My Grandma's Zucchini Bread Recipe - Over 60 years old! (2024)

Julie Clark

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Grandma’s Zucchini bread recipe is not only easy, but bakes up moist and full of comforting flavor. It makes two loaves and freezes well.

Zucchini bread season is in full swing (but really, is there ever not a time for zucchini bread?!). This best zucchini bread recipe is extra special because it is my grandma’s recipe. I remember fondly her bringing loaves of this quick bread when she came to visit, and smelling the familiar aroma coming from my mom’s oven as she used the same recipe.

In this classic zucchini bread recipe, we’re honoring the traditional flavors that make this an all-time favorite, while also offering twists and variations to make it even more special. Enjoy it as a breakfast treat, afternoon snack, or even dessert after dinner.

My Grandma's Zucchini Bread Recipe - Over 60 years old! (2)

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Reader Susan says, “I’ve made your Grandma’s Zucchini Bread at least 4 times. I have 2 loaves in the oven right now. I always freeze one for next month. It freezes great. I made today’s with peanuts & plant based chocolate chips. Thanks so much for sharing. We love it!”

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Reader Maureen says, “This is the exact same recipe as my grandmother [born 1900] who put toasted walnuts and a table spoon of molasses in her zucchini bread. Thank you!”

About this Homemade Zucchini Bread Recipe:

  • Flavor: What we love out zucchini bread is that it is loaded with shredded veggies, but you can’t taste them. This bread has a simple, sweet flavor with a hint of cinnamon. But you can rest easy knowing there is vegetables inside!
  • Texture: You never have to worry about this bread being dry. With the oil, eggs and fresh zucchini, it bakes up with a light crumb and perfectly moist texture.
  • Method: This recipe bakes in two 8.5×4.5 inch loaf pans, which is perfect because you can keep one and bless someone else with the other. It’s an easy zucchini bread recipe!

You may also love our zucchini boats!

Ingredients for Zucchini Bread

My Grandma's Zucchini Bread Recipe - Over 60 years old! (3)

A few notes about the ingredients:

  • Use any type of oil: canola oil, vegetable oil or even melted coconut oil.
  • I’ve not tried using any sugar substitute in this recipe.
  • An all-purpose gluten-free flour should work well for this quick bread.
  • Eggs will mix in best if they are at room temperature.
  • To deepen the flavor slightly, use half brown sugar and half granulated sugar.

Do you grate the whole zucchini for bread?

Slice off and discard both ends of the zucchini. Otherwise you can use the whole zucchini.

Do you leave the skin on zucchini when making bread? Although you may be tempted to peel the zucchini for bread, save yourself a few minutes. You won’t taste the peel. Yes, you may see just a hint of green here and there, but the zucchini tenderizes in the bread and you won’t notice a texture difference by keeping the peel on.

What about the zucchini seeds? If the zucchini is extra large with big seeds, you may want to cut out and discard the very center of the zucchini to get rid of the seeds. If they are small, they’ll just grate right into the bread and no one will know the difference.

How do you process zucchini for baking?

We’ve used several different methods:

  • Food processor. Cut the stem of the zucchini off along with just a bit of the bottom of the zucchini. Then use the shredding disc, or if you have a small food processor you can cut the zucchini into chunks before pulsing just a few times.
  • Box grater. Zucchini is soft and easy to shred. We use the side of the grater with the largest holes.
My Grandma's Zucchini Bread Recipe - Over 60 years old! (4)

How to Make Zucchini Bread

There are 5 simple steps to making zucchini bread:

  • Shred the zucchini.
  • Mix the wet ingredients in a large bowl.
  • Mix the dry ingredients in a small bowl.
  • Combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
  • Divide the bread batter between two greased and floured loaf pans, sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar and bake.
My Grandma's Zucchini Bread Recipe - Over 60 years old! (5)
My Grandma's Zucchini Bread Recipe - Over 60 years old! (6)
My Grandma's Zucchini Bread Recipe - Over 60 years old! (7)
My Grandma's Zucchini Bread Recipe - Over 60 years old! (8)
My Grandma's Zucchini Bread Recipe - Over 60 years old! (9)

Baking tip

If you find the bread getting too brown on top during baking, cover the top loosely with aluminum foil as it finishes baking. This will help prevent the bread from browning any more.

My Grandma's Zucchini Bread Recipe - Over 60 years old! (10)

Storage Instructions

  • Room temperature: Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 48 hours.
  • Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before eating.
  • Freezer: Freeze the loaf whole or sliced in an airtight container for up to 2 months.Thaw at room temperature before eating.

Is it better to freeze zucchini or zucchini bread?

Both methods work really well. We’ve frozen whole loaves of zucchini bread and also frozen bags of grated zucchini.

If you choose to freeze grated zucchini, remember that as it defrosts you’ll end up with a lot of water. Drain the zucchini in a colander to get out excess water, but don’t press it dry. You want some of that moisture to remain so that the bread bakes properly.

You may also love our pumpkin bread and banana bread based off of my grandma’s zucchini bread recipe.

My Grandma's Zucchini Bread Recipe - Over 60 years old! (11)

My Grandma's Zucchini Bread Recipe - Over 60 years old! (12)

Zucchini Bread Recipe

4.69 from 35 votes

My Grandma's Zucchini Bread recipe is not only easy, but bakes up moist and full of comforting flavor. It makes two loaves and freezes well.

Servings 20

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Print RecipeSave Recipe

Ingredients

Optional topping:

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Grease and flour a 8.5×4.5" loaf pan.

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla and zucchini in a bowl. Set aside. 1 cup canola oil, ,2 cups granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 3 large eggs, 2 cups grated zucchini

  • In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula just until combined. Do not over mix.

  • Divide the batter between the two prepared pans.

  • In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon sugar topping. Sprinkle over the top of the batter. ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

  • Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. The internal temperature of the bread should be about 200ºF.

Video

Notes

Add in 1 cup of nuts, raisins, or chocolate chips, as desired. Our favorite addition is mini chocolate chips.

Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.

The calories shown are based on the recipe making 2 loaves, each cut into 10 slices. One serving is 1 slice of zucchini bread. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**

Nutrition

Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 183mg | Potassium: 86mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 67IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

Author Julie Clark

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Calories 268

Keyword how to use zucchini, quick bread recipe, zucchini loaf cake

Have you tried this recipe?

Share a review below or share on Instagram with the tag #tastesoflizzyt.

Zucchini Bread Variations

You can add in whatever you want in this bread-chocolate chips, nuts, raisins-whatever you choose. Or, you can eat it plain, which we’ve done many times. Here are a few fun ideas:

  1. Chocolate Chips and Walnuts: Adding semi-sweet chocolate chips and chopped walnuts creates a contrast of textures and flavors.
  2. Lemon and Blueberry: Add lemon zest and fresh blueberries to the batter. The tartness of the blueberries and the zing of the lemon zest will make your taste buds dance.
  3. Coconut and Pineapple: For a tropical twist, mix in shredded coconut and drained crushed pineapple. You’ll feel like you’re on the beach!
  4. Cranberry and Orange Zest: Fresh or dried cranberries paired with orange zest will add a delicious flavor that will remind you of Christmas.
  5. Cinnamon Streusel Ribbon and Topping: Fill the loaf pans half full, then make a mixture of butter, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle half of this over the batter, fill the pans with the remaining batter, and sprinkle the rest of the sugar crumbs on top.
  6. Carrot and Raisin: Think Easter time! Grate some carrots and add them to the batter, along with raisins. It pairs well with the cinnamon.
  7. Dark Chocolate and Chili: For those who love a hint of heat, mix in dark chocolate chunks and a pinch of chili powder or cayenne pepper. It’s a fabulous spicy and sweet combo.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many zucchini do you need for two cups shredded?

Every zucchini is just a little different in size. This recipe calls for two cups of shredded zucchini. You’ll need about 2 medium size zucchinis to make 2 cups of grated zucchini.

Be sure to measure the zucchini after you grate it to be sure you have 2 cups.

Is zucchini bread good for you?

Well…it does have a vegetable in it. It’s always great when you can hide vegetables in food. But it is a quick bread, which is pretty much like zucchini cake so I don’t think we can say it is good for you.

But a slice here and there won’t hurt you too much either.

Can I reduce the sugar or oil in this bread?

I would not reduce the oil. It’s what helps make this bread soft and tender. You can try reducing the sugar by ⅓ cup if you’d like.

How do you keep zucchini bread moist after baking?

Wrap the cooled loaf in plastic wrap, then place it in another airtight container or plastic freezer bag.

Other Zucchini Recipes

My Grandma's Zucchini Bread Recipe - Over 60 years old! (2024)

FAQs

Should you squeeze water out of zucchini for bread? ›

But unless your zucchini is excessively juicy, squeezing the squash could be removing some of the moisture you really do want in the bread. It's up to you, though. Squeeze for lighter, drier bread. Leave it as is for denser, moister bread.

How long does homemade zucchini bread last? ›

Zucchini bread will keep for about one week stored in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container (or plastic bag). As stated above, the absolute safest way to store zucchini bread is in the refrigerator. Some zucchini bread recipes make a very moist (and sometimes wet) zucchini bread.

Why does my zucchini bread fall apart when I cut it? ›

The most common reason for zucchini breadand other quick breads (and cakes) to collapse as they cool is the ingredients are too vigorously or quickly mixed, which incorporates lots of less stable air bubbles into the batter.

Should I peel my zucchini for zucchini bread? ›

There's no need to peel the zucchini or remove the seeds. You also shouldn't press or squeeze any of the excess moisture out of it. You want all that to go into the bread! Once you shred the zucchini, make the batter.

How many zucchinis is 2 cups grated? ›

A medium zucchini will result in approximately 1 cup of shredded zucchini. If you happen to be using a larger zucchini and the seeds are large, cut the zucchini lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.

What happens if you put too much baking powder in zucchini bread? ›

Using too much baking soda or baking powder can really mess up a recipe, causing it to rise uncontrollably and taste terrible.

Should zucchini bread be cool before removing from pan? ›

Don't leave the loaf in the pan too long – Once you remove the bread from the oven, let it sit for 10 to15 minutes. But after that, it should be turned out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling. Otherwise, the edges can get a little too done in the still-hot pan.

Why is my zucchini bread still wet in the middle? ›

As the zucchini cooks in the batter, it releases its water into the surrounding batter, keeping the cake moist. By the time the bread is finished baking, you'd be hard-pressed to identify where the cake stops and the zucchini starts.

What if zucchini bread batter is too thick? ›

If it is too thick, add another egg. Add nuts, if desired. Lightly grease and flour your bread pans, or spray them with nonstick cooking spray. Carefully spoon the mixture into bread pans, stopping when the mixture is about 3/4 of the way to the top.

Why does my zucchini bread always sink in the middle? ›

Check your leavening agent

What is this? Expired leaveners: Always check the freshness of your leaveners. Expired or ineffective baking powder and baking soda will not leaven your quick bread. Adding too much or insufficient leavening agents: Adding too much leaveners will cause your quick bread to sink in the middle.

What is the point of zucchini bread? ›

In baking, consider zucchini as an ingredient similar to bananas or applesauce. It adds a wonderful texture and moistness to baked goods, and helps bulk up cakes and breads and muffins with a boost of nutrition, too! Zucchini has such a mild flavor that it pairs beautifully with everything from cinnamon to chocolate.

Can dogs have zucchini? ›

Yes, dogs can eat zucchini and it's perfectly safe for dogs and puppies. In fact, it may be one of the best vegetables to feed dogs. Zucchini can be given to dogs raw or cooked, and they can eat the fruit or flowers. However, it's important not to give your dog too much zucchini at once.

How do you shred zucchini for zucchini bread without a grater? ›

Chop the pieces into two-inch (five cm) squares and toss them into the food processor. Fill it up to the top. Pulse your food processor for 30 seconds or insert the squash through the shredding attachment. Check to see if your zucchini shreds are small enough.

Why does my bread fall apart when I slice it? ›

Too much flour and not enough water can cause crumbly bread – people often do this if the dough is too sticky and they add more flour rather than kneading through it. Other culprits can be overproving or not kneading enough – the things you need to do to get a good structure.

How to keep zucchini bread from falling? ›

Cooling the bread on its side on a cooling rack gives the bread's structure an opportunity to stabilize, making it less likely to fall. Oh, and while you're at it — leave your loaf of bread on its side to slice it, which will also help prevent you from smushing the dome.

Why is my zucchini bread dry and crumbly? ›

The main issue here is that the bread just isn't cooked through. Zucchini bread batter is thick, and loaf pans are narrow and tall, so there is a lot of batter in a relatively small pan. The center will be the last to cook through, so pay special attention to this area when checking your bread for doneness.

How do I keep my bread from collapsing? ›

This tip applies to loaves specifically. For recipes like banana bread, lemon loaf, or pound cake, your best bet is to bake in a metal loaf pan. Metal is a quick and efficient conductor of heat. This helps to ensure your recipe will cook through the center and not collapse.

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