Description
This Better Than Grandma’s Zucchini Bread recipe offers a moist, flavorful twist on a classic favorite. Packed with freshly grated zucchini and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, it’s sweetened with both white and brown sugar and enhanced with optional add-ins like chocolate chips or nuts. Baked to perfection with a crunchy coarse sugar topping, this bread is perfect for snacks, breakfasts, or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 cup white sugar (200 g)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed (150 g)
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups grated zucchini (firmly packed, do not squeeze out excess liquid; about 2 to 2 ½ medium zucchinis)
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (380 g)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon (heaping)
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
Add-Ins & Topping (Optional)
- 1 ½ cups add-ins: chocolate chips, raisins, pecans, walnuts, etc.
- 4 Tbsp coarse sugar (for topping bread)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C) to prepare for baking the zucchini bread evenly.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Using an electric hand mixer, beat the eggs until they become light and frothy. Then add in the white sugar, light brown sugar, canola oil, and vanilla extract. Continue beating until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add Zucchini: Stir in the grated zucchini to the wet ingredients, ensuring it is evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking soda, and baking powder until fully incorporated.
- Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir gently just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender. Fold in any optional add-ins like chocolate chips, nuts, or raisins at this stage.
- Prepare Pans and Pour Batter: Grease and lightly flour two 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pans. Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Sprinkle a thin layer of coarse sugar over the top of each loaf for a sweet, crunchy crust if desired.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Remove the bread from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Let the loaves cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove them from the pans and allow to cool completely before slicing and serving.
- Enjoy: Serve the zucchini bread fresh and watch it disappear quickly—perfect for breakfast, snack time, or dessert.
Notes
- Do not squeeze out excess liquid from the grated zucchini to keep the bread moist.
- Use room temperature eggs for best mixing results.
- Do not overmix the batter to prevent dense bread.
- Optional add-ins like chocolate chips or nuts add great texture and flavor.
- Coarse sugar on top adds a pleasant crunchy sweetness but is optional.
- Store leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
