Zucchini Bread
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A foolproof zucchini bread recipe with a tender crumb, warm spice, and plenty of shredded zucchini. It makes two loaves, freezes beautifully, and can be customized with walnuts, raisins, currants, or chocolate chips.
Every summer, when zucchini starts piling up, this is the classic zucchini bread recipe I come back to again and again. It’s incredibly moist, warmly spiced, and packed with shredded zucchini, which practically disappears into the batter as it bakes. The result is a tender loaf that tastes more like snack cake than vegetable bread.
Best of all, it’s easy to make and doesn’t require any fussy steps—there’s no need to squeeze the zucchini before adding it to the batter. In fact, its natural moisture is what keeps the bread so tender. Keep it classic with walnuts and currants or raisins, or add chocolate chips for a sweeter twist that kids will love.
“I have made zucchini bread for 50 years, using one recipe. Thank goodness I tried this one—we loved it and will never go back!”
What You’ll Need To Make Zucchini Bread
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure while keeping the bread tender.
- Ground cinnamon and nutmeg: A classic combination that gives the bread its warm, cozy flavor.
- Baking soda and baking powder: Using both leavening agents helps the bread rise evenly and creates a light, tender crumb.
- Eggs: Add richness, structure, and moisture.
- Sugar: Sweetens the bread and helps keep it moist.
- Zucchini: You’ll need about two medium zucchini. There’s no need to peel them or squeeze out the moisture—the zucchini’s natural moisture is what keeps the bread so tender.
- Butter: Melted butter adds rich flavor and helps create a soft, tender crumb.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the warm spice flavors.
- Walnuts, currants (or raisins), or chocolate chips (optional): Customize the bread to your taste. Walnuts add crunch, currants or raisins add bursts of sweetness, and chocolate chips make it feel more like dessert. Whichever combination you choose, keep the total add-ins to no more than 1½ cups.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Combine dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine.
Step 2: Mix wet ingredients. 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.
Step 3: Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to liquid mixture and mix well. Then mix in your add-ins (nuts, currants, and/or chocolate chips).
Step 4: Prepare the loaf pans. Divide the batter into two greased 8½ x 4½-in loaf pans and smooth the tops.
Step 5: Bake and cool. Bake the loaves for about 1 hour, or until tester comes out clean. Once done, set the pans on wire rack and let cool about 10 minutes, then turn the 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.
Looking For More Ways To Use Zucchini?
If your garden is still overflowing, here are a few more of my favorite zucchini recipes: zucchini muffins, chocolate zucchini bread, zucchini fritters, creamy zucchini soup, or ratatouille.
Video Tutorial
More Quick Bread Recipes You’ll Love
Zucchini Bread
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 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups grated zucchini (you'll need two medium zucchinis; do not wring out the liquid)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted if desired (optional; see note)
- ½ cup currants or raisins (optional; see note)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C) and set a rack in the middle position. Generously grease two 8½ x 4½-in (22 x 11-cm) 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.
Notes
- You can also add chocolate chips to this bread. I typically use about 1 cup of 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.
- Freezing 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 it in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition Information
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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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!