Healthy Zucchini Bread
An easy healthy zucchini bread made with wholesome ingredients and two full cups of zucchini. This zucchini bread recipe is moist, delicious and has just the right spice, you’ll want to go back for a second slice!
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Wondering what to do with all of those summer zucchini? They’ll disappear pretty quickly once you try this healthy zucchini bread recipe. I’ve been baking loaf after loaf of this zucchini bread. I just can’t get enough of it! Out of all of my zucchini recipes, this one is my favorite! Also try my Healthy Banana Bread Recipe.
This zucchini bread is great for breakfast, a snack or a lunchbox treat. You can add nuts or leave them out. My kids always want chocolate zucchini bread so we mix in a few chocolate chips. I think it’s perfect without the added chocolate, although I’ll never turn down a slice of chocolate chip zucchini bread. 😉
Why this is the best healthy zucchini bread
- The batter is mixed in one bowl, so it’s simple to make and easy to clean up.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg add a delicious spice to this quick bread. Your kitchen will smell so good while this zucchini bread bakes!
- It’s lower in sugar and free of refined sugars. One half cup of honey or pure maple syrup makes this bread moist with just the right amount of sweetness. This is not your overly sweet quick bread recipe with one cup plus of white sugar.
- This healthy zucchini bread recipe has two full cups of shredded zucchini, but trust me, this bread doesn’t have a strong zucchini flavor. The zucchini helps to keep the bread moist, plus it adds fiber and other nutrients.
- There are lots of ways to customize this recipe – see the tips section below!
How to make zucchini bread
Making this quick zucchini bread recipe is simple. You’ll start by grating your zucchini. A box grater is the easiest way to do this. Wrap the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and give it a good squeeze to get out any excess moisture. This will prevent your zucchini bread from being soggy.
Next, you’ll mix up the wet ingredients in a large bowl. This healthy zucchini bread is made with applesauce. When you bake with applesauce, you can use less butter or oil and your bread will turn out soft and moist.
Once the wet ingredients are well mixed, you’ll sprinkle on the cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt. You will want to mix these in really well with your whisk. You don’t want any big clumps of spice or baking powder in your bread.
Finally, fold in the flour, zucchini and nuts, if using. Be sure to mix until the flour is just combined to keep your bread soft and tender. I make this recipe with white whole wheat flour because it’s whole grain yet lighter than regular whole wheat flour which you could also use in this recipe. Of course, you can use all purpose flour if that’s what you have in your kitchen.
I recommend both greasing and flouring your loaf pan before pouring in the batter. When you don’t flour the loaf pan this bread tends to stick on the bottom.
Tips for making the best healthy zucchini bread
- You can make dairy-free zucchini bread by using coconut oil rather than butter and by using non-dairy milk.
- To make nut-free zucchini bread, omit the nuts and use a milk that isn’t nut-based.
- Either honey or pure maple syrup can be used to sweeten the bread.
- So many of you love my carrot cake breakfast cookies and carrot cake pancakes… you might want to try adding some shredded carrot to this healthy zucchini bread. Chopped or grated apple would also be really good in this bread.
- You can replace the applesauce with mashed banana to make banana zucchini bread. This is a great option when you don’t know what to do with those over-ripe bananas on your counter!
Other healthy zucchini recipes:
- Zucchini Breakfast Cookies
- Zucchini Bread Pancakes with Maple Cream Cheese from Recipe Runner
- Healthy Zucchini Muffins
Healthy Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups grated zucchini, from 1 large zucchini
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, or coconut oil
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce, or mashed ripe banana
- ½ cup honey or pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup milk, whichever kind you prefer
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan well with cooking spray and lightly flour the pan.
- Wrap the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out the excess moisture. Set aside.
- Place the butter (or coconut oil) in a large bowl and melt in the microwave. Let cool slightly if very hot. Add the applesauce, honey or maple syrup, milk and vanilla. Whisk until well combined. Whisk in the eggs.
- Sprinkle on the cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk until well combined.
- Add the white whole wheat flour and mix with a rubber spatula until almost combined. Gently fold in the zucchini and nuts (if using), being careful to not over-mix.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour, until a tester inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To store zucchini bread, wrap airtight and store at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Do you have a tip on how to replace the whole wheat flour for an non grain alternative?
This would make your recipe totally healthy for me 🙂
Thank You for your time and help.
Hi Ethelyn, I haven’t tested this recipe with non grain flours so I’m not sure how it would turn out. My advice would be to research similar recipes that are written for non grain flour. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help.
Hello Kristine! Would I be able to make muffins instead of the loaf pan with this recipe? If so, would you know how long the bake time would be? Thank you!
I haven’t tried it but I think that would work! At 350 degrees F, I would start checking on the muffins at 16 minutes. My guess is that they will take between 16-19 minutes. You can use a toothpick to test that they are done.
This is the best bread I ever made and I’ve made a lot over the years. The family instantly voted this one the best too so I know I won’t be searching for another recipe again. BTW I used 1 banana vs apple sauce! Amazing!
This was great!! The flavor, moist, the color, the crumb and I used honey along with the applesauce. I love how economical and easy your recipes are and totally directed to children. I’ve been following and making lots of your recipes since way before your last pregnancy! You are multi-talented!
Keep up the good work!
This is the best compliment, Judith! It makes me so happy that you are enjoying my recipes. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!
Your cake is absolutely gorgeous.
I used yellow zucchini which is sligthly sweeter.
Also I used the mashed bananas and a little less than 1/4 cup agave syrup as sweetners (I didn’t have honey or marple syrup). And it’s just sweet enough. I was worried about the whole wheat flour but the cake is very moist and rose perfectly. Thank you for your recipe
I’m so happy that this recipe turned out so well for you. Thank you for your thoughtful comment!
Can you use regular whole wheat flour with this recipe? Or does it have to be the white?
You can use regular whole wheat flour. I prefer white whole wheat because it is milder in taste and texture. 🙂
This turned out great, I substituted 1/2 cup cacoa for 1/2 cup of the whole wheat flour to make a chocolate zucchini bread. My family loved it.
Can I use oat flour, coconut flour, spelt flour instead of the whole wheat white? If so, please advise.
I haven’t tested this recipe with any of those flours so I can’t say how it would turn out. I would not recommend using coconut flour as it does not substitute well for whole wheat or all purpose flour without other modifications. Oat flour may work.
Thank you so much for wonderful recipes! What I love about your website most of all is that you post not only great recipes and descriptions but also stunning photos of food! Have a nice day!
I’ve tried many different Zucchini bread recipes and this is going to be my new “go-to.” It was simple and I love that it only required one bowl to make. It truly is sweet enough without any refined sugars. For reference, I opted to use the coconut oil, banana, and honey. Thanks for this great recipe- I love it and my kids also approve!
Thank you!
What I can use instead of eggs ? Looks very good I want to try it.
You could try replacing each egg with a flax egg. For each egg, combine 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 2 1/2 tablespoons water. Stir them together and let them sit for 5 minutes before adding to the recipe. Enjoy!
Could you replace pumpkin with the applesauce or banana?
I haven’t tried that in this recipe but I think it will work well!
Thanks for replying going to try it today!!
Is the nutritional information for the loaf or a piece? If its a piece, how many did you cut it into?
The nutrition information is for one slice. Since the recipe says it makes 10 servings, the nutrition info is for 1/10 of the loaf.
This is one of the most delicious breads I’ve ever tried. I love that it’s not too sweet and that the ingredients are all more natural than a regular sugary zucchini bread recipe. Absolutely delicious. The mashed banana was an amazing touch. Thank you for this!
Can I use Truvia? I haven’t any honey or maple syrup…..
Hi Rita, I am not sure how well that would work. Using a non-liquid sweetener would reduce the water content in the recipe.
I made this zucchini bread recipe this morning. I liked the idea of it being healthier, so that I could send it with my kids when they are rushing out the door in the mornings. I made it in muffin tins, cooking 17 minutes. I was incredibly surprised when I tasted them. Yes, they are a little less sweet, AND they are amazingly delicious. I’ve made lots of zucchini bread, and this is definitely my favorite by far. It’s simply a bonus that I feel less guilty going back for seconds and thirds. This is officially my go-to zucchini bread recipe from now on. Yum
loved this one. Not too sweet. Love the options for oils and flour and sweetner
Is the 2 cups of zucchini measured before squeezing it dry or after? There is a big difference in the amount of zucchini so just wanted to check. Thanks!
I always measure before squeezing. Enjoy!
Thank you Kristine, & also for the optional ingredients to make it healthier. have not made it yet,
I made this yesterday and it was to die for! The best zucchini bread I’ve ever made. I have another in the oven right now, which I tweaked a bit. Made a chocolate version added cocoa powder, omitted the nutmeg and swapped almond extract in place of the vanilla.
I made these a few days ago and they are SOOOO yummy and healthy.
I used GF flour and they came out perfect. I also used 4 Cups of frozen zucchini, olive oil, a little extra applesauce, a mix of honey and maple syrup, and I added in chopped almonds and dark chocolate chips. SO GOOD! So moist and delicious and flavorful and sweet!
I made them as muffins, in a 12 muffin pan and baked for about 20 mins. Perfect little servings!
Definitely will make again.
So delicious and wholesome, I’ll definitely put this zucchini bread in my recipe book. I was worried it wasn’t going to be sweet enough, but the honey and banana really did the trick.
I have made many of your recipes and have enjoyed them all, including now, the zucchini bread. You really know your way around food & flavors.
Just want to point out that you may have a typo. On your actual recipe for zucchini bread, you say after adding wet stuff & spices, etc, you add the flour. After all that is added, you fold in the zucchini and nuts.
On the website, where you go into more detail, after the wet stuff, spices, etc, you say to fold in the flour and nuts. There is no mention of the zucchini.???🤷♀️
I look forward to making more of your tasty recipes. I enjoy getting your email!!!
I’m so glad you are enjoying my recipes! Thanks for catching that. 🙂
Zucchini bread recipe turned out great!
Love this !