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Got a zucchini the size of a baseball bat sitting on your counter? This is exactly what it was made for. I tested this recipe with three different fats until I found the one that keeps every slice moist for days, and I did all the boring trial and error so you get to skip straight to the good part. One bowl, five simple steps, and a loaf your family will devour before it even cools.
This is the Best Zucchini Bread Recipe You’ll Ever Have
I built this zucchini bread using the same testing process that earned me the reputation as the muffin expert around here. I already knew what makes a quick bread rise properly and stay moist from months spent perfecting my zucchini muffins, so I brought all of that experience straight into this loaf. That is not a guess dressed up as expertise, that is years of testing quick breads applied to a new pan shape.
I tested this recipe with vegetable oil, melted butter, and a couple other oils before landing on vegetable oil as the winner. Butter sounds like the obvious choice for flavor, but it actually firms up too much once the bread cools, which works against the moist texture zucchini bread should have. Vegetable oil stays liquid at room temperature, so it keeps every slice soft days after baking, not just fresh out of the oven.
Here is where I will push back on a lot of zucchini bread recipes floating around online. Plenty of them either skip squeezing the moisture out of the zucchini or tell you to peel it first, and both of those choices work against you. Leaving the skin on gives you those pretty green flecks without any bitterness, and squeezing out the extra water is the single biggest reason this bread comes out moist instead of gummy.
I have been gluten free for 20 years, so I tested this recipe with King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour right alongside the regular version, not as an afterthought. I wanted one loaf that tastes and bakes exactly the same whether you are baking for yourself gluten free or for a family where only one person needs it. That is the whole reason I do not treat gluten free as a separate niche, almost anything can be made GF with an easy 1:1 flour swap, and this bread is proof.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe for Zucchini Bread
- Only 10 minutes of prep
- Veggie packed with no veggie flavor
- Easy recipe, no baking experience needed
- Perfect for meal prep
Moist Zucchini Bread Recipe Ingredients
This delicious zucchini bread is made with simple ingredients, many of which you probably already have on hand. Keep reading for all my tips to make perfectly moist bread, and get the full measurements in the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Vegetable oil
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Grated zucchini
How to Make This Easy Zucchini Bread
You can make this easy zucchini bread recipe in just 5 simple steps with no baking experience needed! Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Use a box or cheese grater to finely grate the zucchini. Measure out 2 cups. Next, wrap the shredded zucchini in a few paper towels and squeeze out the excess moisture. Discard the liquid and set the zucchini aside.
- In a mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine with a spatula. Then stir in the grated zucchini.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. The batter will be thick.
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the batter into the pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For an 8×4 inch pan, bake for 55-67 minutes. For a 9×5 inch pan, bake for 45-55 minutes.
Easy Zucchini Bread Recipe Tips
To keep your bread perfectly moist, follow these easy tips:
- Don’t over-bake: Be sure to keep an eye on your bread in the oven. Use a toothpick to test the center of the bread and take it out when the toothpick comes out clean. Over-baking can cause your bread to be dry.
- Carefully measure ingredients: Be sure to measure ingredients accurately. Too much of some ingredients, especially dry ingredients, can make your bread come out dry.
- Know your loaf pan and adjust accordingly: There’s two popular loaf pan sizes – 9×5 and 8.5×4.5. Even though the numbers are similar, the pans actually differ in size by 15%. The 8.5×4.5 pan will yield a tall, more domed bread and will take 5-10 minutes longer when baking. The total suggested bake time for a 8.5×4.5 inch pan is 55-67 minutes and 9×5 inch pan is 45-60 minutes.
- Wrap it up: Wrap your fresh bread in plastic-wrap or aluminum foil and keep it wrapped to retain moisture.
Best Zucchini Bread Recipe Variations
This recipe is perfect just the way it is, but if you want to add in some extra ingredients or change it up, here are a few ideas:
- Lemon zucchini bread recipe: Add in some lemon zest into your batter to add a fresh, zesty flavor.
- Chocolate chip zucchini bread recipe: Chocolate chips are a popular add-in that can make your bread more dessert-like.
- Muffins: You can make muffins, or try my delicious chocolate zucchini muffins.
Storing This Easy Zucchini Bread
Store baked bread wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Can you freeze homemade zucchini bread?
This bread freezes well. To freeze, wait until the bread is completely cooled. Wrap it in plastic wrap and place in a freezer safe ziploc bag or container. Freeze for up to 6 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw at room temperature.
Recipe for Zucchini Bread FAQs
Yes, leave the skin on zucchini when you grate it. The skin is full of vitamins and nutrients and also has a vibrant green color that makes a beautiful bread.
Nope! There is no need to remove the seeds from zucchini before shredding it. You can shred the whole zucchini, skin on.
To keep zucchini bread moist after baking, keep it tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, even while still warm.
The most common reason that zucchini bread sinks after baking is because it was over-mixed. Mixing too much or too quickly can create air bubbles in the bread batter that make the bread unstable. To avoid this, don’t over mix your bread batter, mix just until combined.
The best way to shred zucchini is to use a box grater or a cheese grater to finely shred/grate the zucchini. Once shredded, wrap the zucchini in paper towels and squeeze out all of the excess liquid.
You will know your bread is done when you insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf and it comes out clean.
Yes, you can freeze zucchini bread batter. Place the batter in a Ziploc bag, press out as much air as possible, and freeze it flat for easy storage. When ready to use, thaw the batter overnight in the fridge (not at room temperature), give it a gentle stir, and bake. Keep in mind that because zucchini releases moisture, the batter may be slightly thinner after thawing, but it will still bake up deliciously. For best results, use the frozen batter within 2–3 months.
No peeling is needed, leave the skin on when you grate it. The skin holds nutrients and adds those pretty green flecks throughout the bread, and it softens completely once baked so you won’t notice it in the texture.
We don’t drain the zucchini, but we do squeeze it. Zucchini is mostly water, so squeezing out the excess moisture after grating keeps that water from throwing off the batter and making the bread dense or soggy, which is exactly why this recipe has you wrap it in paper towels and squeeze before mixing.
The most common cause is over baking, so always test with a toothpick and pull the bread the moment it comes out clean. Too much flour is the next biggest culprit, and it usually comes from scooping straight from the bag instead of measuring the flour on a kitchen scale or using the spoon and level method.
More Bread Recipes
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Easy Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (210g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup (107g) brown sugar
- ½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (177ml) vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups (200-230g) grated zucchini
Video
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Use a box or cheese grater to finely grate the zucchini. Measure out 2 cups. Next, wrap the shredded zucchini in a few paper towels and squeeze out the excess liquid. Discard the liquid and set the zucchini aside.
- In a mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together and set aside.1 3/4 cups (210g) all-purpose flour, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp cinnamon
- In a large mixing bowl combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine with a spatula. Then stir in the grated zucchini.1/2 cup (107g) brown sugar, 1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar, 3/4 cup (177ml) vegetable oil, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 cups (200-230g) grated zucchini
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. The batter will be thick.
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the batter into the pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For an 8×4 inch pan, bake for 55-67 minutes. For a 9×5 inch pan, bake for 45-55 minutes.
I made this for my husband and even on day 3 he has commented on how good it is. I did add some toasted pecans, since he likes nuts in his quick breads. With the garden producing I will definitely be making again soon. Thank you for another great recipe.
Can you use gluten-free flour 1:1
Thank you
Yes. I test all of my recipes with regular all-purpose flour and with King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour. I’ve been gluten free for 20 years, but don’t label myself in the gluten free niche since almost anything can be made GF these days (minus yeast baked goods) with easy 1:1 GF flour swaps!