American · Breads & baking

Cinnamon zucchini bread

Name: Cinnamon zucchini bread
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 1 9-by-5-inch loaf
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups loosely packed coarsely grated zucchini, about 8 ounces; 1 3/4 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided; 2 large eggs; 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar; 1/2 cup neutral oil; 1/4 cup plain yogurt; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

A moist cinnamon-scented loaf flecked with zucchini and finished with a crisp ribbon of cinnamon sugar.

About 1 hr 45 minTotal

About 1 hr 15 minActive

$Cost

EasyDifficulty

Makes 1 9-by-5-inch loaf

Equipment

Clean kitchen towel
Use an 8.5 × 4.5- or 9 × 5-inch pan; dark pans may need an earlier doneness check.
Best standard loaf pan
USA Pan 1-Pound Loaf Pan · 1140LF
View at Amazon
Another workable path: Use an 8.5 × 4.5- or 9 × 5-inch pan; dark pans may need an earlier doneness check.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We matched the recipe’s pan dimensions and dough capacity, then checked material, heat limit, coating care, stable model identity, and exact retail destination. Kwilt has not baked with this pan.
USA Pan 1-Pound Loaf Pan · 1140LF: Its standard one-pound footprint matches the catalog’s 9-by-5-inch household loaves closely and the reinforced aluminized steel supports even, repeatable browning. Trade-off: The silicone nonstick coating requires hand washing and nonmetal utensils, and the maker advises against cooking spray.
Another workable path: Use another light-colored 8.5-by-4.5- or 9-by-5-inch loaf pan; darker pans may brown faster and need an earlier check.
Sources
USA Pan 1140LF specifications
Amazon exact product listing

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 1 9-by-5-inch loaf

1 1/2 cups loosely packed coarsely grated zucchini, about 8 ounces
1 3/4 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
2 large eggs
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup neutral oil
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Instructions

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and parchment-line a . Spread grated zucchini on a towel and press once to remove dripping surface water without wringing it bone-dry.
Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. In another bowl whisk eggs, brown sugar, oil, yogurt, and vanilla until smooth.
Fold dry ingredients into wet until barely combined, then fold in zucchini and walnuts if using. Scrape into the pan. Mix granulated sugar with remaining cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the top.
Bake 50 to 60 minutes until the center reaches 200–205°F and a tester shows moist crumbs, tenting if the sugar crust darkens early.
Cool 15 minutes in the pan, then move to a rack for at least 30 minutes. Store completely cooled bread tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days.

United StatesNorth America · late-twentieth-century American quick-bread tradition

From the table

About this recipe

Zucchini bread is best understood as a modern American quick bread rather than an old Italian zucchini preparation. It joined a larger family of chemically leavened vegetable and fruit loaves, and food-history references commonly place its rise in the 1960s and 1970s alongside home gardening and an expanding interest in vegetable-forward baking.

The loaf is still a sweet quick bread, not a serving of vegetables disguised as health food. Grated zucchini supplies moisture and a tender crumb while cinnamon, brown sugar, oil, and an optional walnut addition carry the familiar American form. This recipe removes only dripping surface water so the vegetable can do that structural work.

Sources

Dinner does not stop at the recipe