This mini zucchini bread recipe is the best ever! It is easy to make, and you will love how it tastes with its blend of spices. Plus - everyone loves it warm or toasted and spread with butter because they can't get enough (and I am not talking about just one slice).
The healing power of vegetables is genuinely endless. You can even make bread with them! Zucchini and carrot cakes are the two most common types.
This best zucchini bread is a hidden gem that you and your kids should be eating more often.
With a secret ingredient (zucchini), it is a tasty treat that will please even a picky eater.
It doesn't actually taste much like zucchini at all. In fact, the flavor can be sweet and nutty depending on what ingredients you use for your recipe.
And if you sprinkle it with a deliciously moist crumb topping, it elevates a simple bread to the next level. So don't delay: learn how to make streusel in less than 5 minutes.
Finally, zucchini mini loaves make a great homemade gift right from your kitchen!
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Why you should try this recipe
- This recipe is extremely easy: it is one of those recipes for mini loaf pans you should make.
- You can turn it out into zucchini bread muffins or a regular bread loaf.
- This zucchini quick bread has a perfect balance of sweetness and spice.
- Making a sweet bread with zucchini is a great way to consume more vegetables.
- It freezes very well: bake it in summer and enjoy throughout the rest of the year.
- Beautifully wrapped, it is great for gift giving to your family, neighbors, and friends.
- Mini zucchini bread loaves is a perfect size for making wedding flavors.
Ingredients
For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.
Oil: use neutral flavorless grapeseed oil or vegetable oil to make this mini bread. Replace it with the same amount of olive oil if desired.
Sugar: coconut sugar is perfect for making this rich and moist bread. Feel free to substitute it with golden brown sugar or regular white sugar (caster or granulated sugar) if desired.
Eggs: the recipe calls for large eggs at room temperature.
Flour: use all-purpose flour or replace it with whole wheat pastry flour, gluten-free flour if preferred. You can swap half of the regular flour with whole wheat flour too.
Top tip: if you use whole wheat flour, let the batter rest for 15 to 30 minutes before baking. This step results in a more moist sweet bread.
Baking powder: the recipe calls for fresh aluminum-free baking powder (not baking soda).
Cinnamon: zucchini pairs beautifully with the flavor of ground cinnamon in this sweet bread.
Salt: use kosher salt or another type of salt to enhance the bread's rich flavor.
Zucchini: use medium-sized or small zucchini to make this mini loaves recipe. Don't peel the zucchini or squeeze out excess moisture. Grate the zucchini using the shredder side of a hand grater, a food processor, or a blender.
Cognac: a bit of cognac gives a wonderful touch to the bread. Use dark rum instead or light juice if you plan to serve a mini bread loaf to kids.
Almond flour: use blanched finely ground almond flour to make the streusel on top.
Butter: it is used to make the crumble topping. Replace it with vegan butter or margarine if desired.
How to make mini zucchini bread
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F/150 degrees C. Butter and flour four porcelain mini-loaf pans (9 oz. each).
To make the zucchini bread batter, using a hand grater, grate zucchini (no need to peel it) and set aside (don't drain it).
Combine oil with coconut sugar in a large bowl and beat for about 1 to 2 minutes, using an electric hand mixer.
Combine flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, salt, and sift in a separate bowl.
Add eggs and dry ingredients to the oil mixture, and delicately mix with a rubber spatula.
Add grated zucchini and mix just to combine. Pour cognac and gently mix.
Divide batter evenly between the four prepared mini loaf pans, and refrigerate.
To make the crumbly streusel, in a medium bowl, mix all-purpose flour, almond flour, coconut sugar, and cold butter (salted) cut into small cubes.
Then, with your hands or a fork, make the crumbly dough. The streusel will have a sandy texture with distinct buttery crumbs.
Take the loaf pans from the fridge and sprinkle the streusel on top of the zucchini loaves.
Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Check the doneness of the bread with a wooden pick test. It is ready when a toothpick inserted into the middle of a loaf comes out clean.
Take the bread loaf pans from the oven and cool the bread (still in the pans) on a wire rack for about 15 minutes.
To remove the bread from the pan, use a butter knife to run around the edges of the pan.
Work gently, trying not to damage the bread itself. Once cooled down, use a knife to remove the bread from the pan.
Let the bread cool down completely before slicing or wrapping it.
Recipe variations
The best way to enjoy this mini loaves recipe is to add your own personal touch.
Feel free to use any ingredients you like, whether sweet or nutty. Just get creative!
You can easily replace ground cinnamon with lemon zest to make lemon zucchini bread.
Or, substitute grapeseed oil with olive oil for olive oil zucchini bread. It will get a more pronounced oil flavor.
Add some chopped walnuts or shredded coconut, dark chocolate chips (or even unsweetened chocolate chips) to vary the taste of this delicious quick bread.
Finally, add a dash of vanilla extract or replace the zucchini with shredded carrots or yellow squash. The possibilities are endless!
Storing zucchini bread
Store this zucchini bread well wrapped in plastic or an airtight container for 2 or 3 days at room temperature.
Then, to keep it fresh for up to a week, bring it to the refrigerator.
You can also freeze your zucchini bread. Cool the loaves completely, cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place in a Ziplock bag and freeze for about three months.
If you want to freeze the bread in slices, double wrap each with plastic and freeze.
To thaw, bring your mini bread (or a regular loaf) to room temperature for a few hours and enjoy a little bit of summer.
You can also pop up a frozen slice in the toaster, heat it, and spread some butter right away.
Expert tips
- Mix ingredients just to combine. Overmixing results in dry and chewy bread.
- This mini zucchini bread recipe can also be baked in a muffin pan as muffins. Bake at 300 degrees F/150 degrees F for 45 minutes.
- The original recipe also makes one 9 x 5-inch standard-sized loaf. Bake it at 300 degrees F/150 degrees C for 80 to 90 minutes.
- Mini loaf pans have different measurements, so watch for the baking time that could be a little bit adjusted.
This is the most delicious mini zucchini loaves that you will ever taste! I know because I ate it all myself.
And don't forget to use these free gift tags for your friends and family so they can enjoy this yummy treat as well.
Follow a tutorial on how to wrap a mini loaf from Food52.com. Then, tie small loaves with a baker's twine and decorate them with a small branch of artificial berries. And don't forget about gift tags!
Download FREE Printable Sweet Bread Gift Tags >>
More FREE printables are part of our Baking Like a Chef Club.
When you join our club of dessert lovers, you will get instant access to all FREE printables, unique recipes, and more. So what are you waiting for? Sign up and get fun!
Frequently asked questions
You don't have to peel zucchini before making zucchini bread. Grated and baked, the dark green peel of the zucchini looks like lovely tiny flecks on the bread slices. Moreover, the zucchini peel contains some beneficial elements, such as lutein and zeaxanthin.
Most recipes require squeezing the grated zucchini before adding to the bread batter. However, I don't recommend squeezing shredded zucchini because the extra moisture is needed to make the bread.
A regular-sized 9 x 5-inch loaf pan of quick bread will typically bake at 300 degrees F/150 degrees C in about 90 minutes.
About four mini loaves (9 oz. each) can fit into a standard loaf pan measuring 9×5-inches. This number depends on the size of mini loaf pans, though.
It's actually straightforward! Just prepare mini loaf pans in the same way as a regular bread pan. Make the batter, divide the mixture between the mini pans, and bake. Of course, you will need to adjust the baking time: it will be less.
If you bake mini bread loaves, they take about 1 hour to bake. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center of the bread and having it come out clean.
One of the reasons could be overmixing the bread batter. Instead, you should mix it just to combine. Another reason could be expired baking powder. It is fresh with a shelf life of six months, no longer.
Yes, cover the cooled bread with plastic wrap and place it in a Ziploc freezer bag. Freeze for up to three months. To thaw, bring it to room temperature for a few hours.
I don't recommend refreezing a quick bread since it affects its texture.
One slice of zucchini bread has about 280 calories.
Love sweet bread recipes? Try these next!
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PrintRecipe card
Mini Zucchini Bread Recipe
This mini zucchini bread recipe is the best ever! It is easy to make, and you will love how it tastes with its blend of spices. Plus - everyone loves it warm or toasted and spread with butter because they can't get enough (and I am not talking about just one slice).
- Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 mini bread loaves 1x
- Category: Quick bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- ½ cup (110 g) grapeseed oil
- 1 cup (170 g) coconut sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ⅔ cup + 4 tablespoons (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 cups (280 g) grated zucchini, not drained
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cognac
For the streusel topping:
- 4 tablespoons (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons (30 g) almond flour
- 3 tablespoons (30 g) organic coconut sugar
- 1 oz. (30 g) salted butter chilled
*Don't you have the correct baking pan on hand right now? Try this simple Cake Pan Converter!
** If needed, please refer to Baking Conversion Charts.
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F/150 degrees C. Butter and flour four porcelain mini-loaf pans (9 oz. each).
To make the zucchini bread batter, using a hand grater, grate zucchini (no need to peel it) and set aside (no need to drain it). Combine oil with coconut sugar in a large bowl and beat for about 1 to 2 minutes, using an electric hand mixer. Combine flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, salt, and sift in a separate bowl. Add eggs and dry ingredients to the oil mixture, and delicately mix with a rubber spatula. Add grated zucchini and mix just to combine. Pour cognac and gently mix. Divide batter evenly between the four prepared mini loaf pans, and refrigerate.
-
To make the crumbly streusel, in a medium bowl, mix all-purpose flour, almond flour, coconut sugar, and cold butter (salted) cut into small cubes. Then, with your hands or a fork, make the crumbly dough. The streusel will have a sandy texture with distinct buttery crumbs. Take the loaf pans from the fridge and sprinkle the streusel on top of the zucchini loaves.
-
Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Check the doneness of the bread with a wooden pick test. It is ready when a toothpick inserted into the middle of a loaf comes out clean. Take the bread loaf pans from the oven and cool the bread (still in the pans) on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. To remove the bread from the pan, use a butter knife to run around the edges of the pan. Work gently, trying not to damage the bread itself. Once cooled down, use a knife to remove the bread from the pan. Let the bread cool down completely before slicing or wrapping it.
Notes
- Mix ingredients just to combine. Overmixing results in dry and chewy bread.
- This mini zucchini bread recipe can also be baked in a muffin pan as muffins. Bake at 300 degrees F/150 degrees F for 45 minutes.
- The original recipe also makes one 9-inch standard-sized loaf. Bake it at 300 degrees F/150 degrees C for 80 to 90 minutes.
- Mini loaf pans have different measurements, so watch for the baking time that could be a little bit adjusted.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅓ of the mini loaf
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 17.3 g
- Sodium: 41 mg
- Fat: 13.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 35.8 g
- Fiber: 1.3 g
- Protein: 4.2 g
- Cholesterol: 36 mg
The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.
Kate says
These mini loaves taste amazingly delicious. I plan to make them as holiday gifts for my family and friends.
Rosa DeSensi says
Thank you for sharing your recipes! I just love baking and your blog caught my eye. The photos and the step by step instructions are awesome. Your recipes turn out perfect every time! Please continue to share with us.
Irina Totterman says
Hello Rosa, Thank you so much! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipes and photos. It means a lot. I’ll definitely keep sharing. 🙂