Must-Try, Super-Moist Zucchini Bread
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With its perfectly moist texture, super soft crumb, and brown sugar notes throughout, this is the best-ever (AND easiest!) zucchini bread recipe. The recipe is easily adaptable to mini loaf pans, and the batter can be used for zucchini bread muffins too, too.
This is the best zucchini bread. The original source is unknown, but my mother learned it from her mother, and I’ve been passing it along as well, baking it with my children, who call it “bikini” bread, for years. It’s an oldie but such a goodie, and a hit with adults and children alike.
In essence, its a classic quick bread made with both brown sugar and white, eggs and oil, and a heap of zucchini. The zucchini flavor is nearly indiscernible, but it plays an important roll in ensuring the cake will be super moist. This quick bread, a 2-bowl job, comes together in under 10 minutes and freezes beautifully.
What’s more? It also can easily be turned into muffins, which also freeze beautifully, or baked in four mini loaf pans, which make great holiday gifts. I love serving this zucchini bread when entertaining — it’s as delicious for mid-morning brunch as for afternoon tea all summer long.
Finally, The Kitchn, a favorite website, declared this recipe the best in a contest with four widely adored zucchini bread recipes. I hope you love it, too.
A favorite variation? Chocolate chip, of course. Nuts, too. Truthfully, I love it best with no additions. You can use as much as a pound — yes a pound! — of grated zucchini, and it along with the oil, keep the bread so, so moist.
More Recipes with Zucchini
- Zucchini Involtini
- Zucchini Parmesan
- Favorite Summer Pasta: Zucchini Spaghetti
- Shaved Zucchini & Pecorino Salad
- Zucchini Sauté with Mint, Pine Nuts, & Ricotta
PS: ALL the zucchini recipes right here → Zucchini
PPS: The Best-Ever Banana Bread.
Here’s the play-by-play: Gather your ingredients:
Grate a couple zucchini.
Stir together the dry ingredients. Stir together the wet ingredients.
Toss the zucchini with the dry ingredients.
Add the wet ingredients.
Transfer to a loaf pan.
Bake until golden and cooked through.
Let cool completely before slicing.
You can bake the bread in four mini loaf pans as well, which is so nice for gift giving.
Must-Try, Super-Moist Zucchini Bread
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 1 Standard Loaf or 4 Mini Loaves
Description
Notes:
- Baking by weight is always a good idea. Regarding flour, if you have a scale (this one costs $9!), weigh out 227 g flour. If you are using cups, use 2 cups, but fill them lightly.
- Loaf pans come in all different sizes. I love these Chicago Metallic standard 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pans and these Chicago Metallic mini loaf pans, which are so handy to have on hand around the holidays. If you use as much as a pound of zucchini, I highly recommend baking this bread in a 10×5-inch baking pan — it’s only slightly larger than the 8.5×4.5-inch pan, but it makes a difference. My quick breads bake so much more evenly in this larger-size pan.
- To freeze: Be sure to let zucchini bread cool completely. Wrap in foil; then tuck into an airtight bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature.
- To make muffins: Simply, line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners or grease with butter or nonstick spray. Fill cups no more than two-thirds full. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Ingredients
- a scant 2 cups (227 g) flour (see notes above)
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup light (213 g) brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2½ cups grated zucchini, (12–16 oz.)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease a 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan or a 10 x 5-inch loaf pan if using as much as a pound of zucchini (see notes above). For easy removal, line the pan with a sheet of parchment paper that hangs over the edges.
- Whisk together first five ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk remaining ingredients except zucchini. Add zucchini to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Add dry to wet and stir till until combined. Pour into pan. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. If you have an instant read thermometer, it should register 205ºF or above. (Note: Every oven is different, and different pans conduct heat differently — be patient with the cooking. It may take 20-30 minutes more. With the longer cooking time, the bread shouldn’t burn, but if you are noticing the bread getting too brown, cover it with foil.)
- Let bread cool for 15 minutes in pan, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
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772 Comments on “Must-Try, Super-Moist Zucchini Bread”
I have been looking for a dark zucchini bread recipe for a long time. I used dark brown sugar and got exactly what I wanted. Great zucchini bread.
Great to hear, Diane!
I made two different recipes because I couldn’t decide between the two. This turned out to be my favorite although the taste of both was very similar. I always exchange oil for applesauce so I did make that one change and added pecans. Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly baking in a 9×5 loaf pan. Perfect for this size. One thing I liked about this one was that it has a nice crunch on the outside and soft inside. I assume that’s because it’s cooked at 350 where the other was 325 degrees. I did have to cook for an hour and fifteen minutes to get to the 205 temp. I think I could get away with less sugar but that’s a personal preference. I usually don’t have to reduce because of applesauce but that might have made a difference. Great recipe. Thanks!
I just made this zucchini bread and it’s delicious! Thank you! I think I will add walnuts next time as some others have recommended. How do you suggest storing it? I’m sure it will be gone within a week, probably a few days! Should it be in an airtight container in the refrigerator?
I store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. If you think it will last longer, the fridge is a good idea 🙂 Great to read this!
OMG!! There was no waiting until it completely cooled to eat some! Fabulous flavor and so moist!! I used a mini loaf pan and let it bake for 40 minutes. This recipe is a keeper!!
Great to hear, Roxie! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Have a question: on your video, did you use a 10”x5” loaf pan? I want a full, or deep bread Thank you
Yes! 10 x 5 inches
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Awww Alyssia 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thank you so much for these kind words. Means the world.
My family enjoyed this recipe. I made a few modifications. I used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. I also used coconut sugar rather than granulated sugar. I meant to add nuts, too, but forgot. I will be making this one again.
I will be making this tomorrow. Love your focaccia recipe, by the way. Have made it multiple times. What is your recommended baking time in 4 mini-loaf pans?
Great to hear, Ginny 🙂 I would start checking at 22-ish minutes.
The recipe is great but the baking time is longer than usual. I haven’t had this much time for a simple recipe. It took 1hour and 30 minutes to complete 1 loaf of baking time.
Great recipe…enough to share bc of larger loaf pan…added walnuts and mini dark chocolate chips…extraordinaire!
Great to hear, LB!
I haven’t made this yet but am wondering….after you shred the, zucchini do you not squeeze out the extra moisture ? Your recipe doesn’t say to so, I guess you don’t…lol
I don’t!
Do you have gluten free recommendations?
I like the Cup4Cup brand gf flour.
Delicious!! I don’t use vegetable oil so I did 1/2 cup very soft almost melted unsalted butter and 1/4 cup avocado oil. SO good!
Great tip! Thanks for writing and sharing this, Stacy 🙂
Do you need to make any changes if the zucchini that you’re using is frozen shredded already?
I would thaw it and squeeze it out/drain it before using it.
I haven’t had zucchini bread in year’s, I’m more of a muffin 🧁 person!! Lol 😅 But I thought I would change it up and make some bread 🍞 instead. I have sensitive teeth and so I need it to be moist. I always add sour cream to my muffin recipes and they come out really really moist, and apple sauce as well in place of the oil. Just like a tablespoon of this and one of that. I need a good carrot cake recipe though?? I have a French toast muffin recipe that would knock your socks off though. I have 4 kids and they beg me to make these. Lol lol They don’t even make it to the Tupperware. 😂 Anyway I’m going to make this tomorrow, but if you have a good carrot cake or muffin recipe it would be much appreciated. Thank you. Star
This is the first time I’ve made zucchini bread and I’m so glad I found your recipe. Super moist and delicious. I cooked it for an hour and it was just right. Only two changes I made: swapped in coconut oil for the vegetable oil and I cut the sugar down by 1/2 as my family likes things a little less sweet. Still turned out great. Amazing recipe! Thank you 🙂
This is the best zucchini bread recipe I’ve ever used, and I’ve tried a lot. Everyone I give a loaf to wants this recipe. I end up with a lot of zucchini from my garden, so I bake many loaves, give a lot away, and freeze the rest. The frozen loaves thaw beautifully and taste great! You would never know they were frozen.
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Great to hear, Brenda! Thanks for writing and sharing all of this. So great to hear about the freezing, too!
So good! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Great to hear, Sherry! Thanks for writing 🙂
Zucchini in flour first….game changer!!
Great to hear, Karen! Thanks for writing 🙂
Just made this tonight and I can’t believe it was so easy! I had 2 zucchini and didn’t know what to do with it and then I chance upon your recipe. I added in some chopped walnut and used avocado oil instead of vegetable oil and reduced the sugar by half. It was so good. Initially I pondered over the water content from the shredded zucchini but I re-read your instructions again and it says “ coat zucchini with flour mixture” – so brilliant !
Looking forward to trying more of your recipes 😍
Great to read all of this, Leeyen! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
This is so great, I needed a simple recipe and you nailed it. Currently enjoying a warm piece with melted butter on top!
Yum! And jealous 🙂 Thanks for writing.
O.M.G. I grew up on publix zucchini bread and loved it but haven’t had it in years. I chose this recipe because brown sugar is everything. Not only is this THE BEST zucchini bread I’ve EVER had, my husband and son call this zucchini crack. I took a piece to work for breakfast and the veterinarian I work for got mad after tasting it because I didn’t bring a loaf in. I now have to make 3 loaves tomorrow before work on Thursday lol. Thank God it’s also inexpensive and super easy to make. I’m going to need to buy more loaf pans. THANK YOU! You’ve made my family and clinic very happy (and that crust this recipe makes omg, it’s amazing, you rock!!!!)
Awwww it’s so nice to read all of this 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much for writing and sharing. You have lucky coworkers!!
This is quite possibly the best recipe I’ve ever replicated. In the last two weeks I’ve made it five times with varying amounts of zucchini. Two per batch seems to come out the best for me. I have yet to. Find a banana bread recipe that doesn’t come out dry. Have you ever tried this recipe with bananas instead of zucchini?
Great to hear, Shana! Thanks so much for writing and sharing this. This is my go-to banana bread recipe: The BEST Banana Bread
Thank you for telling us that it may take 20-30 minutes longer to bake. I was getting nervous, but I did use more zucchini than the recipe said and that’s what probably caused mine to need a longer cooking time.
Second time making this and it looks great! Thank you for sharing!
Great to hear, Sharon! Thanks so much for writing and sharing these notes 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hi! Your recipe looks great! I don’t have a 10 X 5 pan, only a 9 X 5. How do I adjust the baking times? Thanks!
I would just keep an eye on it. You may need to add more time because the loaf will be taller. Do you have an instant-read thermometer?
Thank you for such a great recipe!! I mixed the zucchini and all of the wet ingredients together, then added all at once the dry ingredients. I poured the batter into floured and oiled mini loaf pans. I made 8 generous sized mini loaves.
Great to hear! Thanks for writing 🙂
Made these into muffins and they’re so good! I used olive oil because I had it on hand. Kids loved them too!
HELLO!! A really want to try this recipe but all I have is White Lily self rising flour. Can I just simply leave out the baking powder and salt? Can’t wait to try this!!!
Worth a shot! Though I wouldn’t omit all of the salt — I think it will taste bland if you do.
The best Zucchini bread I’ve ever made. It’s moist and delicious. My family and friends loved it.
Great to hear, Candi! Thanks for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂