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.
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!
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!)
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.
And 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!
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!
PrintZucchini 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.
I think the problems with this recipe being too dry are that it needs another egg and that the zucchini amount is confusing. All recipes I looked at with similar proportions used 2 eggs. I never saw one with one. When I shredded my zucchini, 2 medium yielded way more than 1 cup. So I added 2 cups which looked right. For extra moistness I added 1/3 c of Greek yogurt, which may not have been necessary but did no harm. The bread came out just fine with no problems of any kind. Wonderful flavor. I used pecans and raisins – 1 cup total. My oven runs hot so baked at 330 for 70 min and covered with foil after 30 min.
Hi Eileen, my team and I recently adjusted this recipe based on reader feedback including yours. The batter was simply too thick and truly ideal for a smaller loaf pan or muffins. To make a deliciously moist (and tall) loaf, I added another egg and more zucchini, plus the addition of applesauce or sour cream/Greek yogurt. Always appreciate feedback like yours! Thank you.
Made this for the first time and oh my God…..it is scrumptious! The only change I made was to swap the chocolate chips for walnuts and it turned out just the way I like it nutty and flavorful. The recipe is so easy and comes together super fast. I’ve baked quite a few things from your site Sally and they always, always come out perfect. This is the first site I come to when looking for recipes. Thank you for sharing this recipe and for providing your insight and details for each and every recipe.
This recipe is always my go to as all of your recipes are.
I’ve used milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, walnuts and pecans. All variations have been great. My family, friends and neighbors rave about the walnut- dark chocolate chip version.
I’m making a dark chocolate chip-pecan bread topped with a white chocolate-sour cream glaze tonight.
Thank you for all your great recipes, tips, tutorials and encouragement you give ☺️
I used egg replacer and it came out delicious. Doubled the recipe and made 4 mini loaves. Perfect recipe for delicious zucchini bread.
Just now I made this recipe into zucchini muffins. I doubled the recipe and used 2 cups of white flour plus 1 and 1/2 cups of whole wheat. 1 tbsp baking powder and 1 teaspoon of soda as I like taller muffins. Real important to preheat oven to 425 and bake for 5 minutes at this temp like you stated. I also added some chopped walnuts. Shredded zucchini in the food processor; much faster. Love your recipes they always turn out perfect. Monday I made your peanut butter cupcakes for my teenage grandchildren who came over to clean out my garage. Those cupcakes are always a hit. My family will not eat anything dry or crumbly. It has to be moist. Thank you for your tried-and-true recipes.
I have never made zucchini bread before. I was careful about measuring the ingredients after viewing some comments that said it was dry. I used the coconut oil and choc. chips and watched it carefully for doneness. I also covered it lightly with foil halfway through. And oh my goodness it is SO GOOD! Wonderful! Comforting and warm and sooo delicious. Not dry at all. Everyone loved it. I’ll make another in a few days and take it to my school to share with other teachers. It won’t last long!!!!
At my first attempt, I doubled the recipe because I had extra zucchini. I poured the batter into two 8 x 4 loaf tins and baked them for 50 minutes. There was a small undercooked spot at the top of both loaves, leading me to think that it could have used an extra 5 to 7 minutes. At my second attempt, I also doubled the recipe but made muffins instead. I thought it would yield around 24 muffins but it yielded 15 muffins instead. I baked them for an extra 6 minute total (6 minutes at 425 and 21 minutes at 350). Either way I did it, the loaves and muffins turned out so tasty. I gifted a loaf to a friend and her family enjoyed it. My family also loved it. We devoured it in less than a day.
Excellent. I misplaced my grandmother’s zucchini bread recipes and couldn’t remember exact measurements but this one came closest to what I could remember. I made very minor changes. I left out the nutmeg, used one 4oz container of apple sauce and melted soy free earth balance until I hit half a cup. I used all white sugar. I didn’t blot the zucchini or anything just used a medium zucchini. I also scoop the flour into a bowl and then stir it lightly before spooning into measuring cups and leveling off. I didn’t think the recipe was dry at all. My grandma’s is more dry but always turns out just fine. (I’d say add some more zucchini to anyone who thinks it’s too dry.) I didn’t add chocolate chips or anything like that. I baked at 350 for about 40-45 minutes. I don’t have a loaf pan so used a Pyrex dish – 8×4 maybe ? It’s not very big.
Anyone having trouble with this recipe – there are many issues that could be going on. I’m not an expert but after years of hit or miss baking I finally started paying attention to details. If you’re using old or low quality ingredients (especially generic baking powder and generic flour) The temp of your ingredients – bring eggs to room temp. Same with flour if you store it in the fridge or freezer…the type of baking pan you’re using – if you’re turning the oven up it’s not going to bake all the way through it will just get over baked on the outside and undercooked inside. Make sure you’re letting it cool all the way down too. Are your ingredients room temperature? I think 350 is the perfect temp to bake this or maybe 325 if doing muffins. I didn’t need to place foil over it when baking. Completely forgot but it was just fine without it. Thank you I’ll be using this recipe from now on.
It tastes absolutely amazing, good flavor blend and an easy to double recipe. But I’ve made it a couple times and it never rises very well. Any suggestions for it to be less dense?
Hi Jodi, are your baking powder and baking soda fresh? We recommend replacing them about every three months for optimal freshness which will help with rise. Also, be sure not to over mix the batter, which can lead to dense/squat breads. Hope this helps for next time and thank you so much for making this recipe!
I really loved this recipe and will make it again. I did substitute a cup of the flour for whole wheat flour and the cinnamon and nutmeg for pumpkin spice. It came out perfectly! Thank you!
I absolutely love this recipe! I’ve made it multiple times now, it’s my go too! Even beat out my grandma’s zucchini bread. I’ve done both loaf and muffins, regular and doubled recipe, zero issues. Bread is moist, sweet and absolutely delicious! Thank you so much for sharing it Sally 🙂
I’ve made this recipe several times and I have loaves in the oven now. It is always moist and delicious! My new favorite go to recipe. My friends and family love it!!
I doubled the recipe and made 4 mini loaves. Perfect for gifts. Can be frozen too.
This is a delicious recipe! I made it a few weeks ago and am already baking it again! It’s almost too good!
In all seriousness, I have some medical issues that have caused me to have to cut out some stuff from my life that I enjoy (like unnecessary baking) but I made a big garden this year and needed to find recipes to use our fresh produce. That’s how I stumbled upon this recipe. It is delicious! Thank you.
Hi Sally! Just made the muffin version of the recipe and they turned out great! Not sure if it’s my muffin tin or what, but I ended up with exactly 10 properly filled muffins instead of 12 but it wasn’t a problem at all. Great recipe that I’ll definitely use again.
Is it possible to use a 1/2 cup of honey or maple syrup to replace the sugar?
Hi Amy, we don’t recommend a liquid sweetener. You may enjoy our Greek Yogurt Zucchini Bread instead, though! You can replace the agave with either.
This is my GO-TO recipe for zucchini bread! A winner every single time and a favorite among many. Love the addition of cinnamon. Easy and quick to whip up fast and so very delicious!!
I loved this recipe! I made them as muffins and curious to see how my kids will like it later. Only thing personally for me is that I felt it’s on the sweeter side – is there a min of sugar you would recommend in this if I’m looking to reduce the sugar level?
Hi Winnie, Sugar is used for moisture and texture in baked goods as well as taste. You can certainly try reducing the sugar, but the resulting texture will be different than intended.
I made this today with a few tweaks. I added dried cranberries and pecans. I also used cloves and ginger. Very tasty
Hi Sally,
Can I replace the oil in this recipe with Greek yogurt?
P.S. I love your recipes 🙂
Hi Erika! We don’t suggest replacing ALL the oil. You may enjoy this greek yogurt zucchini bread recipe instead!
The recipe, as written, is 4 stars, per my taste. To make it 5 stars, reduce sugar by 25-50%, use chocolate that’s on the darker side, and add 1C walnuts in addition to the chocolate. I made both a loaf and muffins and they were equally good. The muffins were easier to test for doneness, but my loaf was a bit raw in the center. I wasn’t sure what to make of the direction in the recipe, “The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out *mostly* clean with zero raw batter.” I should have just baked it until the toothpick was completely clean (except for the melted chocolate obviously). It’s such a moist bread that the end pieces could definitely have handled the extra baking time that the center needed.
Sally, your recipes are always the best, I’ve been baking from your site for years. WHen I need a quick recipe, I know I can always count on yours. (even if I always still cut the sugar a bit.;) Thanks Lady!
Thank you so much for making and trusting our recipes, Michelle!
Thank you for the feedback, Sarah. It’s so disappointing when a recipe doesn’t turn out. The banana bread is very thick and moist and it’s not unlikely that it will take over 70 minutes to fully bake through. The comments on the banana bread are working properly, so I’m sorry for any issue you were experiencing yesterday. For the zucchini bread, I wonder if the zucchini was extra wet and it’s just weighing down the bread? Again, I appreciate the feedback.
This is literally the best bread ever. No need to find another zucchini bread recipe!!!
Sally another winner of a recipe. I made them into muffins and they are so moist and delicious. Love the addition of the cinnamon and nutmeg, makes the flavour so good. I added frozen blueberries and all I can say is YUM.
Love this recipe sooo much! Texture and taste spot on. Didn’t change a thing but may experiment with some coconut, nuts or raisins on next batch. Everyone loved! Thanks so much for sharing. I find myself using a lot of your recipes!
Love this recipe as it’s not too sweet .. will make again but this time gluten free for my new DIL who is celiac ..
Excellent and came out perfect as written. Appreciate this recipe makes 1 loaf.
For anyone interested in making this recipe I bit more healthy, I used coarse-milled whole wheat flour (“grovmalt hvetemel” in Norwegian), swapped out the brown sugar for sukrin gold and ended up adding an extra egg and a bit of maple syrup to help everything stick together since the whole wheat absorbs a lot of moisture. I’m also fairly certain I had at least 50% more zucchini than the recipe calls for, and I swapped out the chocolate chips for chopped dark chocolate. It was great!
Great go-to zucchini bread. Thank you so much. I trust your recipes.
Thank you for adding the comment about the revised recipe, I make this all the time because i always seem to have one zucchini and one egg on hand. I thought I was losing it. I love all your recipes and have never had a problem with the original one. I will try the revised, once I get more eggs lol.