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Explore the joys of mini zucchini bread, a simple yet delightful recipe perfect for breakfast or a snack. This popular bread is loved for its moist texture and sweet flavor, incorporating the nutritious benefits of summer squash. We’re excited to offer three delicious variations of this treat, each featuring a unique key ingredient: butter, applesauce, or pumpkin puree, designed to appeal to a wide range of preferences.
Enjoy a slice of homemade zucchini bread alongside a variety of delightful breakfast options. Pair it with the rich and gooey Cheesy Baked Eggs, the hearty and wholesome Breakfast Bowl, the warm and comforting Baked Oatmeal, or the elegant and savory Crustless Quiche Lorraine. Each recipe offers a delightful complement to the zucchini bread.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Zucchini Bread Recipe
- Customizable: You can modify this recipe according to taste or dietary needs.
- Simple and Accessible Ingredients: Common pantry items are all you need.
- Perfect Portion: It’s ideal for one to two servings, ensuring less waste.
- Nutritious and Delicious: Get your sweet fix while enjoying the nutritional benefits of zucchini.
3 Ways To Make Zucchini Bread
Zucchini bread is delightful in its traditional form, but can also be customized based on personal preferences. You can make it:
- With Applesauce: For a lower-fat option that remains moist and delicious.
- With Melted Butter: If you’re looking for a rich, buttery flavor and texture.
- With Pumpkin Puree: A unique twist that adds a natural sweetness and fall-inspired flavor.
Ingredients
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why I used them. For the full recipe please scroll down to the recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Zucchini: Use a small zucchini or half of a medium-sized one for this recipe. There’s no need to peel or drain any excess moisture from the zucchini. Grate it using a box grater, food processor with a shredder blade, or a high-powered blender. Got extra zucchini? Use it in Vegetable Lasagna, Vegetable Casserole, or Sheet Pan Greek Chicken.
- Sugar and brown sugar: Both types of sugar are required for this zucchini bread. If brown sugar is missing from your pantry, try our simple homemade brown sugar recipe as an alternative.
- Unsweetened applesauce, pumpkin purée, or melted butter: This recipe is versatile! You can use unsweetened applesauce, pumpkin purée, or melted butter. Each brings its own unique flavor to the bread. If you opt for pumpkin purée, ensure it’s not the spiced pie filling variety. Substitute 1/4 cup (55 grams) of pumpkin for the applesauce. For the butter version, use 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) melted butter. Incorporate it along with the zucchini, egg, sugars, and oil.
- Flour: The go-to is all-purpose flour. If you’re aiming for a gluten-free bread, simply switch to a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
If you have any ingredients leftover from this zucchini bread recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
Recipe Variations
The beauty of zucchini bread lies in its adaptability. Feel free to add your unique twist to the recipe. Here are some recipe variations to inspire your culinary creativity:
- Zucchini Bread with Nuts: Mix in 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped walnuts, pecans, or sunflower seeds for a pleasant crunch.
- Zucchini Bread with Fruit: Incorporate dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, or apricots.
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread: Add a handful of chocolate chips for a sweet surprise in every bite.
- Spiced Zucchini Bread: Experiment with different spices like cardamom or cloves for a fresh take on flavor.
How To Make Zucchini Bread
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a small loaf of zucchini bread. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Grate the zucchini: I used my Vitamix blender and it worked beautifully.
- Mix the wet ingredients together: Mix together the egg, oil, sugars, applesauce (or melted butter or pumpkin, if using instead), and vanilla in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in the zucchini.
- Add the dry ingredients: Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until no flour remains, being careful not to overmix.
Pro Tip: To measure flour correctly, use a spoon to stir the flour inside the container. You want to loosen it up in case it’s packed tightly inside. Use a spoon to scoop flour into a dry measuring cup and slightly overfill. Then, use the flat end of a knife or other straight edged utensil to level the flour across the cup. Do not scoop the flour. When you scoop, the flour gets packed too tightly and you will end up with more flour than the recipe calls for.
- Bake: Pour the batter into a lightly buttered baking dish.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Grating Zucchini: No need to peel the zucchini before grating. The skin adds extra nutrients.
- Do Not Squeeze The Zucchini: The moisture is required to keep the loaf moist.
- Checking Doneness: A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean when the bread is done.
- Storing: Keep the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate to extend its freshness.
Serving Suggestions
- A Dash of Dairy: Spread a generous dollop of cream cheese, whipped cream, or a pat of butter on a warm slice.
- Nut Butter Nourishment: Smear your slice of zucchini bread with almond or peanut butter for a protein boost.
- Fruitful Toppings: Add a layer of fresh berries or a drizzle of honey for extra sweetness.
- Coffee Complement: Serve alongside a hot cup of coffee or tea for a comforting breakfast or snack.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Nuts, dried fruit, or chocolate chips make excellent additions. Use 2 to 3 tablespoons of any of these ingredients.
Absolutely. Wrap the cooled bread tightly in aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap and freeze. It will last up to 3 months.
The success of this recipe depends on the size of the baking dish you use. I use either a 5×5 inch baking dish with a base area of 25 square inches or a 4×6 inch baking dish with a base area of 24 square inches. The dishes we use in our recipes can be found on our Store page.
For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
Nutritional Comparison of Zucchini Bread Variations
Curious about the nutritional differences between our zucchini bread recipes? Whether you’re using applesauce, pumpkin purée, or melted butter as a key ingredient, each version brings its own set of nutritional values to the table. We’ve broken down the calorie count, fat content, and other nutritional factors for these three variations to help you make an informed choice.
Zucchini bread made 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 made with melted 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 small loaf of 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
- Heat oven to 350° F (177° C). Lightly grease a 5-inch baking dish (or use a dish of similar size) with cooking spray or butter.
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the grated zucchini, sugar, brown sugar, applesauce, oil, egg, and vanilla. Stir until well combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until no flour remains, being careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Slice and enjoy or store wrapped at room temperature.
Notes
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- Grating Zucchini: No need to peel the zucchini before grating. The skin adds extra nutrients.
-
- Do Not Squeeze The Zucchini: The moisture is required to keep the loaf moist.
-
- Checking Doneness: A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean when the bread is done.
-
- Storing: Keep the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate to extend its freshness.
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.