Gluten free zucchini bread is a perfect way to incorporate this delicious green squash into your gluten free life in a delicious way. It’s perfectly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, and the optional chopped walnuts add a slight crunch to the moist bread. Easily make this bread gluten free and dairy free simply by using non-dairy milk.
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What Makes This Gluten Free Zucchini Bread So Good
- Even the zucchini-averse will love this gluten free zucchini bread. Seriously, if you couldn’t see the specks of grated zucchini, you wouldn’t even know it’s there! It bakes into the bread beautifully, almost melting away. Perfect if you’ve got picky eaters that aren’t too big on veggies.
- If you’ve got frozen zucchini taking up space in your freezer, this is a great way to use it! Thaw the frozen zucchini completely, then grate it and drain out as much of the liquid as possible.
- Speaking of frozen zucchini, you can freeze your zucchini bread, too! Follow all the recipe instructions, bake the bread as usual, and let it cool completely. Wrap it tightly in foil then store it in an airtight container or sealable plastic freezer bag. It’ll keep up to 6 months, so you can have delicious fresh zucchini bread even in the off-seasons.
Key Ingredients for Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
Zucchini – Use fresh or frozen zucchini in this recipe, and don’t worry about removing the peel! You won’t even notice it, plus it gives the bread a nice little pop of color. Just slice the ends off the zucchini and grate it on a box grater, or slice it up and toss it in the food processor.
Coconut Oil – If you’re not a fan of coconut and don’t need a dairy-free zucchini bread, you can use melted butter in place of the coconut oil. You could also just substitute it with another neutral oil.
1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour – Obviously, to have gluten free zucchini bread, your flour needs to be gluten free! Gluten free flours behave differently from one brand (and type) to another, so you may need to experiment a little to perfect your bread. If your flour doesn’t contain xanthan gum, you’ll want to add a small amount so bread has the right consistency.
Chef’s Tips
- I can’t emphasize enough that you need to drain out as much of the moisture from the zucchini as possible before you add it to the batter! Too much moisture will negatively affect the texture of the bread. If you’re concerned you didn’t drain the zucchini well enough (maybe your batter is overly thin and wet) then you could add a smidge more flour to balance it out.
- Don’t overstir the batter. If you mix it too much, the loaf may collapse in the middle or bake unevenly. That can happen if you mix the batter too quickly, too. Be sure to stir slowly and mix just until combined!
- Bake times vary from oven-to-oven, and altitude will have an effect, too. The best way to tell if your gluten free zucchini bread is done baking is to test the doneness by inserting a toothpick or butter knife into the center of the loaf. If it comes out with a few crumbs (as opposed to wet batter), it’s time to take it out of the oven! Remember the bread will keep baking while it rests.
- You can also check the doneness of the bread by using an internal thermometer like you’d use for meat! Aim for an internal temperature reading of 185° Fahrenheit. Fully cooked bread that’s not overdone will have an internal temperature of 190°-200°F. Since the bread will keep baking as it rests in the pan, taking it out a little early will keep it from overbaking.
Check Out These Delicious Gluten Free Recipes, Too
- Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies
- Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls (Cinnabon Copycat)
- Chicken Piccata (Paleo, Gluten Free)
- Gluten Free Onion Rings
- Addictive Hot Crab Dip (Low Carb, Keto, Gluten Free)
- Gluten Free Cornbread with Honey
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Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
Equipment
- Loaf pan
- Parchment paper (optional)
- Large bowl
- Whisk (2)
- Medium bowl
- Silicone spatula
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups zucchini grated, drained, see Notes
- ½ cup walnuts chopped, optional
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum, see Notes
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
Wet Ingredients
- 2 eggs room temperature
- ½ cup coconut oil melted
- ⅓ cup applesauce
- ⅓ cup milk of choice see Notes
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Grease loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
- In large bowl, whisk together gluten free flour, brown sugar, white sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Combine well, then set aside.
- In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, coconut oil, applesauce, milk, and vanilla extract. Combine thoroughly.
- Slowly pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Gently fold zucchini and walnuts (optional) into batter mixture.
- Transfer mixture from bowl to greased (or lined) loaf pan. Top with additional chopped walnuts, if desired. Bake 45 to 50 minutes. To check doneness, insert toothpick or butter knife into center of bread and remove. If utensil comes out completely clean or with few crumbs, baking is done. Top of bread should be lightly browned. Bread will continue baking slightly while resting.
- Remove pan from oven and let bread rest in pan to cool. Cool completely before removing and slicing.
Notes
- Flour: If your gluten-free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum, you’ll want to add a dash of xanthan gum.
- Milk: If using dairy free milk, be sure to use an unsweetened variety.
- Zucchini: Grate the zucchini with a box grater or a food processor with the shredder attachment. Place the grated zucchini between paper towels and squeeze out as much moisture as possible, then measure out 1 ½ cups drained, grated zucchini for this recipe.
- For Gluten Free Zucchini Bread Muffins: Lightly spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray. Portion batter into tin and bake at 350°F for 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Make it Added-Sugar Free: Use monkfruit or Swerve in place of the white sugar and brown sugar, and use unsweetened or no sugar added applesauce.
Nutrition
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Jasmine Comer is a food photographer and recipe developer from North Carolina. She grew up in the kitchen watching her mom cook all types of delicious meals. In 2016 she established Lively Meals, a food blog where she creates healthy recipes. This led to creating recipes for other blogs as well. In her free time she enjoys exploring new places and spending time in nature. Ultimately she’s grateful to be doing work she loves—cooking good food and sharing it with people.
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