Do I need to peel the zucchini before grating?

No. The skin on small to medium zucchini is thin and practically disappears into the batter. It won't affect flavor or texture. If you're dealing with a large garden zucchini with thick, tough skin, go ahead and peel it — and remove the seeds too.

Should I squeeze the moisture out of the grated zucchini?

A light blot, not a full squeeze. That moisture keeps the loaf tender for days. If you wring it completely dry, the bread will be noticeably drier. The only time to squeeze more aggressively is if the zucchini was frozen and thawed — it'll be quite wet.

My zucchini bread sank in the middle. What happened?

Usually one of three things: overmixing the batter, underbaking, or opening the oven door too early. Quick breads sink when the structure isn't fully set before it starts to collapse. Use the toothpick test and wait for it to come out clean before you pull the loaf.

Can I make this into muffins?

Absolutely. Fill lined muffin tins about ¾ full and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20-25 minutes. The recipe makes about 24 standard muffins. They freeze just as well as the loaves.

Can I reduce the sugar?

You can reduce the total sugar by up to 25% without significantly affecting the structure. Going lower than that will affect rise and moisture retention. The brown sugar does more work here than the granulated — if you're cutting back, reduce the granulated first.

Baking Great Bread at Home

Warmly spiced, impossibly moist — and you can't taste the vegetables at all

Beginner

Classic ZucchiniBread

by Henry Hunter Jr.

The best thing to do with a garden full of zucchini

Bake Time

55-65 minutes

Yield

Each loaf makes about 10 slices

Browse All Recipes Print Version View One-SheetNEW

Henry Hunter Jr., professional baker and recipe author

Perfection is not required

"Perfection is not required. Progress is."

— Henry Hunter Jr.

By Henry Hunter Jr., founder of Crust & Crumb Academy and Baking Great Bread at Home.

Authentic Flavor

Henry Hunter Jr. is the founder of Crust & Crumb Academy and author of six baking books.

Prep

Prep the Zucchini

The zucchini is the moisture source for this loaf. Handle it right and you won't need to add extra liquid.

Progress

0/2

Click each step to mark complete

Grate the Zucchini

Wash and trim the ends off the zucchini — no need to peel it. The skin is thin and won't affect texture or flavor. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the zucchini into a bowl. You need about 340g / 2½ cups.

Blot if Necessary

Give the grated zucchini a light blot with a paper towel — just one press, not a full squeeze. You want to remove the surface water, not the juice locked inside the cell walls. If your zucchini is small and fresh, skip this step entirely.

Pro Tip

Small to medium zucchini are sweeter and have fewer seeds than large garden zucchini. If you're working with a giant one from the garden (it happens), peel it and scrape out the seeds before grating.

Why the Moisture Stays In

Zucchini is about 95% water. Most of that moisture is held inside the cell walls and releases slowly during baking, steaming the interior of the loaf and keeping it incredibly tender. If you squeeze all the moisture out before it goes in, you lose that benefit. A very light blot is enough to prevent surface water from making the batter too loose.

The Takeaway

Blot lightly, don't squeeze. The zucchini moisture is doing a job in this loaf.

Mix

Mix the Batter

Two bowls, two minutes of stirring, one great loaf. Keep the mixing gentle and you're in great shape.

Progress

0/5

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Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8x4-inch loaf pans with butter or non-stick spray and line with parchment for easy removal.

Whisk Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, both sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly combined. Whisking acts like sifting and breaks up any sugar clumps.

Mix Wet Ingredients

In a second large bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and slightly frothy, about 30 seconds. Stir in the grated zucchini.

Combine Wet and Dry

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and with a rubber spatula until just combined. Switch from a whisk to a spatula the moment you start adding flour — a whisk encourages overmixing. Fold gently until no dry streaks remain. If you're adding walnuts, chocolate chips, or raisins, fold them in now.

Fill the Pans

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans. Smooth the tops gently.

Pro Tip

The batter will be thick but pourable. If it seems too stiff, that's fine — zucchini bread batter is thicker than cake batter. It all sorts itself out in the oven.

Bake

Bake and Cool

Moderate temperature for a slow, even bake. Two 8x4-inch pans bake more evenly than one large 9x5.

Bake Time: 55-65 minutesOven: 350°F / 175°CInternal Temp: 205°F / 96°C

Step by Step

Bake

Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each loaf comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Start checking at the 50-minute mark. If the tops are browning faster than the centers are cooking, tent loosely with foil.

Cool in Pan

Let the loaves cool in their pans for 15 minutes. This is important — zucchini bread is fragile when hot.

Cool on Rack

Turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely before slicing. At least 45 minutes. I know. The crumb sets as it cools and the spice flavors deepen. Day two is even better than day one — the moisture distributes evenly and the cinnamon really comes forward.

Bake

1:00:00

Cool in Pan

15:00

Cool on Rack

45:00

Baking Methods

The preferred method. Smaller pans bake more evenly and give you a better domed top.

Equipment: Two 8x4-inch loaf pans, parchment paper

Preheat

350°F (175°C).

Fill

Divide batter evenly between pans, smooth tops.

Bake

55-65 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool

15 min in pan, then turn out and cool completely.

Nutrition Facts

Per 1 slice • 20 servings per recipe

Calories208

Carbohydrates28g

Protein3g

Fat10g

Saturated Fat1g

Fiber1g

Sodium185mg

* Values are estimates based on standard ingredients; actual values vary by brands and portion size.

Storage

Room Temperature

2-3 days tightly wrapped — this bread is very moist and will mold faster than drier breads if left uncovered.

Refrigerated

Up to 1 week wrapped tightly. The cold slows the mold and actually firms up the texture nicely.

Frozen

Up to 3 months. Slice, wrap individual slices, freeze. Toast from frozen or thaw overnight.

Refresh

Room temperature or a brief 10 minutes at 300°F (150°C) — both work well.

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Troubleshooting

Baker's Notes

Common questions and solutions for perfect results

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