This gluten-free zucchini bread is so moist, perfectly spiced, and full of grated zucchini. A couple of techniques will guarantee a beautifully baked loaf every time, without any soggy or gummy spots.
The challenge with zucchini bread is always moisture. I’ve had my share of gummy zucchini bread from too much moisture, as well as dense and crumbly ones from not enough moisture, but I’ve tested this recipe several times and finally perfected it. The combination of squeezing out the zucchini’s moisture and adding my secret ingredient—Greek yogurt—gives this zucchini bread a moist and tender crumb that no one will guess is gluten-free.
The Secret to the Best Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread
The Zucchini Debate: Some will argue that by not squeezing out the moisture, the grated zucchini will make the zucchini bread nice and moist. However, I’m not risking having gummy spots in my zucchini bread—absolutely not. Although it’s an additional step, it’s crucial that you squeeze out as much moisture out of the grated zucchini as possible for a light texture.
The Secret Ingredient: While most zucchini bread recipes stick to eggs and oil as their source of moisture, I also love adding a little Greek yogurt. The acidity of the yogurt reacts with the baking soda, and adds a fluffy texture on top of the super moist crumb that oil alone can’t replicate. If you’re dairy-free, use equal amounts of mayonnaise (make sure it’s plain mayo, and not spicy or garlic mayo!).
What You’ll Need
Here are the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe.
- Gluten-free flour blend - Any “measure for measure” or “1-to-1” flour blend that includes xanthan gum should work. My favorite is Bob’s Red Mill’s 1-to-1 Baking Flour.
- Salt - Balances the sweetness. I use finely ground Himalayan pink salt.
- Baking soda & baking powder - Adds rise to the zucchini bread.
- Cinnamon - Adds a warmth to the flavor. Using ceylon cinnamon will add a more floral note compared to regular cinnamon.
- Granulated sugar & brown sugar - Adds both sweetness and softness.
- Eggs - Use large eggs.
- Oil - Use a neutral flavored oil like avocado oil or a light olive oil. Adds moisture to the zucchini bread, and will keep the bread soft even if refrigerated.
- Zucchini - Use the standard size grater (not the fine grater), and wrap it in a tea towel to squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
- Vanilla - Adds a sweet and familiar note.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This is a very easy recipe—all you have to do is mix the ingredients together!
Grate the Zucchini
Use the standard size grater to grate the zucchinis. We’ll use 2 cups of grated and squeezed zucchini in this recipe, so you’ll need about 2.5 to 3 cups of grated zucchini before wringing out the moisture.
Once your zucchinis are grated, wrap it in a clean tea towel (not a regular towel where you’ll add lint to your zucchini) and squeeze out as much moisture as possible to prevent a gummy texture.
Make the Batter
In a bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and ground cinnamon. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, oil, sugars, and vanilla until it becomes smooth.
Add the dry ingredients and zucchini to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Make sure to run a silicone spatula along the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure there aren’t any dry pockets of flour, which can result in an uneven bake. The batter should be thick but pourable.
Let the batter rest while you preheat the oven.
Bake the loaf
Pour the batter into a greased and lined loaf pan (mine is the 8.5-inch pan from USA Pan) and bake it for 62-65 minutes at 350°F (175°C). A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a couple crumbs on it.
Let it sit in the pan for about 15 minutes before taking it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2½ to 3 cups grated zucchini once squeezed it should equal 2 cups
- 1¼ cups gluten-free 1-to-1 flour one that includes xanthan gum
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup oil neutral flavored like avocado or light olive oil
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preparing the zucchini
- Put the grated zucchini onto a clean tea towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Measure out 2 cups of the squeezed zucchini and set it aside.
Preparing the batter
- In a medium bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and ground cinnamon. Set it aside.
- In a large bowl, add the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, and mix together until smooth.
- Add the flour mixture and squeezed zucchini to the large bowl of wet ingredients. Mix until combined, and run a silicone spatula to make sure the sides and bottom of the bowl are free of pockets of dry flour. Let the batter rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
Baking
- While the batter rests, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 8.5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 62 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out completely clean, or with a couple of crumbs on it. Let the zucchini bread sit in the pan for 15 minutes before taking it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! You can use equal amounts of mayo to substitute the Greek yogurt. Although mayo sounds too savory to add to a zucchini bread recipe, it’s simply a combination of eggs, oil, and vinegar. Just like yogurt, it adds moisture to the bread, while also reacting with the baking soda to help the bread rise.
You can use frozen grated zucchini (not sliced) if you wring out the moisture after defrosting it. Otherwise, it would add too much moisture to the bread.
There are a few reasons why a zucchini bread might sink. First, which I’ve done a million times, is opening the oven door to check on the bread before it’s done baking. The drop in temperature will cause the bread to sink. Second, if your bread looked pretty coming out of the oven but sank as it cooled, it wasn’t baked completely. Third, you didn’t squeeze out enough moisture out of the zucchini.
Yes! I love adding ⅔ cup of mini chocolate chips to the batter. If adding nuts (walnuts would be delicious in this), I recommend making sure to chop them before folding them into the batter.
To make this zucchini bread into muffins, pour the rested batter into a muffin pan lined with paper liners. Bake it for 25-28 minutes at 350°F (175°C) until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Storage & Freezing
Storing: You can keep the whole loaf or individual slices in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. I recommend wrapping the slices in plastic wrap before putting them in the airtight container, to preserve its moist texture.
Freezing: If you want to store the bread for more than 3 days, I recommend storing it in the freezer. Wrap each slice tightly with plastic wrap (2 layers would be best!) and put it in a freezer bag to store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost at room temperature before enjoying!
More Gluten-Free Recipes
Here are some more delicious gluten-free recipes for you to try!
These gluten-free blueberry muffins are so delicious! Whether it’s peak blueberry season, or you have a bag of frozen blueberries, these muffins should be on your to-bake list.
One of my favorite fall time desserts is this gluten-free apple crisp. It’s so spiced and cozy, and delicious served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Gluten-free granola is one of the best things to meal prep to avoid a chaotic morning. It goes well whether it’s served with milk or sprinkled on yogurt!
These almond flour chocolate chip cookies are one of my most favorite cookies ever! They’re rich, soft and chewy, with crisp edges. If you want a nut-free cookie, try my classic gluten-free chocolate chip cookies instead.
Gluten-free chocolate cake is my go-to cake to bake on birthdays. It’s so moist and fluffy, and goes well with any frosting you like!
This gluten-free banana bread and these gluten-free banana muffins are probably what’s baked most in my kitchen—someone tell me how I always end up with so many overripe bananas! They’re both easy to make, moist, and get rave comments from anyone I share them with.
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