How to Make Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread

A single zucchini plant can grow enough zucchini to feed a whole neighborhood! Luckily, there are hundreds of ways to eat zucchini, from sides and salads to desserts.

If you need to eat gluten-free, we suggest starting with gluten-free zucchini bread. Quick breads adapt well to gluten-free, since the batter is rich and dense. Here’s how to make a GF zucchini bread that’s moist, sweet and absolutely delicious.

Key Ingredients in Zucchini Bread

Certified Gluten-Free Oat Flour

While many gluten-free baking recipes call for an all-purpose GF flour blend, this zucchini bread calls for a single flour: oat flour. Using a single whole grain flour doesn’t usually work for gluten-free baked goods, but in this case, the super-moist batter is forgiving enough to accommodate the slightly heavier flour.

Oat flour has a warm, slightly sweet flavor that pairs well with the zucchini flavor. Make sure to buy oat flour that is certified gluten-free, because oats are often harvested, processed or milled alongside wheat-containing ingredients, making cross-contamination a real risk. Note that one of the most popular gluten-free flour brands, Bob’s Red Mill, sells both certified GF and non-certified oat flours, so make sure to check the label.

You may substitute your favorite all-purpose gluten-free flour blend here, either homemade or store-bought. If the blend contains xanthan gum, you may need to add a bit more liquid to the bread.

Baking Powder and Baking Soda

Two leavening agents? Yep, that’s right. Baking soda reacts to the acid in a recipe in order to provide its lift, but using too much baking soda can make a baked good taste bitter. So, this recipe adds a bit of baking powder to provide the extra lift this heavy batter requires.

Zucchini

Yep, this is the star ingredient, providing both the distinctive quick bread moisture and mild, earthy flavor. While some zucchini recipes call for tender baby zucchini, zucchini bread doesn’t discriminate. You can use your small, cute squash or those zucchini that grew to the size of your arm on the vine!

Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread Recipe

ingredients for gluten free zucchini bread on a green surface, top view

This recipe was developed by Taste of Home Community Cook Bill Roberts from Geneva, Illinois. It yields one loaf.

Ingredients

2-3/4 cups gluten-free oat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups shredded zucchini
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped hazelnuts

Directions

Step 1: Mix dry ingredients

First, preheat the oven to 350ºF and make sure your oven rack is in the middle position. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices (the first six ingredients listed). Whisking them together first allows the smaller ingredients to blend evenly into the mix.

Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, sugars, oil, yogurt and vanilla until blended. An easy way to tell if you’ve mixed enough? When the ingredients are a uniform color and consistency.

Step 3: Combine the wet and dry

Gently pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient bowl. Stir until they’re just combined. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to thoroughly mix the batter.

Step 4: Fold in zucchini and any mix-ins

mixing ingredients in a bowl for gluten free zucchini bread, top view

Using a big spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the shredded zucchini. The best way to fold batter is to use a gentle but firm motion. You want the zucchini to be well-distributed. Then fold in the chocolate chips, nuts or other mix-ins you like (more ideas below!).

Step 5: Pour into pan

Transfer the batter to the greased pan. Smooth the top with a spatula—wet the spatula to make a smoother glide.

Step 6: Bake

checking gluten free zucchini bread with a toothpick

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 55-60 minutes. (Note that chocolate chips will appear as melted smears on the toothpick or knife; you’re just looking for any raw batter on the tester.)

Cool in the pan for one hour before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread Mix-Ins

Zucchini bread takes well to additions. This recipe calls for chocolate chips, but there are a number of other choices you can use:

Chopped chocolate
Butterscotch chips
Chopped hazelnuts, walnuts or pecans
Shredded carrots for flavor, color and moisture. (This addition will make for a denser loaf, and you may need to increase the baking time by a few minutes.)
Shredded coconut
Other spices, such as Chinese five spice, ground coriander or cardamom

How to Store Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread

Gluten-free baked goods generally don’t keep as long as gluten-containing baked goods, but this super moist zucchini bread will keep well at room temperature for up to three days. Once it’s completely cooled, wrap it tightly, ideally in two layers, such as plastic wrap and a large airtight container, or plastic wrap and aluminum foil.

If you can’t eat the entire loaf in a few days, freeze it! Zucchini bread freezes very well. You may freeze the entire loaf, or individual slices. Wrap them in plastic and seal in a freezer bag. Defrost in the fridge overnight or heat in the microwave and eat immediately. Well-wrapped, the frozen bread will keep well for several months.

Tips for Making Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread

How should you shred the zucchini?

It’s easy to grate zucchini. You can use a simple box grater, a food processor or even a spiralizer.

Should you peel the zucchini first?

No! Zucchini skin is very tender and pleasant to eat, whether cooked or shredded for baking. Plus, the dark green skin is packed with vitamins and flavor.

Do you need to squeeze the water out of the zucchini before adding it to the batter?

When baking with zucchini, you actually want the moisture of the zucchini to stay in the bread! It’s part of what gives zucchini bread its tender, squishy, buoyant texture.

If you’re making a dinner recipe with zucchini, you’ll often see the instruction to squeeze moisture from the zucchini. That’s because the excess liquid might muddle the texture of your cooked dish, like risotto or pasta.

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