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Healthy Zucchini Bread

Healthy zucchini bread with a golden-brown crust and tender oat-and-whole-wheat crumb. Grated zucchini is squeezed dry to keep the loaf moist while staying lower in added sugar with honey or maple syrup.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
cooling 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup rolled oats
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
Wet ingredients
  • 0.33 cup honey or maple syrup Use honey or maple syrup; choose one.
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.33 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 0.5 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cup zucchini, grated and squeezed dry
Optional mix-ins
  • 0.33 cup walnuts, chopped Optional.
  • 0.25 cup dark chocolate chips Optional.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan, leaving a thin even coating for easy release.
  2. Whisk whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, rolled oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together until evenly combined and no dry streaks remain.
Mix the batter
  1. Whisk honey or maple syrup, eggs, coconut oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
  2. Stir in grated squeezed zucchini until the wet mixture looks evenly speckled with zucchini.
  3. Fold dry ingredients into wet just until combined, stopping as soon as no flour pockets remain to keep a tender crumb.
  4. Fold in walnuts and dark chocolate chips if using, distributing them without overmixing.
Bake and cool
  1. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and level the top for even baking.
  2. Bake 50–58 minutes at 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs attached.
  3. Cool for 15 minutes before slicing so the loaf sets and holds together cleanly.
  4. Serve warm or at room temperature; the texture improves the next day.

Notes

Pro tip: squeeze the grated zucchini well (in a clean towel) so the loaf doesn’t turn gummy. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze sliced loaf for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. For a dietary swap, use maple syrup instead of honey to keep it fully vegan (still baked with eggs unless you swap eggs too).