Classic Zucchini Bread

Updated Aug. 19, 2024

Classic Zucchini Bread
Peter DaSilva for The New York Times
Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Rating
5(2,662)
Notes
Read community notes

A quintessential quick bread, zucchini bread blurs the line between breakfast and cake, making it acceptable for both. This version is on the sweeter side, the vegetal flavors mellowed by brown sugar, cinnamon and a bit of browned butter. While not always necessary, squeezing excess water from the zucchini will prevent the batter from being too wet while keeping the end result moist. Since this recipe makes two loaves (if you’re going to grate all that zucchini, might as well make it count), know that one will freeze excellently for at least a month. The recipe can also be halved with great success.

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Ingredients

Yield:2 loaves
  • ½ cup/113 grams unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
  • 3½ cups/447 grams all-purpose flour
  • 2teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1¼ teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (or ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg)
  • 4large eggs
  • ¾ cup/165 grams light brown sugar
  • ¾ cup/151 grams sugar
  • ¾ cup/180 milliliters canola oil
  • 1½ pounds zucchini, unpeeled and grated on a box grater (about 3 medium zucchini)
  • 4tablespoons demerara or turbinado sugar (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (18 servings)

319 calories; 16 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 21 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 257 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 8-x4-inch loaf pans with softened butter and line with parchment paper.

  2. Step 2

    Melt butter in a small pot over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter starts to brown and smell like hazelnuts, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a whisk to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot; set aside.

  3. Step 3

    Whisk together flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg in a large bowl.

  4. Step 4

    Whisk together eggs, light brown sugar, sugar and canola oil in a medium bowl until no lumps remain and eggs are well blended.

  5. Step 5

    Using your hands, squeeze out as much water as possible from the zucchini. Add zucchini and browned butter to the egg mixture, whisking to blend.

  6. Step 6

    Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients. Use a spatula to slowly incorporate until no dry spots remain.

  7. Step 7

    Divide batter among prepared pans, smoothing the top. Sprinkle both with demerara sugar, if using, and place in oven. Bake, rotating once, until bread is golden brown on top, pulls away from the sides and springs back lightly when pressed at the top, 50 to 60 minutes.

  8. Step 8

    Let cool completely on a wire rack before removing from the loaf pan.

Ratings

5 out of 5
2,662 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

Made the recipe as written, with 3 medium zucchinis, squeezed well. There was enough batter for 12 regular sized muffins and 24 mini muffins (lightly greased all muffin wells with softened butter). Baked the mini muffins for 14 minutes at 350, and the regular sized muffins for about 22 minutes at 350. Nice crown, nice crumb, nice color, and excellent flavor. Thank you for the great recipe!

This recipe was wonderful! Used 2 small zucchinis and halved the ingredients to make a single loaf. Substituted the brown sugar with a little less of standard sugar. It was so good we were only able to eat 3 slices before our dog could not resist, jumped on the counter and ate it all. Now I wish I made 2 loaves.

I use lemon zest instead of cinnamon. It really brightens the taste and makes less run of the mill. About a tablespoon.

A couple of other things learned from making this great recipe... When squeezing zucchini to remove excess juice, rather than squeezing into the sink and discarding, save and strain this excess juice...It tastes very much like cantaloupe, and, if your zucchini has been refrigerated, it yields a cold glass of delicious, fresh green juice.

Turned out well. Great use of Zucchini in the garden. But please let us know how many cups of zucchini this translates too. No 2 zucchini are alike! Also, OK to use the Cuisinart instead of hand grating.

Chose over "traditional" versions due to the lesser of amount of sugar compared to other recipes. Followed recipe using 3/4 cup of white sugar and 1 tablespoon of brown. Grated one large zucchini (the point of making this bread; $1 at the Farmer's Market); squeezed the moisture out for about 3 cups to put in the mix. Loafs baked to good height and the crumb was pleasantly lighter than expected. Taste and texture were delightful when fresh and suffered none from being frozen.

Be warned that while this recipe specifies "kosher salt," it doesn't specify a brand (the reason this matters is because different brands produce their salt with different methods, affecting the size of the crystals). After making the recipe, my guess is that it was formulated using Diamond kosher salt. I used Morton, and even with scant measurements, found the zucchini bread to be noticeably salty. If you try this recipe with Morton's, be sure to halve the listed measurement.

I didn't have any cinnamon or nutmeg and I didn't want to risk the grocery store due to the pandemic, so I emptied a packet of chai tea into the mix and the bread turned out stunning! Otherwise made as written. It was even better the next day!

... Also, after grating and squeezing zucchini for recipe, I have ended up with excess squash. This shredded zucch. is delicious quick sauteed in a little olive oil, garlic, onion, butter, and browns up and cooks really quickly. It is a great breakfast substitution for hash-browned potatoes. I prepare it in my cast iron skillet, then cook two eggs easy-over next to squash after browned. Piling squash on plates, then chopping eggs on top make a yummy, less caloric breakfast than potatoes.

I cut the sugar down by a third and it still came out delicious! I think the key is the brown butter. I also used half regular flour and half whole wheat to give it a nuttier flavor. It gets better with age 2!

I used gluten free flour - 2 cups brown rice flour, 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose and 1/2 cup almond. I also put it into a single Bundt cake. Turned out GREAT!

I've made this recipe as loaves, muffins, and Bundt style. It works every time and is easy to modify. Add citrus zest, grated ginger, and/or nuts for variety.

I like to bloom the spices to the brown butter while it's still hot, rather than adding to the dry ingredients. Maybe it doesn't make a difference in the finished product, but I sure love to treat my nose to the combination of brown butter and spice (swoon!). Great recipe!

We had an overgrown zucchini from the garden, so I made this. It was perfect! I love my zucchini bread without too many add-ins (nuts, dried fruit, chocolate, etc.) Though, I did add some ground cardamom and vanilla extract. Just perfect!

Just tried a slice, delicious! I made the alteration of coconut oil instead of canola because i didn't have any canola, worked great. Honestly i was sloppy with the measurements and this still came out great. For a topping i mixed oats, brown sugar and coconut oil and crumbled it on top, worked out really well! i did have to do the full 60 mins in the oven :) I used one GIANT zucchini and I wouldn't stress too much about the amount as long as the water is strained well.

Honestly this is a very mid zucchini bread recipe, i have made it multiple times and some people I know have also made it and everyone agrees that its just not very good. I would suggest using a different recipie. I mean its not horrible but the vibe is that it tastes like a vegan recipe but its not…..

1 1/2 pound was about 5 cups of squeezed out zucchini.

I made this last summer and haven’t forgotten it! It came out perfectly so I’m making it again!!

The amount of zucchini makes the bread so fresh and the spices are perfection. Maybe it is just me and my 55 year old digestive system but the amount of butter was over the top for me. Very Rich!

Ingredients call for butter; instructions call for canola oil. Used a lemon flavored olive oil.

This is so good. Added toasted walnuts and pecans, also a bit of vanilla. Thank you.

This is a solid recipe. We garden and have more zucchini than any family could possibly consume, so I found the double recipe handy. The "bread" was moist and the flavors mild enough to accommodated any additions I made to it, i.e. chocolate chips, nuts, or blueberries.

very very good exactly as written.

Why do you butter the loaf pan and then use parchment paper?

I agree with an earlier comment that 2 teaspoons of kosher salt is way too much. It is noticeably salty to the taste. Since I do use Morton, I will definitely cut that at least in half if I make this recipe again. Unfortunately I’ve eaten a couple of pieces of it, but I’m going to end up throwing, a loaf and a half away.🫤

I was very disappointed in how this bread turned out. It was too salty and not sweet enough.

I used Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Ratio Baking Mix to make this gluten free and it turned out well! I also didn't have canola oil so substituted for half coconut/olive oil mixture. One batch made 12 muffins and 1 loaf of bread, which all turned out delicious! I made the recipe twice in less than a week because people loved it so much!

Made as written. Not good. Came out more like “brown scone loaf with hint of zucchini.” Dry, bready. Avoid.

Great recipe. Love the browned butter. Usually make muffins. Add raisins and toasted nuts. Usually use 1/2 whole wheat flour.

Anyone know how long to cook this in a Bundt pan? Any recipe modifications needed? Thanks!

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