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Cinnamon Roll Zucchini Bread

Cinnamon roll zucchini bread with a thick cinnamon swirl baked into a tender sweet zucchini loaf. Finished with a cream cheese drizzle, it’s the cinnamon roll reimagined as a quick bread.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
cooling 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bread
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.33 cup melted butter measure after melting
  • 0.33 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup zucchini grated and squeezed dry
Cinnamon Filling
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 1.5 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp melted butter for filling; measure after melting
Cream Cheese Drizzle
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and mix batter
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, then grease a 9x5 loaf pan so the loaf releases cleanly.
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl until evenly combined.
  3. Beat granulated sugar, eggs, melted butter, sour cream, and vanilla extract, then stir in grated zucchini that has been squeezed dry.
  4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until no dry streaks remain, stopping once the batter looks uniform.
Add cinnamon swirl
  1. Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter together until it forms a thick paste-like filling.
  2. Pour half the batter into the loaf pan, spoon the cinnamon filling over the surface, and swirl to create a visible ribbon.
  3. Add the remaining batter, then swirl again so the cinnamon pattern runs through the loaf.
Bake, cool, and drizzle
  1. Bake at 350°F for 55–65 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  2. Cool the loaf for 15 minutes before frosting so the drizzle stays thick instead of melting off.
  3. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth, then drizzle generously over the cooled loaf for a glossy finish.

Notes

Pro tip: squeeze the grated zucchini very well so the loaf bakes up tender (not gummy) and the cinnamon swirl stays distinct. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Freeze the baked loaf (without extra drizzle) up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and drizzle before serving if you like. For a dairy-light swap, use lactose-free sour cream and lactose-free cream cheese to keep the same texture.