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
I loved this recipe. I whipped up two loaves this morning, early, for a girls picnic brunch. It’s easy and came out perfect. I used buttermilk and a little more shredded zucchini – because I could. Made one with walnuts and one without.
Cooked 55 minutes & rested in pan 15-20 before pouring out onto cutting board.
Hi Cindy, did you just double the recipe and split the batch into 2 loaf pans?
No – I don’t often have luck with doubling. Easy to just have everything out and mix it up in the same bowl
I was wondering about the cooking time of 55 to 70 minutes for this zucchini bread since your double chocolate zucchini bread says to bake fir 45 minutes for thre 9×5 size loaf pan. I baked the zucchini bread for 55 minutes and it was over cooked.
Hi Evelyn, bake times can vary greatly from oven to oven, so we always recommend you keep an eye on it, and then use a toothpick or bounce-back test to check for doneness. We also recommend tenting the bread with foil about halfway through baking to ensure it doesn’t get too dark on top. Thank you for trying this recipe, and I hope it turns out better next time!
Best zucchini bread recipe I’ve ever made!
Great flavor and super moist!
Trying this now and the batter was delicious! I’m wondering if you or anyone know the nutrition information on this??
Hi Lexie, 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
Forgive me if this has already been asked and answered in the comments – any suggestion of bake time for mini muffins? My 11 month old loved the zucchini loaf and the mini muffin size would be just perfect for her! Thank you!
Hi Allison, For mini muffins, bake 11–13 minutes at 350°F (177°C) the whole time.
The best! I just doubled this recipe & made two loaves of this Zucchini bread. (I was looking for a recipe that didn’t use as much sugar as my other recipe.) I used greek yogurt instead of the applesauce and added a cup of walnuts to the batter. My loaves were done in 55 minutes. I let the bread sit for an hour in the pans before I cut it as the recipe instructs. It was fantastic. Very moist. A perfect blend of spices and the nuts added a tasty crunch. Highly recommend this recipe.
I tried the recipe and used 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/3 tsp nutmeg and Olive Oil along with 4 chopped dates. Also baked it for 50 minutes. I have followed your bread recipes with great results. This was my first attempt at baking Zucchini Bread
I was invited to a party, and never made zucchini bread before. I looked up 3 recipes for zucchini bread, and decided on this because of the applesauce.
It was a HUGE hit. It was moist, delicious, and had rave reviews from the party goers. Thanks so much!!
Used sour cream & pushed chocolate chips onto the top while cooling. Other than that, exactly as described. I laid foil over top after 30 minutes. Came out perfectly served the next day.
Absolutely love this recipe! Looking to make a zucchini carrot bread next. Would I be able to just add some grated carrots to this? If I do should I lessen the zucchini or will that make it drier? Thank you!
Hi Katie, you should be able to att carrots to this with no problem. Enjoy!
Made this recipe, simple easy and even grandchildren liked it. Also baked it in my toaster oven because it was hot out. Delicious.
Everyone knows I can’t cook. So when I came with some perfect zucchini bread, people were shocked! This was all because of you. I followed the recipe exactly. I ended up with 6 cups of zucchini so made four loaves. It turned out so so good that everybody wanted to “help me” by taking some home! I’m shocked that I finally made something people loved. It is all because of you!!! I can’t thank you enough.
I have been making some gluten free things lately. Since it is all purpose, will that change anything about the recipe?
Hi Pat, we haven’t tested a 1:1 gluten free flour, so we’re unsure of the exact results. Let us know if you do try it!
Hi! If I wanted to swap AP flour for whole-wheat flour, how much of what moisture source would you recommend adding?
Hi Katya, 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. Hope you enjoy it!
I like the recipe just fine but now I would like to add pineapple to my next loaf. Can I just swap the apple sauce with Crushed Pineapple?
Hi John, we haven’t tested this recipe with crushed pineapple, and it would likely take a bit of trial and error since it’s another wet ingredient (in an already very moist bread!). You could try swapping some of the zucchini or even the applesauce, as you mention, with some crushed pineapple. Again, we haven’t tested this ourselves so we’re unsure of the results, but let us know if you decide to do any experimenting!
this was soooo good. i made a loaf with sour cream instead of applesauce to test and ate it hot with a slab of cold butter. was amazing. i have an additional loaf in the oven now, and muffins baking. i will send these to work with my husband for his coworkers (including the one who supplied the zucchini). very happy! i’ll definitely be bookmarking this one.
Making these as muffins was a gamechanger! Brought them to work and everyone loved them. Absolutely delicious! Wouldn’t change a thing.
Did not turn out for me. Don’t know what I did wrong but followed the instructions to a tee. Melt great though.
Hi Nita, what part of the recipe didn’t go well for you? We’d be happy to help troubleshoot further.
same thing happened with me. the only difference i made was using sour cream instead of applesauce, but the muffins i made came out so dense and lacked flavor
Hi, Dawn Price here ! I’m trying out the zucchini bread, missing my grandma’s fam., recipe ! Anyway what can I sub., for nutmeg if anything ? Love to hear from you asap,please ? Thank you so much, and I will get back at you to let you know how it goes for me !
Hi Dawn, you can omit the nutmeg with no other changes, or replace it with more cinnamon or another warm spice that you enjoy. Hope you enjoy it!
I don’t care for nutmeg, so I used a scant 1/4 t. ground cardamom instead. Tastes great!
Ditto on the nutmeg. I used about 1/8th teaspoon of nutmeg and an 1/8th of allspice. Kudos on the cardamom…wish I had thought of it!
Made it twice. First time in a dark non stick pan. Was yumm but the sides were too brown. My zucchini is coming in sooooo fast so I made it again today in a glass loaf pan. So much better so far as colour goes. Taste is great. This is now my go too. So thanks. I used my small food processor to grate. The grate isn’t fine. It’s more like a shredded potato consistency. I was concerned but without cause. Box grater would give a finer texture but it’s all good. I use many of your recipes. Always with success:)
Can I use melted butter instead of the oil? How would this affect the outcome?
Hi Shelley, you can try it, but we don’t really recommend subbing butter when a recipe calls for liquid oil (or vice versa). Because butter is a solid when it’s not melted, it has different properties in a baked good. In this zucchini bread, the oil serves to keep the crumb light and moist, where the butter would weigh this heavy batter down.
I made this and the flavor is delicious! BUT it’s super gooey on the bottom. I kept putting it back in, even on lower racks but after an extra 50 minutes gave up. What did I do wrong?!
Hi Samantha, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. Are you using a glass or ceramic pan by chance? If so, those can often cause it to take much longer for the bottom of the bread to bake through. Be sure not to overmix the better either, as that can cause an overly dense bread. For next time, you can always cover the pan with aluminum foil to allow it to continue baking while preventing the top from getting too brown. Hope this helps for your next loaf!
can I make this recipe in a bundt cake tin?
Hi Sheila, We have not tested this recipe in a Bundt pan but you would likely need 1.5 times the batter. You can read all about the capacity of different size pans in our post Cake Pan Sizes and Conversions. Same oven temperature, we’re unsure of the bake time.
Thanks Sally, I made quite a few changes but your recipe foundation is what carried my loaf. Thank you, it was delicious!
I also missed the timer but I went ahead and waited for the “it’s done” smell and it came out perfect! I think early, not sure. It smelled done 🙂 tested with a toothpick and it was confirmed.
Thank you. I’m retired so I do most of the baking in our house. I’ve never tried zucchini bread before but this recipe was awesome. Have received so many compliments on the flavor and moistness.
Timely recipe because I have 2 large zucchini’s on my counter!
I just tried this recipe, I added raisins and chopped walnuts. It’s delish, not too sweet and great with a cup of coffee
Looking forward to making this after the rave reviews! Question: can we use King Arthur’s one-to-one flour or any other gluten-free? I saw that you suggested a reader’s subbing oat flour gradually – just wondering if all gluten-free would work for my mate.
Hi Judy, we haven’t tested a 1:1 gluten free flour, so we’re unsure of the exact results. Let us know if you do try it!
I’ve used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten free 1:1 with no problem! I just make sure to weigh the flour not measure with cups and it’s come out perfect every time!
Great recipe and easy for me to make!! Thank you. A keeper for sure