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
This was ready to follow and my little one loved shredding the zucchini and helping with the mixing. I added raisins and finely crushed pecans! So delicious!! I used 50g of greek yogurt and 10g of Apple sauce , I baked them into muffins instead of loaf. The only thing i will change for next time is shredding the zucchini finer and smaller. This is my first time making this and it will be my go to recipe!
This was delicious and oh so moist. I made it exactly per your recipe, adding walnuts asan extra ingredient. This zucchini bread recipe is a keeper!
You did it again! I didn’t have applesauce, so used sour cream. I added dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds. Perfection.
Made it last night. It was good but thought maybe needed more flavor. I may try adding chocolate chips next time. Thank you for the recipe.
I love this recipe. It’s so flavorful. Do you happen to have the nutritional value for it?
Hi Melissa! 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
I made this last summer for the first time. It was fabulous. I had extra zucchini and frozen it. I took it out last night to thaw. Should I blot it dry ( it’s very watery) before I use it in the recipe?
Hi Debbie, yes, we recommend blotting it before using in the bread. Enjoy!
I use butter in place of the oil, and it is just as moist and has a better flavor I think….but AWESOME recipe! Thank you!
James Steele
SFC/E-7
U.S. Army, Retired
Hi Josephine, that’s such a long time for a quick bread. I believe the reduction of the sugar could have been the culprit. Was your shredded zucchini extra wet?
Hi can I make these in mini loaf pans-2”
Hi Asheema, absolutely. Bake time will be much shorter—keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Ive made this a few times and it comes out great everytime! The most recent time, I used sour cream rather than applesauce and added pecans, raisings, and dark chocolate chips. Everthing else was measured to the exact weight in the recipe. Cooked in a glass loaf pan for about 68 minutes and cooked on a rack for a few hours. Came out excellent, nice rise and crumb. Thanks!
Can you use frozen zucchini? Do I thaw? Blot?
Hi Chelsea, that should work just fine. We’d recommend thawing the frozen zucchini before using in the bread, and giving it a little blot since it will release excess moisture when thawing. Enjoy!
Great recipe. I’ve made it so many times! I think it’s pretty flexible -I do weigh the measurements, use greek yogurt, & put waaaay more zucchini in. Bakes for the minimum time. I swap the nutmeg for cloves because we like that. My house smells amazing. Thank you.
Great recipe. I’ve made it so many times! I think it’s pretty flexible -I do weigh the measurements, use greek yogurt, & put waaaay more zucchini in. Bakes for the minimum time. I swap the nutmeg for cloves because we like that. My house smells amazing. Thank you.
Can I add grated green apple in same quantity as applesauce
Hi Denise, that should be fine.
If it was dry, either you added too much flour, mixed it too much, or overbaked it. I’m leaning towards overmixing; if it was chewy like Italian loaf, that’s the culprit.
I have made many of your recipes, always a hit.
My favourite zuc loaf of all the recipes I’ve tried
Hello!
What are your thoughts on using avocado oil for this recipe?
Thanks
We haven’t tested it, but can’t see why it wouldn’t work, Denise.
I have used this as a base recipe. I use steevia with a little brown sugar. I have added bananas and removed some but not all of the zucchini, and I just made carrot cake by dealing some of the zucchini with carrots and adding raisins. It’s a great recipe to play with
Great recipe! I used sour cream instead of applesauce.
I make this alot for my husband, he absolutely loves it!! I do have a question about the tin foil, do I put it on after it’s baked for30 minutes or in the beginning??? I’ve read this lots and I don’t see you mention that.
Hi Linda, we recommend tenting the foil over top about halfway through baking, to keep it from over-browning on top. So glad you love this recipe!
I have made this bread for our church bake sale for 3 years. It is so popular I get request to make it now. The added applesauce took the flavor over the top!
So delicious! Thanks for the updated recipe. It’s perfect!
Where can I find the complete nutrition valuses of the Zucchini bread?
Hi Pat, 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
This is THE BEST recipe! I didn’t have applesauce, but since I had apples, I added grated applesauce and it worked beautifully. This bread is so moist and ‘heavy’.
Your recipes are absolutely my favorites! I like to double and triple muffins, cookies, bread, meatballs and freeze them for company, ease of use, etc. I have a question on unsweetened applesauce weight. Your recipes seem inconsistent on the weight of applesauce. When I look it up online, it’s completely different. I think the online weight conversion includes sugar. Can you help me with this? Tremendous thanks and appreciation.
Hi Patty, some how I missed your question last month. Unsweetened applesauce is usually around 120g per 1/2 cup. Most of my recipes reflect that measurement, but we can go through again to be certain.
Great recipe. Super easy. I made it with coconut oil and coconut sugar in replacement of brown sugar and it turned out great. It’s very moist
I like all of your recipes and you are my go to for finding awesome baking ideas. Could I swap the white flour for whole wheat?
Hi Amber, 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!
Made this vegan with 2/3 cup apple sauce, 2 Tbsp aquafaba and 1/4 tsp baking powder to replace the eggs. Turned out amazing. Thanks so much for the recipe.
This is my go-to favorite sweet bread recipe. Does the bread freeze well?
Hi Mary, yes, baked zucchini bread will freeze well for up to 3 months. So glad you enjoyed it!
This is the 3rd time l’ve baked your zucchini bread in the past few weeks, it never disappoints. l plan on making more bread for the freezer