How to Make Delicious Nut-Free Zucchini Bread

Introduction

Welcome to my easy and delicious zucchini bread recipe!

I actually grew up eating zucchini bread, but to my surprise, many people did not even know what zucchini bread was. I’ve heard many varieties of “what is that” and “that sounds gross”, so I’m sure at least one person who found this recipe wouldn’t know either. So without further adieu, I’ll get into the guide on how to make this delicious dessert, so you too can enjoy the yum-in-the-tum satisfaction. (Yes, I also cringed as I wrote that but have left it in to spread that lovin’ around. Plus, I mean it!)

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What is zucchini bread?

In simple words, zucchini bread is a moist and tender combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla flavor profiles in a bread-based dessert form. It’s like the apple cinnamon bread of the summer, essentially.

When you eat zucchini by itself, it certainly does not taste like anything that belongs in a dessert. And without already knowing what zucchini bread tastes like, it’s reasonable to assume that the flavor profiles of zucchini and a dessert simply don’t match up. However, that assumption is an incorrect one. I don’t know how it works, but it works and I’m grateful to be able to share the delicious zucchini bread recipe with others! This dessert will satisfy those who love super sweet sweets, and those who appreciate a subtly sweet treat.

Ingredient Breakdown

• Zucchini – the star of this show, which adds the moisture to this bread
• Vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg – the powerhouses of the flavor profile
• Flour, oils and eggs – gives the bread it’s structure (egg substitutions can be made as necessary to make this recipe vegan!)
• Sugar – provides the necessary sweetness to make this a classic dessert
• Salt, baking soda, baking powder – controls the strength, texture, and consistency of the bread

If you don’t like zucchini, don’t worry – the zucchini isn’t really meant to add flavor to the bread, so there is no vegetable flavor. As I mentioned before, the biggest role that zucchini plays in any zucchini bread recipe is to provide moisture. Which, if you’re not careful, you could end up with too much moisture and you’ll end up baking the zucchini bread for hours before it’s ready. But don’t worry! In this tried and true recipe, the baking time should only be 45-60 minutes.

Tools You’ll Need

• A loaf pan
  • A standard 9×5 inch loaf pan is best for this recipe.
• Measuring cups and spoons (here’s a set with both included!)
• A food/cheese grater. My favorite kind of grater is a rotary cheese grater! This takes the zucchini grating time down from 10-15 minutes to less than 2 minutes.
  • If possible, use the coarse setting.
• Mixing bowls
• Sturdy mixing spoon
  • The batter will be thick, so I do not recommend a whisk. A wooden, metal, or thick silicone/plastic spoon will suffice.
• Parchment paper
  • If you want easy cleanup (like, I-don’t-feel-like-washing-this-before-I-use-it-again cleanup) forgo the butter/cooking spray and simply line your loaf pan with parchment paper. Plus, it’ll be easier to remove the hot bread with the edges of the parchment paper.
• A fork or toothpick(s) – This is what you’ll use to poke through the middle of the bread, to check the doneness
• Oven mitts – make sure you don’t burn yourself!

Ready to give it a try? Let’s jump right in!

A few notes before jumping in

• Do NOT use a food processor to cut down the zucchini. I tried it once and the batter ended up being too moist, resulting in a 3.5 hour baking time (waaaay too long). Instead, try using a rotary food grater to cut the total prep time down to 10 minutes total. If you use a basic rectangular cheese grater, it may take up to 30 minutes total to prep.
• The recipe lists 9, 1-inch slices, but cutting into thinner slices will increase the number of servings and decrease the number of calories per serving.
• Since the baking temperature is not that high (350℉) and won’t take that long to pre-heat, I usually wait until I finish making the batter to pre-heat the oven. However, you may choose to pre-heat the oven beforehand if that fits your personal preference.
• Allowing the bread to rest and cool after baking ensures it will hold its shape. Otherwise, it will crumble apart. Make sure to take the bread out of the pan once it’s done baking to give it access to the cooler air flow, and to prevent it from overbaking. A cooling rack will help the bread cool faster and more evenly.

Nut-Free Zucchini Bread Recipe

A simple and yummy zucchini bread recipe. One of my favorite desserts from childhood. Not excessively sweet, and perfect for dessert. And no nuts!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Cooling Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 9

Calories 496 kcal

Equipment

• 1 loaf pan
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• 1 food/cheese grater
• 2 Mixing bowls
• 2 mixing spoons
• 1 fork or toothpick(s)

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups zucchini approx. 2 medium sized zucchinis
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups granulated sugar or 1:1 brown and granulated sugar
• 3 cups flour, leveled Either 3 cups of all-purpose flour, OR 2 cups wheat flour, 1 cup all purpose.
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• cooking spray or butter or parchment paper

Instructions

 

• Take out all of your ingredients and tools.

Wet Ingredients

• Crack 3 eggs into a mixing bowl. Beat the eggs until foamy.
• Measure and add the vegetable oil and vanilla extract to the bowl with the eggs. Mix together and place the bowl to the side.

Dry Ingredients

• Take the second mixing bowl, measure and add these ingredients: sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly.

Making the Batter

• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly. The resulting batter should have a thick consistency.
• With one bowl now free, grate 2 cups of zucchini into a mixing bowl. Lightly pat the zucchini with a paper towel to draw out excess moisture. Then add the zucchini to the other bowl to create the final batter. Mix thoroughly.

Prepare for Baking

• Pre-heat the oven to 350℉ (~180℃).
• Lubricate the baking pan using cooking spray or butter, or line it with parchment paper. Then pour the batter into the pan. Grab the pan on the sides, pick it up and tap it onto the countertop a few times to bring out excess air bubbles.
• Bake the mixture for 45-60 minutes, or until the middle comes out clean when poked (use a fork or toothpick). Start frequent checks on the bread around the 40 minute mark to make sure it will not over-bake.

Ta-da!

• The bread is done! Let cool at least 20 minutes before eating.
• Store the leftover loaf/slices into a bread box. This recipe typically keeps for 4-6 days at room temperature, or can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Notes

• Peeling the zucchini is not necessary, though deciding to do so will not affect the final dish.
• Do NOT overly mix the batter, or the bread will be chewy. Mix just enough to evenly combine the ingredients.
• Exceedingly finely grated zucchini will result in an exceedingly long baking time. I recommend patting the grated zucchini with a paper towel before mixing with the batter.

Keyword easy, nut-free, sweet, zucchini

Questions & Answers

How can I enhance the eating experience?

I LOVE eating zucchini bread warm with a heap of vanilla bean ice cream. You can also experiment with the batter by adding nuts, chocolate chips, a streusel topping, and more!

Can I make this recipe vegan?

Yes! Just substitute the eggs with the appropriate amount of your preferred egg substitute, depending on how much zucchini bread you want to make. Common substitutions are applesauce, mashed banana, flax egg, or vinegar and baking powder.

Can I make muffins with this batter?

Yes! Just forgo the loaf pan and pour the mixture into a muffin pan instead, filling each tin 3/4 full. Make sure to bake for 21-24 minutes, NOT the 45-60 required for the zucchini bread.

My zucchini bread took more than 60 minutes to bake. What gives?

This means your zucchini was too moist, and to avoid this you should lightly pat down the grated zucchini before adding it to the batter.

Did you love the recipe?

Thank you for trying out this recipe! I hope it brought some joy and deliciousness to your kitchen like it does to mine. If you enjoyed making it, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Share your thoughts in the comments below—what did you love about it? Also feel tree to share your tweaks and twists if you made any!

Love this delicious zucchini bread recipe so much that you wanna keep it close by? Here’s a FREE printable recipe binder template to get you started!