Zucchini Bread
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Turn your zucchini bounty into delicious zucchini bread – so delightfully cake-like, even kids will ask for seconds!
Ever find yourself staring at a summer’s bounty of zucchini, wondering, ‘What next?’ You’re not alone! I’ve got you covered with over a dozen zucchini recipes on this site, from zucchini muffins and zucchini fritters to wholesome zucchini soup. But the recipe that takes the cake, quite literally, is this classic zucchini bread (and, of course, its decadent cousin, chocolate zucchini bread). Despite the generous portion of shredded zucchini in the batter, it mysteriously vanishes during baking, creating a bread that tastes more like a snack cake than anything else. It’s a snap to prepare, and if you’ve got little ones around, it’s a fantastic way to sneak some veggies into their diet. Swap the nuts and currants for chocolate chips, and they’ll be none the wiser while happily asking for seconds!
What You’ll Need To Make Zucchini Bread
If you’d like to use chocolate chips instead of nuts and currants, add about 1 cup; just be sure total add-ins (nuts, currants, chocolate chips) do not exceed 1½ cups.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by grating the zucchini. I use a food processor, but a box grater works well too. There is no need to wring out the liquid.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Whisk to combine.
In another large bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar until well combined.
Add the grated zucchini, melted butter and vanilla extract.
Stir to combine.
Add the dry ingredients to liquid mixture.
Mix well.
Add the nuts and currants.
Stir just until combined.
Divide the batter into two greased 8-1/2 x 4-1/2-in loaf pans.
Bake for about 1 hour, or until tester comes out clean.
Set the pans on wire rack and let cool about 10 minutes, then turn loaves out onto rack to cool completely.
How To Freeze Zucchini Bread
Zucchini bread can be frozen for up to three months. After it is completely cooled, wrap it securely in aluminum foil, freezer wrap, or place in a freezer bag. Thaw the bread overnight in the refrigerator before serving. Lightly toast individual slices for best results.
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- Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Pumpkin Bread
- Banana Bread
- 10 Easy & Delicious Zucchini Recipes
Zucchini Bread
Turn your zucchini bounty into delicious zucchini bread – so delightfully cake-like, even kids will ask for seconds!
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups grated zucchini (you'll need two medium zucchinis; do not wring out the liquid)
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted if desired
- ½ cup currants or raisins (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and set rack in middle position. Generously grease two 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Use a whisk to mix well.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar. Add the grated zucchini, melted butter, and vanilla extract; using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to liquid ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the nuts and currants, then divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Set the pans on a wire rack and let cool for about 10 minutes, then turn the loaves out onto rack to cool completely.
- Note: You can also add chocolate chips to this bread. I typically use between ¾ to 1 cup chocolate chips instead of nuts and currants. Whatever combination you use, just be sure total add-ins (nuts, currants, chips) do not exceed 1½ cups.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, wrap it securely in aluminum foil, freezer wrap or place in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (16 servings)
- Serving size: 1-inch slice
- Calories: 302
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 41g
- Sugar: 23g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Sodium: 65mg
- Cholesterol: 252mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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can you use applesauce in place of butter to cut calories
Hi Carol, I haven’t tried it that way, but another reader substituted applesauce for half of the butter and was happy with the result.
What temperature do I bake it at
Hi Rubymae, The bread gets baked at 325 degrees. Hope you enjoy it!
Tastiest zucchini bread recipe I have found. I have made it exactly with the walnuts added and for my tastes prefer it to be less sweet. So I would decrease the sugar to 1c.- 1 1/4c.
Does it matter if I use 8.5×4.5×2.5 or 5×9 pan? Thank-you.
You can use either of those M.E. They may be done baking just a tiny bit early, so keep your eye on them toward the end. Enjoy!
Wow!!! What a great recipe! Every recipe that I have tried from your site has been outstanding … better than the Food Network! Thank you for your thorough explanations and measurements … you are spot on!
This is the best zucchini bread recipe on the internet. My picky grandson could not get enough, and when I told him I would bake him another loaf, he went excitedly to his mom to tell her! We all enjoyed your recipe, thank you for sharing!
What degree do you bake
Hi Pamela, the bread gets baked at 325 degrees. Enjoy!
Can this be made with anything but a bread pan?
Yes Shelby, some other readers have used different shaped pans including bundt pans and muffin pans.
Could I add drained canned pineapple to this (chopped into bits) with much success?
Sure, I think you could Deborah; just make sure it’s really well drained before you mix it in. If not, the bread may be too wet. I’d love to hear how it turns out with the addition!
Haven’t tried yet, but would like to try to freeze for church bizzar in the fall. Thoughts?
Hi P, Yes, this freezes nicely!
Yum! Used zucchini from my CSA box. Thanks for the recipe!
Love this bread!! Will this still freeze well as muffins?
Does this bread freeze well? And can you add in yellow squash as well? (the yellow zucchini) I have about 20 pounds of both kinds that I need to use up!
Hi Caren, Yes and yes 🙂
Tried this recipe today. It is delicious.
Can I use toasted pistachio nuts instead of walnuts ?
Sure, Lori — that will work well.
Hi! This recipe is awesome! I have made it twice now (technically 3x if you count doubling the last batch). My sister loves zucchini bread so I make it for her and she shares with coworkers who’ve all raved about it, by the way. I love how flexible the recipe is. I have used part wheat flour. I have subbed the butter for coconut oil (1st time) and cut half of the butter with apple sauce. I’ve used just 1 cup of sugar and it was still Cakey sweet. I’ve added ginger powder with a dash of cardamom while doubling the cinnamon and it’s not too spicy. I’ve used 2/3 zucchini with 1/3 carrot. Listen, this recipe has literally been TESTED by me and it’s been wonderful with every Liberty I’ve taken. KUDOS and 5 Stars! Thanks!
P.s. When I doubled it, I baked in 2 loaf pans, one 9 cup bundt pan and had three muffins left. I told you I tested it lol. Each way came out flawless. Muffins were done in 30 minutes and the bundt pan took 20-25 minutes longer than recommend time for the loaves. Thanks again!
Would like to make mini sized loaves. Any idea about bake time? Should they still cool in pan for 10 min before taking them out?
Margie, I’d start checking the loaves at about 45 – 50 minutes and yes, they should still cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Hope you enjoy them!
Hi,
Could you please tell me what the measurement would be in grams?
Thanks,
Aparna
Hi Aparna, The recipe has been updated with metric measurements. There is a button in the top right corner of the recipe that allows you to select metric or cup measures. Hope that helps!
Another great recipe. Followed directions exactly. Bread came out perfectly. Love your recipes.
Thank you, Nicole! So glad you enjoyed the bread 🙂
I made this with some of our summer crop of zucchini and we all loved it – even my 20 month old! Only change I made was I didn’t put nuts in this time, with the baby in mind. Next time I’m making it w/ the nuts though, and that is probably going to be this weekend. If this freezes well i may make a double batch
We tried this recipe for the first time and found the batter to be quite solid. I supervised my husband with measuring. It’s the first time I’ve ever used melted butter to make a zucchini bread. It appeared to solidify after mixing, is that why the “batter” was solid-ish?
Hi Dayle, It’s a thick batter because of the zucchini. How did it turn out after it was baked?
This is my favorite zucchini bread recipe… I enjoyed making it with my grandma!
Love love love this recipe. This is my go to for zucchini bread. My kids love it. I also use same recipe for muffins. Excellent. Sometimes I add flax seed. Makes me feel like I’m adding something extra for the kids and they never know!!
Great recipe, love this bread warm.
This is now my go to recipe for zuchinni bread. So easy and so delicious. Freezes well too.
This was the first (and only) Zuchinni Bread recipe I’ve ever made. The first time, I took the second loaf to a neighbor. Now, they are requesting it. Maybe sharing wasn’t such a good idea. I have just taken a batch out of the oven, and am looking forward to a nice warm slice with a cup of hot tea. \I just hope the neighbors don’t find out. Excellent recipe!
Another 5 star recipe. I think this is like the 20th dish I’ve made from your website in the past few weeks! Loved everything. I made this tonight so the kids could have a special treat for their back to school breakfast tomorrow. I used smaller pans, so it made 4 loaves, which baked in 50 min at 325. My kids are “picky” eaters, so I grated the zuke on the smallest holes of our grater, and ground the nuts down in a food processor. You lose the texture, which I’m sure would be nice, but the nutes and veggies disappear completely, so I know my girls will gobble this up in the morning. Plus, I now have a few extra loaves to freeze….unless my wife and I keep “Sampling” tonight. YUM!
Delectable! So simple and easy, great way to use up your zucchini. Great flavor, wonderful texture. Wouldn’t change a thing!
I really like this bread. it is very moist and it freezes well. I made 10 loaves for my freezer because the family loves it.. I am going to make more, Thank you so much.
I made this yesterday with our homegrown zucchini, white whole wheat flour, and omitted the extra spices and nuts…delicious! My kids (2&4) kept thanking me for such yummy bread. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Hi Jenn! Any tips on subbing in some whole wheat flour here and making this into muffins? Would that work? 🙂
Hi Randi! I’d start with subbing half whole wheat flour (use King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour if you can find it) and see how it tastes; if it’s good, you can always increase the whole wheat flour the next time. You want to go easy at first b/c whole wheat flour can make baked goods very dense and dry. Muffins will work fine 🙂
Thanks for sharing your delicious recipes. No doubt this will become a family favorite.
I just discovered this recipe this week. I made muffins instead of loaves, and I also substituted 1/2 cup of oil and 1/2 cup of applesauce for the butter, as well as omitting the nuts and raisins. The muffins were moist and flavorful and the recipe was so easy! My 5-yr. old daughter immediately asked for seconds!
I made this recipe a couple days ago, and the bread was absolutely delicious! I did leave out the raisins. I was amazed at how easy it was to grate the zucchini on a box grater. Both of my teenage kids helped, and we had so much fun baking. I look forward to making another batch of zucchini bread!
My husband loved this bread aka dessert!
Our neighbors to either side of us ‘blessed’ us with an armload of zucchini this past week. My kids are not big zucchini fans, but do like zucchini bread. This recipe was easy to make and turned out perfectly. We used the toasted walnuts but skipped the raisins. For quick breads like this, I usually substitute a portion of whole wheat or white whole wheat flours with no change in texture or taste. Delicious and freezes well, too.
I love zucchini bread and can’t wait to try this recipe!
Ihave so much zucchini right now in my garden. This is a must. i remember my grandmother’s zucchini bread in the summer when i was a child. Her recipe was very similar! Thanks.
I am identifying with the baseball bat size zucchini. Can wait to try this recipe!!
Love this recipe will make again for sure!
I remember makiing zucchini bread with my grandma, with her fresh grown zucchinis. This recipe tastes just like it!
I love zucchini bread and toasting it sounds good.
I have never used real butter in this type of recipe, but I have recently switche to butter instead of margarine.
This is by far the best Zucchini Bread I’ve made. The texture was just right – moist without being wet or gummy. We actually fought over the last piece.
Made these into muffins instead of a loaf, and they were great! We’re going to try the loaf next time, but the bread stayed very moist and the zucchini is so colorful in it! Thanks for a great recipe!
My first baking memories were with zucchini bread…however I now have a child with peanut and tree nut allergies. Anyone know of a great crunchy subsitute?? Tia.
Hi Bob, Thanks so much for visiting my blog and leaving a comment! So sorry you found the zucchini bread to be a bit dry. I’ve made it many times and never had that problem. Just wondering, did you measure the flour properly (scooping it into a measuring cup and leveling it off with knife)? That makes a big difference. In any case, substituting some oil for the butter would definitely moisten it up and increase shelf life, as would adding a bit more sugar. If you have any left, try slicing it into 1-inch thick slices and toasting it – it will help. Also, if you like quick breads, I hope you’ll try my pumpkin bread. It’s very, very moist (more cake-like than the zucchini bread). Here’s the link: https://www.onceuponachef.com/2009/09/spiced-pumpkin-bread.html
Tried this one last night. I was interested that most recipes call for quite a bit of oil, and this one only had better. Alas, I think it is a bit dry? Maybe 1/2 c oil? I have also heard of people substituting applesauce for oil in zuch bread.
So easy!! It’s tastes absolutely amazing!! Thank you for sharing!! Love love love it!!
i just made a recipe from Faye Rose Birnbaum Levy’s “Book of cakes” (not the complete title) and she had reduced the amount of suger to a quarter of a cup. I added an extra one and it was fine. It’s amazing what happens to the zucchini. It just disappears into the textire of the cake.
This zucchini bread is delicious!!! Made it plain for the kids but next time I’m going to try the walnuts. Thanks!
Do you know if all-purpose flour can be substituted to make this gluten-free? looks yummy!
Hi Daphne. I’ve used Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 GF Flour Blend (already has xanthan gum, so don’t add extra) with really good to wonderful success in my GF recipes, and for substituting the regular flour in non-GF recipes, such as this zucchini bread recipe. I also like America’s Test Kitchen basic GF flour blend recipe, but need to add xanthan (not all recipes absolutely need this gum). King Arthur GF flour is also a wonderful one to have on hand. I like that it is enriched, while others on market are not. I determine which flour to use depending on what I’m baking. And I generally use metric measurements for best baking results. BTW: I don’t recommend any of the aforementioned gf blends for bread baking. That’s another dimension altogether. I like following the recipes on glutenfreeandmore.com, particularly Champion Bread, baguettes, and dinner rolls, but I have learned to make my own changes via additions/tweaks, particularly to up the nutrition factor. I plan to make Jenn’s zucchini bread recipe, using the ATK flour and making substitutions as per reviewers’ comments. I’ve adapted several of Jenn’s recipes to make as GF, including the sour cream chocolate chip bundt cake. Absolutely Yum Heaven!
Wow. Thanks for this. I made my first zucchini Bread this year. My baby girl couldn’t have any. But I made some baby food so it evens out. Ha!