Classic Zucchini Bread Recipe
on May 30, 2018, Updated Aug 22, 2024
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Classic Zucchini Bread is made with fresh or frozen zucchini, melted butter, and just the right amount of sugar. It’s a super moist and delicious zucchini bread recipe!
I feel like a really good zucchini bread recipe is kind of hard to find. You have to get one that’s sweet but not too sweet. It needs to bake all the way through without drying out the edges (a gloopy middle is so gross). And it needs to have just the right amount of spices to make it smell good when baking and remind you of your grandma.
When zucchinis are on, they are ON, and this is such a great way to make a little treat to enjoy them. This recipe makes one loaf, but can be doubled and can be made with fresh or frozen zucchini. That means you can stash some zucchini in your freezer when they are a dime a dozen and then eat them all winter long when they are no longer available. (And once you fill your freezer with zucchini bread, you can put these other zucchini recipes to use.)
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Moist and Delicious: This zucchini bread is incredibly moist and flavorful, thanks to the natural moisture from the zucchini.
- Great Use of Garden Produce: If you have an abundance of zucchini from your garden, this recipe is a perfect way to use it up in a delicious way.
- Freezes Well: Zucchini bread freezes beautifully, so you can make extra loaves and freeze them for later.
Ingredients
- Zucchini
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Cinnamon
- Allspice: optional but very delicious
- Salt
- Sugar
- Butter
- Eggs
- Whole Fat Plain Yogurt
- Lemon Juice
- Walnuts or Pecans: optional
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities
Popular Substitutions and Variations
- Lots of people love chocolate chips in their Zucchini Bread instead of nuts or a combination of the two!
How to Make Classic Zucchini Bread
Step #1. Preheat the oven and grease a loaf pan. Set aside. Shred the zucchini then squeeze as much moisture from it as you can.
Step #3. Gently fold the wet ingredients and zucchini into the dry ingredients. Be careful not to overmix. Stir in the pecans if using.
Step #2. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, combine all the wet ingredients. and whisk until smooth.
Step #4. Scrape the batter into the greased loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes then place a cooling rack and cool completely before slicing.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe works great with whole wheat flour or half whole wheat and half all-purpose. It adds a nice nutty flavor to the bread and still bakes up really nicely.
You can use frozen zucchini to make this bread. If using frozen grated zucchini let it rest in a colander for a few minutes to remove the bulk of the extra moisture but don’t pat it try with a paper towel. You’ll still want some of the moisture that has been released from the freezing process.
This recipes doubles well if you want to make two loaves of zucchini bread instead of one. Zucchini bread makes a great gift!
If you are working with small zucchini, just slice off the ends and use the largest holes of your box grater to shred the zucchini – no need to peel or remove the seeds. If you are working with larger zucchini, though, the seeds start to get tough. I like to peel and remove the seeds from really large zucchini because the texture is better.
Expert Tips
- If you have a food processor, the shredder blade can make quick work of shredding the zucchini. It’s an especially great option if your garden is producing more than you can eat and need to freeze a bunch of shredded zucchini to use later.
- Using a toothpick to test for doneness is a classic, but if you have an instant read thermometer, it takes all the guess work out. Place it in the middle about halfway through the bread (so the end of the thermometer is in the center from all directions) and look for a reading of 200-205°F. If the center isn’t that warm yet, give it a few more minutes in the oven and test again.
- If you don’t like allspice or don’t have it on hand, use a TINY bit of cloves and nutmeg instead (a pinch to 1/8 teaspoon). They’re both pretty powerful spices so less is definitely more here.
How to Freeze
- Wrap the cooled loaf with plastic wrap then place in a freezer zip top bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
More Quick Bread Recipes to Consider
Cornbread Recipes
The Best Gluten Free Cornbread Recipe (Easy & Moist!)
Cornbread Recipes
Easy Jalapeño Cornbread Recipe – Ready in 30 Minutes!
Cornbread Recipes
Best Homemade Sweet Cornbread Recipe – Moist & Fluffy!
Pumpkin
40 Fall Pumpkin Recipes
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Classic Zucchini Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 small zucchini,, about one pound
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice,, optional (but delicious!)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter,, melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup whole fat plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans,, chopped, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan and set aside.
- Trim the ends from your zucchini and use the largest holes on your box grater to shred it. You should have about 2 cups of zucchini. Press the zucchini between a few layers of paper towels to absorb extra moisture. DON’T SKIP THIS STEP. You’ll end up with gooey bread if you do.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt together.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, melted butter, eggs, yogurt, and lemon juice until smooth.
- Gently fold in the zucchini and the wet ingredients to the flour mixture. Stir until the mixture just comes together, being careful not to over mix. Add the pecans and gently fold in with a spatula.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan using a spatula and smooth the top.
- Bake for 1 hour, until the bread is deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool. Let cook for about an hour before serving.
Notes
- If using frozen grated zucchini, let it rest in a colander for a few minutes to remove the bulk of the extra moisture but don’t pat it try with a paper towel. You’ll still want some of the moisture that has been released from the freezing process.
- The lemon juice adds a nice brightness to this bread – don’t skip it.
- Sour cream or even applesauce can be used in place of the Greek yogurt.
- This recipes doubles well. Freeze some for later!
Easy and delicious! Moist and deep rich flavours. My kids and husband couldn’t believe there was zucchini in it. Family favourite now.
I finally got to make this…oh yum! I love the allspice in it!! I didn’t add nuts because I wanted him to like it…and he does!! I got crazy and baked this in my #7 cast iron skillet. I dropped the temp down 25 degrees and set the timer for 40 minutes to check on it. The kid called and I was lost in lala land chatting. Evidently, the timer went off at some point in time, but lucky for me, I smelled the goodness coming from the oven letting me know it was done. The sides and bottom have a fantastic chew and the inside is perfectly moist. Thanks! This is a keeper!
I love zucchini bread, but you are oh so right that it’s hard to get it good. I’m going to use your tips and tricks this week with the big batch of zucchini I have.
I can’t wait to hear how you liked it! Keep me posted!
My Farmer’s Market is tomorrow…..fingers crossed they have zucchini! It’s been too long since I’ve had zucchini bread!!!!!