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Believe the hype…this IS the Best Zucchini Bread Ever!

The Absolute Best Zucchini Bread Recipe
A few years ago, my husband Jack returned from a business trip, singing the praises of some delicious zucchini bread that one of his co-workers had brought to the meeting to share with everyone. It was a homemade zucchini bread baked by Lannette, the wife of his co-worker, Troy. Jack said it was the Best Zucchini Bread Ever.
Seriously – Jack would not stop talking about this zucchini bread! For days, he talked about how moist and delicious it was, and that it was perfectly sweet with the perfect amount of spices and nuts. And for days, Jack pestered Troy for the recipe so we could make it at home and possibly share it here on A Family Feast.
Lannette so graciously allowed us to share the recipe with all of you – and it has been a reader favorite recipe for years now.

Why you’ll love this easy Zucchini Bread recipe
- It is super moist and almost cake-like thanks to a generous amount of shredded zucchini in the batter, as well as some applesauce.
- It’s a very forgiving recipe – add as little as two cups of shredded zucchini or as much as four cups. (So great when you have a ton of garden zucchini on hand!)
- This bread is perfectly sweet and seasoned with cinnamon, plus a generous amount of chopped pecans add crunch and texture.
Reader Reviews
“Truly is the “best zucchini bread ever”. I am 69 yrs old and have been in the kitchen from age 12 & get many compliments on my cooking /baking skills. I have tossed all other zuchinni bread recipes and only use this one and have shared it with many friends. It is moist and has great flavor. Makes 2 loaves so there is one to eat and 1 to share!” – Carol
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Zucchini – No need to peel the zucchini before shredding. If you are using a very large zucchini, you do want to remove any seeds. You also really don’t need to drain the shredded zucchini unless you have a lot of liquid – most of the time, you can just add any liquid from the squash right into the batter.
- Pecans – Chopped pecans are added to the zucchini bread batter, and we loved the mild nutty flavor and crunchy texture the nuts add to every bite. You can swap in walnuts instead if you prefer.
- Apple Sauce – I really do think this is the secret ingredient that makes this zucchini bread so moist and tasty.
- Ground Cinnamon
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder
- All-Purpose Flour
- Granulated Sugar
- Vegetable Oil – Canola oil can also be used.
- Eggs
- Butter and flour – For preparing the loaf pans
- Softened Butter or Cream Cheese – For serving (optional)
More Substitutions
- You can make this zucchini bread with zucchini or summer squash – whichever you have on hand. (You might notice a few little yellow specks in our photos – we used some summer squash ourselves.)
- Be sure to scroll through all of the reader comments below. We’ve had many readers write to us to tell us that they swapped in different oils, some fruits and carrots, some swapped in honey for the sugar, and many more tweaks and adaptations. As mentioned above – this is a very forgiving recipe!

Special Tools Needed
- Two Loaf Pans – This recipe makes two 8×4-inch loaves
- Medium Mixing Bowl
- Box Grater or a food processor fitted with a shredding blade
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer with mixing bowl
- Rubber Scraper/Spatula (this one is our favorite) or Wooden Mixing Spoon
- Toothpicks – To test for doneness
How do I make the Best Zucchini Bread Ever?
- Prepare the loaf pans by buttering and flouring the bottom and sides.
- Sift together dry ingredients.
- Shred zucchini and chop the nuts. Set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients in mixing bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients.
- Stir in shredded zucchini and the nuts. Mix well.
- Pour batter into the two prepared loaf pans.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out cleanly.
- Cool on wire racks.
- Slice to serve with softened butter or cream cheese.

Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make this Zucchini Bread ahead of time? Yes – in fact, we think the flavors get better as the bread sits for a day.
- Do I have to drain the shredded zucchini? No, you can usually just add it right to the batter. Having said that, if you are adding in the full four cups of shredded zucchini and notice a lot of liquid, you can leave some of it out.
- Do I peel the zucchini? No, you can just shred the zucchini with the skin still on.
- Do I remove the seeds? If you are using small, tender zucchini – no need to remove the seeds before shredding. If you are using very large zucchini, you should remove the seeds. (Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then take a spoon and run it down the center to remove the seeds.)
- Can I freeze Zucchini Bread? Yes. This bread freezes very well. Just be sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then foil to prevent freezer burn.
This recipe originally appeared on A Family Feast in August 2015. We’ve update the post, but the delicious recipe remains the same.
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Best Zucchini Bread Ever
Seriously…this IS the Best Zucchini Bread Ever!
Ingredients
- Butter and flour for preparing baking pans
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 1/2 cups grated zucchini (you can use as few as 2 cups and as much as 4 cups)
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup apple sauce
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter and lightly flour two 8”x4” loaf pans.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Stir gently to combine.
- Shred zucchini, lightly packing it down as you measure it.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer beat eggs, applesauce, oil, sugar and vanilla extract. Mix very well.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients (about 1/3 at a time) mixing as you go – then beat well to fully combine.
- With a rubber scraper or wooden spoon, stir in shredded zucchini and nuts into the batter and mix well.
- Pour half of the batter into each prepared pan.
- Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out cleanly. (The bake time will vary depending on how much shredded zucchini you add to the batter.)
- Remove from the pans and cool on wire racks.
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This is the best zucchini bread ever! I’ve tried many recipes which were all good but this is the best! I made no variations except I did not have any Pecans so I left them out. I made two loaves and there are only three in our family and both loaves were gone within three days! Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome Kathy! So glad you enjoy the recipe as much as we do!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. Have a bountiful garden this year with zucchini and squash picked every morning so much in fact that I am giving it away to neighbors because the 2 of us cannot possibly eat what is picked on a daily basis. I have cooked the zucchini about 15 different ways but was never in a bread form. When I saw your recipe I had a feeling this was going to be worth the time and effort and girl so glad I DID. Came out of the oven with 2 beautiful loaves, waited patiently for them to cool and all I can say is 1 slice turned into 2 and had same reaction from my friends.. This recipe is a keeper and will be used and shared. Thanks again.
You’re very welcome Irene – so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Really nice recipe, everyone enjoyed it! I added about 1/4 to 1/3 less sugar and it still tasted sweet and good.
Thanks Allie!
Theeeeee best! I reduced the sugar to a little under 2 cups and added powdered ginger and nutmeg maybe about a tbsp each as well as a tbsp of almond extract. Takes it to another level!
Great suggestion!
Love the recipe turned out amazing my go to recipe my question is what is the best way to store is it ok to put in fridge in ziplock bag or is supposed to be left out on counter in a container
Hi Samantha – We wrap it in plastic wrap (a ziplock bag is fine, just try to squeeze out as much air as possible) and keep it in the refrigerator.
How would I adjust the baking time for mini loaf pans? I love this recipe but I’m wanting to make smaller loaves and freeze them.
Hi Kristina – There are lots of different sizes of mini loafs – you might find this article helpful: https://www.thekitchn.com/good-questions-38-104585 or this one: https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/how-do-you-make-a-quick-bread-recipe-in-mini-loaf-pans/
Hope this helps!
FLAVORFUL RECIPE THAT IS MOIST AND EASY TO MAKE. I WILL MAKE THIS AGAIN AND AGAIN. PRINTED OUT THE RECIPE TO HAVE FOREVER!
Thanks Cynthia – glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Very delicious recipe, however I did make adjustments to use less sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. It still turned out great and I think next time I may try to reduce the amount of sugar even more and perhaps substitute some honey. While it is very scrumptious, the amount of sugar seems a little excessive. Still VERY GOOD.
Thanks for letting us know about your recipe adaptations Jessie!
We LOVE this recipe! I make it frequently as muffins to grab easily for breakfast, throw into the kid’s lunches, and easy snacks on the go. I often switch out the applesauce for bananas as I keep them in the freezer and it comes out just about the same. We also like to switch it up sometimes and add craisins, which add a touch of tartness that compliments the flavors so well and adds another fruit, and chocolate chips.
Great ideas Joanna! Thank you!
It seriously is the best zucchini bread ever! YUM
Thanks Karen!