This easy zucchini bread is a summertime staple! It’s moist, lightly sweet, and packed with fresh zucchini. Made in one bowl, it’s perfect for breakfast, snacking, or sharing.

Overhead view of a sliced loaf of zucchini bread on the counter, arranged in a vertical layout with two fresh zucchini to the side.

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Moist, Easy and Delicious Zucchini Bread

This easy zucchini bread is a cozy, cinnamon-spiced version of our lemon blueberry zucchini bread just as moist and tender but a little less sweet and without the citrus.

Thanks to zucchini’s mild flavor, my kids never even notice it’s there… just like in these zucchini muffins or banana zucchini muffins! The batter mixes up quickly and it makes two loaves, one to enjoy now and then one to freeze for later!

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I LOVE zucchini bread pretty much the only way I will eat zucchini haha. And this recipe is spot on and indeed super easy to make!

Matt

Ingredients

Overhead view of ingredients for zucchini bread arranged on a counter.

Find the full recipe with printable directions.

  • Grated zucchini. One medium zucchini gives you the cup you need. No need to peel it, just grate and squeeze out the extra water so your bread doesn’t turn out soggy.
  • Melted butter. Use unsalted and let it cool slightly before mixing. It gives the bread a rich, tender crumb.
  • Brown sugar and granulated sugar. A half cup of each. The brown sugar brings a little molasses depth, and the white keeps things sweet and balanced.
  • Egg. Just one. It binds everything together and helps the loaf rise.
  • Sour cream. This is the secret to how moist the bread turns out. No sour cream on hand? Greek yogurt or buttermilk both work.
  • Vanilla extract. A teaspoon, for that warm, cozy background flavor.
  • All-purpose flour. A cup and a half. Measure it correctly so the loaf doesn’t come out dense.
  • Baking soda and baking powder. Your two leaveners. Together they give the bread a good rise and soft texture.
  • Cinnamon. A full teaspoon. It’s what makes the whole kitchen smell amazing while it bakes.
  • Kosher salt. Half a teaspoon to round out all the sweetness.
  • Optional add-ins. Toss in a half cup of chocolate chips, raisins, or chopped walnuts if you want a little something extra.

Prepping Your Zucchini

The zucchini is really the only part of this recipe that needs a little prep know-how, so here are the things worth knowing before you start.

Shredded zucchini on paper towel.

There’s no need to peel it. The skin is thin, softens as it bakes, and you won’t even notice it once the bread is done. It’s also full of nutrients, so leaving it on is the better call anyway.

For grating, you’ve got options. A box grater, a food processor, or the grating attachment on your KitchenAid stand mixer all work. I like to use my box grater on the small or medium holes. If you want to avoid any mishaps, here’s how to shred zucchini the right way.

And if you’re working with frozen grated zucchini, that’s fine too. Just thaw it first and squeeze out as much water as you can. Frozen zucchini holds onto a lot of moisture, and if you skip that step your bread can turn out soggy.

How to Make Zucchini Bread

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugars with melted butter. Add the egg, sour cream and vanilla then mix. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt to remove any lumps. Combine wet and dry ingredients.

Zucchini bread batter in a mixing bowl.

Gently fold in your shredded zucchini with any additional add-ins and place in prepared loaf pan.

Unbaked zucchini bread batter spread evenly in a loaf pan, ready to bake.

Bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan before removing to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or cool and enjoy!

Sliced zucchini bread on counter.

Expert Tips

  • I used a medium-sized zucchini and 1 was just enough for 1 cup grated zucchini, although you can use up to 1 1/2 cups. Large zucchini may need to have the seeds removed (which can be bitter) and peeled if the skin appears tough.
  • Room temperature ingredients will combine together better in your zucchini bread batter and are less likely to cause overmixing. Be sure to measure correctly as well!
  • Squeeze out the excess water. Zucchini contains a lot of it, so for maximum flavor, squeeze out the water and pack it in the measuring cup.
  • Swap the sour cream for Greek yogurt or buttermilk, if you’d prefer. If you don’t have any, make your own!
  • Test for doneness with a toothpick: Cooking times may vary so I suggest at 45-50 minutes to test your bread with a toothpick by inserting it into the center of the bread. If it comes out clean, your bread is ready. If batter sticks to the toothpick, add additional cooking time. If your bread browning too quickly on top, cover with foil.

Add-Ins

  • Add in some raisins or dried cranberries for added texture and sweetness. Slivered almonds or walnuts would also add a nice crunch.
  • Chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips are a fun zucchini bread addition that is make this loaf suitable for dessert.
  • Add some fresh blueberries for a burst of juicy taste.
  • Make my zucchini banana bread recipe that combines two favorite quick breads in one!
Close-up of a slice of zucchini bread with butter spread on it.

Love quick bread recipes? Make this banana nut bread, pumpkin bread or this easy banana bread!

More Zucchini Recipes

Overhead view of a sliced loaf of zucchini bread on the counter, arranged in a vertical layout.

Easy Zucchini Bread

5 from 9 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Cool Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12
This easy zucchini bread is a moist and flavorful quick bread recipe that takes only 10 minutes to make in one bowl! A slice of this bread is a family favorite.
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Video

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup grated zucchini *see note
  • ½ cup unsalted butter , melted and slightly cooled
  • ½ cup light brown sugar , packed
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Optional: 1/2 cup chocolate chips, raisins, or chopped walnuts

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 8×4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Place 1 cup grated zucchini in a cheesecloth or a paper towel. Squeeze out as much water as possible.
  • In a large bowl, mix 1/2 cup melted butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Mix in one egg, 1/2 cup sour cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until combined.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until combined (it will be a thicker batter). Fold in the zucchini and chocolate chips, raisins, or walnuts, if using. Spread evenly in the loaf pan.
  • Bake 50 minutes, or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If browning too quickly, top with a piece of foil. Let cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to cool.
  • Slice into 1/2-inch slices. Serve while warm or cool.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Storage: Store leftover bread in a container at room temperature up to 3 days or in the refrigerator up to 1 week. 
Freezer instructions: This bread freezes well up to 3 months. Let it completely cool down before freezing. Wrap with plastic wrap or place in a zip-top bag (removing all air). Let thaw on the counter overnight.

Nutrition

Calories: 220kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 41mg, Sodium: 202mg, Potassium: 94mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 340IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 35mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.