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This mini zucchini bread recipe makes a soft, moist loaf with simple ingredients and great flavor. Lightly sweet with a hint of spice, it can be made with applesauce, melted butter, or pumpkin purée, each adding a unique touch. Perfect for breakfast or a snack, it’s an easy way to use up a small amount of zucchini!
Enjoy a slice of homemade zucchini bread alongside a variety of delightful breakfast options. Pair it with Cheesy Baked Eggs or a Breakfast Bowl for a hearty start, Baked Oatmeal for a warm and satisfying option, or Crustless Quiche Lorraine for a savory twist.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Customizable: Make this zucchini bread with applesauce, pumpkin, or butter to suit your taste.
- Easy Ingredients: Uses simple pantry staples—nothing fancy required.
- Small Batch: Perfectly portioned for one or two, so nothing goes to waste.
- Great Flavor: A lightly sweet, moist loaf with zucchini baked right in.
3 Ways To Make Zucchini Bread
This small loaf of zucchini bread can be made three ways, depending on your preference:
- With Applesauce: Keeps the bread moist while reducing fat.
- With Melted Butter: Adds a rich, buttery flavor.
- With Pumpkin Purée: Brings natural sweetness and a hint of fall flavor.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this mini loaf zucchini bread recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Zucchini: Use a small zucchini or half of a medium one. No need to peel or drain excess moisture. Grate it with a box grater, food processor, or high-powered blender. Extra zucchini? Use it in Vegetable Lasagna, Vegetable Casserole, or Sheet Pan Greek Chicken.
- Sugar and Brown Sugar: Both are needed for the right texture and sweetness. If you’re out of brown sugar, make your own with our homemade brown sugar recipe.
- Unsweetened Applesauce, Pumpkin Purée, or Melted Butter: This recipe works three ways! Choose applesauce for moisture, pumpkin purée for a hint of fall flavor (make sure it’s not pumpkin pie filling), or melted butter for richness. Use 1/4 cup (55g) pumpkin or 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) melted butter instead of applesauce. Mix it in with the zucchini, egg, sugars, and oil.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour or swap it for a 1:1 gluten-free blend for a gluten-free version.
Recipe Variations
Customize your zucchini bread with these simple additions:
- Zucchini Bread with Nuts: Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped walnuts or pecans for added texture.
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread: Mix in a handful of chocolate chips for extra sweetness.
- Spiced Zucchini Bread: Enhance the flavor with a pinch of cardamom or cloves.
How To Make Zucchini Bread
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make this mini zucchini bread recipe. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Grate the Zucchini: Use a box grater, food processor, or high-powered blender. I use my Vitamix, and it works great.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, oil, sugars, applesauce (or melted butter or pumpkin, if using), and vanilla. Stir in the grated zucchini.
- Add the Dry Ingredients: Sprinkle in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until just combined—don’t overmix.
- Fill the Baking Dish: Pour the batter into a lightly buttered 5×5-inch or 4×6-inch baking dish and smooth the top.
- Bake for 30 Minutes: Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center—it should come out clean. Let cool before slicing.
Expert Tips
- Grating Zucchini: No need to peel—it adds nutrients and blends into the bread.
- Don’t Squeeze the Zucchini: The moisture keeps the bread soft and tender.
- Check for Doneness: Insert a toothpick in the center; if it comes out clean, it’s ready.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate to keep it fresh longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for longer freshness.
Yes! Wrap it tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Yes, but use two 5×5-inch baking dishes or one 6×8-inch baking dish.
Nutritional Differences Between Variations
Each version of this zucchini bread—applesauce, butter, or pumpkin—has a different nutritional profile. Butter adds richness and more fat, applesauce keeps it lower in fat, and pumpkin adds a slight boost of fiber. Here’s a breakdown of the calorie count and other key differences to help you choose the best option for you.
Zucchini Bread with Applesauce
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 21mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 68IU | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg
Pumpkin Zucchini Bread
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 244 cal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 74mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 2451IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 2mg
Zucchini Bread with Butter
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 341 cal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 122mg | Potassium: 42mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 422IU | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this mini zucchini bread or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Mini Zucchini Bread
Equipment
- mini food processor , or blender, or box grater
Ingredients
- ¾ cup grated zucchini (do not drain or squeeze out excess moisture)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce or use ¼ cup of pumpkin purée or 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease a 5×5-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the grated zucchini, sugar, brown sugar, applesauce (or melted butter or pumpkin), oil, egg, and vanilla. Stir until well mixed.
- Add the dry ingredients: Stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve or store: Slice and enjoy, or wrap and store at room temperature.
Notes
- Grating Zucchini: No need to peel—it adds nutrients and blends into the bread.
- Don’t Squeeze the Zucchini: The moisture keeps the bread soft and tender.
- Check for Doneness: Insert a toothpick in the center; if it comes out clean, it’s ready.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate to keep it fresh longer.
Nutrition
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.
It just tastes good and is a cinch to put together. I also love how produce from my small garden gets used so quickly and easily in your recipes. And, since I can’t eat the whole loaf at one sitting, the leftovers become welcome snacks, with no chance of going to waste.
Delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe. I did the pumpkin substitute and made muffins instead of a loaf. It made 7 light and spongey muffins. Baked at 350 for ~20 minutes.
My daughter would love this, but she needs to be glutton free, can this recipe be made with a glutton free flour and if so, what other changes would need to be made. I’d like to surprise her and make a loaf for her. Thank you so much.
It’s so sweet that you’re making this for your daughter as a surprise! Just to clarify, I’ve only tested this recipe using King Arthur Brand Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour, and it works perfectly without any adjustments. So if you’re using that specific flour, there’s no need to tweak the recipe.
Oh my goodness this zucchini bread is delicious! The only change I made was the applesauce — I made homemade applesauce this afternoon which was chunky and sweetened; so that is what I used. This cake is wonderful and just a touch of the right amount of sweetness. Will definitely be making this again cause it “really hit the spot”! Excellent recipe!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the zucchini bread. Thank you so much for your feedback.
Loved it. Doubled the recipe due to how much zucchini I had. Came out really good. I haven’t like the recipe I had for years, so I stopped making it.