Zucchini Bread
Published 6/23/2023 • Updated 8/1/2023
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Our no-fail zucchini bread recipe takes you back to the basics with grated zucchini, flour, butter, brown sugar, and eggs.
The BEST Healthy Zucchini Bread
Zucchini is one of those summer vegetables that grow crazy here in Minnesota. We love making air fryer zucchini fries for a crunchy snack or zucchini oatmeal cookies for a sweet treat.
Everyone should have a solid zucchini bread recipe in their back pocket and that’s just the truth. We’re here to give you one in hopes that you make this recipe year after year.
Our recipe is made with basic ingredients and has a hint of warmth from a little maple syrup. It’s also made with applesauce to make it extra moist!
all the loaf recipes
If you love loaf recipes like this homemade zucchini bread, try some of our others –> We love this vegan banana bread, this chocolate chocolate chip banana bread, or this blueberry banana bread.
Zucchini Bread Ingredients
This zucchini bread recipe is about as basic as it gets. No fancy ingredients, just things you probably already have in your kitchen.
- Flour
- Zucchini
- Brown sugar
- Butter
- Maple syrup
- Applesauce
- Eggs
- Almond milk
FAQ
Yes, we do leave the skin on zucchini for zucchini bread. It adds great color, nutrition, and it’s a lot less hearty of skin compared to other vegetables! If you’re not a fan of zucchini skin, feel free to leave it off!
To grate zucchinis for zucchini bread, use the largest grate on a box grater, food processor, or your grater of choice.
Make sure to remove the moisture from zucchini! You do this by grating the zucchini and then placing it in a tea towel or paper towel. From there you squeeze the moisture from the zucchini into the sink.
Variations
Add peanut butter: peanut butter makes the world go round and that’s a fact. Try adding 1/3 cup to your batter!
Use mashed banana: swap the applesauce out for mashed banana. It will change the flavor slightly but works in the same way.
Use a different squash: got summer squash in the garden instead? Try that instead of zucchini!
Add chocolate chips: you really can’t go wrong by adding a handful of chocolate chips!
CHeck it out!
6 Healthy Muffin Recipes – 1 Base Batter
Are you a muffin queen just like us? Here’s our favorite base recipe for healthy muffins + 6 different healthy muffin recipes you can make with it! Get all 6 healthy muffin recipes HERE!
Storage
Make sure to let the zucchini bread cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. If you cover it when it’s warm, the condensation will speed up the molding process!
How to Freeze Zucchini Bread
- To freeze zucchini bread, let the loaf cool completely.
- Then, tightly wrap it in a piece of plastic wrap followed by tin foil.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
Zucchini Bread Recipe
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup coarsely shredded zucchini moisture removed*, ~1 large zucchini
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup plain, unsweetened almond milk (or oat milk)*
Instructions
- First, preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to a bowl and whisk the ingredients together. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer, add the brown sugar, butter, and maple syrup to the mixing bowl and mix on medium/high speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the applesauce and eggs and mix again until combined.
- Next, add the almond milk and mix.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients (including the zucchini) to the wet ingredients and mix to combine.
- Pour the batter into the lined loaf pan and bake for 30 minutes.
- Rotate the loaf pan to 180º and bake for another 20-30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out almost clean (it will continue to cook in the pan).
- Let cool for a few minutes before running the edges along the outside of the bread and pan (if needed) and gently pull up on the parchment paper. Transfer the bread to a cooling rack for 15-20 minutes before slicing.
Tips & Notes
- 1 cup of mashed ripe banana can be used as a substitute for the applesauce.
- For a crunchy top, top the zucchini bread with 2-4 tablespoons of turbinado sugar before baking.
- The bake time may vary depending on what oven is used and the elevation you are baking at.
- This recipe was updated on June 23, 2023. Get the original recipe HERE.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Photography: photos taken in this post are by Ashley McGlaughlin from The Edible Perspective.
Love zucchini bread. We grew up with orange zucchini bread with a sweet glaze.
What!!??!!? I need a slice of that. NOW 🙂
This looks delicious! I’m trying to start trying healthier recipes, so I think this one would be great!
YES! You will love this one! White whole wheat rules!
A perfect loaf!! I adore zucchini baked goods.
O zucchini bread, the veggie quick bread cousin of the wonderful banana bread!
Yum! This recipe looks absolutely delicious! I have a few zucchinis growing in the garden right now. I”m sure I’ll be doing some baking with at least one of them. I agree, squeezing out as much of the water as possible makes the bread less mushy.
One dayyyyy I shall have a garden and have the same problem as you 🙂
I LOVE zucchini bread! I think the problem I’ve made in the past is not squeezing out the moisture – thanks for the extra tip!
YES. Get all that moisture out of there!
I’ve never had or made zucchini bread before but I’ve always wanted to try it stove I’ve discovered it on instagram! Maybe I’ll get around to male your recipe one day! 😀
Oh my goodness gracious this looks heavenly! I’ve got some plans for zucchini this weekend too! 😉
I’m gluten-free so am going to try this with GF flours like quinoa or sorghum to give that nutty flavor and add more protein. I also think I’m going to sub honey for the coconut sugar since I have lots of it. Are there other things I could/should sub for the whole wheat flour and coconut sugar?
I would just make sure you add enough flour, just because coconut sugar is also like a “dry” ingredient! You should be good with a 1 to 1 gluten-free flour blend to the white whole wheat, but I haven’t tried it!
@Deb did you try this recipe gluten free? I would love to know what flour and measurements you used!