15-Minute Prep · Moist for Days · Freezer-Friendly
The Best Zucchini Bread Recipe Ever (Moist, Spiced and Easy)
A soft, moist, cinnamon-spiced loaf with a crackly sugar top. It’s the only zucchini bread recipe you will ever need, and it scales from one loaf to four.
- 1 loaf or 12 muffins
- No mixer
- Freezes well
- Printable card
A deep golden dome, a crackly sugar crust and a soft crumb full of green flecks.
This is the best ever zucchini bread recipe for anyone with a counter full of summer zucchini, or anyone who just wants a moist, cozy loaf with their coffee. It takes 15 minutes to mix, with no mixer, and bakes into a tall, tender homemade loaf that stays soft for days.
What makes it the best zucchini bread ever? Oil and a spoonful of yogurt for moisture, mostly brown sugar for flavor, plenty of cinnamon, and zucchini that’s squeezed just enough. No soggy middle, no dry edges, and a crackly sugar top that everyone fights over.
What Makes This the Best Zucchini Bread
Looking for the best recipe for zucchini bread? “Best” means moist but not gummy, spiced but not overpowering, and good for days. These six details are how the best zucchini bread recipe gets there:
Oil plus yogurt
Oil keeps zucchini bread moist for days, because it stays soft at room temperature. A spoonful of yogurt or sour cream adds tenderness and a gentle tang.
Mostly brown sugar
Brown sugar holds moisture and tastes deeper and more caramel-like than white sugar alone. A little white sugar keeps the crumb light.
The right amount of zucchini
Two cups per loaf, pressed just until it stops dripping. Squeeze it bone-dry and the bread turns dry; leave it soaking wet and the middle turns gummy.
Proper spice
Two teaspoons of cinnamon and a little nutmeg. Enough to taste warm and cozy, not so much that it tastes like a spice cake.
A gentle fold
Stir only until the flour disappears. That keeps the crumb soft and tender instead of tough and tunnelled.
A crackly sugar top
A tablespoon of coarse sugar over the batter bakes into a crisp, sparkly crust. It’s the first thing everyone notices.
The Best Zucchini Bread Recipe
Here’s the recipe for the best zucchini bread. Tap how many loaves you’re baking and every amount on the card changes, including the printable version.
The Best Zucchini Bread
Moist, warmly spiced zucchini bread with a soft crumb and a crackly sugar top. One loaf or 12 muffins, and it scales to four loaves for zucchini season.
How many loaves?
Ingredients
Dry ingredients- 2 cups (250 g)4 cups (500 g)6 cups (750 g)8 cups (1 kg) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp2 tsp1 tbsp1 tbsp + 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp1 tsp1½ tsp2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp1 tsp1½ tsp2 tsp fine salt
- 2 tsp4 tsp2 tbsp2 tbsp + 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp½ tsp¾ tsp1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2468 large eggs, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g)1½ cups (300 g)2¼ cups (450 g)3 cups (600 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (50 g)½ cup (100 g)¾ cup (150 g)1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml)1 cup (240 ml)1½ cups (360 ml)2 cups (480 ml) neutral oil, such as vegetable or avocado
- ¼ cup (60 g)½ cup (120 g)¾ cup (180 g)1 cup (240 g) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 2 tsp4 tsp2 tbsp2 tbsp + 2 tsp vanilla extract (or alcohol-free vanilla)
- 2 cups (250 g)4 cups (500 g)6 cups (750 g)8 cups (1 kg) grated zucchini, lightly squeezed (about 1½ medium per loaf)
- ¾ cup1½ cups2¼ cups3 cups chopped walnuts or chocolate chips (optional)
- 1 tbsp2 tbsp3 tbsp¼ cup coarse or granulated sugar, for the top
Instructions
Heat the oven and line the pan
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with a strip of parchment that hangs over the long sides, so you can lift the loaf out.
Grate the zucchini
Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater; there’s no need to peel it. Measure 2 cups, then press it gently in a clean towel just until it stops dripping. It should still feel damp.
Whisk the dry ingredients
In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg together.
Whisk the wet ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with both sugars for about a minute, until smooth and slightly lighter. Whisk in the oil, yogurt and vanilla, then stir in the zucchini.
Fold it together
Add the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula just until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in the walnuts or chocolate chips. A few lumps are fine; overmixing makes the bread tough.
Top and bake
Scrape the batter into the pan, smooth the top and sprinkle with the coarse sugar. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until domed and deep golden and a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too fast, tent it with foil after 40 minutes.
Cool before slicing
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out and let it cool completely on a rack, about an hour. Zucchini bread finishes setting as it cools, so it slices cleanly once it’s cool.
Tools for the Best Zucchini Bread
Two loaves, evenly baked and easy to lift out of the pan.
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Nonstick 9×5 Loaf Pans, Set of 2
The recipe makes two loaves; matching pans bake them in the same time.
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Escali Primo Digital Kitchen Scale
Weigh the shredded zucchini and the flour for the same loaf every time.
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Precut Parchment Paper Sheets
A parchment sling lifts the loaf out without sticking.
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Stainless Steel Cooling Racks, 2-Pack
Air under the loaf keeps the bottom from turning soggy.
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Disposable Aluminum Loaf Pans, 25-Pack
Bake, cool, wrap and give away in the same pan.
Check Price on Amazon →How to Prep Zucchini for Zucchini Bread
Large holes on the grater, skin on, and a gentle press in a towel. Damp, not dripping.
Zucchini is mostly water, and how you handle it decides whether the bread is moist or soggy. Here’s everything you need to know:
| Question | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|
| QuestionHow much zucchini? | Answer2 cups grated (about 250 g) per loaf | WhyAbout 1½ medium zucchini, or 1 large |
| QuestionPeel it? | AnswerNo | WhyThe skin softens completely and gives those pretty green flecks. |
| QuestionWhich grater holes? | AnswerThe large holes | WhyFine shreds turn to mush; large shreds melt into the crumb and keep some texture. |
| QuestionSqueeze it? | AnswerLightly | WhyPress in a towel just until it stops dripping. Don’t wring it out. |
| QuestionHuge garden zucchini? | AnswerScoop out the seeds | WhyHalve it lengthwise and scrape out the spongy, seedy middle before grating. |
| QuestionFrozen zucchini? | AnswerYes | WhyThaw it in a strainer, then press out the extra liquid. Thawed zucchini is much wetter than fresh. |
The squeeze test: after pressing, pinch a little grated zucchini between your fingers. It should feel damp but not drip. That’s the moisture that keeps the loaf soft for days.
Save the pin for zucchini season. The card scales to four loaves.
Tips for Baking the Best Zucchini Bread
Moist and tender all the way through, with no gummy streak in the middle.
The card has every step. These four are the ones that make the biggest difference:
Spoon and level the flour
Scooping straight from the bag packs in up to a quarter more flour, and that’s the main reason zucchini bread turns out dry. Spoon it into the cup and level it off, or weigh it: 250 g.
Use room-temperature eggs
Cold eggs can make the oil seize into streaks. Set them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes if you forgot to take them out.
Fold, don’t beat
Once the flour goes in, fold just until it disappears. Lumpy batter makes a tender loaf.
Test the center, then wait
Push the toothpick into the very middle of the loaf. Then let it cool completely before slicing, because the crumb is still setting while it’s warm.
Zucchini Bread Pan Sizes and Bake Times
All bake at 350°F (175°C). Fill pans about two-thirds full, and start checking 5 minutes before the shortest time.
| Pan | Batter | Bake time |
|---|---|---|
| Pan9×5-inch loaf pan | Batter1 batch | Bake time55 to 65 min |
| Pan8½×4½-inch loaf pan | Batter1 batch | Bake time60 to 70 min (tent with foil at 40 min) |
| Pan4 mini loaf pans (5¾×3-inch) | Batter1 batch | Bake time30 to 35 min |
| Pan12-cup muffin pan | Batter1 batch | Bake time20 to 24 min |
| Pan8×8-inch square pan | Batter1 batch | Bake time35 to 40 min |
| Pan10- to 12-cup bundt pan | Batter2 batches | Bake time55 to 65 min |
Baking in a dark metal pan? Drop the oven to 325°F (165°C) so the outside doesn’t over-brown before the middle is done.
Why Zucchini Bread Sinks, and Other Fixes
Tap the problem you had:
Sunk in the middle
Almost always underbaked. A toothpick near the edge comes out clean long before the center is done, so test right in the middle. Too much zucchini, an old leavener or opening the oven early can also cause it.
For certainty, use a thermometer: the center should read 200 to 205°F (93 to 96°C).
Gummy or soggy
The zucchini was too wet, the bread was underbaked, or it was sliced while warm. Press the zucchini until it stops dripping, bake until the center tests clean, and let it cool completely.
Dry or crumbly
Usually too much flour or too long in the oven. Spoon the flour into the cup and level it rather than scooping, and start checking at 55 minutes. Squeezing the zucchini bone-dry also robs the bread of moisture.
Dense or flat
Overmixing, or baking soda and powder that are past their best. Fold just until the flour disappears, and check the dates on your leaveners.
Top too dark, center raw
The oven runs hot or the pan is dark metal. Tent loosely with foil once the top is golden, around 40 minutes in, and keep baking until the center is done. With a dark pan, drop the oven to 325°F (165°C).
6 Ways to Make the Best Zucchini Bread Ever Your Own
Muffins, mini loaves and chocolate chips: same batter, different bake.
Same batter, different mood. Tap a variation:
Chocolate chip zucchini bread
Fold in ¾ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and scatter a few more over the top before the sugar. Toss the chips in a teaspoon of the flour first so they don’t sink.
Double chocolate zucchini bread
Swap ¼ cup of the flour for ¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, cut the cinnamon to 1 teaspoon and fold in ¾ cup of chocolate chips. Rich, fudgy and still moist.
Walnut or pecan zucchini bread
Toast ¾ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans in a dry pan for 4 minutes before folding them in. Toasting makes them crunchier and much more flavorful.
Lemon zucchini bread with glaze
Leave out the cinnamon and nutmeg, and add the zest of 2 lemons with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Once cool, drizzle with 1 cup of powdered sugar whisked with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
Healthier zucchini bread
Use half whole wheat flour, swap half the oil for unsweetened applesauce and cut the sugar to ⅔ cup in total. The loaf is a little denser but still soft and moist.
Cream cheese swirl zucchini bread
Beat 4 oz of softened cream cheese with 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 egg yolk and ½ teaspoon of vanilla. Spoon half the batter into the pan, add the cream cheese, top with the rest and swirl with a knife. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake.
How to Store and Freeze Zucchini Bread
Zucchini bread is one of the best quick breads for making ahead, because it gets moister on day two.
| How | How long | How to do it |
|---|---|---|
| HowRoom temperature | How longUp to 3 days | How to do itOnce completely cool, wrap in plastic wrap or keep in an airtight container. It gets even moister on day two. |
| HowRefrigerator | How longUp to 1 week | How to do itWrap well. Let slices come back to room temperature, or warm them briefly, before eating. |
| HowFreeze a whole loaf | How longUp to 3 months | How to do itWrap in plastic wrap and then foil. Thaw overnight on the counter, still wrapped. |
| HowFreeze slices | How longUp to 3 months | How to do itSeparate slices with parchment, then bag them. Toast or microwave straight from frozen. |
| HowFreeze grated zucchini | How longUp to 6 months | How to do itFreeze in 2-cup portions for future loaves. Thaw in a strainer and press out the extra liquid. |
Zucchini Bread FAQs
What makes the best zucchini bread so moist?
Three things: oil instead of butter, mostly brown sugar, and zucchini that’s only lightly squeezed. Oil stays soft at room temperature, brown sugar holds on to moisture, and the zucchini releases water into the crumb as it bakes. A spoonful of yogurt or sour cream adds extra tenderness.
Do you peel zucchini for zucchini bread?
No. The skin softens completely as it bakes and gives the bread its green flecks. Just wash the zucchini and trim the ends. For very large, overgrown zucchini, scoop out the seedy middle before grating.
Should you squeeze the water out of zucchini for bread?
Lightly. Press the grated zucchini in a clean towel just until it stops dripping, and leave it damp. Squeezing it completely dry makes the bread dry, while leaving it soaking wet can make the center gummy.
How much zucchini do I need for one loaf?
About 2 cups of grated zucchini, or 250 g, for one 9×5 loaf. That’s roughly 1½ medium zucchini or 1 large one.
Why did my zucchini bread sink in the middle?
It’s usually underbaked. Test with a toothpick right in the center, not near the edge, and bake until it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, or until the center reads 200 to 205°F. Too much zucchini or old baking soda can also make it sink.
How do you know when zucchini bread is done?
The top is domed and deep golden, the loaf pulls slightly away from the sides of the pan, and a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. In a 9×5 pan, that takes 55 to 65 minutes at 350°F.
Can I use frozen zucchini for zucchini bread?
Yes. Thaw it in a strainer, then press out the extra liquid, since thawed zucchini is much wetter than fresh. Measure it after thawing and draining.
Can I make zucchini muffins with this recipe?
Yes. One batch makes 12 muffins. Fill lined muffin cups almost to the top and bake at 350°F for 20 to 24 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Can I use butter instead of oil?
You can use melted butter for a richer flavor, but the bread will be slightly firmer and less moist after the first day. Half butter and half oil is a good middle ground.
Can I make zucchini bread with less sugar?
Yes, down to about ⅔ cup of sugar in total. The bread will be a little less moist and less golden, but still good. Below that, the texture starts to suffer.
Can I make zucchini bread without eggs?
Yes. Replace each egg with 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water and left to thicken for 5 minutes. The loaf will be a little denser.
How long does zucchini bread last?
Up to 3 days at room temperature, well wrapped, or up to a week in the fridge. It also freezes beautifully for up to 3 months, either as a whole loaf or in slices.
Related Reads
More zucchini recipes and moist quick breads to bake next.
Zucchini Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
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The same moist, tender crumb, made with ripe bananas. Bake it next → Fewer DishesOne Bowl Banana Bread
Everything in one bowl, in the oven in 10 minutes. See the recipe → Bakeware7 Best Loaf Pans for Perfect Breads
The pans that bake quick breads evenly, without dark edges. Compare pans → Use Up ZucchiniCrispy Cheesy Zucchini Tots
A savory way to use up the rest of your grated zucchini. Make them tonight → Savory SideHealthy Zucchini Fritters
Golden fritters with just a few ingredients. Try the fritters →Oil and yogurt, mostly brown sugar, lightly squeezed zucchini, a gentle fold and a crackly sugar top. That’s seriously the best zucchini bread recipe ever for using up a zucchini glut.
If you’ve been looking for the best zucchini bread ever made at home, this is the one to keep. Pin it so the best zucchini bread is ready the next time your garden, or your neighbor, hands you a zucchini.