This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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.
You might like these other delicious Zucchini Bread recipes
Click here to see more delicious Zucchini Recipes!
See the recipesWe love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
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.
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Stacy says
Delicious! I made this bread today, thank u!!
Martha says
You’re very welcome Stacy! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Jessica says
Can you sub brown sugar for reg sugar?
Martha says
Hi Jessica – I haven’t tried substituting brown sugar. If you try – please let us know how it comes out!
Hilary J says
Just shared on our FBpage cause this is my new favorite zucchini bread recipe. Thank you for sharing
The first batch I made a couple months ago about 8 loaves. Wrapped (plastic wrap and freezer paper) after cooling and put them in the freezer for around the year. Got one out yesterday and still delish!
Martha says
Thanks so much Hilary!
Kirill says
This recipe is outstanding. Made it twice in one week. Thank you for sharing it.
Martha says
Thanks Kirill! So glad you enjoyed it!
Camerin says
Stupid question but how do you store it? Counter top? Fridge? Freezer?! I just made it and it is amazing. My non veg eating husband even gave me
Props on how good our house smells. 🙂
Martha says
Hi Camerin – Not a stupid question at all. My answer is ‘all of the above’. We made some ourselves this weekend – gave one away and the other we’ve wrapped in plastic and it has been on our kitchen counter for the last two days. I will probably put it in the fridge later today just to keep it from getting stale. It can also be frozen – just be sure to wrap it well to avoid freezer burn. Hope that helps and we’re very glad you both enjoyed the recipe!
Debbie says
Hi, I’m going to try your recipe I’m wondering if I need to adjust for high altitude? This look really good so I’m anxious to try it! Thank you
Martha says
Hi Debbie – I have to admit, I’m not an expert at all on high altitude baking and knowing when adjustments are necessary. Sorry I can’t be more help!
Niccole says
Hi Claudia,
I made mine with Stevia instead of sugar and I used EVOO instead of vegetable oil. I kept the amounts the same. I also did half regular flour and half whole wheat flour. It still came out great. You could probably try some honey or agave but they are wet so might have to try adjusting other ingredients. Good luck!
Martha says
Thanks for the suggestions Niccole!
boulianne says
Bonjour je suie ton bée a amour avec tout les recettes et le lin de la fête en familles c’est toute un vie dertre heureux avec seurt que on aime merci merci merci de Céline
Martha says
Thank you Celine! Merci! 🙂
Hermelinda Gutierrez says
Thank you for this recipe i love zucchini bread. I have not try to bake one but I’m going to give it a try. Sounds so like mmmmmm. Hope the one i bake will be as good as it looks.
Martha says
We hope you love it as much as we do Hermelinda!
Nicole says
My family always relies on the old-fashioned recipes. When I mentioned this recipe and gave it a shot, everyone loved it! It’s a big hit! This will definitely stay in our household.
Martha says
Thanks Nicole – So glad everyone loved the recipe!