fantastic! It comes together beautifully! And the flavor is awesome, I used your cream cheese frosting for a special occasion.
Omg This Zucchini Bread is fantastic! It comes together beautifully! And the flavor is awesome, I used your cream cheese frosting for a special occasion.
I loved this uncomplicated recipe.
Excellent. Made this twice already and will use it again.
I had a large zucchini and wasn’t sure what to do with it. I’m so glad I found this recipe. Cooking time with my oven was 55 minutes, no browning on top so no need for foil. Delicious and I will make this again!
Absolutely delicious
Do you have nutrition info for this recipe ?
Hi Dani, we don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Just made this today, it is amazing!!!
My oven doesn’t work, could I use a convection oven instead?
Hi Shawna, We test all of our recipes in a conventional oven, but yes, if you do use convection/fan settings for baking, lower your temperature by 25 degrees F and keep in mind that things may still take less time to bake. Hope the bread is a hit!
So good! We have a ton of Fuyu Persimmons and I have been experimenting with how to use them up. I swapped zucchini with grated persimmon and otherwise followed the recipe with the chocolate chip addition. So so good! Will definitely be baking up loaves for friends and neighbors. Thank you!
Can I make the batter ahead and leave it in the fridge for 72 hours?
Hi Lexi, we don’t recommend it. The leaveners are activated once the wet and dry ingredients are mixed together, and it’s best to bake the batter shortly thereafter.
How many loafs of bread will this recipe make?
Hi Juniper, this zucchini bread recipe yields one 9×5-inch loaf.
This recipe is what got me perusing the rest of your site, it is far and away my favorite bread recipe. I got my friend’s kids begging for zucchini bread (don’t tell them what zucchini is, she told me!). But I wonder if you have the older version available? I remember using greek yogurt and agave I think, with coconut oil. I personally loved that version the best and would love to have access to it again if I could
Hi Jennifer, This Greek Yogurt Zucchini Bread Recipe uses Greek yogurt, agave, and coconut oil. Enjoy!
I just made this bread and it is delicious !! This will be a staple bread for me!! Thanks for the great recipe!!
This was the first time I ever made a zucchini loaf and it turned out so well. I even impressed my friend who is a great cook and gardener ( it was her home grown zucchini that I used ): I was very pleased with myself !!
This recipe is the absolute best!!