Homemade Zucchini Bread
The Best Homemade Zucchini Bread
A moist, warmly spiced zucchini bread made with simple pantry ingredients, plenty of fresh zucchini, and just the right amount of sweetness.
There comes a point every summer when the zucchini seems to multiply overnight. One day, there are a few small vegetables tucked beneath the leaves, and before long, there are more zucchini than you know what to do with.
This homemade zucchini bread is one of my favorite ways to put that garden abundance to good use. It is soft, moist, and warmly flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, and vanilla. It tastes like a comforting old-fashioned quick bread, but it is made with a little less sugar and oil than many traditional versions.
From the garden: If you are growing zucchini—or thinking about starting a small backyard garden—visit Garden to Table for beginner-friendly growing ideas that fit an everyday suburban yard.
You do not need to peel the zucchini, and most zucchini will not need to be squeezed dry. The recipe uses ordinary pantry ingredients, requires no electric mixer, and makes one practical 9-by-5-inch loaf.
It is the kind of simple recipe that fits naturally into everyday life—easy enough for a weekday afternoon, wholesome enough for breakfast, and special enough to share with a neighbor or bring to a family gathering.
Why You Will Love This Zucchini Bread
- Moist without being greasy: Applesauce, yogurt, or sour cream replaces part of the oil.
- Sweet but not overly sugary: Brown sugar adds moisture and a gentle caramel flavor.
- Full of fresh zucchini: One loaf uses approximately 1¾ cups of shredded zucchini.
- No mixer required: The batter comes together with a whisk and a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Easy to customize: Add walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, raisins, or leave it plain.
- Freezer-friendly: Freeze the whole loaf or individual slices for later.
Simple Ingredients
This recipe was created to be practical. There are no unusual ingredients, and you may already have nearly everything you need in your pantry.
Fresh zucchini
Small and medium zucchini are ideal because they tend to be tender and contain fewer large seeds. There is no need to peel them. The green skin adds pretty flecks of color throughout the finished bread.
If you have more zucchini than you need for baking, use the rest in Buttery Skillet Zucchini and Summer Squash for an easy savory way to use the same garden harvest.
Brown sugar
Brown sugar adds sweetness while helping the loaf stay moist. Either light or dark brown sugar will work.
Oil and applesauce
A combination of neutral oil and unsweetened applesauce keeps the bread tender without making it oily. Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream may be used in place of the applesauce.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla
These simple flavors make the bread feel warm and cozy without overpowering the fresh zucchini.
A Bit More Homemade Recipe
Homemade Zucchini Bread
A tender, warmly spiced zucchini bread that is moist without being greasy and sweet without tasting like cake.
Cooling Time: 1 hour | Yield: One 9-by-5-inch loaf
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, or 220 grams
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup neutral oil, such as avocado, vegetable, or light olive oil
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce, plain Greek yogurt, or sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups lightly packed shredded zucchini, approximately 210 grams
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
- 1 tablespoon coarse or granulated sugar for the top, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang to lift out the finished loaf.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and brown sugar until smooth. Add the oil, applesauce or yogurt, and vanilla. Whisk until evenly combined.
- Stir the shredded zucchini into the wet ingredients. There is normally no need to peel or squeeze it. When using an unusually watery, oversized garden zucchini, gently blot the shreds once with a clean kitchen towel.
- Add the dry ingredients to the zucchini mixture. Fold gently with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain. Fold in the nuts, when using them. The batter will be thick but moist.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the top with one tablespoon of sugar for a lightly crisp, bakery-style crust, when desired.
- Bake for 60–70 minutes, checking around the 55-minute mark. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- If the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover the loaf with aluminum foil during the final 10–15 minutes.
- Cool the bread in the pan for 15 minutes. Carefully remove it from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack.
- Allow the loaf to cool for at least another 45 minutes before slicing. The center will continue to set as it cools.
Do You Need to Squeeze the Zucchini?
For this recipe, most zucchini should not be squeezed. The natural moisture in the zucchini helps create a soft and tender loaf.
If you are using an especially large garden zucchini and the shreds leave a puddle of liquid in the bowl, place them on a clean kitchen towel and gently blot away some of the excess moisture. Do not twist and wring the zucchini completely dry.
Tips for the Best Zucchini Bread
Measure the flour carefully
Scooping flour directly from the bag can pack too much into the measuring cup. Spoon the flour lightly into the cup and level it with the back of a knife. For the most consistent results, use 220 grams of flour.
Use the large holes of a box grater
Finely grated zucchini can become watery and disappear completely into the batter. The larger holes create soft green flecks while still allowing the zucchini to blend into the loaf.
Avoid overmixing
Once the flour is added, use a gentle folding motion. Stop mixing as soon as the dry streaks disappear.
Check the center, not just the edges
Quick breads often appear finished around the edges before the middle has baked through. Insert a toothpick near the center of the loaf. A few moist crumbs are fine, but there should not be wet batter.
Let it cool before slicing
It may be tempting to cut into the loaf while it is still steaming, but cooling gives the crumb time to set. Slicing too early may cause the center to look gummy or fall apart.
Easy Variations
Chocolate chip zucchini bread
Omit the nuts and fold ½ cup of semisweet or dark chocolate chips into the batter.
Walnut or pecan zucchini bread
Fold ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter. Toasting the nuts first will give them a deeper flavor and crisper texture.
Whole-wheat zucchini bread
Replace ½ cup of the all-purpose flour with white whole-wheat flour. Using more than that may make the loaf noticeably heavier.
Zucchini bread muffins
Divide the batter among 12 lined muffin cups. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F without opening the door. Continue baking for approximately 14–17 minutes.
How to Serve Zucchini Bread
Zucchini bread is delicious at room temperature, but I especially enjoy it slightly warm with a little softened butter. It makes a lovely breakfast with coffee or tea, an easy afternoon snack, or a simple addition to a weekend brunch.
How to Store Zucchini Bread
Allow the loaf to cool completely before storing it. Wrap it tightly or place it in an airtight container.
- At room temperature: Store for up to three days.
- In the refrigerator: Store for up to one week.
- In the freezer: Freeze for up to three months.
To freeze individual servings, cut the cooled loaf into slices and place a small piece of parchment paper between each one. Wrap the slices well and place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. This makes it easy to remove only what you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to peel zucchini for zucchini bread?
No. The peel is tender and softens as the bread bakes. It also gives the loaf its familiar green flecks.
Can I use frozen shredded zucchini?
Yes. Thaw it completely first. Frozen zucchini releases more liquid than fresh zucchini, so drain off the excess and gently blot the shreds before measuring.
Why did my zucchini bread sink in the middle?
A sunken center is often caused by underbaking, using too much zucchini moisture, measuring too much leavening, or opening the oven too early. Test the center carefully before removing the loaf from the oven.
Can I reduce the sugar further?
You may reduce the brown sugar to ⅔ cup. Reducing it much further may change the loaf’s moisture, browning, and texture.
A Simple Way to Use What You Have
Recipes like this are part of what living a bit more homemade means to me. It is not about doing everything perfectly or making every ingredient from scratch. Sometimes it simply means noticing what is growing in the garden, what is waiting in the refrigerator, or what might otherwise go unused—and turning it into something warm and nourishing. If growing some of that food yourself sounds appealing, the Garden to Table section is a good place to continue.
A loaf of zucchini bread may be a small thing, but it can become breakfast for the week, an afternoon treat shared around the kitchen table, or a thoughtful gift for someone who could use a little homemade comfort.
Start with what you have, make something simple, and let everyday life become a bit more homemade.
Use More of Your Zucchini Harvest
Garden to Table — beginner-friendly help for growing useful food at home.
Buttery Skillet Zucchini and Summer Squash — a quick savory recipe for the zucchini that does not become bread.
Have you made this zucchini bread?
Leave a comment and share whether you made it plain or added walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips.
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