Made from scratch (with or without walnuts), this Amish zucchini bread is simple and easy to make. Packed with freshly shredded zucchini and warm cinnamon spice, this bread is perfect for any occasion.
This Amish zucchini bread recipe is made with all the best flavors in every slice. From the walnuts to the zucchini, you're going to love it. The bread is quick to make and so tender and moist you'll wish you had an overabundance of fresh zucchini growing outside.
While this recipe may or may not actually be Amish, it makes two loves, so there's one to share. The Amish love to share baked goods with friends and family and even have their own Friendship bread to celebrate the gift of giving.
For more zucchini bread recipes, be sure to check out my Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread, Zucchini Bread Mini Loaves, and Old Fashioned Zucchini Bread.
Why This Recipe Works
- Simple ingredients. One of the best reasons to make this zucchini bread recipe is that it uses basic ingredients to make a delicious slice of bread. You may find most of the ingredients needed in your pantry right now.
- They make great gifts! A great option is gifting friends and family with freshly made mini loaves. This is so much more fun during the holidays (and a frugal gift idea too).
- Easy to follow steps. We don't need any fancy ingredients or steps to make this bread. A cheese grater, a mixing bowl, a whisk, and loaf pans are pretty much it!
Jump to:
🥘 Ingredients
Zucchini- To get the bread batter consistency just right, you'll need zucchini that has been shredded on a cheese grater. You do not need to peel the zucchini first as the green skin will be soft and add nice color to the bread.
Flour- The gluten structure and base of this recipe is all-purpose flour.
Leavening agents- To help the bread rise up nicely, you'll need to use a combination of baking soda and baking powder.
Salt- This is a natural flavor enhancer.
Cinnamon- Adding ground cinnamon to this bread is what gives it such a wonderful spice and warm flavor.
Eggs- These are the binding agents used to hold the bread together.
Vegetable oil- For added fats, use vegetable oil. This will keep the bread soft, moist, and tender in texture.
Vanilla- Another flavor enhancer.
Sugar- You will need granulated sugar to make the bread sweet and tender. Sugar helps to give the bread a softer crumb.
Walnuts- This is an optional add-in that I often leave out because my kids don't like crunchy things in their bread. They don't know what they're missing. Walnuts add a great depth of flavor and buttery texture that pairs well with this recipe.
For specific quantities, see the recipe card below.
🍽 Equipment Needed
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🔪 Instructions
Check out how to make Amish Zucchini Bread with these simple step-by-step instructions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Shred your zucchini and place it onto a paper towel to allow some of the moisture to be absorbed. Set aside.
Grease your bread loaf pans and set them aside.
Add the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon to a large mixing bowl.
Whisk well to combine. Set aside.
In another large mixing bowl, add the eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and sugar.
Whisk well until combined.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ones until no flour streaks remain.
The batter will be very thick at this point.
Add in the shredded zucchini and walnuts (if using).
Stir until the zucchini is well distributed. You will notice that the batter doesn't seem as thick anymore, thanks to the moisture in the zucchini.
Divide the zucchini batter between your two bread loaf pans.
Bake in the oven at 325F for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted into the center and come out clean.
Let cool for about 20 minutes in the pan before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
Slice, serve, and enjoy!
🧾 Substitutions
Vegetable oil. You can use melted (cooled) butter in place of the vegetable oil, but the bread will be a little denser as a result.
Mini Loaves Instructions
Prepare the bread batter as directed and portion it out into 5 mini loaf pans. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.
🍴 Recipe Tips
Fun tip, since not every zucchini is exactly the same size as another, if you need to, you can increase the zucchini amount to 4 cups of shredded zucchini instead of just 3. This recipe also works with just 2 cups of zucchini.
You may notice that the baking time may vary slightly every time you make the recipe. This is because the moisture in zucchini is not consistent with every zucchini.
Zucchini holds a lot of water and once baked, the heat helps to release the water. Underbaked loaves of zucchini bread will sink in the middle as a result. While the timer may have gone off, using a toothpick to check the center is the best way to determine if the loaf has fully baked. If there's dough on the toothpick, extend the cooking time by 5 minutes and try again.
👩🏻🍳 Storage
The Zucchini bread recipe can be frozen, and this recipe is perfect for making a loaf for now or later. Wrap or cover your cooled loaf in plastic wrap well and then place it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Thaw it on the counter and enjoy your bread once it becomes soft again. If properly stored in an airtight container, zucchini bread can last up to 5 days at room temperature.
💭 FAQs
Due to the high moisture content of zucchini bread you may find that it crumbles if sliced when too warm. Allow your bread to cool and settle before slicing into that delicious loaf.
This is optional. I recommend laying shredded zucchini on paper towels before making the batter, but only for a few minutes. Some of the moisture in zucchini is necessary for a good loaf, and you don't want to remove too much. You also don't want overly juicy zucchini to ruin the bread either. If your zucchini is dry, skip the step, but if it's too moist, squeeze out a little excess moisture.
I do not recommend placing baked bread into the fridge as the cold air can dry it out. That said, it can last up to a week in the fridge and up to 3 or 4 days on the counter in an airtight container.
More great quick bread recipes to check out soon
📖 Recipe
Amish Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups Zucchini, shredded (about 2 medium) ($1.62)
- 3 ½ cups All-purpose flour ($0.24)
- 2 teaspoon Baking soda ($0.01)
- 2 teaspoon Baking Powder ($0.01)
- 1 ¼ teaspoon Salt ($0.01)
- 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon ($0.20)
- 3 large Eggs ($0.24)
- 1 cup Vegetable oil ($0.48)
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract ($0.04)
- 1 ½ cup Granulated sugar ($0.33)
- 1 cup Walnuts, chopped ($0.82)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Shred your zucchini and place it onto a paper towel to allow some of the moisture to be absorbed. Set aside.
- Grease your bread loaf pans and set them aside.
- Add the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon to a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk well to combine. Set aside.
- In another large mixing bowl, add the eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and sugar.
- Whisk well until combined.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ones until no flour streaks remain.
- The batter will be very thick at this point.
- Add in the shredded zucchini and walnuts (if using).
- Stir until the zucchini is well distributed. You will notice that the batter doesn't seem as thick anymore, thanks to the moisture in the zucchini.
- Divide the zucchini batter between your two bread loaf pans.
- Bake in the oven at 325F for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted into the center and come out clean.
- Let cool for about 20 minutes in the pan before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
Substitutions
- Vegetable oil. You can use melted (cooled) butter in place of the vegetable oil, but the bread will be a little denser as a result.
Mini Loaves Instructions
- Prepare the bread batter as directed and portion it out into 5 mini loaf pans. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.
Recipe Tips
- Fun tip, since not every zucchini is exactly the same size as another, if you need to, you can increase the zucchini amount to 4 cups of shredded zucchini instead of just 3. This recipe also works with just 2 cups of zucchini.
- You may notice that the baking time may vary slightly every time you make the recipe. This is because the moisture in zucchini is not consistent with every zucchini.
- Zucchini holds a lot of water and once baked, the heat helps to release the water. Underbaked loaves of zucchini bread will sink in the middle as a result. While the timer may have gone off, using a toothpick to check the center is the best way to determine if the loaf has fully baked. If there's dough on the toothpick, extend the cooking time by 5 minutes and try again.
Storage
- The Zucchini bread recipe can be frozen, and this recipe is perfect for making a loaf for now or later. Wrap or cover your cooled loaf in plastic wrap well and then place it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Thaw it on the counter and enjoy your bread once it becomes soft again. If properly stored in an airtight container, zucchini bread can last up to 5 days at room temperature.
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