Moist and delicious, this has been dubbed the best zucchini bread by so many people!
This zucchini bread recipe make two loaves that are extra moistwith a warm cinnamon flavor (and a handful of nuts if you’d like)!
Here’s Why We Can’t Get Enough…
Zucchini is great for baking. It can be added to brownies, cakes, muffins, or pumpkin bread.
- Adding shredded zucchini to bread makes baking extra moist.
- It’s easy to make with ingredients you likely have on hand.
- This zucchini bread recipe freezes well or keeps for a few days on the counter.
- This zucchini bread recipe makes two loaves, so it’s perfect to make one to enjoy and one to give away (or freeze).
How to Prepare Zucchini for Bread
Peeling zucchini: There is no need to peel medium or small zucchini as the skin is very thin and will not add noticeable flavor or texture. If you’re using an extra large zucchini from the garden, it can be peeled and the seeds should be removed by scraping with a spoon.
Grating zucchini: This recipe uses grated zucchini. Use the larger holes on a box grater or a food processor grater (don’t dice or chop it). Once grated, do not squeeze the zucchini dry, as the liquid keeps it moist.
How to Make Zucchini Bread
Like most quick bread recipes, this zucchini loaf is easy to make and requires just a few minutes of prep time. I line my loaf pans with parchment paper to make the bread extra easy to remove.
- Grate Zucchini: Use the larger side of a box grater to shred zucchini.
- Prep Wet & Dry Ingredients: Combine wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls (recipe below).
- Combine: Stir wet and dry ingredients just until moistened.
- Bake: Pour into prepared pans and bake.
Variations
- add chopped walnuts or pecans
- swap the cinnamon for other warm spices like pumpkin pie spice, or add a pinch of nutmeg
- dried cranberries or raisins are a great addition
- swap out the walnuts for chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips
Tips For The Best Zucchini Bread
- Small to medium zucchinis (or even summer squash) work best.
- Ensure ingredients are at room temperature.
- Combine the dry ingredients with a whisk, this acts a bit like sifting the flour.
- Do not overmix.
- Cooking times can vary slightly, so be sure to check the bread early and bake just until a toothpick comes out clean.
Freezing and Storage
You can store zucchini bread on the counter for up to 2 days. It’s very moist, so if you’ll be keeping it longer than 2 days, refrigerate or freeze it.
Freezer: Like most quick bread, zucchini bread can be frozen. Be sure to cool completely first. Freeze it in slices wrapped in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Freezing in slices makes it easy to thaw just as much as you’d like to eat.
More Zucchini Treats
Did you make this homemade Zucchini Bread? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
The Best Zucchini Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups grated zucchini about 2 small
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease two 8×4-inch loaf pans or line with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt with a whisk. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the grated zucchini, oil, and vanilla. Mix well to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients and the walnuts to the zucchini mixture. Gently stir just until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly over the prepared pans and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pans for 5 minutes, remove from the pan, and cool on a wire rack.
Video
Notes
- This recipe should be baked in 8×4-inch loaf pans (not 9×5-inch pans).
- Use the larger side of a box grater to shred the zucchini. There is no need to peel it first unless it is a very large garden zucchini with thick skin.
- If the zucchini is extra large (from the garden), you may need to scrape out some of the seeds with a spoon.
- Do not squeeze the zucchini dry, moisture is needed for this bread.
- Store zucchini bread at room temperature for up to 2 days. It’s very moist so if you’ll be keeping it longer you’ll want to refrigerate or freeze it.
- To freeze, cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic, then place in zip freezer bag for up to a year.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Bread, Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Can you use Almond Flour instead of All purpose Flour and Monk Fruit sugar for regular sugar?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say if it would work. Let us know how it goes!
nice flavor. light. and easy.
Perfect. I used 1C sugar and 1/2C dark brown sugar. Plus I added chopped almonds and some raisins soaked in amoretto. I’m making my second batch a week later – VERY popular in my house!
Is this the baking soda a typo? With no acid in the recipe to activate it and create gas, there is no rise. I ended up with two flat loaves and realized while I was putting it in the oven that it wasn’t going to rise. The recipe should call for baking powder if you’re not also adding something else acidic to the recipe.
How disappointing it didn’t work out for you Emma. The recipe is correct as written and most readers have had great success. I can’t say for sure what happened as I haven’t experienced the same problem.
I made this recipe exactly as written and for me it was a bit oily and a bit too sweet, so, I used 1/2 cup oil and a bit less sugar and it was perfect for me. This is a very good guideline for zucchini bread hence the 5 star review, you can alter it to what is right for your family such as using pecans instead of walnuts. I froze a bunch of zucchini in 2 cup freezer bags and used those for this latest batch of bread. I did not remeasure it, I did not drain it, I used it exactly as it came out of the bag and my bread turned out moist and beautiful even with the reduced oil.
I made this once, not sure what to expect and WOW! This is amazing! I shredded and froze packages of zucchini from my garden (thank goodness it was a great harvest this year!) and now I’m making this almost weekly. My husband loves it in his lunches and I just love it all the time. This is one of the most amazing recipes I’ve ever come across online. Thank you so much!
very good
Amazing! I also make banana bread with this recipe just replacing 2c of mashed banana, delicious either way
I followed this recipe quite closely. But the breads barely rose for me. I think it needs baking powder!
Did it with 3/4 cup of sugar. It was just about right amount for us to make it sweet enough.
We haven’t had this issue so I can’t say for sure why the flavor of your bread was off.
I discovered your site and fell in love; what a great place to find great recipes.
This Zucchini Loaf is the best; didn’t have enough walnut; added 1/4 cup dried cranberries. It is moist and tasty good; love that you can make 2 and freeze one.
I have a few more on my list to try out.
I’m so glad you’ve loved the recipes Rita!
Absolutely fabulous recipe!
Because of my own needs, I halved the sugar and added dried cranberries and shredded coconut. I used coconut oil for the vegetable oil. So moist and delicious. Holly, you nailed it!
* I mistakenly used baking powder instead of soda and it came out perfect.
I read through a million recipes and glad I chose this one. I did add more cinnamon and vanilla, plus I added pecans with the suggested walnuts and it turned out great!
I have made it a few times now and substitute 1/2 the oil with applesauce. Love it.
This is the best recipe. we added chocolate chips. So very yummy!
Great addition, Joy!
I cut the sugar back to ~3/4 cup. I also ended up using one pan (one of those weird long, skinny IKEA bread pans) and it worked out well. The top of the bread had a slight crunch to it that was delicious and the inside was super moist. Will definitely make again!
I think it tatstes oily. Too much oul
This is delicious! For my sweetbread recipes I always sub unsweetened applesauce instead of oil. The osmotic properties of the apple keeps the bread moist and eliminates all fat except what’s in the eggs, and I use pasture raised free range chicken eggs so the carotenoids in the yolks are about double the usual grocery store eggs. I wasn’t sure how it would work here but no issues! I didn’t have any walnuts, but added some green roasted pumpkin seeds and it’s a hit!
Excellent! This is my new go to recipe for zucchini bread!
Recipe worked great with the 2 the 4×8 pans. Used 3/4c packed brown sugar + 1/4c white sugar bc I prefer slightly sweet quick breads; less nuts as well; and a cap full of butter extract for more flavor. Food processor grater was quick for zucchini. Would def make again! Thnx!
I made this exactly as written. Absolutely delicious. Second time I made it I added raisins as suggested by Holly. Still absolutely scrumptious. Easy peasy and definitely a keeper!