This zucchini bread is moist, warmly spiced, and made in one bowl. A classic quick bread loaded with shredded zucchini that stays soft for days. The best way to use up summer zucchini.
Every summer without fail, my garden produces more zucchini than I know what to do with. There's always a point around late July where I'm looking at four large zucchini on the counter and wondering how fast I can work through them. Zucchini bread is always the answer.
This is the classic version. Warmly spiced with cinnamon and a touch of nutmeg, sweetened just enough to taste like a treat without tipping into dessert territory, and loaded with shredded zucchini that disappears into the batter and keeps the loaf remarkably moist. It smells incredible baking. The kind of smell that makes people wander into the kitchen asking when it's going to be ready.
If you want the chocolate version of this loaf, the chocolate zucchini bread on the site is equally good and takes things in a more indulgent direction. But this plain classic version is the one I reach for most often, especially warm from the oven with a little butter.
➡️ You should try this recipe next: Best Blueberry Muffins Tall Moist and Bursting with Fruit
Zucchini. About two medium zucchini to get 1.5 cups shredded. Grate it on the fine or medium side of a box grater. Here is the key detail that most recipes gloss over: do not squeeze out the moisture. The water in the shredded zucchini is exactly what keeps this bread moist. If you squeeze it dry, you lose the whole point of using zucchini in the first place. Just grate it, measure it, and add it straight to the batter.
All-purpose flour. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level off the top rather than scooping straight from the bag. Over-measuring flour is the most common reason quick breads turn out dense.
Baking soda and baking powder. Both are needed here. Baking soda reacts with the moisture from the zucchini and provides most of the lift. Baking powder adds additional rise and a lighter crumb. Make sure both are fresh.
Cinnamon and nutmeg. These are what give zucchini bread its classic warm flavor. A full teaspoon and a half of cinnamon and just a small pinch of nutmeg. The nutmeg is subtle but adds a depth that most people can't quite name but would notice if it was missing.
Eggs. Two large eggs at room temperature. They add structure and richness. Room temperature eggs blend into the batter more smoothly than cold ones.
Oil. Vegetable oil or any neutral oil. Oil-based quick breads stay moist significantly longer than butter-based ones. This loaf is still soft and good on day three in a way that a butter loaf usually isn't.
Granulated sugar and brown sugar. Using both adds more depth than granulated sugar alone. The brown sugar brings a slight molasses note that complements the cinnamon really well. If you only have one, use all granulated.
Vanilla extract. A generous teaspoon. It rounds out the warmth of the cinnamon and makes the whole loaf taste more complex.
Salt. Balances the sweetness and makes the spice flavors more pronounced.
Wash the zucchini and trim the ends. Grate on the fine or medium side of a box grater directly into a bowl or onto a clean surface until you have 1.5 cups loosely packed. Do not squeeze out the liquid. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan well and set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined, about 30 seconds.
Add the shredded zucchini to the wet ingredients and stir through.
Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt directly to the bowl. Stir with a spatula just until you no longer see dry flour streaks. The batter will look thick and slightly lumpy. Stop there. Overmixing develops the gluten and makes the loaf tough rather than tender.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake at 350°F for 55 to 65 minutes. Start checking at 55 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, not wet batter. If the top is browning too fast before the center is done, lay a piece of foil loosely over the pan for the final 10 minutes.
The loaf will crack slightly on top as it bakes. That's normal and correct.
Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Let it cool for at least another 30 minutes before slicing. Cutting into a hot quick bread gives you a gummy, underbaked-looking interior even when it's actually fully cooked.
This bread pairs really nicely alongside a morning coffee or as part of a full breakfast spread with the best French toast and some fresh fruit. And if you have extra zucchini to use up, the zucchini muffins are a great companion bake that uses the same shredded zucchini technique in a quicker individual-serving format.
💚 Upgrade your meals with high protein recipes the whole family will love — check out The High Protein Cookbook, packed with delicious protein-packed recipes to keep you full and energized!
Don't squeeze the zucchini. I know it feels wrong to add all that moisture to a batter. But that liquid is what makes this bread so soft and moist. Squeeze it dry and you get a drier, denser loaf that doesn't have much advantage over a regular spice cake. Leave the moisture in.
Measure flour correctly. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level off the top with a knife. Don't scoop directly from the bag, which compacts the flour and adds 20 to 30% more than the recipe calls for. Too much flour is the most common cause of a dry, crumbly quick bread.
Don't overmix. Stir the batter until the dry flour streaks disappear and then stop. Every extra stir develops more gluten and makes the crumb tighter and tougher. A few lumps in quick bread batter are completely fine.
Check early and use the toothpick test. Every oven runs slightly differently. Start checking at 55 minutes. A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. If the top is cracking and golden but the toothpick still comes out wet, tent with foil and give it another 10 minutes.
Let it cool before slicing. Thirty minutes at minimum after it comes out of the pan. The interior is still setting as it cools and cutting too early gives you a gummy center even if the bread is technically fully baked.
Add walnuts. Half a cup of roughly chopped walnuts folded into the batter right before it goes into the pan adds a pleasant crunch and a slightly earthy, nutty note that is very classic in zucchini bread. Pecans also work well.
Add lemon zest. The zest of one lemon stirred into the wet ingredients adds brightness that lifts the cinnamon and makes the whole loaf taste fresher. A particularly nice variation in summer when lemons are abundant.
Make it chocolate chip. Three quarters of a cup of chocolate chips folded in before baking. The chocolate and cinnamon combination is excellent. If you want to go full chocolate, the chocolate zucchini bread uses cocoa powder and chocolate chips for a deeper, more indulgent version.
Make it with whole wheat flour. Replace up to half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for more fiber and a slightly nuttier flavor. Going beyond half tends to make the loaf dense. A 50/50 blend is the sweet spot.
Add a brown sugar cinnamon topping. Mix two tablespoons of brown sugar with half a teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of the batter before baking. It creates a slightly crunchy, caramelized crust on the top of the loaf that is genuinely excellent.
Vegetable oil can be replaced with melted coconut oil, avocado oil, or melted butter. Butter gives a slightly richer flavor but the loaf won't stay as moist over multiple days.
Granulated sugar can be reduced by about a quarter cup if you prefer a less sweet bread. Coconut sugar works as a 1:1 substitute.
All-purpose flour can be replaced with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. The texture is slightly different, a touch more dense, but the flavor is very similar.
Eggs can be replaced with two flax eggs (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water each, rested 5 minutes) for a vegan version. The bread is slightly less fluffy but still holds together and tastes good.
Vanilla extract can be replaced with almond extract in half the amount for a slightly different but equally good warm flavor.
Store the cooled loaf wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. It actually gets slightly more moist on day two as the oil redistributes through the crumb.
In the fridge it keeps for up to a week. Let it come to room temperature before eating or warm a slice briefly in the microwave for 20 seconds.
To freeze, slice the cooled loaf and wrap individual slices in plastic wrap before placing in a freezer bag. Keeps for up to 3 months. Thaw slices at room temperature in about an hour or warm from frozen in the microwave for 30 seconds. Freezing and thawing doesn't noticeably change the texture, which makes this a great recipe for batch baking and storing.
Do I need to peel the zucchini before grating?
No. The skin is thin and tender and disappears completely into the batter during baking. You won't see or taste it in the finished loaf. Skip peeling entirely.
My bread is gummy in the center. What went wrong?
Almost always underbaked. Every oven is slightly different and the moisture from the zucchini means this loaf needs a full 55 to 65 minutes to bake through. Make sure your oven was fully preheated before the pan went in, and use the toothpick test rather than going by time alone. Also make sure you let the loaf cool fully before slicing since cutting a hot loaf always looks underdone in the center.
Can I use yellow squash instead of zucchini?
Yes. Yellow squash behaves identically in this recipe. The flavor is very slightly different but so mild you'd barely notice in a spiced loaf. A mix of green zucchini and yellow squash actually looks really nice.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes. Double all the ingredients and divide between two loaf pans. Bake both at the same time. The cook time is the same but make sure both pans have room in the oven for air to circulate. Great for making one to eat now and one to freeze.
How much is 1.5 cups shredded zucchini?
About two medium zucchini, depending on their size. A medium zucchini is roughly 7 to 8 inches long. If you're using a large zucchini from a garden that got out of hand, one is usually more than enough and you may want to scoop out the seedy center first since large zucchini seeds add extra water.
Can I make this into muffins?
Yes. Divide the batter into a lined muffin tin and bake at 350°F for about 22 to 25 minutes. Start checking at 20 minutes. Makes about 12 standard muffins.
This zucchini bread is moist, warmly spiced, and made in one bowl. A classic quick bread loaded with shredded zucchini that stays soft for days. The best way to use up summer zucchini.
Servings 10
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Do not squeeze the moisture out of the shredded zucchini. That liquid is what keeps this bread so moist and soft for days. Squeeze it dry and the whole character of the loaf changes.
Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off. Scooping directly from the bag packs in too much flour and the loaf comes out denser than it should be.
Stop mixing as soon as the dry flour streaks disappear. Every extra stir after that point makes the crumb tighter. A slightly lumpy batter is exactly right.
