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Zucchini bread is one of my favorite easy breads to make – it is full of flavor, and always stays perfectly moist. I’m always looking for ways to use up zucchini, and this delicious easy bread is the absolute best zucchini bread recipe ever! I’ve tested lots of methods for zucchini breads over the years, and I found the secret to perfect moist zucchini bread – without a lot of extra calories – is to add applesauce. My family loves this recipe – your family will love it, too!
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At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. My goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.
Table of contents
Best Zucchini Bread
This time of year I have garden fresh zucchini coming out of my eyeballs. Zucchini are very prolific in my area of the world and inevitably I find myself trying to figure out what to do with them. Zucchini bread is the perfect summer-inspired delight to make with your garden-fresh zucchini. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice add an earthly warm touch of spice, the aroma from the oven while the zucchini bread is baking is irresistible.
Applesauce as one of the sweeteners in this bread and it adds some moisture which keeps the loaf tender. This comfort food classic is often better the day after it has been baked. After the loaf is baked, you simply wrap it in plastic wrap and set it at room temperature for a day. This allows the zucchini to settle and release more moisture. This zucchini bread is a favorite of my families for breakfast so sometimes I will make two loaves, one for a low-carb healthy dessert, and one to wrap up for breakfast the next day. This homemade zucchini bread freezes very well and makes a great gift at Christmas time! Feel free to add chocolate chips, nuts, or even dried fruit like cranberries or raisins to your zucchini bread!
This is a one-bowl recipe that is simple enough for even a beginner baker to make.
Why You’ll Love This Zucchini Bread
- It’s the moistest loaf you’ll make. Applesauce and fresh shredded zucchini both add moisture, so the bread stays tender instead of dry or dense.
- One bowl, simple ingredients. No mixer required – just two bowls, a whisk, and a loaf pan.
- It gets better overnight. Wrapping the cooled loaf and letting it rest brings out even more moisture and flavor the next day.
- Freezer-friendly. Bake one now and freeze a second loaf for up to three months.
- Easy to customize. Stir in chocolate chips, walnuts, or raisins, or bake it as muffins instead.
Moist Zucchini Bread Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour – gives the bread enough structure to hold together and slice cleanly.
- 1 teaspoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon baking soda – work together for a light, airy crumb despite the thick batter.
- ½ teaspoon salt – rounds out the sweetness and makes the warm spices taste more pronounced.
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon allspice – the warm spice trio that makes the bread smell and taste like fall; extra cinnamon can sub for any one you’re missing.
- ½ cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil – adds moisture and richness; coconut oil brings extra depth, vegetable oil stays neutral.
- ½ cup packed brown sugar and ½ cup granulated sugar – brown sugar adds moisture and a hint of molasses, granulated sugar adds straightforward sweetness; using both gives more complexity than either alone.
- 2 large eggs – the glue that holds the batter together and gives the loaf structure.
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce – the real secret to the texture; it adds moisture without extra oil, keeping the loaf tender instead of dry.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – rounds out the spices and oil for a more fragrant loaf.
- 1 ½ cups shredded zucchini – the star of the recipe, adding moisture and a subtle earthy flavor; no need to peel it first.
- Optional: chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or raisins – for extra texture and flavor, to taste.
A Note on The Best Zucchini Bread Ingredients
- The trio of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice is what gives this bread its warm, cozy flavor – if you’re out of one, just add a little extra cinnamon in its place.
- Applesauce isn’t just a healthier swap here; it genuinely makes the loaf more tender by adding moisture without extra oil.
- Brown sugar brings a hint of molasses flavor while granulated sugar adds straightforward sweetness, and using both gives the bread better depth than either alone.
- Don’t skip squeezing excess liquid from your shredded zucchini if it looks especially wet – too much water can leave the loaf gummy in the center.
Once you have assembled the ingredients, use this method:
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease a 9×5 loaf pan and set aside.
- Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl combine all the dry ingredients, I like to use a metal whisk for this and be sure to break up any clumps. You can also sift if you want to make sure there are no clumps.
- Wet Ingredients. Combine the oil, sugars, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the zucchini and mix to combine.
- Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and combine well. The mixture will be slightly thick. Stir in any add-ins of your choice. Spread the batter into a greased pan.
- Bake and cool. Bake in the oven for about 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when testing the center of the loaf. Let the bread cool in the loaf pan before turning it out to cool completely.
Tips and Tricks to Perfect Zucchini Bread
Better Later. This bread is going to be the moistest if you wait for it to cool completely then wrap it in plastic and leave it at room temperature overnight. This allows the zucchini to rest and release its moisture.
Reduce the sugar. Feel free to cut the amounts of sugar in this recipe, I wouldn’t put less than half the recommended amount though.
Leftover Zucchini Bread Storage
Store leftover zucchini bread tightly wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. For longer storage, freeze it (see the FAQ above) for up to 3 months.
Zucchini Bread Serving Suggestions
Serve this zucchini bread warm with a pat of butter for breakfast, or slice it thick with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert.
It also makes a welcome homemade gift wrapped in parchment and twine, especially around the holidays when garden zucchini and fall spices both feel right!
Zucchini Bread FAQs
Yes! Zucchini bread freezes very well. Wait till it is completely cooled then double wrap it in plastic wrap label it with the date and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight before enjoying it.
Yes, you will need to grease a muffin pan instead of a loaf pan. After the muffin pan is filled bake them for 5 minutes at 425F then reduce the oven to 350F for another 14 minutes or so until the toothpick comes out clean. This recipe would yield 1 dozen muffins.
No. The skin is thin, softens completely during baking, and adds flecks of color to the loaf – just wash and shred it as is.
Yes. Melted coconut oil adds a subtle richness, while a neutral vegetable oil keeps the flavor simple. Either works well in this recipe.
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Zucchini Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ½ cup vegetable oil or coconut oil
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups shredded zucchini
- Optional: chocolate chips, nuts, and raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and set aside.
- Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in a medium bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the oil, sugars, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla.
- Add the zucchini and mix.
- Combine the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Stir in any add-ins you choose such as chocolate chips, nuts, and raisins. Batter will be slightly thick.
- Spread the batter in the greased pan and bake for about 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. You may need to cover the loaf with tin foil during baking to prevent it getting too brown. Let cool before turning out of the loaf pan.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
