The Best Zucchini Bread is not an exaggerated name. This bread is moist, dense, and delightful to taste! It is also a quick bread, which means it is easy to prepare and will be quickly eaten😀. Try my Banana Zucchini Muffins for another easy-to-make, yet delicious, bread!
The Best Zucchini Bread
I have been on the hunt for the PERFECT zucchini bread. I had criteria that were non-negotiable. It must have the perfect, moist crumb. It must bake up beautifully, without a puddle of raw dough in the middle and the outsides being burnt, and it must be flavorful. And, most importantly, it must be easy. This final recipe is all of that, and more. Simple ingredients come together and bake up in a beautiful loaf of quick-bread perfection.
What Makes This the Best Zucchini Bread?
Uniquely, this zucchini bread recipe omits cinnamon, a decision that might raise eyebrows given its common use in similar recipes. By deliberately excluding cinnamon, this recipe allows the natural and robust flavors of the fresh zucchini and other ingredients to shine, providing a purer taste experience. I encourage you to try this version and see why thousands of people have embraced this unique twist on zucchini bread.
The Best Zucchini Bread Recipe
The Best Zucchini Bread is a quick bread, which by definition means that it is bread made with a leavening agent like baking soda or baking powder. The baking soda and baking powder allow you to bake the bread without waiting for the dough to rise. With a few ingredients mixed together, you will be ready to bake and serve.
Mastering Zucchini in Baking
Getting the moisture content right with zucchini can make or break your baking project. Did you know that the size of the zucchini can greatly impact its moisture? Yep, it’s true! Larger zucchini tend to be a bit drier, which is fantastic for recipes where you want less moisture, like our decadent Double Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes. But when I’m whipping up a batch of our beloved Zucchini Bread, I go for medium to small zucchini because their extra moisture makes the bread wonderfully tender and flavorful.
And let’s talk about how you’re grating that zucchini. If you’re after a bread or cake with a fine, uniform texture, use the fine side of your grater—it makes a big difference! This method disperses the zucchini evenly throughout your batter, integrating beautifully without clumps. Need a bit more texture and flavor? The larger holes on your grater are perfect for when you want those zucchini pieces to stand out a bit more.
Now, onto squeezing out that moisture—it matters! Some recipes will have you wringing out that zucchini like there’s no tomorrow to avoid a soggy bake. But for my Zucchini Bread, just a gentle squeeze is enough. Moisture is the secret to that perfectly moist loaf every time. Remember, it’s all about finding that sweet spot for the best baking results!
Does the Baking Dish Matter?
Yes, it does. This is a 9×5 (or 8 1/2 by 4 1/2, they can both be used with success in this recipe) glass baking dish and is my go-to for quick bread loaves because of how it heats. Glass bakeware heats more evenly, which helps quick bread bake at an even rate.
Because glass is an insulator it does take a while to heat up but will stay warm long after it’s removed from the oven. Metal pans tend to lose heat immediately after being removed from the oven, and I want the bread to be warm when served.
How to Serve and Store Zucchini Bread
The Best Zucchini Bread is served best when warm. If you insist on that cinnamon flavor, try it with cinnamon butter!
It will usually last 1-2 days when left out at room temperature, but make sure you wrap it in foil or put it into a plastic bag. Wrapping the bread and storing it in the refrigerator will make it last for about a week.
How to Freeze Zucchini Bread
You will want to make sure you allow it to cool completely. Just wrap the zucchini bread tightly with parchment paper and place it in a heavy-duty sealable freezer plastic bag. It will be good for about 3 months. To thaw bread, take it out of the freezer and set it on the counter. Allow it to reach room temperature before you take it out of its packaging. It will re-absorb some of its moisture this way.
More Zucchini Treats
The Best Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (164 g) vegetable oil, I use canola
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 ½ cups grated zucchini, gently press out excess moisture with hands, but don't aggressively squeeze
Instructions
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9×5 (or 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch) loaf pan with non-stick spray or the butter & flour method.
- Add all the ingredients to a bowl, except for the zucchini. Stir to incorporate. It should be thick.
- Add the shredded zucchini to the mixture to the bowl, and stir until combined. It will become thinner and easier to pour.
- Pour into the prepared pan.
- Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 65-75 minutes. The outside will be dark brown and an inserted toothpick should be removed with crumbs, but not wet batter. If the loaf is getting too dark, you can add a foil tent for the last 10-15 minutes.
- Let the bread cool slightly before cutting and serving.
Video
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I made a double batch. Followed recipe (no cinnamon) with a few exceptions:I 1)added mini semi sweet chocolate chips. 2) Added vanilla bean paste 3)baked in metal loaf pans lining the bottoms with parchment paper. 4) Added 10 extra minutes to bake time.
Turned out wonderfully and didn’t miss the cinnamon at all! A+ recipe!!!
This was one of mine best zucchini breads ever. It was very moist. I added my own twist with a cup of walnuts. It was even better. Thank you so much. I’m taking it to work tomorrow and share with co workers.😋
Favorite recipe file
you did not mention cinnamon in your ingredients. I also add a touch of nutmeg.
Yes, if you look at the beginning of the post I explain exactly why I don’t add cinnamon. 🙂
I just made this and added cinnamon and fresh grated nutmeg +a ripe banana. It was so soft and tasty. Thanks
Keto version
Hi! I am not a Keto website so do not produce keto recipes.
This was the first time I’ve made zucchini bread and this turned out amazing!! My family loves it!! I’ll definitely be making it again!!
Made this today. When I was mixing it, I thought it was going to be too sweet with all the sugar. But it is soo good, thanks for sharing.
Made this a couple of days ago. Best zucchini bread recipe I’ve ever tried. My husband loved it, said it was better than my mother’s (but I won’t tell her that…;-) I added walnuts to a portion of the batter (I can’t have them but my husband can). I also used miniature loaf pans and it made 5 mini loaves but I think I could’ve gotten 6. Love it!! Thank you. <3
How long did you cook the mini loaves for?
Made this tonight into mini loaves (cooked for about 40-50 min in a silicone loaf pan. Mine came out slightly more green than the picture, but still tasted amazing. The texture is divine, soft and moist inside, with a crunchy top. I didn’t add any extras, but will likely make a cinnamon butter to eat it with! 10/10
I want to print it but it won’t let me.
You may want to check with your printer. The button is working fine on my end.
I have a ton of zucchini coming out of the garden right now so I wanted to try this recipe. But, as of recently, I can no longer eat gluten so this became my first attempt at making something gluten free. First go, I did everything the same but swapped in a gluten free flour blend. (Apparently this is a no-no in the gluten free baking world; you can’t just to a direct swap and call it a day.) It had good flavour but was extremely crumbly and a tad dry. Second attempt, after researching gluten free baking, I spoon measured (as opposed to scooping from the bag) and weighed the flour (303 g of the blend for two regular cups of flour). I also increased the baking soda and powder to a teaspoon each and added an extra egg. I used a bit of extra oil, like maybe two tablespoons. I used canola oil both times because I can’t have soy either. This second time was great! I think the texture now is probably what the regular recipe is like: moist and delicious and not crumbly! It will now be a staple in our house during zucchini season! (Sorry if someone else has already outlined a gluten free version. I have read some of the past comments but not all and wanted to share just in case.)
Fantastic information, Marlo! I appreciate it. And I am sure others will as well!