When life gives you too many zucchini, you make zucchini bread. To keep things interesting, I've collected a bunch of different flavored zucchini bread recipes. Try a light and bright lemon poppy seed loaf in the middle of summer, a gingerbread flavored version when the weather turns cold, or a coffee cake inspired quick bread with a cup of coffee.
Zucchini season can get crazy, so if you want a break from zucchini bread, try using it in other baked good recipes. Shredded zucchini works well in muffins and cakes as well as cookies, brownies, and donuts. I've included all sorts of recipes for these at the bottom of this article.
My biggest piece of advice to successfully bake with shredded zucchini, is to check the internal temperature. Zucchini bread is done when the center reaches 200 - 205°F (93°C - 96°C).
How to use zucchini in quick breads
Using zucchini in quick breads (and other baked goods) is similar in concept to using carrots in carrot cake or muffins. In fact, I've included a recipe for carrot zuccchini bread.
There's no need to peel zucchini before shredding it. In fact, the skin adds pretty green (or yellow) flecks throughout the bread. If your zucchini are extra large, you'll need to remove the seeds, while smaller zucchini are just fine without that step.
Shredded zucchini can be pretty watery. Some recipes are designed to use that extra liquid as they've cut down on other added liquids. Other recipes specifically require you to squeeze out the extra water.
The best way to squeeze excess water from zucchini according to the tests done at The Kitchn is with a cheese cloth or nut milk bag (if you have those around, which I know I don't). I've also found that reusable bamboo "paper" towels work really well for this. And when I have nothing else, a clean kitchen towel is a good option (I like the thinner flour sack or tea towels).
Cook zucchini breads to 200-205°F
When I first started cooking quick breads, the results were all over the place. Anytime I ended up with a soggy or gummy interior, I'd compensate by overcooking the next one. I never seemed to accurately interpret the toothpick test!
Zucchini breads can easily suffer the same fate. The batter can end up with more liquid than the original recipe author tested because it's hard to control how watery any given zucchini will be. A watery batter can take 10 or even 20 minutes longer to cook and dry out.
To avoid a soggy zucchini bread, check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer. Quick breads are done when the center reaches 200 - 205°F (93°C - 96°C).
Internal temperatures for other baked goods
The Thermoworks blog has internal cooking temperatures for different types of baked goods including cookies, cakes and muffins. They also explain a little bit about the science behind how the composition of each type of recipe affects the final internal temperature goal.
- Zucchini bread, muffins, cornbread, and scones: 200 - 205°F (93°C - 96°C)
- Cakes and cupcakes: 200 - 209°F (93°C - 98°C)
- Cookies: 180°F (82°C)
Once you start checking your baked goods with a thermometer, you'll never go back. It's the best way to get a perfectly cooked cake or fudgy brownies. As a side note, I now cook boxed brownie mixes (yes, I still use them sometimes) for about ⅔rd of the time listed on the box - which is how long it takes to reach 180°F. At that temperature, they have a fudgy center instead of the overcooked bars I'd get by following the lengthy cooking times.
I have the Thermoworks Thermapen, which is pricey but I love it. For other price points, you can find instant read thermometers on Amazon (that's an affiliate link and I want to be up front that I haven't tried any of these specific products).
Classic zucchini bread recipe
After baking through a few dozen zucchini, I landed on my favorite classic zucchini bread recipe. It's pretty easy to make and you don't even need to squeeze excess water from the shredded zucchini.
In the recipe, I share different mix-in options (like chocolate chips, raisins, or walnuts). I've also included instructions on how to make them into mini zucchini breads (amount of batter per tin and baking times).
Lemon zucchini bread recipes
If you love a classic lemon poppy seed muffin, try this zucchini bread instead. The texture is light and fluffy, promising not to be too dense or oily like some quick breads. The ingredients are all pantry staples.
The glaze is thick enough to sit on top of the bread without soaking in. Sue, the author, provides a few helpful tips to get the consistency just right as well as a pretty presentation. (That's especially helpful if you are gifting this loaf!)
It's another 5 star recipe from over 100 votes, and one of my personal favorite bloggers. She uses seasonal ingredients with a lot of interesting recipes that always deliver as promised.
This lemon zucchini bread uses lemon extract which creates a very lemony flavor. When you're just using lemon juice and zest, it can be hard to get an impactful flavor.
However, if you don't have lemon extract on hand (or don't want to buy it), try replacing it with 2 teaspoon of lemon zest. The lemon flavor likely won't be as pronounced, however.
For another variation, add blueberries and buttermilk for a flavor similar to a bakery muffin. This recipe uses pantry staples as long as you have buttermilk on hand. I actually keep powdered buttermilk around for instances like this - it lasts for a long time in the fridge and you just add water. You can usually find it in the baking aisle of the grocery store in a little tub that looks like a tub of frosting.
Chocolate zucchini bread recipes
Get your chocolate fix with a zucchini bread so you can feel a little healthy at the same time. I love baking with chocolate and over time have become a slight chocolate snob, preferring high quality dark chocolate in almost everything.
I really like King Arthur's triple cocoa blend (you can buy it here on Amazon, which is an affiliate link). I'm also a fan of Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips or just cutting up a dark chocolate bar into little bite sized pieces. If you are new to making zucchini breads, I would skip expensive chocolate just in case it doesn't turn out.
I have three recipes for you to choose from that are just slightly different.
The recipe from Ask Chef Dennis has a 5-star rating from 45+ reviews, so it seems pretty legit. (I plan to bake both of these this summer and report back). This recipe uses twice the amount of eggs, which will result in a richer bread with more moisture.
Chef Dennis' recipe also uses more cocoa powder and twice the amount of chocolate chips. It's sweetened with brown sugar only (no white sugar).
The other chocolate recipe is from Saving Room for Dessert. It's already scaled as a double batch. It uses butter as the only fat and incorporates both white and brown sugar.
For a less intense chocolate zucchini bread, just add chocolate chips. Another recipe relying on pantry staples - this is an easy recipe to whip up with what you have on hand. One commenter suggested using mini chocolate chips for an even denser distribution of chocolate chips, while another person said they'd only use half of the amount. The choice is yours.
Carrot-zucchini bread with cream cheese frosting
Mix shredded carrots with shredded zucchini for a quick bread that's reminiscent of a carrot cake. Add a cream cheese frosting for the final touch.
Jaclyn, the recipe author, describes this recipe as "a little bit denser than a carrot cake and not quite as sweet, but it tastes just as incredible. This bread has such a soft and moist crumb thanks to all the moisture from the shredded carrots and zucchini."
The ingredients are all pantry staples, assuming you have some apple sauce around for the batter and some cream cheese for the frosting.
Or turn it into a layer cake, using the instructions from this carrot cake recipe with cream cheese frosting.
Nutty breads
Zucchini adds a very subtle flavor to quick breads, so any type of nut can be easily incorporated.
The walnut version from Love & Lemons uses cinnamon and a whole cup of healthy walnuts, plus even more for topping. Another 5-star recipe that uses pantry staples. I think you could also use pecans or almonds instead (in my opinion), if that's what you have on hand or prefer.
On the other hand, the cardamom-pistachio zucchini bread should be made as instructed. Those are very distinct flavors that won't substitute as well. The ingredient list includes a few things you might not normally have on hand: coconut oil, crushed pineapple, and cardamom. This is definitely a recipe worth trying.
Using oats & raisins
I'm grouping two recipes together because I really want to combine them into one recipe that tastes like an oatmeal raisin cookie!
The first recipe turns rolled oats into an oat flour and is generally lower calorie. It doesn't use oil or butter, relying entirely on eggs for fat and structure. The recipe also calls for maple syrup instead of sugar, which I expect gives it a wonderful flavor.
The second recipe includes an entire cup of raisins for a very raisin-y zucchini bread. This summer, I'll play around with the first oat-based recipe, keeping some of the rolled oats whole, add in raisins, and maybe top it with a glaze to resemble a glazed oatmeal raising cookie.
Tropical summer zucchini breads
If you're headed out to a picnic or a backyard summer barbecue, be on theme and bring one of these tropical zucchini breads.
The coconut lime loaf is subtly flavored until the glaze is added. The batter uses lime zest and coconut oil. Coconut oil adds only a hint of flavor - so don't rely solely on it for the coconut flavor. The author says you can substitute vegetable oil if you don't have coconut oil on hand.
The lime glaze packs a bright, acidic punch, perfect for summer. The quick bread is then topped with toasted sweetened coconut. The end result is a tropical loaf perfect for sharing on a hot summer day.
Pineapple makes for another summery zucchini bread. This recipe uses 1 cup of canned crushed pineapple, but fresh pineapple can be substituted. The author said canned pineapple results in a slightly sweeter, more intensely flavor bread.
Fall flavored quick breads
Zucchini are in season through October, a perfect opportunity to embrace fall flavors. As the weather cools, try a zucchini bread recipe flavored with apples, pumpkin, or gingerbread. All of these recipes would be perfect with a morning cup of coffee or an evening decaf.
Start off the autumn season by combining apple picking with apple pie spices in a quick bread. This recipe uses pantry staples along with granny smith apples.
I baked through dozens of apple varieties to find the best apples for pie, and similar results apply to baked goods. Look for a tart apple that will hold it's shape - Jonathan are a favorite of mine.
Pumpkin spice is another classic fall flavor that is turned into a zucchini bread. This recipe uses canned pumpkin puree along with cinnamon and other pantry staples. Topped with a cream cheese glaze, this bread will be irresistible.
Lastly, try making a gingerbread flavored loaf for a stand out treat. This recipe uses brown sugar, molasses, ground ginger, cinnamon and cloves to create that classic gingerbread flavor. Top it with a dusting of powdered sugar for a professional looking loaf, perfect for gifting.
The bread can also be frozen and saved for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or other winter holidays.
Zucchini bread goes bananas
A mashup of two classics makes for another great zucchini bread. A typical banana bread uses 3-4 bananas, but this recipe only uses one otherwise it would turn out too dense or mushy when combined with the shredded zucchini.
The texture of this quick bread is going to be more on the dense and chew side instead of the light and fluffy side.
Coffee cake zucchini bread
Take the ease of a quick bread and the flavor of a coffee cake and you might have a new favorite way to use up your zucchini. This recipe uses only 1 cup of shredded zucchini whereas other recipes use 1.5 - 2 cups. The lower amount of zucchini helps make this bread lighter and fluffier so it more closely mimics the texture of a coffee cake.
A cinnamon brown sugar filling is layered in the middle, followed by a cinnamon brown sugar crumble on top. This really is a coffee cake in zucchini bread form. This recipe is at the top of my list to try this next summer - I can't wait to try it.
Don't discard sourdough
The last zucchini bread recipe that caught my interest was this one with a sourdough twist - it's a sweet (not savory) recipe. Not surprisingly, the author created it during the sourdough baking craze in the pandemic.
This recipe is more than just a clever way to use sourdough, it's full of flavor and includes crystallized ginger, which I love to use! Brandon, the author, also coats the pan in demerara or raw sugar which I imagine creates a sweet crust.
Muffin recipes
Most zucchini bread recipes can be adapted into muffins without changing the batter. Usually, you just have to reduce the cooking time. In case you want a recipe specifically developed for muffins - I've got you!
Zucchini cake & cupcake recipes
Cakes and cupcakes will often be lighter and fluffier than zucchini breads. All of these recipes look irresistible - good luck picking just one!
Cookies, bars, and donuts!
Last, but certainly not least, shredded zucchini can be incorporated into cookies, bars, brownies, and even donuts. I've gathered a bunch of recipes worth trying out this summer when you're overrun with zucchini.
Savory baked goods
Zucchini works great in savory baked goods too - try it in cornbread, biscuits, or savory scones.
More recipes
Are you trying to use up a bunch of zucchini once? Every summer my counter ends up stacked with zucchini when the plants produce like crazy. I had over 20 pounds of zucchini to cook through before they went bad so I figured out efficient ways to use them up.
Zucchini bread almost always uses just 1 zucchini, so you need to get serious if you want to use up a bunch at once. I managed to use over 10 pounds in just 2 hours of cooking soup. Check out 5 ways to use up a lot of zucchini at once and my 5 favorite zucchini soup recipes.
If you have overgrown zucchini, giant zucchini, they can be used in most things, as long as you remove the seeds and remove excess moisture. Get more details on how to use large zucchini.
Leave a Reply