Zucchini Bread

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This Zucchini Bread has to be one of the best ways to use zucchini ever! It’s super moist and full of flavor from using both brown sugar and a bit of cinnamon. It’s easy to make and will be your new favorite!

Why You’ll Love It

• So moist. The shredded zucchini and the use of vegetable oil (in addition to butter) make this bread so incredibly moist.
• A zucchini celebration. This recipe is one of the best ways to use summer zucchini. It tastes like your favorite spice cake (you don’t even taste the zucchini), but it makes you feel good because you’re eating a vegetable too.
• Any time of day. Sweet but not too sweet, this zucchini-loaded loaf is perfect for breakfast (try it toasted with butter), dessert, or a snack somewhere between.

Ingredients and Substitutions

You won’t need anything fancy for this zucchini bread recipe and you might already have a lot of it in your kitchen! Here’s a shopping list for you. Have a look at the recipe card below for precise measurements.

• All-purpose flour – Be sure to measure your flour accurately. Too much flour will give you a dense, dry bread. I like using a food scale, but the spoon and level method also works.
• Baking powder and baking soda – The combination of these two leavening agents gives the perfect rise and texture to the bread.
• Ground cinnamon – Just a little bit. But enough to notice.
• Salt – Without a little salt, your loaf will be bland.
• Unsalted butter (melted) and vegetable oil – You can use all butter, but the bread will be denser and slightly less moist. If you use just vegetable oil, you won’t get the flavor of the butter. So use both!
• Sugar and light brown sugar – I decided to use both granulated and light brown sugar. The brown sugar brings some extra depth to the flavor profile as well as added moisture.
• Eggs – Be sure to use large eggs, not medium or extra large.
• Vanilla extract
• Milk or applesauce – The applesauce adds a touch of flavor that you can’t place your finger on, but you miss it if you know it should be there. That said, milk will also work. I’d recommend 2% or whole milk.
• Shredded zucchini

How to Prep the Zucchini

I suggest grating your zucchini with a box grater. No need to peel them first. Set the grater over a bowl and grate the zucchini into it. It’s often suggested to squeeze out excess water, but I did not. My zucchini didn’t feel like it was full of excess moisture. If yours does, pat it dry. And watch your fingers, folks! Box graters are notorious for knicking pinkies.

How to Make Zucchini Bread

Grab your mixing bowls and measuring spoons! Here’s a quick overview of how to make this easy zucchini bread recipe. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for more thorough instructions.

• Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9X5-inch loaf pan with non-stick baking spray.
• Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
• Combine the wet ingredients. Whisk together the butter, vegetable oil, sugars, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk or applesauce.
• Put it all together. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and then fold in the zucchini.

• Bake. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes.
• Cool. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Variation Ideas

Feeling creative? Here are some fun ways to throw your own personalized twist on this recipe.

• Play with mix-ins. This zucchini bread is awesome as is but you can also add some chopped walnuts or chocolate chips into the batter. Keep your mix-ins to about 3/4 to 1 cup total.
• Muffins instead of bread. If you’re more of a muffin person, liberally grease a standard muffin tin with non-stick baking spray and fill each tin about 3/4 full. Bake at 375°F for 18-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out mostly clean.

Tips for the Best Zucchini Bread

• Grease EXTRA well. This quick bread is prone to sticking to the pan. So make sure to grease the baking pan really well with butter or non-stick baking spray.
• Don’t over-mix. When combining the wet and dry ingredients and again when folding the zucchini into the batter, mix just until everything is incorporated. No more. Over-mixing can cause the glutens in the flour to overdevelop, resulting in tough, overly dense zucchini bread.
• Cool in the pan first. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for roughly 10 minutes before attempting to remove it. If you try to turn it out of the pan too early, it may fall apart.

How to Store

• Counter. Once cool, cover the zucchini bread with plastic wrap or put in an airtight container. You can also wrap individual portions in a double layer of plastic wrap. Store it on the counter for up to 5 days
• Freezer. Allow the bread to cool before wrapping it in a double layer of plastic wrap (the whole loaf or individual slices). You could also add a layer of aluminum foil, if it’ll be frozen for a while. You can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge before enjoying.
• To reheat. Zucchini bread is great at room temperature or heated up. To warm leftovers, unwrap the bread and pop a slice in the microwave for 5-10 seconds. You can also wrap a slice or two in aluminum foil and bake at 350°F for 5 minutes or until warm.

More Quick Bread Recipes

• Strawberry Bread
• Hummingbird Bread
• Pumpkin Bread
• Banana Bread Recipe
• Easy Apple Bread
• Beer Bread

Watch How To Make It

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