A classic loaf of moist zucchini bread gets an upgrade with a cinnamon-sugar swirl on the inside and a cinnamon-sugar crust on the outside. Each slice of this snickerdoodle zucchini bread is bursting with cozy flavor!
Table of Contents
If you’re looking for the best zucchini recipes, don’t miss this quick and easy sauteed zucchini for a weeknight side dish, a holiday-worthy garlic parmesan zucchini casserole, and this wildly popular zucchini pie, too!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Easy. Quick breads are a great baking project when you want something sweet to enjoy, but you don’t feel like making too much fuss. You don’t have to wait for yeast to rise, you don’t have to pull out a stand mixer or other electric mixer, and you don’t have to deal with fancy frosting or decorating. The easy snickerdoodle zucchini bread is simple and fast, so you can enjoy it sooner!
- Moist and Flavorful. This bread combines the warm, comforting flavors of snickerdoodle cookies with the moist, slightly sweet taste of zucchini bread.
- Versatile. Call it a “bread” and offer it for breakfast or snack alongside a glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee. Let’s be real, though — this treat is decadent enough to qualify as a snickerdoodle zucchini cake that can be enjoyed for an easy dessert. No matter the time of day, it’s always well received!
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for our favorite zucchini bread recipe. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Ground cinnamon and white sugar: sweeten the bread, create a decadent cinnamon-swirl through the center of the loaf, and form a delicious crust on the outside of each slice.
- Zucchini: coarsely shredded on the large holes of a box grater, the zucchini adds nice moisture to the loaf. You don’t need to peel it first, you don’t need to remove the seeds, and you don’t need to squeeze it dry. Kids will be happy to know that you can’t actually taste the vegetable in the finished product (it simply gives the loaf a great moist texture)! Medium zucchinis about 6-7 inches long and about 2-3 inches in diameter will yield about 1 cup of shredded zucchini.
- Vegetable oil: keeps the bread moist and provides a tender texture. Canola oil, avocado oil, other neutral oils, and unsalted melted butter would all be fine substitutions.
- Eggs: for structure.
- Vanilla extract: adds extra flavor and warmth. I use bourbon vanilla extract for the best taste!
- All-purpose flour: the base of the bread. Add whole grains to your snickerdoodle zucchini bread by replacing half of the all-purpose flour with ¾ cup of whole wheat flour.
- Salt: enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Baking soda and baking powder: leavening agents that help the bread rise.
Directions
A loaf of cinnamon sugar zucchini bread is the best way to take advantage of fresh summer veggies! You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s my overview with a few notes:
- Stir together cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.
- Use 2-3 tablespoons of the cinnamon-sugar to coat a greased loaf pan.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients.
- Sift together the dry ingredients.
- Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture just until combined. The batter should be smooth, with the exception of the zucchini, but don’t overmix or you’ll end up with a dense, dry loaf.
- Spread half of the batter in the prepared pan and top with half of the cinnamon-sugar.
- Add the remaining batter to the pan, finishing with a final layer of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Bake the loaf in a 325 degree F oven for about 55 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. The top of the bread should spring back when gently pressed.
- Cool the snickerdoodle zucchini bread in the pan for about 15 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack. You can enjoy the loaf warm, but it’s easier to neatly slice the bread with a sharp knife when it has more time to cool.
- Serve the bread on its own or with butter, cream cheese, or jam on top.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make-Ahead: This bread just gets better as it sits. The flavors come together and the zucchini helps to keep the bread nice and moist. Feel free to bake a loaf the day before you plan to enjoy it.
- How to Store: Always wrap your loaf in plastic wrap or foil to prevent it from drying out. It does not need to be refrigerated. The bread will stay fresh at room temperature on the counter for 2-3 days, and it will last in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- To Freeze: Cool the bread completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe Variations
- If you’d like to add something more to your loaf of zucchini bread, try chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts, golden raisins or regular raisins, sweetened dried cranberries, dried cherries, or cinnamon chips.
- Jazz it up with even more spices like nutmeg, cloves, allspice, or ginger for a cozier, zestier loaf.
- Double all of the ingredients to bake two loaves of snickerdoodle bread at the same time. You’ll likely need to increase the total baking time by about 5 minutes (or more) to account for the two standard-sized loaf pans in the oven.
More Sweet Zucchini Recipes to Try
Zucchini Bread Muffins
30 minutes mins
Easy Zucchini Cake
3 hours hrs 50 minutes mins
Chocolate Zucchini Bread
3 hours hrs 13 minutes mins
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 55 minutes
Cooling Time 15 minutes
Total: 1 hour 25 minutes
A cozy loaf of moist snickerdoodle zucchini bread is laced with a cinnamon-sugar swirl and finished with a cinnamon-sugar topping!
Ingredients
CINNAMON SUGAR
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
ZUCCHINI BREAD
- 1 cup grated zucchini
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease an 8 ½-inch x 4 ½-inch loaf pan with butter or nonstick spray. In a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of the cinnamon-sugar mixture around the bottom and sides of the greased pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the zucchini, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk the sugar into the zucchini mixture until the sugar completely dissolves and the mixture is creamed together.
- In a separate bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir just until combined. The batter should be smooth, with the exception of the shredded zucchini. Be careful not to over-mix the batter.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture over the batter. Add the rest of the batter to the pan; sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar on top.
- Bake for approximately 55 minutes, or until the bread springs back when gently pressed in the middle and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing from the loaf pan. Slice and serve warm, or cool completely on a wire rack.
Notes
- I use a large box grater to shred my zucchini, which still blends easily into the bread. If you really want the zucchini to be undetectable, use a finer grater so that the zucchini has a finer texture. You can also use a food processor to shred the zucchini if you like. You do not need to peel the zucchini first.
- Don’t squeeze the zucchini dry before adding it to the batter. That extra liquid will help to keep the loaf moist.
- The bread is delicious when served warm, but it’s easier to slice neatly if you let it cool first.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/12 of the loafCalories: 233kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 253mgPotassium: 67mgFiber: 1gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 67IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg
We just love this recipe and have made it many, many times, especially now that it is zucchini season! What amount of raisins would you recommend.
Thank you !
I’m so glad that you love it, Rita! If you want a subtle amount of raisins throughout the loaf, I would start with 1/2 cup. If you want more prominent raisins (some in every bite!), I would add 1 cup. Enjoy!