This Healthy Zucchini Bread Recipe is easy, delicious and makes for a great snack, breakfast or healthy dessert. Naturally sweetened, made from whole grains & kid-approved!

Healthy zucchini bread on cooling rack, sliced

Zucchini Bread is a classic veggie-loaded sweet treat! It is a great way to put those giant zucchinis to use during the summer months but also a great way to sneak in veggies at breakfast, snack time or even for dessert. Traditional recipes, however, often have a lot of added sugar and are made from bleached flours. For this Healthy Zucchini Bread, I’ve used natural sweeteners to bring this summer treat to life and used good-for-you whole grains!

Tips for make Healthy Zucchini Bread

  • Let it cool completely. If you want to dive right in and enjoy a slice warm (because that is kinda the best thing ever), go for it. But don’t freak out if the bread is slightly soft in the middle and the bread sticks to the parchment paper a bit. Both are normal and as the muffins cool, both issues will resolve as the bread cools.
  • Don’t skip on squeezing out the zucchini. Zucchini naturally has a lot of water. Squeezing out some of the zucchini’s natural moisture is essential so that this bread comes out perfectly moist instead of mushy.
  • If making this for a child under 1, use maple syrup instead of honey. I remember hearing that recommendation since my daughter was a baby, but never knew why exactly. The reason is because something called Clostridium bacteria can be present in honey and is no good for those developing little infant guts. It is usually not an issue for children over age 1 thought. Check out this article for more info.
1 6-step process shot of how to make healthy zucchini bread from start to finish

Suggested adaptations for Healthy Zucchini Bread

  • Make it gluten free. Replace the white whole wheat flour with a gluten free cup-for-cup flour blend. I like this one.
  • Make it egg-free. Replace the eggs with 2 flax eggs.
  • Make it dairy-free. Use unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk or your favorite plant-based milk.
  • Replace the zucchini with grated summer squash.
  • Make it as muffins. Bake at the same temperature for 15-20 minutes in a 12-hole muffin tin.
  • Reduce the sugar. Skip the chocolate chips and enjoy the natural sweetness from the applesauce and honey or maple syrup
  • No white whole wheat flour? Replace it with 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup whole wheat.

More healthy zucchini recipes you are going to adore…

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Healthy zucchini bread on cooling rack, partially sliced
5 from 11 votes

Healthy Zucchini Bread

Yield: 10 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Cuisine: American
Course: Breakfast
Author: Taesha Butler
This Healthy Zucchini Bread Recipe is easy, delicious and makes for a great snack, breakfast or healthy dessert. Naturally sweetened, made from whole grains & kid-approved!
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup grated zucchini , measured before squeezing out
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/3 cup honey* or maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup milk of choice, I used unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cups white whole wheat flour, or sub cup-for-cup gluten free flour blend
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips , optional

Equipment

  • loaf pan

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a 8×4 loaf pan with parchment paper or grease it with a little extra oil.
  • Take the grated zucchini and place it in the middle of a clean dish towel or large paper towel. Wrap the zucchini in the towel and squeeze out as much of the moisture as you can. Set aside. 
  • In a large bowl, combine olive oil, eggs, vanilla extract, applesauce, honey/maple syrup, and milk. Mix.
  • Add remaining ingredients except zucchini and chocolate chips to the bowl. Mix well until batter has an even consistency.
  • Add drained zucchini and chocolate chips to the batter. Fold them in.
  • Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and top with extra chocolate chips if desired.
  • Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until bread is golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the bread comes out clean. Allow bread to cool in pan for 20 minutes before slicing and enjoying.
  • Once cooled completely, store in fridge for 4-5 days or in freezer for up to a month.

Notes

*If making bread for a child under age 1, use maple syrup instead of honey. 
 

Suggested adaptations for Healthy Zucchini Bread

  • Make it gluten free. Replace the white whole wheat flour with a gluten free cup-for-cup flour blend. I like this one.
  • Make it egg-free. Replace the eggs with 2 flax eggs.
  • Make it dairy-free. Use unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk or your favorite plant-based milk.
  • Replace the zucchini with grated summer squash.
  • Make it as muffins. Bake at the same temperature for 15-20 minutes in a 12-hole muffin tin.
  • Reduce the sugar. Skip the chocolate chips and enjoy the natural sweetness from the applesauce and honey or maple syrup
  • No white whole wheat flour? Replace it with 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup whole wheat.
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 204kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 39mg, Sodium: 194mg, Potassium: 184mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 117IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 79mg, Iron: 1mg