My dog, Cookie, is wild for zucchini. Also cauliflower, broccoli, kale, and cabbage. You could say that my pup has a healthy appetite. This morning, I left a slice of zucchini bread on my desk where I thought she couldn’t reach. Then I heard some scuffling, followed by some gobbling. She swiped that slice of bread and ate half before I could grab it.
This dog is my soulmate, I tell you. I captured it on video, if you’d like to see it. That was all to say that this zucchini bread recipe is Cookie and Kate approved. It’s fluffy and moist, lightly spiced, and full of confetti-like green flecks of zucchini.
If you’ve enjoyed zucchini bread before, let me point out a few differences between my recipe and the standard recipes. Here are five reasons to love this healthier zucchini bread:
- I used one-half cup honey (or maple syrup) instead a full cup of white sugar. It’s not overtly sweet, but you could add another drizzle of honey or maple sweetener to individual slices, if desired.
- I also used white whole wheat flour instead of refined flour, so this bread is made with 100 percent whole grains.
- I used coconut oil instead of butter, which means this bread is easily made without any dairy at all.
- Most zucchini bread recipes call for one cup of grated zucchini, but I liked mine better with one-and-a-half cups. Even then, I can’t say there’s a pronounced zucchini flavor to it, because zucchini doesn’t have a ton of flavor in itself.
- It’s easily made vegan and/or gluten-free, too—just check my recipe notes.
Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments! Your feedback is so important to me.
If you love this zucchini bread, you’ll also enjoy my banana bread, apple muffins, carrot muffins or banana muffins, you’re going to love this one. Don’t miss the maple-sweetened blueberry muffins in my cookbook!
Watch How to Make Zucchini Bread
Healthy Zucchini Bread
- Author:
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 55 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Category: Baked good
- Method: By hand
- Cuisine: American
This fluffy zucchini bread recipe is made healthier with whole grains, honey (or maple syrup) and coconut oil instead of butter. It is easily made vegan and/or gluten free (see notes). Recipe yields 1 loaf.
Ingredients
- Optional: ¾ cup roughly chopped raw walnuts or pecans
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil*
- ½ cup honey or maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup milk of choice or water
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon + more to swirl on top
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ cups grated zucchini (you’ll need 1 small-to-medium zucchini, about 7 ounces—gently squeeze out excess moisture over the sink before stirring it into the batter)
- 1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 9” x 5” loaf pan to prevent the bread from sticking. If you’ll be toasting the nuts, line a small, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Toast the nuts: Once the oven has finished preheating, pour the chopped nuts onto your prepared baking sheet. Bake until the nuts are fragrant and toasted, about 5 minutes, stirring halfway.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the coconut oil and honey. Beat them with a whisk until they are combined. Add the eggs and beat well. (If your coconut oil solidifies on contact with cold ingredients, simply let the bowl rest in a warm place for a few minutes, like on top of your stove, or warm it for about 20 seconds in the microwave.)
- Add the milk, baking soda, cinnamon, vanilla, salt and nutmeg, and whisk to blend. Switch to a big spoon and stir in the zucchini (be sure to squeeze excess moisture out of the zucchini first). Add the flour and stir just until combined. Some lumps are ok! Gently fold in the toasted nuts now, if using.
- Pour the batter into your greased loaf pan and sprinkle lightly with additional cinnamon. If you’d like a pretty swirled effect, run the tip of a knife across the batter in a zig-zag pattern.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the center of the loaf springs back to the touch. Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack. Use a serrated knife to cut individual slices.
- This bread is moist, so it will keep for just 2 to 3 days at room temperature. Store it in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months or so. I like to slice the bread before freezing and defrost individual slices, either by lightly toasting them or defrosting them in the microwave.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my banana bread and carrot muffins, with reference to Once Upon a Chef and All Recipes.
*A note on oils: I love coconut oil here. I used unrefined coconut oil and can hardly taste it in the final product. Olive oil will lend an herbal note to the bread, if you’re into that. Vegetable oil has a neutral flavor, but the average vegetable/canola oil is highly processed, so I recommend using cold-pressed sunflower oil or grapeseed oil if possible.
Change it up: Use chocolate chips or small/chopped dried fruit instead of the nuts.
Make muffins: Follow this recipe!
Make it vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey, replace the eggs with flax eggs and choose non-dairy milk (I used almond milk) or water.
Make it dairy free: Choose non-dairy milk (I used almond milk) or water.
Make it egg free: Replace the eggs with flax eggs.
Make it gluten free: I haven’t tried myself, but I have heard from a reader that Bob’s Red Mill’s all-purpose gluten-free mix worked well here.
Make it nut free: Just omit the nuts, and don’t use nut milk.
Make it lower in fat: I would argue that this bread contains a healthy amount of fat, but you can replace the oil with applesauce if you’re following a low-fat diet.
If you love this recipe: You will also love my pumpkin bread, banana muffins and pumpkin muffins and banana nut scones!
Recommended equipment: I am totally in love with my Fiesta Loaf Pan in turquoise (affiliate link).
▸ Nutrition Information
Marie
I thought this recipe was very tasty. Can you send me the nutritional information because I am on Weight Watchers. Many thanks!
Kate
Hi Marie! The nutritional information is below the notes section of the recipe. You just need to click to expand.
Sarah
It didn’t show when I was viewing your post through my Pinterest app
Sarah
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 slice
Serves 10
Amount Per Serving
Calories 262
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14.5g 22%
Saturated Fat 2g
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 5.5g
Monounsaturated Fat 6.3g 0%
Cholesterol 37.2mg 12%
Sodium 262.8mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 30.8g 10%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Sugars 14.4g
Protein 5.6g 11%
Mateo Pedersen
I just made the classic zucchini bread and I am so happy to say it was the easiest and the most moist bread i have ever made. It really was so good. Thank you for sharing it with me. I am throwing away my old recipe that i used to use.
Thanks.
https://www.betacalendars.com/
Maggie
Dear Kate;
I love your recipes, today, however I tried to double your zucchini bread recipe and added chocolate chips, I had to cook it for an hour and 1/2 as it was so watery. I let it sit for an hour and it was a bowl of jello in texture so had to throw it away. I wonder what I could have done to improve on it being too moist.
Thank you,
Jean
I mix 1T of the sweetener with the zucchini in a colander, top it with a SEALED gallon ziplock filled with water and let it sit for 30 minutes or longer to drain the water from the zucchini. The sweetener helps draw the water out of the zucchini.
Now I never have soggy zucchini bread!
Liu
Dear Kate,
I’m not sure, but I think there is one mistake in the recipe. It says you need 1/2 cup of water or milk. However, with this amount the batter is too watery, as some readers have complained. I have made your other breads with the same base ingredients and their quantities (banana bread, pumpkin bread, carrot cake). I noticed that all these recipes call for only 1/4 of water. I just baked this bread using half the amount of water as specified, e.i. 1/4 cups, and got great results. The bread was done in no longer than 55 minutes.
Let me know if there is actually a mistake or I am inventing my own recipes here :)
Hilary
I’ve made many versions of healthy quick breads, but this one was just b a d. Triple checked my recipe and checked again after i tasted it, and I followed it correctly. The texture was too gooey for me, even tho it was completely cooked through (and I had drained my zucchini ornament access moisture as well). Bummer.
Melissa Glazer
This bread is sooooo good! Moist and delicious. My husband and I loved it! Thank you for this excellent recipe!!
Note: I replaced half the oil with applesauce and it turned out just PERFECT :)
Kate
Great to hear! I’m glad to hear an applesauce substitution works well. Thanks for the review!
Susan West
I plan n making this recipe and the pumpkin recipe. Since we are also watching our sodium and sugar intake, I would also like to see the nutrition info on these two recipes.
Finally recipes for two veggies that I have plenty of! Thank you.
Kate
Hi Susan! The nutrition information can be found under the recipe notes. Just need to click to expand. I hope this helps!
Marni A Delparte
Nice lightly sweet loaf that turned out very moist. Next time I might try adding a few dark chocolate chips/chunks.
Kate
Thank you for letting me know your experience, Marni!
Karen G
I had some yellow summer squash from a co-worker and I used that to make this recipe. It turned out great. Not too sweet, but just enough.
Thanks, I now have many individually wrapped snacks for when I want baked goods. Love it and cannot wait to try your other recipes.
Kate
You’re welcome! Be sure to report back when you try other recipes, Karen. I love to hear about your experience.
Sara
Hi!
If I wanted to make this into a “cake” (as a healthy version of a cake smash for my daughter’s first birthday) can you recommend a pan size and/or time difference on cooking?
Kate
Hi Sara, so sorry that I missed your question earlier, and I’m afraid I’m too late for the party! But you can turn this into a cake if you bake it in a 9″ square pan. I’m not entirely sure on timing but I would suggest using this recipe as guidance.
An
Mmmmm!
Mmmmmm!
Mmmmmmm!
I followed the recipe as is except used one large egg and one flax egg and 1.75 cups of zucchini. In my oven, it needed about 12 extra minutes of cooking, but cooked thoroughly without over cooking the top. Wow, we loved this recipe. My nutrition app gave this recipe an “A”! Thank you for sharing!
Kate
An A! I will take it. Thanks, An!
Mariann DaSilva
This recipe was awful. No flavor, the honey doesn’t show through, and the recipe should have explicitly mentioned too design the zucchini of all juices. I’ve been baking the heck out of this bread and it’s still gummy in the middle.
Kate
I’m sorry to hear you had a poor experience with this recipe!
Katie
Can I use un-sweetened vanilla almond milk? If so, does that change the ratio of how much syrup/honey I should put in or less vanilla extract?
Kate
You can use that if you like. I’m not sure how strong the vanilla flavor is in your almond milk, but you could consider reducing the vanilla. I would keep the maple syrup as it’s unsweetened milk and it helps some with the moisture. Hope this helps!
Amy
You are my go-to food blogger! This was so yummy(I’ve made pumpkin and banana bread with your recipes and they were great as well) I cut the honey down a tiny bit because I am feeding it to my toddlers but my husband and I like the amount you set.
Kate
Well thank you, Amy! :) You’re so sweet! Thank you for sharing and for your review.
Carolyn
I never leave comments but feel compelled to for this recipe. It’s excellent! It also holds up very well. I froze it and sliced off pieces for a whole week for my snack at work. It smells amazing and all of the nuts make it even better. When I made it I ran out of whole wheat flour and had to use mostly white, but I am excited to make it again with just whole wheat. I searched the internet and this one is by far the easiest and healthiest combination. Thank you!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Carolyn! I really appreciate the review.
Regina A. Ryan
This recipe is terrific. So moist and tasty!!! I used about 1-1/2 cups of shredded zucchini, whole wheat flour, and coconut oil.
Kate
Thank you, Regina!
Debra
Hah, found your recipe for the zucchini bread. Thanks again!!
Kate
Let me know what you think of this one too, Debra!
jessica woodall
This recipe worked great for us. We used olive oil, 1/4 c sugar free honey and 1/4 c sugar free maple syrup so it didn’t taste too much like either, and regular whole wheat flour. Our diabetic neighbors loved it and so did we.
Kate
Great to hear, Jessica!
Janet
Not good. The bread turned out gummy and even with extra baking time the bread was still uncooked.
Vibeke
Have wanted to make this for some time. Finally got to it during the holidays. Made it with coconut oil. Was in the oven for 1.5 hours and still a bit under done seeming but I took it out anyway. An hours rest and it was tasty and popular with everyone. 6 hours after coming out of the oven it is delicious, the outside a little crusty and the inside super moist. Definitely making this again!!! Thank you for the fantastic recipe.
Kate
You’re welcome!
Alex
So, the bread’s in the oven right now! I’m so excited to try it, but I did make some changes to the recipe. I used virgin, cold-pressed, organic coconut oil, raw, unfiltered honey, raw, organic pepitas (nut allergy!), 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon; added freshly grated nutmeg (about a tsp.) ground cardamom, ground ginger, cloves, and I replaced the 2 tsp. of vanilla extract with lemon extract to brighten up the whole loaf due to my own love of spices LOL! Finally, I added a total of 3/4 cups mix-ins: 1/4 + 1/8 cup each of dried, organic, unsweetened, unsulfured dried pineapple and organic, unsweetened shredded coconut. I also upped the overall baking time to 75 minutes b/c of the mix-ins, but I’ll be testing at 60 minutes to make sure everything’s okay. I can’t wait to try your wonderful recipe, Kate! Thank you so much for it!
Kate
What did you think, Alex?!
Alex
It was absolutely delicious! The whole loaf was gone within a day; in fact, I only got one slice of it! I did end up baking it for the whole 75 minutes (I forgot to check at 55 and see how it was progressing), and it was drier than I had thought it would be given the abundance of mix-ins and rather old baking soda that didn’t allow for much rise, however, that didn’t take away at all from the flavor one bit. Thank you for such an amazing recipe that was an absolute joy to make and eat, Kate!
Rachel
Pretty annoyed that I followed this recipe to the dot measuring the exact ingredients this recipe asked for and the bread came out with a very strong offputting baking soda and overwhelming vanilla smell.. the recipe asked for too much baking soda .. should have put half . The bread was able to rise perfectly but it tasted so bad
Won’t want to attempt to make this version from your recipe again unless I alter some of the ingredients
SE
The same thing happened to me! I cut into it while it was still warm and was taken aback by an ammonia smell. I had never experienced that before so I looked it up, and it seems due to baking soda. So strange. The smell did get better as it cooled and I tried a piece, but I couldn’t get over the initial noxious aroma and the cake didn’t have a good taste or texture, unfortunately.
Anita
Tried this recipe worked very well. I am not too fond of coconut oil so used olive instead . Added some ground linseed also. Turns out very well.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Anita!
Daniel
I like it! I almost didn’t make it after seeing some of the negative comments, but I’m glad I didn’t listen. I used fresh picked zucchinis and olive oil, and served with some mascarpone.
Kate
I’m glad you made it anyway and loved it!
Julie
What a lovely recipe! Omitted nuts due to allergies, used chocolate chips, coconut oil, maple syrup and whole milk. Came out divine!!
Kate
Great to hear, Julie!
Susan
I followed the recipe exact and after 1.5 hours in the oven, my knife is coming out with batter on it. I don’t know if I should just leave it for longer or if I should just get it out…
Kate
Susan, that’s very strange! I hope it turned out ok. You might want to invest in an oven thermometer to verify that your oven is working properly. Other culprits could be forgetting to use leavener or mixing them up (using baking powder instead of baking soda, in this case).
Arin
I doubled the recipe (my loaf pan is 12×4.5) and still ended up cooking for 55 minutes. The texture came out perfect (I did squeeze the zucchini out), the flavor is missing something though… it’s good and we will definitely eat it because it’s so healthy and I will make this again but might add raisins or cut apples
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Arin!
Karen
Would it be as easy as adding cocoa to make it chocolate flavoured?
Kate
I believe some have tried that and it’s worked nicely for them.
Sarah
Make sure it isn’t Dutch cocoa, it might not rise properly!
Deedee
Hi. I was very interested in this recipe. I did read through the comments and noticed your comment on where to find the nutritional information. Unfortunately when I click the nutrition information….theres nothing there. Is there any way I can get this information in your reply? Thank you.
Kate
Hi Deedee! It’s showing for me. Make sure you have cookies enabled in your browser as this is a plug-in. I hope this helps!
Rhonda
I made this recently and it is perfect ,cooked for 55minutes in a fan forced oven.I put sunflower kernels on the top and did add some turmeric to the mix.It also toasts very well .Love this recipe will definitely make again .Going to try your banana muffins now.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Rhonda!
Toshi
It turned out Soooo good!! I used spelt flour, reduced maple syrup to 1/3 cup and used dark chocolate chips instead of nuts. I really love your baking recipes. I’ll make your squash muffin next time:)
Kate
Thanks for sharing!
Chelsea
Stellar recipe! Turned out perfect. I added some dried currants instead of nuts, and they do a good job at fooling my brain thinking they’re chocolate chips
Kate
Thanks, Chelsea!
Britt Kwan
Loved this lighter version. I ate this all growing up but it was full of canola oil and sugar. I made this with the EVOO and maple syrup options. Since I live at a higher elevation, I added an extra egg and bumped the temp up to 350. Came out like a dream!
Kate
Thank you for sharing!
Leeanne
I made this marvelous recipe twice and both times it was great !
I used maple syrup and honey equal amounts , almond milk , avocado oil , 2 cups of the zucchini . ( squeezing out the water I feel is very important). Dusted the loaves with brown sugar .Wonderful!
Kate
Thank you, Leeanne!
Cheryl
Just waiting to taste it.
I too used equal amounts of raw honey and maple syrup. A little, (1TBS) brown sugar, almond milk and coconut oil. Also used 1 cup flour and 3/4 cup almond flour. Waiting for it to come out of the oven.
Abby
OMG!!!!
I just did made this earlier this evening and it is incredible!! I’ve struggled to nail down a good zucchini bread recipe that doesn’t turn out a watery mess and this one has finally answered my prayers. It came out perfectly moist, sweet, and delicious! If you’ve struggled with baking zucchini bread, look no further than this recipe. It will surely beat your fear and get you baking zucchini bread regularly.
Thank you so much Kate! I’ve always loved your recipes (your banana bread is my go-to), so I’m super glad to add this to the pile of my favorites!!
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you loved it, Abby!
sandra echeverri
I made this recipe today and I really liked it. So did hubby and son. I will definitely make this again. Son is requesting zucchini muffins for next time.
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Sandra! Thanks for your review.
Tina-Marie
I made this for my son’s 20th birthday to replace a sugar-filled cake. He and his co-workers LOVED this recipe! He said I need to make this once a week. Guess who’s getting a baking lesson for his b-day!
Kate
Happy birthday to your son! How fun, Tina. Thanks for your review!
Lynda
Hi Kate, I just made this recipe and I love it. I substituted unsweetened applesauce for coconut oil or extra-virgin oil. I used the honey and it had just the right moisture. I do have a question. I lost 70lbs about 5 years ago and have only gained back a few pounds. But I am always on the alert for more low calorie ingredients. Honey and maple syrup are very high in calories. Do you suppose I could substitute Stevia for either of these ingredients?
Kate
Hi Lynda! I’m happy you love this recipe. Personally, I don’t look at the calories but the quality of whole foods I’m consuming. Naturally sweeteners, like honey and maple syrup, don’t seem to impact me like other sugars do. I personally don’t cook with Stevia and others for that reason. But I believe it can work, if you need something different. I hope that makes sense!
Michael Gee
I have used Stevia in this recipe with no issues and good flavor.
Lynda
thank you Michael I appreciate that good to know do I have to do all this I don’t know
lynda
Me again Kate, I just tried the Nutritional Ingredients info. with my pop up blocker off and this is the only thing that showed up…no other info.
“The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.”
Kate
Hi Lynda, I’m sorry you are having issues. I’m not sure what is happening, but I’m looking into it. I appreciate your patience and understanding!
Sarah Dymond
I REALLY wanted this recipe to work out well! The ingredients are clean and I was looking forward to feeding my kids it for breakfast/snack. However, mine came out like a sponge cake, even after baking for an extra 15 min. I squeezed out the water from zucchini too. :(
Michael Gee
I tried this and this is the best Zucchini bread I have ever had. I love the use of Coconut oil and honey for a healthier loaf. The bread is moist and the taste and texture fantastic. Good job!!
Kate
Thank you, Michael!
Elizabeth
Can I use almond flour instead?
Kate
Unfortunately, almond flour isn’t a good substitute. If you are looking to make these gluten free, I recommend Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour.
Carie Losinski
I would leave a pic if I could but the bread was all gone! This recipe is great! I love the fact that I’m getting more zucchini in it and less sugar. My kids gobbled it up. Plan on making a lot more as the zucchini’s from the garden are like baseball bats. Thank you so much!
Kate
You’re welcome, Carie!
Jordan
I love your banana bread recipe and was thrilled to find the zucchini bread recipe! I substituted coconut oil with avocado oil (too lazy to melt!) and the whole wheat flour with 1 cup oat flour, 1/2 cup almond flour, and 1/4 cup coconut flour. I thought the coconut flour might “soak up” some of the moisture, but I’m not that scientific :) What I do know is that it came out AWESOME and I can’t wait to have a slice with my coffee in the morning.
Kate
Thanks for sharing your variations, Jordan!
Maria Moseley
I poured the batter into the loaf pan, and then I remembered that I never measured the vanilla. I know, I should set all my ingredients out before I mix them. Since vanilla is just a flavoring, I’m hoping I won’t miss it. Especially since I used 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp each allspice, cloves & nutmeg. I was more interested in spice than nice. I’m hoping this will be good–I tried one with 3/4 cup Demerara sugar earlier this week, and that one was plenty sweet for everyone. So if 1/2 cup maple syrup works, I’ll be so happy!!
Kate
What did you think? I hope it turned out!
Maria.M.
Almost a year later–sorry! We all loved it with the maple syrup!
Kristin Bramblett
Hi Kate,
I made this yesterday with some modifications and it was delicious!
1. I didn’t have a loaf pan so I used a 9″ square pan and kept a close eye on it, 35 min seemed to do it at the same 325 temp.
2. Sub ground Flaxseed meal& H2O for eggs.
3. Used handful random trail mix I had instead of walnuts.
4. Increased to 2 cups zucchini. – I was using leftover zucchini I had sliced from making veggie cannelloni so it may have dried out some already.
5. Instead of the wheat flour, I used 1 cup finely ground oats (easy in the food processor) and 3/4 cup chickpea flour.
6. Added half scoop protein powder at the last minute, might have made it a little denser but hardly noticeable since it tasted so good!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Kristin! I appreciate you sharing your variation.
Alana
Love this recipe! I have celiac disease so I used a gluten free flour blend to replace the whole wheat flour and it worked perfectly! Used it for sandwich bread because I hate gluten free bread. We took the sandwiches on our hike and they were delicious. Thanks for the recipes!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Alana! I’m happy it worked gluten free for you.
LEANN R
Has anyone tried this using flax cooking oil?
LEANN R
replying to my own comment! I did make it with flax oil and it was wonderful. I otherwise followed the recipe. My family loved this bread. I baked it about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Even my husband who we lovingly refer to as the “Sugar King” loved this. I live in central Illinois for reference. Maybe the region where you live affects baking time/quality.
Kate
That sounds interesting!
Leea
Just made this and it was sooooo yummy! I Put the shredded zucchini in a tea towel then rolled it up and SQUEEZED! (I probably squeezed at least a 1/3cup + of water out!). It came out perfect and both my 3yo son and husband devoured it! I also felt good I gave them something healthy that they loved!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Leea!
Zoe
Made this yesterday with olive oil and maple syrup. Came out perfectly baked and just a touch sweet. Can’t wait to eat it for breakfast this week toasted with a slab of peanut butter :)
Kate
That sounds amazing, Zoe! Thank you for sharing.
Erica
YUM. I made this in my bread maker on the “quick bread” setting and it came out great. I tried something new, I threw in a handful of steel cut oats and it gave nice chewy toothsome bits to the bread.
Thank you for this recipe! The highest rated one on all recipes (7k+ reviews) has a staggering 1 cup of oil and 2.5 cups of sugar. This is such a nice departure from that.
Kate
Thank you, Erica!
Lauren
I second Cookie’s opinion and so does my son! I took your advice and drain my zucchini. I was surprised at the amount of liquid that came out, so I’m glad I did.
I’m really happy to find a good recipe and only calls for 1/2 c. of honey for a sweetener. I looked up a number of recipes and most called for two cups of sugar. I also like the other healthy alternates; coconut oil instead of vegetable oil and white whole wheat flour instead of white.
I noticed someone else adding a few things to their recipe below, and I may experiment a little next time. Are there any special considerations for doubling the recipe to use in a Bundt pan?
Kate
Thank you for sharing! I suggest taking other reader suggestions. Play around as you see fit! :)
Barb
Love this recipe. Thank you! Also good with a few chocolate chips instead on nuts. :)
Kate
Chocolate it a wonderful option, too!
Iowa girl
This recipe is a great alternative to the tradition zucchini bread that mom used to make.
Kate
I hope you like it!
Robin
Love this recipe as a base for a great zucchini bread!
I made these into muffins (bake time was about 20 minutes). I also made them with applesauce instead of honey and to switch up the seasoning I omitted the current seasonings (vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, nuts) and added lemon zest and rosemary (1T lemon zest, 2T minced rosemary), topped with a little extra rosemary and coarse salt.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Robin! I appreciate your review.
Rachael
Can you replace the oil with mashed banana instead of applesauce? Or possibly come out with a zucchini banana bread recipe that would be amazing! Thank you.
Kate
https://cookieandkate.com/healthy-zucchini-bread-recipe/ :)
Lauren
I have made this zucchini bread three times and it has come out flawless each time. This is the first recipe that tastes amazing and has significantly less sugar in it than other recipes I’ve seen. I highly recommend!
Kate
Thanks for recommending, Lauren!
Abby
YUM! This is a great recipe! I have never been a huge fan of zucchini bread (not very flavorful usually) but this one is delicious, moist, love the texture of the nuts and overall a hearty but still healthy bread. I used Bob’s Red Mill GF baking mix. What a hit, thank you Kate!
Kate
Thanks for your review, Abby!
Jill
I made two loaves of this bread and my family loved it! Not too sweet and quite a bit more healthy/less processed with whole wheat and honey. I will definitely make it again. Thanks!
Kate
You’re welcome, Jill! Thanks for your review.
Bridget
I doubled this and made it with gluten free flour blend (we’ve had a zucchini bounty from the garden)… and it was a flop. My husband is still lovingly eating it, but it really didn’t cook through… and I extended the cooking time BY A LOT. I don’t think this works with GF flour as some of the others have commented. Or maybe doubling it?
Kate: I love your cookbook and other recipes! Thank you!!
Kate
Hi Bridget, my guess would be doubling it. I’m sorry you didn’t love it! Did you use two separate bread pans?
Sherry
I didn’t do well with this recipe. Thankfully, I added chocolate chips, so I might be able to salvage the loaf. I followed the recipe (using olive oil because I was short on coconut oil) but substituted the whole wheat flour with brown rice flower which I do with most recipes. The loaf fell apart while I was removing it from the pan and is very grainy. It isn’t flavorful and left me disappointed.
Susan
Loved this recipe. Always looking for low-sugar healthish baked goods. I tinkered with it a bit by doubling the cinnamon and adding a little flax. It was super moist and delicious. Thank you!
Inci Kaya
This is not sweet or flavorful at all. It tastes like baked cardboard even though I followed the instructions.
Pluses – I squeezed out the water from the zucchini by letting it rest on paper towels and changed them out several times, so the consistency of the bread is just right.
Minuses – flavors. Where are they? I get healthy, but it has to taste good otherwise nobody is going to want to eat it.
I’ll try to salvage this by drizzling honey or maple syrup when serving.
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love this recipe, Inci.
Sue
I love this zucchini bread! I made two loaves this evening, one for my book club tomorrow and one was to be frozen for a later date…but I couldn’t help myself and cut a slice. Delicious! This is the second time I made this recipe, this time with maple syrup instead of honey. I love your recipes! I have your cookbook too! Thanks so much for your work here, Kate!
Jordan
I was super excited to make this bread, but twice it overcooked on the outside, and was mush on the inside. I made it again to see if I didnt something wrong, but same results. Really disappointed:(
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love this recipe, Jordan! Did the zucchini seem to be extra wet? What type of bread pan did you use?
Maux Woodrow
Hi:
I have never provided feedback on any recipe on any site, but really wanted to for this one. I too was concerned with the number of comments about sloppy, gooey messes. However, I did try it and was careful to remove most of the moisture from the zucchini. I did use half honey and half coconut sugar. It cooked perfectly at 325 for 55 minutes. Thank you
I do have a question. Why do recipes suggest using olive oil when it is not meant to be heated?
Kate
Hi Maux! Thanks for your review. I’m happy you really liked this recipe and it worked with your adjustments. I don’t know about your olive oil question. I haven’t heard much regarding this and it’s always worked well for me.
Arjan Khalsa
Oh my gosh! Literally sitting here enjoying a zucchini muffin (the loaves are still in the oven) while I’m sitting in my garden, enjoying the cooler, autumn morning, and I’m blown away by this muffin! It’s moist, flavorful and …..just perfect, really! One of my patients gave me an 18 inch zucchini last week, so I just HAD to make some bread. I quadrupled the recipe, didn’t have cinnamon so had to sub with pumpkin pie spice, and I used your flax egg recommendation substitute. I’m SO happy with this! I’m normally GF, but I didn’t want to risk subbing GF flour for wheat. This is totally worth it! So excited, and I’ll definitely be trying your other recipes you’ve mentioned above. Dr. Arjan Khalsa
Marilyn
I made this in a 10×7” glass pan and baked it for 25 minutes. It’s light and fluffy and delicious. I used freshly-ground flax as the egg substitute.
Susan
I baked the loaf for 65 minutes and it’s soggy and raw. It’s a shame because I’m sure it’s delicious but it’s going into the garbage. If I try it again, I’ll omit the 1/2 cup of milk. What a pity.
Kate
Hi Susan, I’m sorry this didn’t turn out for you. Did your zucchini seem wet? That could have been the issue. (you’ll need 1 small-to-medium zucchini, about 7 ounces—if your grated zucchini is very wet, squeeze out the excess moisture over the sink before stirring it into the batter)
Susan Youngsman
Thank you. No, the zucchini wasn’t wet. It’s weird that many people had the same problem I did and many people were thrilled with the recipe.
Kathy
Thank you for your zucchini bread recipe. I followed the recipe and directions exactly as written. This bread was moist and delicious.
Amanda
Hello! My little one and I made your pumpkin bread last week with chocolate chunks and we gobbled it up! Thought we’d try the zucchini bread with chocolate chunks as well. I do wonder about adding cocoa powder to it also? Trying to make my original “death by chocolate” zucchini bread recipe healthy! Thanks in advance
Taylor Sylva
I made this last week and my SO and I gobbled it up so fast I had to make another loaf! Not too sweet (I used organic honey instead of maple syrup), but definitely hearty and so delicious. I put a dollop of plain greek yogurt and another drizzle of honey for my mid-morning meal and it was great! Off to try your pumpkin muffins!
Sandi
If I add pumpkin seeds to the too, will it burn them? Do I add them raw? I’m not familiar with using them lol.
Kate
How do you plan to add them? Inside or to the top?
Lizzie
I wanted to leave a review about this amazing zucchini bread and let me tell you: WOW! My family got this huge zucchini at the farmers market a couple weeks back and we pondered what to do with it until I fell upon this recipe. Not only did I double the recipe, I didn’t drain the zucchini (it was pretty dry) and I live at a high elevation which is notorious for not being a great place to bake breads. Since my family is gluten, refined sugar, and dairy free I used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour, 1 cup of coconut sugar, and water. The coconut sugar didn’t change the flavor at all and blended well to replace the honey which can be expensive where I’m from. I followed the recipe step by step and ended up baking the dough for 60 minutes. I let the loaves sit in their pans 20 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. The flavors are spot on and I was very impressed overall. Thank you for a recipe we all enjoy.
Kate
Wonderful, Lizzie! Thank you so much for your review.
Lynn
I love this bread! Thank you! I doubled the recipe to make two loaves; used coconut oil, gluten-free flour, (1 cup walnuts, 1/2 cup cranberries), combined honey and maple syrup, (total 1 cup) and used two drops of ginger, one drop of clove essential oil, since I had no vanilla. I did drain and squeeze water from my frozen zucchini.
Cooked slightly smaller loaf 55 min and 2nd loaf 60 min. It was just right in moisture and flavor! Next time I can try pecans and vanilla!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Lynn!
Alyson
Yum! This is a fabulous recipe. I added chocolate chips at my son’s request.
Kate
Thank you for your review, Alyson!
Teresa Trotman
This has become our regular recipe. I make 6 loaves, freeze 5, and then my husband and son have a slice almost every day and average consuming a loaf each week! I don’t do breakfast but I love an occasional bite. Thanks for a delicious, healthy recipe!
Kym Bell
I used this recipe but used 3 cups of wheat flour added a banana, some carrots and 1/3 cup of brown sugar. It was great.
maryanne
I loved this bread. The kids were missing the sweetens so I poked some holes in the top an after it cane out of the oven and made a powered sugar and made syrup glaze.
Christy Armbruster
Even my husband ate this bread knowing there was no sugar! Trying with squash today. Thanks for the recipe!
Sara Gwaltney
Hi! I have made this and the banana bread so many times for my family and it is so good. My daughter follows a dysbiosis diet due to esophagus tears and this is delicious. I was wondering what you would think of adding apples to it? I have a bunch of extras. If so, what would you suggest?
Kate
Hi Sara! I’m not sure, sorry. You could try it, but might make your batter a little more watery. Maybe try my muffin recipe: https://cookieandkate.com/healthy-apple-muffins-recipe/
Katie
Oh my gosh! Yummo!
I actually used 1/4 cup each of honey and maple syrup and left everything else the same. My oven is extremly hot, and this was perfect after 42 minutes! I love that this uses ingredients I always have on hand! Will definitely make again!
Jackie
I made this into a hot chocolate zucchini bread! Added 1 teaspoon instant coffee, substituted 1/3 cup flour with 1/3 cup hot chocolate mix, and added 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips 1/2 cup toasted walnuts. Cooked for 60 min and let rest for 10. SO moist and delicious.
Kate
That sounds interesting, Jackie! Thank you for sharing your variation.
Mel
Hi,
In don’t have whole wheat flour , can regular all purpose flour be used ?
Kate
Hi Mel, I don’t typically prefer all purpose, but it should work here.
Britton
Just made this today and loved it! I used butter, maple syrup, 1% dairy milk, and pumpkin pie spice instead of nutmeg and on top. I baked it in a glass 9×9 square pan at 350 for about 45 minutes – the edges were perfect but the middle has a layer that is still a touch raw (and I did squeeze water out of zucchini before adding it). So next time I would bake for 50 minutes and that should do it. But this is delicious and will definitely be my go-to zucchini bread recipe from now on! Toddler approved too! Thanks so much!!
Karen
This was soooo good. Stuck in the house. Don’t want anything to go to waste. I didn’t have cinnamon or nutmeg (limited spices as I haven’t baked in years and we live downtown Denver so we always go out). Anyway, threw some cloves and ginger and blueberries in……soooo yummy!
Kate
I’m happy you loved it, Karen! I appreciate your review.
Marla
Made this just as the directions state (minus the walnuts) and it was perfection! My whole family enjoyed it. This will be on repeat in my house. Thank you!!
Rikke D
I made 4 mini loaves, left out nuts, and added toasted coconut flakes instead. Used 1 cup zucchini and 1 cup carrots, both shredded in my cuisinart chopper. Baked for 45 mins at 325. Turned out great, not too sweet.
Edyta Czyzowska
Phenomenal, super tasty, easy to make…
Lauren E Traitz
So good! I did not have nutmeg, but added cardamom (~1/8 tsp) and ginger powder (~1/8 tsp) and it was delightful.
Thank you!
BJ
Dude, look. I NEVER comment on blogs, but in this time I have made two of your breads and this will be my third and I have loved them ALL! I love that the recipe is the same, just switching out the one ingredient to make it different. So easy and so tasty! Also, yes: Bob’s Red Mill GF flour works like a charm!
Kate
That’s great, BJ! Thank you for your review.
Sybil
Made this yesterday with my 3 year old and am watching my 1year old down a slice as I type this! The only other thing I’ve ever baked in my life is your banana bread and this bread is just as great! I added a 3/4 cup of a mix of chopped pecans and dates. Next time I will add more dates for sweetness-they are a great substitute for chocolate chips! Thank you for making my introduction to baking so positive and easy-it’s building my confidence to try more complicated recipes!
KAREN SPARKS
It is Easter and we are in a Stay at Home state – so Healthy zucchini bread recipe was what I was looking for today. I found your recipe and made it. It came out perfect. My husband and I loved it. Thank you so much. I put extra zucchini in the freezer for later so I can make this recipe again whenever I want. It is a keeper. Blessings and stay safe.
Hana
Hi Kate,
I have been using your recipes for the last 4+years and it never crossed my mind that I should be commenting on how wonderful your recipes are! So sorry I hadn’t done this till now!
You’re banana/zucchini bread/muffins are always my go to when my kids and I want to eat something sweet but without the guilt of eating a ton of sugar that most American recipes out there use.
I recently tried making your brownies and they turned out exactly how I wanted them to! Chewy, moist, and not too sweet(I cut out some sugar and it still turned out well!) I have a thing with always trying to see how much sugar I can cut down on any recipes without it affecting the texture.
Anyway, thank you so much for sharing your lovely recipes!!
Hana
Hi Kate,
I have been using your recipes for the last 4+years and it never crossed my mind that I should be commenting on how wonderful your recipes are! So sorry I hadn’t done this till now!
You’re banana/zucchini bread/muffins are always my go to when my kids and I want to eat something sweet but without the guilt of eating a ton of sugar that most American recipes out there use.
I recently tried making your brownies and they turned out exactly how I wanted them to! Chewy, moist, and not too sweet(I cut out some sugar and it still turned out well!) I have a thing with always trying to see how much sugar I can cut down on any recipes without it affecting the texture.
I love your granola recipe too!
Anyway, thank you so much for sharing your lovely recipes!!
Colleen
When you call for 1/3 cup melted coconut oil, do you mean 1/3 cup solid coconut oil melted or pre-melt oil and then measure to one cup?
Kate
Hi Collen! Once it is melted, to measure 1/3 cup. I hope this helps!
Jen
Made this tonight, it was lovely texture and taste (just enough sweetness). I used maple syrup, coconut oil, and we had oat milk on hand so I used that. Oh also, no nuts as I don’t like them in baked goods usually. Great recipe!
SE
Agree with some of the other reviewers that this recipe isn’t the best. I have been making your banana bread for years (with a few tweaks) and like it a lot, but the same recipe didn’t work for zucchini. I followed the directions and my bread wasn’t soggy as some others have reported, but it just lacked flavor and a nice texture. The bananas in the other recipe make up for sweetness and flavor, and zucchini is just too bland to work the same way. May I suggest C&K revamp this recipe? I think it has potential with some adjustments. In this time, it especially pains me to have wasted ingredients (precious flour!) so it was a real bummer.
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love this recipe and feel you wasted ingredients. I appreciate your feedback and I will consider re-looking at this recipe. I haven’t been able to get those results, but I do want you to have a great experience.
SE
Thanks, C&K! I didn’t mention the baking soda / ammonia smell issue bc I thought maybe it was my particular baking soda but then I saw someone else had the same thing happen. So maybe that’s part of it?
Kate
Could be! Have you checked the expiration date on your baking soda? I have a sensitive nose and I would never suggest that my readers make something that smells bad, let alone tastes bad. I will re-test soon (I’m without my regular cooking assistance, so I’m moving more slowly than usual). Something else to consider—zucchini is not in full season yet, and bland zucchini won’t impart much flavor.
Florencia
This was a complete fail for me. Followed the recipe and the batter seemed to have the usual zucchini bread consistency so I thought it would turn out great. I ended up baking the bread for almost two hours and the entire loaf except the edges and crust was totally gooey and non edible. Had to throw away the entire thing, very disappointing.
Sidney
I made this recipe to occupy my mind and have something tasty during the stay-at-home order. I made the vegan version and added vegan chocolate chips and it turned out PHENOMENALLY! Thank you for the great recipe!
Lesley
I made this and it was delicious. I gave half to my daughter and she loved it so much she asked for the recipe. Thank you, it’s a winner.
Kate
You’re welcome!
Monal
I was a little skeptical about this recipe because it is very healthy and I just assumed it wouldn’t taste very good. Also, I generally don’t like to use wheat flour because it lacks the chew that all purpose flour does. Man was I wrong! I loved the bread and will be using this recipe over and over again. I used whole wheat flour, olive oil, and didn’t squeeze the water out of the zucchini. It turned out great and my 11 year old daughter loved the bread too. I am looking forward to trying the apple muffins next.
Mary ortega
I am a diabetic and I’m afraid of the Sugar spikes in my blood but this recipe sounds so delicious what can I do to reduce the sugar just the sugar in it because the recipe sounds so awesome