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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When using 9 x 5.25 glass loaf pans should I increase the temp to 350 degrees?
Hi V, If you’re using two 9 x 5-inch pans, I’d make 1.5 times the recipe (and you do not need to increase the oven temperature). Hope you enjoy!
Delicious
This was just what I was looking for, a solid base for zucchini bread, one where I could add flavors my family like.
I was happy I didn’t need to squeeze the water out of the zucchini .
I didn’t have nutmeg on hand so I used cardamom
I made 2 varieties: one with walnuts & cranberries
The other with pecans & chocolate chips
Both were perfect, crispy tops and just the right moisture
how long do you bake this bread?
Hi Nadine, It gets baked for 60 – 65 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
Made this today. I don’t like cinnamon much so I used very little and added a touch of ginger and cloves. Lovely flavor! Tastes wonderful but to get it baked I had to over cook the outside. Baked 1 hour and 20 minutes (foil covered the last 20 minutes) and I usually don’t have to adjust oven times.
Oh my gosh…this is such a delicious zucchini recipe. I used a mix of chocolate mini chips and walnuts and it’s so delish. This recipe works vey well for me since I live in mile-high country and many of the bread recipes fall before I even get then out of the oven. So the mix of baking soda, baking powder & flour is perfect. I will try the pumpkin and ginger cake recipe as we move closer to the fall season.
Can I use whole wheat flour? Thx.
Hi Barbara, I’d suggest starting by using half whole wheat and half all-purpose to make sure you like the texture. If you do like it, the next time you make this, you can up the ratio of whole wheat to white a bit more. Also, you may want to consider white whole wheat as it’s lighter and milder tasting than regular whole wheat flour (yet just as nutritious). I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Taste was good but overall, the bread turned out to be very dry.
Hi Jenni, Sorry that you found this to be dry! Did you wring the liquid out of the zucchini?
I feel silly asking this but for the cinnamon and the sugar I want to make sure I’m not misreading it. On the amounts the dash is throwing me off and I don’t want to add the wrong amount
Hi Whitney, It’s 2 + 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon and 1 + 3/4 cup of sugar. Hope that clarifies and that you enjoy! 🙂
It does, thank you so much!
This recipe for zucchini bread is divine!
I used chocolate chips and walnuts and my entire family could not leave it alone.
Absolutely loved this recipe! Love that it used butter, not oil. I opted for chocolate chips (halved the recipe for one loaf only) and we ate the loaf so quickly! Baking it again for the second time this week but this time, I’ll do two loaves 🙂
Not sure it matters, I’m guessing not. Can you leave out the currants and use pecans instead of walnuts? My husband hates walnuts.
Sure!
I used pecans and cranberries
Delish
I used pecans and cranberries … delish !!!!
Excellent recipe! In the past, I’d only made zucchini bread where extra liquid had to be wrung out so I was a bit nervous about this one. I didn’t need to be though. The bread was moist and delicious. The butter really makes a difference. I added walnuts to the recipe but no chocolate chips. This is definitely a keeper!
Came out so delicious!!! First time making zucchini bread and now I don’t know why I waited so long! Thank you!!