Our Best Ever Zucchini Bread recipe is a MUST TRY! This popular zucchini quick bread recipe is easy to make and has the perfect blend of delicious spices.
This moist zucchini bread recipe is a great way to use up all those zucchini from your garden. This delicious zucchini bread is packed with so many delicious ingredients and it tastes amazing!
Easy Zucchini Bread
Zucchini Bread is the perfect way to use up all that zucchini in the garden! My squash plants have not been as fruitful this year, but even so, I suddenly find myself with a lot of zucchini! As a matter of fact, I look forward to it each year so that I can fill my freezer with loaves of this delicious zucchini bread. I can’t remember where the original recipe came from, but I have changed it over the years. This produces the Best Ever Zucchini Bread. Try it- you will love it.
Moist Zucchini Bread Ingredients
- Sugar: You will need 1 cup white sugar and 1 cup brown sugar to add a bit of sweetness to this bread.
- Eggs: Use 3 eggs to help bind the dough together well for this recipe.
- Vegetable oil: Using 1 cup vegetable oil (you can substitute applesauce for ½ the oil) will help give great moisture to this treat.
- Vanilla extract: You need 3 teaspoons vanilla extract to help enhance all the wonderful flavors.
- Flour: Use 3 cups all-purpose flour for the base of this bread recipe.
- Seasonings: You will need 1 tsp nutmeg, 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon and 1 teaspoon salt for a perfect combination of flavors in this delicious bread.
- Leavening agents: Using 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon baking soda will help the bread to rise properly.
- Zucchini: You need 2 cups grated zucchini for an amazing blend of sweet and savory flavors (you can add a little more, I always do!)
- Nuts: Use 1 cup chopped walnuts for a wonderful balance of crunchy texture in this recipe.
How to Make Zucchini Bread
Prep
Grease two 8 x 4 inch bread pans or 6 mini loaf plans, set aside.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Bread dough
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Next, in a separate small bowl, beat the eggs, oil, vanilla extract, and sugars together.
Then, add the wet ingredients to the large bowl of dry ingredients and stir until combined.
After that, grate the zucchini using a box grater.
Add to the dough mixture, along with the nuts, until well combined.
Proceed to pour the batter into the prepared pans.
Bake
Place bread into the oven and bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. My mini-loaf pans take about 35-40 minutes. Large sized loaves take about 55 minutes.
When done cooking, cool in the pan on rack a for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.
Slice, serve & enjoy! Remember: quick bread is generally EVEN BETTER TASTING the next day! So make a loaf in the evening, then enjoy it for breakfast the next day!
How to know if the bread is done
Your bread should register about 200 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer to ensure that it has been cooked fully. Not only that but the top should appear to be a nice golden brown color and as the bread cools, it shouldn’t sink, but should instead remain well-shaped with a rounded top.
BEST BREAD PAN?
I bake a lot of bread and the pans I prefer are either ceramic, glass or cast iron. These pans will bake bread more evenly and release the bread more easily after baking. I don’t like using dark or nonstick pans because the bread cooks unevenly. It darkens on the outside before the bread is cooked on the inside, so the coloring is uneven. Read more about which bread pan is the best here!
Easy Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil you can substitute applesauce for 1/2 the oil
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups grated zucchini you can add a little more, I always do!
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Grease two 8 x 4 inch pans or 6 mini loaf plans. Preheat oven to 325°F.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon.
- Next, in a separate small bowl, beat the eggs, oil, vanilla extract, and sugars together.
- Then, add the wet ingredients to the large bowl of dry ingredients and stir until combined.
- After that, grate the zucchini using a box grater. Add to the bread batter, along with the nuts, until well combined. Let batter sit 5-10 minutes.
- Proceed to pour the batter into the prepared pans.
- Place bread into the oven and bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. My mini-loaf pans take about 35-40 minutes. Large sized loaves take about 55 minutes. (See below for my method on making sure loaves are completely cooked!)
- When done cooking, cool in the pan on rack a for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool. Slice, serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Easy Zucchini Bread Recipe FAQ
I plan on 1 zucchini for each cup of grated zucchini needed in a recipe. Of course, this varies being as zucchini come in all sizes. Zucchini in the grocery store range from small to medium sized.
There’s no need to peel the zucchini prior to grating it for zucchini bread. The dark green peel is very soft so it bakes well and adds vitamins, nutrients and even a bit of color to the bread.
I prefer to grate the zucchini as opposed to shredding it so that bits of green peel remain in tact. They contribute toward the popular look of zucchini bread! Shredding the zucchini causes the zucchini to nearly disappear once the bread is baked. Both will work though! I know when my kids were young, I hid vegetables in baked goods often, so having them disappear was preferable!
Yes, you can squeeze out excess water from grated zucchini before adding it to your batter. Zucchini naturally has a lot of water in it. That becomes quite clear after grating it, if you simply leave it to rest for 5-10 minutes, the water will begin accumulating in the bowl! If I’m using garden zucchini, especially large ones, I like to squeeze as much out as possible before making it into zucchini bread. Store bought zucchini rarely has excess water.
Yes, you can make zucchini bread with yellow squash! You do need to scrape the seeds out since the seeds in yellow squash are much larger. Also, I find the skin to be more tough on yellow squash, so you can either peel the outside to remove the skin, or you can just grate it with a finer cheese grater.
Zucchini Bread should be stored on the counter top in an airtight container or ziplock bag. Keeping it in the fridge can dry it out over time.
Zucchini bread rises as a result of leavening ingredients in the bread recipe being exposed to two things, moisture and heat. We use eggs, baking soda and baking powder as leavening agents. Make sure your ingredients are not past their expiration date as stale ingredients can affect how much the bread rises.
Storing this Moist Zucchini Bread Recipe
After the bread has cooled, store it in a gallon size ziplock bag or similarly sized airtight container. We bake bread often, so I purchased bread bags and love them!
Can this recipe for zucchini bread be frozen?
I love freezing loaves of zucchini bread! How you prepare zucchini bread for freezing really depends on how long you intent to keep it frozen. If you just want to freeze it for a week or two, I’d wrap it in plastic wrap or foil and place the loaf in a large freezer ziplock bag. Most often, when I bake zucchini bread to freeze it, I’ll bake mini loaves so that they fit in the ziplock bag easier. If you want to freeze it for 2-6 months, I’d wrap it more securely, making sure it’s airtight and wrapping it in a double layer of foil or plastic wrap, then place it in a ziplock bag.
How do you make Healthy Zucchini Bread?
If you’d like to make a few changes to my recipe to make a healthier version of zucchini bread, I’ve got great news- this recipe is incredibly versatile! I suggest leaving out the 1 cup of white sugar, replacing half or all of the oil with apple sauce and using half whole wheat flour in place of all-purpose. Then you’ll have a traditional healthy zucchini bread recipe!
Can zucchini bread be made into muffins?
Zucchini bread muffins are our favorite muffins! Simply use my recipe above, then spoon 3 tablespoons of batter into each greased or lined muffin cup. Bake for 18-20 minutes. There are several benefits of making zucchini bread into muffins. First, I like that they cook faster! Where a full loaf of zucchini bread bakes for up to an hour, zucchini muffins bake for only 20 minutes, which is a fraction of the time. They’re also easy to freeze! I like to bake a batch of zucchini muffins and then freeze them just in a layer in a large ziplock freezer bag. I pull them out one or two at a time for breakfast. You can let them thaw on the countertop, or you can microwave them or toast them to heat them up. Yum!
Why does my zucchini bread fall in the middle?
Here’s how to help your zucchini bread not sink in the middle after it’s baked. This happens to me occasionally too! Often it’s because I’ve over mixed the batter. Quick bread (referring to a bread recipe that doesn’t use yeast) does not like to be stirred too much, so try to just barely mix all the ingredients together. Another culprit could be overfilling the pan. The bread pan should be only half full each time. The recipe below makes 2 loaves of bread, or you can make 1 loaf of bread and 3 mini loaves… or 6 mini loaves. As always, make sure your baking soda isn’t too old- it should only be on your shelf for 6-9 months before purchasing new. Lastly, make sure your bread is fully cooked. Uncooked batter in the middle of the loaf will cause bread to sink.
Your bread should register about 200 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer to ensure that it has been cooked fully. Not only that but the top should appear to be a nice golden brown color and as the bread cools, it shouldn’t sink, but should instead remain well-shaped with a rounded top.
More Zucchini Bread recipes:
- PINEAPPLE ZUCCHINI BREAD
- LEMON ZUCCHINI BREAD
- ORANGE ZUCCHINI BREAD
- PUDDING ZUCCHINI BREAD
- ZUCCHINI BANANA BREAD
- ZUCCHINI SHEET CAKE WITH BROWNED BUTTER ICING
- EASY ZUCCHINI CAKE
- LEMON ZUCCHINI MUFFINS
- ZUCCHINI BREAD CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
- LEMON ZUCCHINI BREAD COOKIES
More amazing quick bread recipes that we love:
- Easy Banana Bread
- Sweet Coconut Quick Bread
- Easy Lemon Quick Bread
- Yogurt Banana Bread recipe
- Dutch Apple Quick Bread
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Quick Bread
- Caramel Banana Nut Bread
- Best Ever Pumpkin Bread
- Lemon Buttermilk Quick Bread
- Caramel Apple Quick Bread
- Cinnamon Raisin Quick Bread
- Peppermint Chocolate Quick Bread
- Cranberry Orange Quick Bread
- Cinnamon Roll Quick Bread
This recipe for easy zucchini bread has been in my family for years, it’s easy to make and you’ll love the blend of spices used. Read the reviews- it’s popular for a reason! It really is the perfect zucchini quick bread recipe.
Kathy says
Made this bread yesterday and today, it’s all gone…😊 Very easy to make and I used half applesauce and half oil. Excellent recipe, my family loved it. This is my favorite from now on.
Erin says
Made this for my family reunion. Everybody loved it. And it was so easy! Definitely a good recipe for a first time zucchini bread maker like me.
Michelle says
Too sweet. Wish I had read the comments 1st.
April says
This came out soooo good! I used 1/2cup applesauce and the other half veg oil. I felt like it came out a tad bit dry but that’s just me judging my baking. My roommate loved it as well. My house also smelled like cinnamon. Win-Win situation 🙂
Nellie says
April, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! The smell of cinnamon in the fall is just the best, isn’t it?!
Star says
Help! What is “flax?” I want to make this precisely as the author does but I don’t know what this ingredient is.
Alison says
Star, Flax are seeds that are really great for you and I love to sneak them into foods where I won’t be able to tell they are there! It is totally optional in this recipe and the bread taste equally great without it!
John Bees says
Star, you want to use ground flax seed. Its easier for your system to digest. Flax is an excellent source of Omega 3 fat.
Paul says
This is a great recipe, Made it a couple times, taste about like what my mother used to make. I left out the nuts. I added raisin to it. I put it in the refrigerator and it keeps it really moist.
Alison says
Paul, so glad you were able to enjoy it! I love the changes you made to it!
Annette says
Very good! Do you happen to know the amount of carbohydrates and calories per serving?
Thank you
Jody says
I only keep recipes that I consider OMG recipes. This Zucchini Bread recipe is a definite KEEPER!
Alison says
Jody, Thank you! So happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Michelle Preston says
I also made my own applesauce in the air fryer to add to the 1/2 amount of oil. I also added vanilla yogurt and used mexican vanilla extract. I used pumpkin pie spice instead of nutmeg. It was fantastic but I had to add 10 min to the baking time. This was fun!
Alison says
Michelle, what a yummy experiment! I’m definitely going to have to try it!
Susan Smith says
I had never made Zucchini Bread before. I had purchased a bag of Zucchini at Costco for a veggie recipe so of course, I had more than I needed. My hubby found your recipe on-line and I made it today. It turned out just beautiful, absolutely delish! I’m taking one loaf to my co-workers tomorrow. I just love it and will make it again and again and again. Will also pick up some flax for the next batch!! And the Cinnamon scent throughout the house was delightful!! Thank you for the great easy to follow recipe!
Alison says
Susan, I’m so glad to hear it was such a success for you! I am sure your co-workers will love you for it too! Hope you keep enjoying it!
Nellie says
Susan – I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Sharon Allen says
Thanks for recipe , what a great one to learn from
Alison says
Sharon, Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it!
Nellie says
Sharon – so glad you enjoyed it!
Carrie says
Did I leave out a fluid ingredient? My batter was too dry.
Alison says
Carrie, it’s definitely possible, we’ve made this recipe many times without it being dry, I’m hoping it works out better for you next time!
Jessica says
Carrie- did you let the batter sit for a few minutes after adding the zucchini? The zucchini gives off water and helps the batter achieve the proper consistency! It’s not a necessary step as it does this the first few minutes it’s in the oven, but a lot of people are thrown off by the consistency of the batter!
Karin says
This is awesome! I made maple butter with salt to go with it and it works!!
Alison says
Maple Butter to go with it sounds amazing!
Donald F Batiz says
Used recipe with 1/2cup apple sauce and add a 1/2 teaspoon of ground clove, tasted excellent.
Alison says
Donald, That’s perfect! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it, it is one of our very favorite recipes!
Wendi says
Made this in the mini loaf pan, and the center sunk. I didn’t miss anything.
Jessica says
Hi Wendi- I listed several reasons above why the center of bread sinks- it happens to me too! 🙁
Donna Hayes says
Recipe for chocolate zucchini bread and can you add applesauce to it
Loni Sanders says
I used this recipe as a baseline, and maximized it by adding some other healthy ingredients that I like. I used half Applesauce instead of all the Oil. I used half Almond Flour instead of All Purpose Flour. I added some shredded/grated Carrots along with the Zucchini. I sprinkled some “All Spice” along with the Cinnamon & Nutmeg. Also added 2 teaspoons of melted butter in the batter for flavor and moisture. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING…….. And, my husband said, “its very moist”………
Next time, I’ll try to substitute Stevia for the white sugar. I can’t wait to try it out for the Holidays.
Thanks for sharing your Zucchini Bread recipe.
Loni
Jessica says
I love your changes Loni! So glad you enjoyed it!
Alan says
I’m not all first-timer, and lost my fav recipe so came across this and am currently baking. 😋😉😎.
Didn’t have applesauce, tho sounds good!
Smells awesome! Will keep informed.
Also I wanna add that baking can be tricky and for parameters and variables involved, I actually completely forgot once to drain zucchini but it still came out awesome… (Mistake seen in one loaf I had to X-treme bake. 😂😎)
Patricia says
I sure hope this turns out as it was the hardest mixture to mix by hand that I ever did