Homemade Zucchini Bread Recipe
Published July 16, 2021. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This delicious homemade zucchini bread is the perfect light and fluffy summer snack to serve up to your family and guests.
It doesn’t matter if you’re making sweet cornbread or banana bread, there is nothing like making a fresh bread recipe at home. It will taste significantly better when you make it homemade, and you’ll also learn new bread-making tricks along the way.
Zucchini Bread
Zucchini bread is known as a quick bread which is bread that utilizes baking powder or baking soda, or a combination of both, as the leavening agent over traditional yeast. They mix together easily and baking in no time. Most food historians believe zucchini bread was invented in America in the mid 19th century following the invention of baking powder.
Since zucchini is in peak season during the early to mid-summer months, this recipe will absolutely taste at its best during this time, however, you can still make this delicious bread all year long.
Do you Peel the Zucchini for Bread?
You do not need to peel the zucchini before adding it to the batter for making bread. The green outside peel adds quite a bit of color and flavor to the recipe, plus it has a lot of fiber in it, so my recommendation is to always leave it on when making zucchini bread.
How to Make Zucchini Bread from Scratch
Use these easy to follow instructions for making this amazing zucchini bread recipe from scratch:
Start by shredding some fresh zucchini, and then set it aside.
In a very large bowl whisk together the melted butter and sugar until completely combined.
Next, add in 1 egg at a time until it is completely mixed in.
Add in the zucchini, oil, milk, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, and whisk thoroughly.
Whisk in the all-purpose flour until the batter is smooth and free of any flour chunks.
Fold in the chopped pecans until they are mixed in.
Divide the batter between two 9×5 loaf pans that have been sprayed with no-stick spray.
For a little extra crunch add some crushed pecans to a bowl of light brown sugar and mix until combined.
Evenly sprinkle the pecan and brown sugar mixture over top of the zucchini bread batter in the loaf pans and then bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until it reaches 198° internally.
Cool the bread on a rack to room temperature, slice, and serve.
Chocolate Zucchini Bread
This recipe can be easily adaptable to make chocolate zucchini bread by following these three quick easy steps:
- Add 1 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder to the batter when adding in the flour and mix until combined.
- Fold 1 ½ cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips in with the batter along with the pecans.
- Add the batter to loave pans and bake.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this zucchini bread up to 1 day ahead of time.
How to Store: Keep covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or covered and in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This will freeze well covered for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator until soft.
chef notes + tips
- You can just use oil, or just use milk, or a combination of both like I did in this recipe. You can also swap out the milk for full-fat yogurt.
- Swap out the pecans with walnuts or almonds.
- You can easily make 24 muffins using this recipe if you prefer banana muffins instead. Bake them for 25-28 minutes.
More Bread Recipes
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Video
Homemade Zucchini Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 sticks melted unsalted butter
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ cups grated fresh zucchini
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- In a large bowl whisk together the butter and sugar until completely mixed.
- Next, add in 1 egg at a time until whisked in.
- Pour in the oil, and milk until combined and mix them in.
- Now, whisk in the baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until it is completely mixed together.
- Add in the shredded zucchini and whisk until it is combined.
- Whisk in the flour until combined and then fold in the pecans using a rubber spatula.
- Divide the batter between two 9×5 loaf pans that have been sprayed with no-stick spray.
- This part is optional but mix together ¼ cup of packed light brown sugar with ¼ cup of roughly chopped pecans and evenly sprinkle it over the top of the bread.
- Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until browned and cooked in the center. If you press a toothpick in the center, it should come out relatively clean. In addition, it will have an internal temperature of 198°.
- Remove from the oven and set on a rack and cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Love it had to make 8 loves
So good! Thanks for trying it!
The topping is so simple and so perfect!!
So good!
Best zucchini bread recipe I’ve made. Delicious! Easy to follow recipe. I added a cup of dark chocolate chips…hope you don’t mind 🙂
Perfect!
Ah-mazingly good! The pecans give a nice texture. Pumpkin bread is next! Thank you…
My pleasure!
Great recipe! I think if I prepped the butter at room temp instead of melting to a liquid the bread would have been more fluffy. Never disappoint with your recipes. Thank You!
thank you so kindly!!
So good! This is hands down the best zucchini bread recipe I’ve made. Definitely saving this to the recipe box. Add the brown sugar and pecans on top, it’s 100% worth it.
Super yummy!! I love the chocolate – husband like the plain. Both are delicious.
excellent!
Made this last night (regular,
not chocolate) and shared it this morning. Big hit! Absolutely Delicious.
thanks for giving it a shot!!
I made the chocolate version and it was scrumptious. The regular version is in the oven as we speak. Yes, it’s zucchini season!!
awesome!
I harvested a huge zuchinni from my garden and this recipe was perfect for it. Dang! It was so delicious that it seemlike I will be making this for quite some time to come!
love it!
very good
many thanks!
Delicious! Dense, moist and flavorful. I made 5 mini loaves from this recipe. I recommend using the brown sugar pecan topping. Thanks for sharing Chef!
fantastic!
After using the same recipe for zucchini bread for the past 40 years, I tried this recipe and it will be the recipe I use for the next 40! The batter was beautiful and I was thrilled when the loaves came out of the pan so perfectly. The addition of the brown sugar and pecans on top took it to the next level and everyone who tried it loved it! Wonderful recipe!
love it!
I made the regular zucchini bread! Wow! Next up will be the chocolate one.
so good!!
This was delicious and very easy to make. Thank you!
excellent!
Trying this real soon and I know it is going to be great with the zukes growing in my garden Do not have the pans you used but I do have a 9×13 will this work. Love your recipes and your video’s that show step by step directions.
so good!!
Delicious! It’s now my go to zucchini bread recipe and I can’t wait to share it with my mom.
fantastic!
I made this as directed adding the Coco Powder and Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips as you suggested as an option, It looked like Brownie Batter. The batter was not as fluid as yours going into the pans, but they baked off beautifully and were absolutely delicious. I was thinking this is going to be a disaster and I volunteered to bring desert. While preparing the batter I was saying this is not enough liquid or it’s way too much cinnamon. I also thought I cooked it too long. The top was darker but we actually like it more. I brought ice cream with me to mask what I thought wasn’t going to be good. All I received was can I have the recipe please!!!! I really need to work on my confidence baking. Thank you for this one it was a hit.
You got this!
I just made from zucchini from my garden. I hope they taste as good as it looks!
I thought I made a mistake after i put in oven and realized no vanilla extract.
This recipe turned out great. I will always use it when making zucchini bread.
excellent!
My new favorite zucchini bread recipe! It’s delicious!
love it!
Excellent as always chef
many thanks!
Thought I had a great zucchini recipe until I tried yours!! Should have known….Chef Billy for the WIN!!!
excellent!
Hi 👋 I would like to use only Almond flour, instead of Baking flour! Would I get the same results! Or could this work!?
nope
I couldn’t find my loaf pan so I use the brownie pan. The baking time was exactly 1 hour. I did not use any nuts. But the zucchini bread came out perfect moist and delicious.
awesome
Delicious! This will forever be my go to recipe.
How many grams in the 4 cups of flour? I find weighing the ingredients, especially flour, yields the best results in baking. An internet search gave me different answers. Can you Lmk? Thx
Never weighed it but I can tell you 4 cups works perfectly.
My new favorite Zucchini Bread….so moist!
I love your cooking classes. Told my friends about you.
This zucchini bread was the best I have tried! I loved the optional topping also.
It was so moist.
I used the 4 cups of zucchini and it made it the perfect moist bread.
Also used 1/2 almond flour and 1/2 all purpose.
It was very delicious.
Delicious! I love that it’s not too “cake” tasting. I made a large loaf and 4 mini loaves – The nuts and brown sugar on top make these loaves look (and taste) really special. I’ll make this again!
Oh my goodness!!! This is the best zucchini bread I’ve ever had!!! I just made it couple minutes ago Lol and I couldn’t stop my self, the smell is sooo good!!! I was worried about the amount of sugar at first but dang I was surprised, it is perfect!!! I won’t use any recipe for zucchini bread from now on! It was Devine!!! I can’t wait for my husband, family and friends to taste it!!!
Thank you Chef!
Going to make this today! Most zucchini recipes have you drain /squeeze the extra water out of the zucchini. It doesn’t Mention that in your recipe. Just checking to see if I have to drain or not.
Thanks!
Jo Ann
no need to drain.
I just took this out of the oven. OMG it smells delicious. I followed your recipe as written. After baking I waited for the 20 minute to rest. However it was till warm but I had to grab a piece. This was so good. I am truly not a baker, but this bread made me look like a baker. lol. I did not have two 9×13 pans. I used the 9 x13 and a small Bundt pan. Thank you so much for your great recipes.
What oil do you use for zucchini bread. What about grapeseed oil. I want to use a healthy one.
You could for sure use that.
The Zucchini bread was delicious!
Looks good!
This looks so delicious 😋.
Can I use whole wheat flour? Would like to adapt to heart healthy.
I believe you could, but you would need to increase the hydration by 2-4%. Without making that version it would be hard to give you precise numbers, but I would start there. Also, note, that it will be much denser with whole wheat.