If you have ever had a garden … or even known someone who has had a garden … you already know the truth about zucchini: zucchini does not understand the concept of moderation. You plant one little seed, blink a few times, and suddenly you have enough zucchini to supply the entire neighborhood! At first, you’re excited. Sautéed zucchini! Grilled zucchini! Zucchini with dinner again! Then again. And again. However, somewhere around the seventh night of zucchini … you start looking at that innocent green vegetable like it personally offended you. That’s when fresh milled flour zucchini bread (or with store-bought flour) enters the stage.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with sautéed zucchini, but after eating it every night for a week, it is pretty nice to turn that garden abundance into something a little more special. And by special … I mean something that involves cinnamon, sugar, and absolutely no obligation to eat it next to a chicken breast.
This fresh milled flour zucchini bread (or made with store flour) is moist, tender, lightly spiced, and packed with zucchini. Best of all, you don’t have to squeeze the moisture out of the zucchini. You can grate it, dump it in, and move on with your life. Plus, it uses simple ingredients you probably already have hanging around in your kitchen. You don’t need an electric mixer, either. A bowl and a fork will get the job done just fine.
The result is one beautifully domed, tall loaf that works for breakfast, lunch, dessert, or that mysterious time of day when you walk through the kitchen and somehow end up eating a slice.
So, let’s make some zucchini bread.
Zucchini Bread Starts With the Right Flour
We’re going to start with the flour, and you have two options here. You can make this as a fresh milled flour zucchini bread recipe using freshly milled soft white wheat, or you can use good old store-bought all-purpose flour.
Both work beautifully. So, whether you’re already obsessed with your grain mill or just want a really good zucchini bread recipe … I’ve got you covered.
Fresh Milled Flour Zucchini Bread Loves Soft White Wheat
If you are obsessed with freshly milled flour like I am, then howdy, fresh-milled friend.
For this zucchini bread with freshly milled flour, you’ll want to start by measuring out 300 grams (1½ cups) of soft white wheat berries.
Soft white wheat is perfect for quick breads because it creates a gentle, tender crumb. In other words, we’re looking for light and tender … not heavy and dense.
Next, grind the wheat berries on a fine setting. You want your flour to become soft and powdery, almost like fresh snow. The finer the flour, the more pleasant the texture of your finished bread will be.
And if you’ve been curious about ancient grains, perhaps you’ve been eyeing einkorn, spelt, or emmer like they’re the cool kids sitting at the cafeteria table … this is a great recipe to experiment with them. Just keep in mind that different grains can behave differently, so you may need to make adjustments when substituting them. If you want to learn more about choosing and using wheat berries, you can check out my guide here.
Once your wheat is finely ground, add the freshly milled flour straight into your mixing bowl.
Store-Bought Flour More Your Jam?
Yes, you absolutely can use store-bought flour. Your zucchini bread will still be delicious, comforting, and completely worth eating warm with a slab of butter.
If you’re going the traditional route, add 2 cups of all-purpose flour to your mixing bowl.
However, I would skip the bread flour for this recipe. Bread flour contains more protein, which can create more gluten and give your zucchini bread a tougher texture. Nobody invited tough zucchini bread to the party.
On the other hand, if you want an easy way to add more whole-grain flavor and nutrients to your baking … consider using freshly milled flour. When you mill wheat yourself, you’re using the whole grain, including the bran and germ … rather than flour that has had portions removed during processing. If you’re curious about why fresh milling makes such a difference, you can read more about it here.
And since we’re already talking about ways to make the most of all that zucchini, I have a little something else for you. Grab my 3 Free Zucchini Bread Toppings & Icings Recipe Card (honey butter, cream cheese frosting and vanilla icing) and give yourself a few more delicious ways to dress up that loaf. Because apparently, zucchini bread can have accessories too.
Here’s What You’ll Need for Dry Ingredients
Now that we have our flour in the bowl, it’s time to add the rest of the dry ingredients.
And here’s some good news: you do not need an electric mixer for this recipe. I use my mixer sometimes because I already have it sitting there … looking helpful. However, this recipe is perfectly happy with a bowl and a fork. In fact, you could make this fresh ground zucchini bread recipe without plugging in a single appliance. That makes this a particularly nice recipe for those days when you want homemade bread but don’t want to turn your kitchen into a small-scale construction site.
Add the following to your mixing bowl:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
Fresh Milled Flour Zucchini Bread Gets a Little Help From Salt
Salt may seem like a tiny ingredient, but don’t underestimate it. It helps balance the sweetness and brings out the other flavors in the bread.
Keep in mind that different salts can vary in how salty they taste. I use Redmond Real Salt, which I find tastes less salty than standard table salt such as Morton’s iodized salt.
Therefore, if you’re using a different type of salt, you may want to adjust slightly based on what you’re accustomed to.
Freshly Milled Flour Zucchini Bread Needs Both Baking Powder and Baking Soda
Why use both baking powder and baking soda? Think of them as the baking equivalent of a one-two punch.
Baking soda helps with lift and browning, while baking powder provides additional, dependable lift. Together, they help give this zucchini bread the height and tenderness we’re looking for. And because we’re making a moist quick bread with a generous amount of zucchini, that extra help is important. We want a beautifully domed loaf … not a zucchini pancake pretending to be bread.
Fresh Ground Zucchini Bread Recipe: Let’s Talk Sugar
This loaf is slightly sweet, which lets the cinnamon and zucchini shine without making the bread taste like cake. However, if you have a serious sweet tooth, you can add up to ½ cup more sugar.
If you prefer baking with honey, you can substitute ¾ cup honey for the sugar.
You can also replace half of the white sugar with brown sugar. In that case, use ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar and ½ cup (100g) brown sugar. Brown sugar adds a little more moisture and gives the loaf a deeper, richer, slightly caramel-like flavor that works especially well with cinnamon.
Once everything is in the bowl, give the dry ingredients a good stir so everything is evenly distributed.
Zucchini Bread Finally Meets Its Zucchini
Now we’re getting to the star of the show: zucchini.
I love those little green flecks scattered throughout the loaf. They make me feel like I’m eating something incredibly wholesome … even though I’m also eating a bit of sugar and cinnamon.
And here’s where this recipe gets particularly easy. You do not need to squeeze the moisture out of your zucchini. I used to make a zucchini bread recipe that required squeezing all the liquid out. That was no fun! The grated zucchini stuck to the towel, the towel became a zucchini crime scene, and I never knew whether I had removed the right amount of moisture anyway.
Thankfully, you don’t have to do any of that here. For this zucchini bread with freshly milled flour (or store-bought flour), keep the moisture in the zucchini and dump it right into the batter.
Freshly Ground Zucchini Bread Doesn’t Need Zucchini Surgery
The only special treatment your zucchini needs is to be grated. Not diced. Not chopped. Not pulverized into zucchini soup. Just grate it.
You can use a handheld grater, or you can use a food processor if you prefer. I used to get out my food processor every time … but I eventually realized that hand-grating the zucchini is surprisingly fast. So now, that’s what I usually do.
Zucchini Bread With Fresh Milled Wheat Has Room for Zucchini of All Sizes
Let’s talk about zucchini size because this is where gardening and baking sometimes have a little disagreement.
If you’re making this bread early in the growing season, you may have picked your zucchini while it was still small and adorable. In that case, you’ll probably need two small zucchini to get your 2 cups of grated zucchini.
A medium or normal-sized zucchini will usually give you around 2–3 cups of grated zucchini.
However, if you went away for vacation and came home to a zucchini the size of a baseball bat, congratulations! Your garden has been busy. For a gigantic zucchini, cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out the large seeds with a spoon. Those big seeds can be watery and tough, so removing the seedy center helps. Then grate the remaining zucchini.
And here’s another little zucchini victory: if you have more than the 2 cups you need … freeze the extra in 2-cup portions. That way, when your garden is sadly finished producing zucchini, you can still pull a bag out of the freezer and make zucchini bread. Just remember to thaw frozen zucchini before using it … and you will pour the whole bag into your recipe (including all of the liquid).
The Cast of Characters for Wet Ingredients
Now we’re ready for the rest of the ingredients. Go ahead and dump in:
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (300g) zucchini, grated
And yes, we’re really just putting everything into the bowl.
Room-Temperature Eggs
I use room-temperature eggs because they mix more easily with the fat in the recipe. Cold eggs can cause the fat to congeal when everything gets mixed together. Room-temperature eggs help everything blend together more smoothly.
That said, if you forgot to take your eggs out ahead of time, don’t panic. This is zucchini bread, not the Olympics.
Oil Options
The oil is completely up to you. I personally use ¼ cup butter, 2 tablespoons coconut oil, and 2 tablespoons olive oil.
Thankfully, this recipe is very flexible. It has a remarkably low chance of yelling at you for using the fat you prefer. You can use your favorite neutral oil, or you can substitute ½ cup melted butter for the oil.
Oil will give you an especially moist loaf, while butter adds a richer, buttery flavor. If you’re using melted butter, let it cool slightly before adding it. You don’t want your warm butter to turn your eggs into scrambled eggs before the bread even reaches the oven.
Zucchini
I like to weigh my zucchini because it takes the guesswork out of measuring. That way, I don’t have to wonder whether my measuring cup was lightly packed, firmly packed, or packed like I was trying to fit my entire zucchini harvest into it.
You want 300g of grated zucchini.
If you’re measuring by volume, use about 2 cups of grated zucchini, packed somewhere between medium and firmly.
Now give everything a gentle stir.
You don’t want to overmix the batter. Overmixing can develop more gluten, which can make the bread heavier and potentially contribute to the middle sinking. So stir until everything is combined and then stop.
The fork has done its job. Let it retire.
Plenty of Options for Fun
This is where you can have a little fun. The basic loaf is delicious on its own, but you can add extra flavors and textures depending on what you’re in the mood for.
Here are some of my favorites:
- Toasted chopped walnuts — ¾ cup: These add crunch and a rich, nutty flavor. To toast them, spread the walnuts in a single layer on a baking pan and toast in a preheated 350°F oven for about 6 minutes.
- Pecans — ¾ cup: Buttery, slightly sweet, and absolutely wonderful with zucchini.
- Chocolate chips — ¾ cup: Because chocolate makes almost everything better.
- Raisins — ¾ cup: Little chewy bursts of sweetness.
- Dried cranberries — ¾ cup: Sweet and tart, especially when paired with nuts.
- Fresh blueberries — ¾ cup: Juicy little pockets of fruity flavor. (my favorite addition)
- Orange zest — 1 tablespoon: Brightens everything up and pairs surprisingly well with cinnamon.
- Lemon zest — 2 teaspoons: Adds a fresh, slightly tangy flavor that keeps the bread from tasting too heavy.
- Nutmeg — ¼ teaspoon: Adds a warm, cozy spice without taking over.
- Turbinado or raw sugar — 2 tablespoons: Sprinkle it over the top before baking for a crunchy, sweet crust.
You can also take things in a completely different direction with a little cream cheese frosting, vanilla icing or homemade honey butter. You can find those free recipes here.
If you’re adding anything directly into the batter, go ahead and toss it in now and give everything a quick stir.
Don’t overthink it. This is the fun part.
The 30-Minute Flour Vacation
Now it’s time for something that feels slightly strange the first time you make it: we’re going to let the batter sit for 30 minutes.
If you’re using fresh milled flour, this step is important. Freshly milled flour needs time to absorb the liquid in the batter. Think of it like giving a very thirsty sponge a few minutes to actually soak up the water instead of immediately asking it to do its job. That 30-minute rest gives the flour time to hydrate, which helps create a better texture in your finished bread.
If you’re using store-bought all-purpose flour, you don’t technically need to let the batter rest. However, it won’t hurt anything if you do.
So, let the batter sit for half an hour. In the meantime, we’ll get the oven and pan ready.
Prep Work While the Batter Snoozes
While the batter is resting, move your oven rack to the lower third of the oven.
Then preheat your oven to 350°F. By the time the batter has finished its little hydration vacation, your oven should be hot and ready to go.
Next, prepare your loaf pan. Grease a 1.5-quart loaf pan. Mine measures 8.5 x 4.5 inches. If your loaf pan is a little bigger or smaller, that’s okay. Just keep in mind that your baking time may need to change.
I rarely have trouble getting my loaves out of the pan. However, if your pans have a personal vendetta against baked goods, line the pan with parchment paper. It makes removing the loaf much easier.
Freshly Milled Flour Zucchini Bread Can Become Muffins Too
And yes, you can absolutely turn this batter into muffins. Prepare your muffin tin and fill the cups about ¾ full.
Because muffins are smaller, they’ll need much less time in the oven. Start checking them around 18 minutes, and expect them to take approximately 18–24 minutes at 350°F.
Keep an eye on them because every oven and muffin tin is a little different. Tiny loaves, big joy.
The Toothpick Knows Everything
Once your 30-minute rest is over, pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan.
If you’re using turbinado or raw sugar on top, now is the time to sprinkle it over the batter. That sugar creates an awesome crunchy top layer. Now it’s time to bake.
Bake the loaf at 350°F for 55–70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. You don’t want raw batter clinging to the toothpick. A few moist crumbs are perfectly fine.
Because this is a high-moisture batter, doneness can be a little sneaky. The top can look beautifully done while the center is still sitting there thinking about it. Therefore, if you’re not sure, let it bake a few more minutes. A slightly longer bake is much better than discovering a raw center after you’ve already sliced the loaf.
If the top of your bread is getting dark before the center is finished, don’t worry. Simply loosely cover the loaf with aluminum foil and continue baking. The foil protects the top while giving the center more time to catch up.
Once the bread is finished, run a knife around the edges to loosen it from the pan. Then transfer it to a wire rack and let it cool.
I know … waiting is hard.
But slicing into a hot loaf can cause the center to look gummy even when the bread is actually baked properly. Give it some time to finish setting up.
Yes, You Can Freeze It
Once your bread has cooled, you can store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
However, remember that crunchy sugar topping we talked about? If you added turbinado or raw sugar and want to keep that crunchy crust, don’t put the whole loaf into an airtight container. Instead, cover only the cut end. Otherwise, the moisture trapped inside the container will turn your crunchy topping from crisp and delightful into something considerably less exciting.
Thankfully, this bread also freezes like a dream. You can wrap individual slices and freeze them so you can pull out exactly what you need. Or, if you want to save the whole loaf for later, wrap and freeze the entire thing. Either way, future-you will be pretty happy to discover zucchini bread hiding in the freezer.
Sunken Middle? Let’s Investigate.
Yes. A sunken middle is one of those classic baking moments where everything looks fantastic until you take the loaf out of the oven. Then suddenly your beautiful, tall zucchini bread has developed a crater. Before you assume the bread has personally betrayed you, here are the most likely culprits.
It wasn’t baked long enough – This is probably the biggest culprit with a zucchini-heavy recipe. The edges can look perfectly done while the very moist center hasn’t finished setting. If you pull it from the oven too soon, the center doesn’t have enough structure to hold itself up. Therefore, bake until there is no raw batter on the toothpick. Moist crumbs are okay.
There was too much zucchini – Zucchini brings a LOT of water to the party. If you add considerably more than the recipe calls for, all that extra moisture can make it difficult for the center of the loaf to set properly. That’s why I recommend weighing your zucchini when possible: 300g is the target.
The oven temperature was too low – If your oven runs cooler than the temperature on the dial, the outside of the bread can bake before the center gets enough heat to set. If you frequently have baked goods that take much longer than recipes suggest, an inexpensive oven thermometer can be worth having. Your oven may be telling you 350°F while secretly behaving more like 325°F.
Too much leavening – It can be tempting to think, “A little extra rise can’t hurt.” Unfortunately, baking doesn’t always work that way. Too much leavening can cause the bread to rise dramatically and then collapse when the structure can’t support it. Measure your baking powder and baking soda carefully.
The oven door was opened too early – I know you’re curious. It smells amazing. I know you just want to peek. But opening the oven door too early lets heat escape before the center has had enough time to set. That sudden temperature drop can contribute to the loaf falling. So resist the urge to check on it every five minutes. Your zucchini bread will still be there.
The batter wasn’t mixed evenly. There’s one more thing worth mentioning … make sure your dry ingredients are mixed evenly. If the baking powder or baking soda isn’t distributed throughout the flour, you can end up with uneven rising and weak spots in the loaf. That’s another reason I recommend stirring the dry ingredients together before adding the wet ingredients.
FAQ: When Things Get Weird
Sometimes the bread doesn’t turn out exactly the way you expected. That’s okay. Baking is basically edible science, and sometimes the experiment gets a little enthusiastic. Here are some of the most common issues you might run into.
What type of wheat should I use for fresh milled flour zucchini bread?
Use soft white wheat. It has a lower protein content than bread wheat (hard wheat), which helps give this zucchini bread a soft, tender crumb instead of making it heavy or chewy.
Can I use store-bought flour instead of fresh milled flour?
Absolutely! Use 2 cups of all-purpose flour. I don’t recommend bread flour because its higher protein content can make your zucchini bread tougher.
Do I need an electric mixer to make fresh milled flour zucchini bread?
Nope! A bowl and a fork are all you need. Mix the batter just until everything is combined, and then put the mixer back in the cabinet where it can contemplate its importance.
Can I use brown sugar instead of white sugar in fresh milled flour zucchini bread?
Yes. You can replace ½ cup of the white sugar with ½ cup of brown sugar … or replace all of the sugar with brown sugar. The brown sugar adds a deeper, slightly caramel-like flavor and makes the loaf a little more moist.
Can I make this fresh milled flour zucchini bread with honey?
Yes. You can substitute ¾ cup of honey for the 1 cup of sugar. Honey will give the bread a slightly different flavor and a softer, moister texture.
Do I need to squeeze the moisture out of the zucchini to make fresh milled flour zucchini bread?
No, and that’s one of my favorite things about this recipe. Don’t squeeze, drain, or blot the zucchini. The moisture helps make the bread wonderfully moist and tender.
Can I use frozen zucchini to make fresh milled flour zucchini bread?
Yes. Thaw it first, then use it just as you would fresh zucchini. For this recipe, you don’t need to drain out the liquid.
Can I use butter instead of oil?
Absolutely. Substitute ½ cup melted butter for the ½ cup of oil. Oil makes the loaf especially moist, while butter gives it a richer, buttery flavor.
What kind of oil should I use?
This recipe is flexible. Use your favorite oil, or use a combination of fats as I do. I use ¼ cup butter, 2 tablespoons coconut oil, and 2 tablespoons olive oil.
What can I add to fresh milled flour zucchini bread for extra flavor?
Lots of things! Try walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries, blueberries, orange zest, lemon zest, or a little nutmeg. You can also sprinkle raw or turbinado sugar on top for a crunchy crust.
And if you really want to take your zucchini bread to the next level, grab my free recipe card with recipes for honey butter, cream cheese frosting, and vanilla icing. Because zucchini bread is great on its own … but a little frosting never hurt anyone.
Why does fresh milled flour zucchini bread need to rest?
Freshly milled flour needs time to absorb the liquid in the batter. Letting it rest for 30 minutes gives the flour time to hydrate, which helps create a better texture.
What size loaf pan should I use?
I use a 1.5-quart loaf pan measuring about 8.5 x 4.5 inches. A slightly larger or smaller pan will work, but you may need to adjust the baking time.
Can I make this recipe into muffins?
Absolutely! Fill your muffin cups about ¾ full and bake at 350°F for approximately 18–24 minutes. Start checking around 18 minutes because muffin sizes and ovens can vary.
Why is my fresh milled flour zucchini bread still wet in the middle?
The most likely culprit is that it simply needs more time in the oven. Zucchini contains a lot of moisture, so the center can take longer to set than the outside. If the top is getting too dark, loosely cover it with foil and keep baking.
Why did my fresh milled flour zucchini bread sink in the middle?
Usually, it’s caused by underbaking, too much zucchini, too much leavening, a cool oven, or opening the oven door too early. Also, make sure your baking powder and baking soda are measured accurately and evenly mixed into the dry ingredients.
Why is my fresh milled flour zucchini bread gummy?
A gummy center usually means the loaf needed more baking time. Make sure you’re using the correct amount of zucchini and bake until there is no raw batter in the center.
Why is my fresh milled flour zucchini bread dry?
The zucchini may have been squeezed too much, there may not have been enough zucchini, or the bread may have been overbaked.
Why is my fresh milled flour zucchini bread dense or heavy?
Overmixing, coarse flour, high-protein flour, or not giving fresh milled flour enough time to hydrate can all contribute to a dense loaf. Mix gently and let the batter rest for the full 30 minutes when using fresh milled flour.
Why didn’t my fresh milled flour zucchini bread rise?
Check that your baking powder and baking soda are fresh and that you measured them correctly. Also, make sure they were evenly mixed into the dry ingredients before adding the wet ingredients.
Why did the top of my fresh milled flour zucchini bread crack?
A crack down the middle is completely normal for quick breads. However, an unusually deep crack can happen if the oven is too hot or the loaf is positioned too high. That’s why I recommend using the lower third of the oven.
How should I store fresh milled flour zucchini bread?
Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If you’ve added crunchy sugar to the top, cover only the cut end to help preserve the crunch.
Fun Fact: Zucchini bread actually tastes better the next day … so making it ahead is a great option!
Can I freeze fresh milled flour zucchini bread?
Absolutely! It freezes beautifully. Wrap individual slices so you can grab one whenever the zucchini bread emergency strikes … or wrap and freeze the entire loaf.
Zucchini Bread Is Basically Summer in a Loaf Pan
This is such a fun way to use up summer’s zucchini bounty.
I know plenty of people who don’t particularly like zucchini. However, I don’t know a soul who doesn’t like zucchini bread. Maybe it’s the cinnamon. Or the sugar. Maybe it’s the fact that vegetables somehow become completely acceptable once you grate them, bake them into bread, and slather the whole thing with butter.
Whatever the reason, this fresh milled flour zucchini bread is a real crowd-pleaser. It’s moist and tender, packed with zucchini, lightly sweet, easy to make. Plus, there’s no electric mixer, no complicated ingredient list, and no need to perform any strange zucchini-squeezing rituals.
And then there’s the loaf itself. You get one beautiful, tall loaf instead of a squat little zucchini brick. And honestly, that’s a win.
Before you head off to figure out what to do with the next zucchini that mysteriously appears on your counter, don’t forget your freebie! Grab my 3 Free Zucchini Bread Toppings & Icings Recipe Card (honey butter, cream cheese frosting and vanilla icing) and add a few more delicious ways to dress up your zucchini bread.
Before You Dash Off
Before you run off to find the largest zucchini hiding in your garden … check out my other recipes, guides, and tutorials for more kitchen adventures that are fun, approachable, and just a little bit messy.
And if you make this fresh milled flour zucchini bread (or with store flour), I would love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment, tag me on Instagram (@hopethiswerksdiy), come hang out with me on Facebook, or wander over to YouTube.
I’ll be cheering you on from my kitchen … probably with coffee in one hand and a slice of zucchini bread in the other.
Want to make sure you never miss a recipe like this? Subscribe here, and I’ll even send you a printable recipe card for the best pancakes on earth (my Mom’s) as a thank-you gift.
Until next time, may your zucchini be plentiful, your bread be tall, and may nobody ever ask you to squeeze grated zucchini into a dish towel again.
Zucchini Bread with Fresh Milled Flour
Moist, tender, cinnamon-spiced zucchini bread that’s packed with zucchini and easy to make. No squeezing ... no fuss. A few simple ingredients and one tall, delicious loaf!
Ingredients
- 300g (1½ cups) soft white wheat berries, finely ground (about 3 cups fluffy flour)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (200g) sugar (can swap for brown sugar)
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup oil (your choice ... see below)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I make my own ... you can too)
- 2 cups (300g) zucchini, grated (no need to peel, drain or squeeze!)
Fun Extras (totally optional)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup nuts, (c)raisins, blueberries or chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons of raw or turbinado sugar, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Grind & Mix: Finely grind your soft white wheat berries and add the flour to a mixing bowl. Add the salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and sugar. Give it a quick mix.
300g soft white wheat berries, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1½ tsp cinnamon, 1 cup sugar - Zucchini: Grate the zucchini using a hand held grater or food processor.
- Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs, oil, vanilla, and grated zucchini to the bowl. Toss in any fun extras you're using. Mix just until everything is combined.
2 eggs, ½ cup oil, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 cups zucchini, fun extras - Waiting & Prep Work: Let the batter rest for 30 minutes so the freshly milled flour has time to hydrate. While it snoozes, move your oven rack to the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Grease a 1.5-quart loaf pan.
- Into the Hot Box: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the top with raw or turbinado sugar ... if you're using it. Bake for 55–70 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with no raw batter. This is a high-moisture batter, so doneness can be a little sneaky. If you're not sure, give it a few more minutes. A slightly longer bake is better than a loaf with a raw middle! Run a knife around the edges to loosen the loaf, then let it cool on a wire rack.
Notes
- Zucchini: You need about 2 cups of medium packed grated zucchini. That's usually about 2 small zucchini or 1 large one. If your zucchini is enormous, scoop out the seeds first. Don't drain or squeeze your grated zucchini.
- Oil: I use ¼ cup melted butter, ⅛ cup olive oil, and ⅛ cup coconut oil.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. It also freezes like a dream! Wrap individual slices or freeze the whole loaf.
- Muffins: Absolutely! Use the same batter, but reduce the baking time and start checking early. Tiny loaves, big joy.
- Too Dark? If the top is browning faster than the middle is baking, loosely cover the loaf with aluminum foil and keep baking.
- Fun Fact: Zucchini bread actually tastes better the next day ... so making it ahead is a great option!
Recommended Products
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Zucchini Bread with Store-Bought Flour
Moist, tender, cinnamon-spiced zucchini bread that’s packed with zucchini and easy to make. No squeezing ... no fuss. A few simple ingredients and one tall, delicious loaf!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (200g) sugar (can swap for brown sugar)
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup oil (your choice ... see below)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I make my own ... you can too)
- 2 cups (300g) zucchini, grated (no need to peel, drain or squeeze!)
Fun Extras (totally optional)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup nuts, (c)raisins, blueberries or chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons of raw or turbinado sugar, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Prep Work: Move your oven rack to the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Grease a 1.5-quart loaf pan.
- Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and sugar to a mixing bowl. Give it a quick mix.
2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1½ tsp cinnamon, 1 cup sugar - Zucchini: Grate the zucchini using a hand held grater or food processor.
- Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs, oil, vanilla, and grated zucchini to the bowl. Toss in any fun extras you're using. Mix just until everything is combined.
2 eggs, ½ cup oil, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 cups zucchini, fun extras - Into the Hot Box: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the top with raw or turbinado sugar ... if you're using it. Bake for 55–70 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with no raw batter. This is a high-moisture batter, so doneness can be a little sneaky. If you're not sure, give it a few more minutes. A slightly longer bake is better than a loaf with a raw middle! Run a knife around the edges to loosen the loaf, then let it cool on a wire rack.
Notes
- Zucchini: You need about 2 cups of medium packed grated zucchini. That's usually about 2 small zucchini or 1 large one. If your zucchini is enormous, scoop out the seeds first. Don't drain or squeeze your grated zucchini.
- Oil: I use ¼ cup melted butter, ⅛ cup olive oil, and ⅛ cup coconut oil.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. It also freezes like a dream! Wrap individual slices or freeze the whole loaf.
- Muffins: Absolutely! Use the same batter, but reduce the baking time and start checking early. Tiny loaves, big joy.
- Too Dark? If the top is browning faster than the middle is baking, loosely cover the loaf with aluminum foil and keep baking.
- Fun Fact: Zucchini bread actually tastes better the next day ... so making it ahead is a great option!
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Charts and Summaries
| What You Need | Fresh Milled Flour | Store-Bought Flour | Helpful Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flour | 300g soft white wheat berries, finely milled | 2 cups all-purpose flour | Skip bread flour; it can make the loaf tougher. |
| Zucchini | 2 cups (300g) grated zucchini | No peeling, squeezing, or draining needed. | |
| Sugar | 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar | Add up to ½ cup more for a sweeter loaf. | |
| Eggs | 2 large eggs, room temperature | Room-temperature eggs mix more easily. | |
| Fat | ½ cup oil or melted butter | Oil adds moisture; butter adds richer flavor. | |
| Flavor | 1½ tsp cinnamon + 1 tsp vanilla | Add nutmeg or citrus zest for extra flavor. | |
| Leavening | 1 tsp baking powder + 1 tsp baking soda | Mix evenly into the dry ingredients. | |
| Salt | 1 tsp salt | Helps balance the sweetness. | |
| Mixing | Mix gently until just combined. | No electric mixer needed. | |
| Resting | Rest batter 30 minutes. | Resting is not required. | The rest gives fresh flour time to hydrate. |
| Pan | 1½-quart loaf pan; approximately 8½ × 4½ inches | Different pan sizes may change baking time. | |
| Oven | 350°F | Preheat while the fresh-milled batter rests. | |
| Bake Time | 55–70 minutes | Look for a toothpick with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. | |
| Muffins | Fill cups about ¾ full; bake approximately 18–24 minutes. | Start checking around 18 minutes. | |
| Storage | Store airtight at room temperature up to 4 days. | Cover only the cut end if you want a crunchy sugar topping. | |
| Freezing | Freeze individual slices or the whole loaf. | Wrap well to protect against freezer burn. | |
| If This Happens | What to Do |
|---|---|
| Bread is wet in the middle | Keep baking. Zucchini adds a lot of moisture, so the center may need extra time. |
| Toothpick has wet batter | It is not done yet. Return the loaf to the oven and check again. |
| Middle sinks | Usually caused by underbaking, excess moisture, too much leavening, or an oven that runs cool. |
| Bread is dense | Avoid overmixing and measure flour accurately. Too much moisture can also make the loaf heavy. |
| Top browns too quickly | Loosely cover the loaf with foil and continue baking until the center is done. |
| Using a huge zucchini | Cut it lengthwise and scoop out large, watery seeds before grating the remaining flesh. |
| Using normal zucchini | Just grate it and add it to the batter. No squeezing, draining, or peeling required. |
| Want more flavor? | Try walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries, blueberries, citrus zest, or nutmeg. |
| Want a crunchy top? | Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of raw or turbinado sugar over the batter before baking. |
| Want to freeze zucchini? | Freeze grated zucchini in 2-cup portions so it is ready for your next loaf. |
| Recipe Detail At a Glance | Details |
|---|---|
| Flour | 300g soft white wheat berries or 2 cups AP flour |
| Zucchini | 2 cups (300g), grated |
| Oven | 350°F |
| Bake Time | 55–70 minutes |
| Rest Time | 30 minutes for fresh-milled flour |
| Yield | 1 tall loaf |
| Mixer | Not needed |
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2 responses to “A Tall, Moist Fresh Milled Flour ZUCCHINI BREAD You’ll Love”
I have so much zucchini in my garden. I am stoked to have this recipe. Making this asap.
Perfect timing! Let’s turn that zucchini jungle into bread!