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Home » Cook » Breads and Sourdough » Zucchini Spice Bread (Made With Butter)

Zucchini Spice Bread (Made With Butter)

May contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my privacy policy and affiliate disclosure.

Originally published on August 12, 2017. Last updated on September 3, 2024

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Zucchini bread batter in a bowl, and a loaf of homemade spiced zucchini bread on a cutting board.

We all know that fall is all about pumpkin spice everything, but why don’t we have a zucchini spice craze in the summertime? I’m about to change that! Zucchini is abundant in gardens everywhere, and can be used in yummy baked goods like this zucchini spice bread made with butter.

A loaf of homemade spiced zucchini bread.

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Zucchini Bread Made with Butter

When I was first searching for a zucchini bread recipe, almost every one I came across used oil instead of butter.

Well, I’m all about butter, and I just couldn’t imagine making a bread without it, so I made up my own recipe and it turned out amazing!

This recipe for zucchini spice bread uses a good amount of shredded zucchini, two cups per loaf! That is more than most recipes you will find, because the whole point is to use up the garden abundance.

It is also relatively low in sugar compared to other zucchini bread recipes.

Zucchini Spice Bread Recipe

First, butter a loaf pan well. Then in a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars, then add the eggs, vanilla, and shredded zucchini and stir to combine.

stirring the shredded zucchini into the batter

In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir gently to combine, being careful to not over mix.

Stir in the nuts if using. I also sometimes like to add some minced crystallized ginger. So good!

Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan, and bake at 350°F for 55-65 minutes.

You can also make zucchini spice muffins, simply put the batter into a buttered muffin tin and cook at 400°F for 15-20 minutes.

Related: How to freeze zucchini and other ways to preserve zucchini.

spreading the zucchini spice bread batter into the loaf pan

This zucchini bread is sure to be a new favorite. I’ve already made it three times, it’s that good! It’s definitely a great way to use up zucchini from your garden.

I’ve even shredded and froze a bunch of zucchini so that I can make this zucchini spice bread all winter long!

a loaf of sliced zucchini spice bread

To me, the best part is that it’s made with butter!

I really don’t use oil in my baking anymore, so any recipe that calls for it has to be modified, and usually with better results.

slice of zucchini spice bread with crystallized ginger

You will for sure love this zucchini spice bread made with butter!

Still have extra zucchini on hand? Try preserving it or making tasty zucchini chips!

More Summer Dessert Recipes:

  • Wild Berry and Nectarine Galette
  • Skillet Peach and Blackberry Cobbler
  • Skillet Pear and Blackberry Crisp
  • Blueberry Cornmeal Skillet Cake
  • Plum Upside Down Cake with Lavender Whipped Cream
  • Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp
  • Strawberry Cobbler
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
4.67 from 24 votes

Zucchini Spice Bread (Made With Butter)

When you have an abundance of zucchini in your garden, make this zucchini spice bread recipe, made with butter!
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time 1 hour hour
Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
Servings 12
Calories 215kcal
Author Colleen @ Grow Forage Cook Ferment

Equipment

  • Large Bowl
  • Medium Bowl
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Loaf Pan

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric
  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) softened, plus a little more for buttering the loaf pan
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups shredded zucchini
  • 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans (optional)
  • 1/2 cup crystallized ginger chopped (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350° F.  Butter a loaf pan well.
  • In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars, then add the eggs, vanilla, and shredded zucchini and stir to combine.
  • In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir gently to combine, being careful to not over mix. Stir in the nuts and/or crystallized ginger, if using.
  • Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan, and bake for 55-65 minutes.

Notes

  • To make zucchini muffins, put the batter into a buttered muffin tin and cook at 400°F for 15-20 minutes.
  • This recipe works great with frozen shredded zucchini.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lisa says

    June 24, 2023 at 12:58 pm

    Going to try this later this week and was wondering whether or not to squeeze the water out of the zucchini prior to mixing? Or is the moisture accounted for in this recipe?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      June 26, 2023 at 11:45 am

      Hi Lisa. I didn’t squeeze the water out of the shredded zucchini.

      Reply
  2. Lenore Benoit says

    September 10, 2022 at 12:03 pm

    Hey just curious when you are suppose to add the crystallized ginger? Is it a topping? do you mix it into the batter? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      September 12, 2022 at 8:53 am

      Hi Lenore. In step 4 of the recipe, I added the ginger with the nuts.

      Reply
  3. Kelly Johnston says

    October 9, 2021 at 1:39 pm

    5 stars
    I finally made these this morning and they’re fabulous! I used a combination of whole wheat & amaranth flours, almond meal and bran and they came out a bit “loose” (i.e., didn’t hold together so well), so I may need to modify next time. Nevertheless, we ate every crumb. Thank you, Colleen! 🙏

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      October 11, 2021 at 9:29 am

      You’re welcome, Kelly! Enjoy!

      Reply
  4. Wendy says

    July 30, 2021 at 1:12 pm

    5 stars
    This zucchini bread is absolutely delicious and so easy to make! My new “go to” recipe. My family is already asking for more and I’m confident neighbors and friends will love to receive as well. The candied ginger and extra spice make it simply irresistible. Thank you for posting, Colleen.

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      August 2, 2021 at 11:26 am

      You’re welcome, Wendy! I’m so happy my zucchini bread recipe is your new go-to! Enjoy!

      Reply
  5. Anna says

    July 25, 2021 at 12:32 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe! I made muffins with it. I used whole wheat flour and toasted my pecans before adding them. I also subbed cardamom for clove because allspice has enough clove flavor for me. They’re gorgeous! Light and fluffy, perfectly sweet. My toddler helped and she loves them too.

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      July 26, 2021 at 10:02 am

      Wonderful, Anna! I love the idea of toasting the pecans before adding them!

      Reply
  6. Pamela says

    September 24, 2020 at 2:45 pm

    I was wondering what size loaf pan did you use. Was it the more standard 9 x 5-inch or the smaller 8 x 4-inch? Whichever one goes with the baking time of 55 to 65 minutes. Many thanks

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      September 28, 2020 at 12:57 pm

      Hi, Pamela! I use a Pyrex pan that’s 8.3 x 4.6 inches, so I’d go with an 8 x 4-inch pan for this recipe!

      Reply
  7. Vanessa Zanin says

    August 9, 2020 at 8:59 am

    5 stars
    I had to make my bread with gluten free flour, it worked perfectly!!!
    Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      August 17, 2020 at 10:46 am

      Awesome, Vanessa! I’m so glad it worked for you!

      Reply
  8. SB says

    August 19, 2019 at 9:29 am

    Do you salt the zucchini to draw out liquid (like the freezer instructions in the link) ? Or do you add it right to the bread mixture as-is?
    Looking forward to making, thanks!

    Reply
  9. Kay says

    August 18, 2019 at 4:36 pm

    You can always throw in some chocolate chips also. Yum.

    Reply
  10. Laura says

    July 25, 2019 at 8:24 am

    This recipe looks AMAZING! Do you think a sub of all purpose gluten free flour would work instead of the regular flour?

    Reply
  11. Lorri Cook says

    November 12, 2018 at 1:51 pm

    I had leftover zucchinis from summer time and wanted to use them up, so I looked up a recipe for zucchini bread made with butter instead of oil. I found this recipe online and tried it. What’s also great about it is that it has less sugar than other zucchini breads and therefore doesn’t come out too sweet. It’s perfect!. What also makes this recipe special is the use of cloves. I didn’t have allspice so I used a little nutmeg instead. These spices definitely give the bread that “fall/wintery baked-goods taste”. It came out excellent!!! 😋 I even made a batch into muffins and they were ready in half the cooking time and also came out great. I’ll definitely use this recipe again next time I made zucchini bread!! Thank You from Colorado!

    Reply
  12. Barbara J Goodnow says

    September 10, 2017 at 12:47 pm

    So enjoy your recipes and information. Thank you so much! Have a wonderful day!

    Reply
  13. Uschi Kienbacher says

    August 13, 2017 at 12:52 pm

    Hi. I find your recipes just great BUT having problems with the converting into grams. Here in Europe we use kilos / grams. For example how much weighs two cups shredded zuchinni? Or one stick of butter ?
    Over here we packs of 250grams which would be roughly half a pound of butter – but half a cup? HELP. Can u assist?
    Ciao from Italy.

    Reply
    • Liz Duffey says

      August 21, 2017 at 3:40 am

      1 cup of butter = 1/2 a pound of butter … so 1/2 cup of butter would be 1/4 pound or approx. 113 grams.Weight on zucchini depends on moisture but for volume … 2 cups would equal .47 liters. Hope this helps.

      Reply
      • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

        September 11, 2017 at 12:12 pm

        Thank you Liz!

    • Donna Rautenstrauch says

      September 10, 2017 at 7:14 pm

      I believe 120g is equal to 8Tbsp (which is one stick) or 1/2Cup
      Also 240g equals 1 Cup so 480g equals 2Cups
      Double check by going to conversion chart but I think I’m right.

      Reply
      • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

        September 11, 2017 at 12:41 pm

        Thanks Donna!

    • annikka enlund says

      August 16, 2020 at 12:30 am

      Ja jag känner igen problemet men kolla runt i butiker(nätet) om det finns mått koppar jag har en kvarts liters kanna som det finns alla de ‘cup’ och oz etc samt mitt emot motsvarande i våra mått

      Reply
4.67 from 24 votes (20 ratings without comment)

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