High Altitude Zucchini Bread

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A high altitude version of the always popular zucchini bread. This High Altitude Zucchini Bread is so easy to make. It's moist and filled with lots of shredded zucchini and spices. Perfect for breakfast, a snack or even dessert.

Slices of high altitude zucchini bread sliced on a wooden plank on a white background with whole fresh zucchini and a whisk surrounding the zucchini bread.

This is my go-to recipe for zucchini bread! This High Altitude Zucchini Bread is deliciously spiced, sweet and super moist. Plus it's loaded with lots of shredded zucchini. If you've never tried zucchini bread before, it's really just a spiced quick bread with shredded zucchini mixed into the batter. It's essentially the same idea as carrot cake but in breakfast bread form.

This recipe is perfect for breakfast, brunch or as a snack. It's a delicious way to get your veggies in a slice. This zucchini bread is dense, moist and full of spices!

Why You'll Love this High Altitude Zucchini Bread

Super moist and flavorful
This is a superfood breakfast bread! Zucchini adds more than just vitamins.
Enjoy a slice at any time of the day - breakfast, lunch or as a snack.
Recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.

Ingredients

See recipe card for quantities.

Ingredient Notes

Applesauce: Can use plain or cinnamon. Makes the zucchini bread extremely moist. Cinnamon applesauce provides even more spice.
Butter: Use melted butter for a soft texture and but also provides flavor that vegetable oil doesn't.
Sugar: I use a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar in this recipe. The dark brown sugar adds extra moisture to the zucchini bread and the molasses in the brown sugar activates the baking soda.
Eggs: binds all the ingredients together. Take the eggs out 30 minutes before starting the recipe to bring the eggs to room temperature.
Vanilla Extract: for extra flavor. I recommend using a high quality vanilla extra or at least pure vanilla extract for best flavoring.
Zucchini: recommend smaller zucchini as they tend to have better flavor while large zucchini are more flavorless and have more water content.
All-Purpose Flour: This provides the structure for the zucchini bread. Just be sure to spoon and level your flour when you’re measuring it so you don’t end up with too much.
Baking Soda + Baking Powder: leavening agents to make our bread rise.
Spices: Cinnamon, fresh ginger, ground nutmeg, ground clove, ground cardamom gives the bread a delicious spice flavor. If you don't have a lot of spices on hand use just a tablespoon of cinnamon at least.
Salt: The salt helps to balance out the sweetness of the breakfast bread. I like to use either kosher salt or finely ground sea salt.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Side by side photos. With a number in the upper left corner in white text and black outline to indicate the step #. The left '1' shows shredded zucchini in a food processor. The right '2' shows zucchini in cheesecloth and a bowl with the excess water from the zucchini.

Shred zucchini by hand or using a food processor with a shredding blade. Then, place the zucchini in cheese cloth or tea towel along with some salt, place in a bowl and set aside.
Let the zucchini drain liquid for about 10-30 minute. Squeeze out all excess water, measure 1 & ½ cups packed shredded zucchini and set aside.

Side by side photos. With a number in the upper left corner in white text and black outline to indicate the step #. The left '3' shows an oven set to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. The right '4' shows a mixing bowl with liquid mixture and a hand mixer off to the side.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Next, in a bowl, mix together applesauce, melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar with either a hand mixer or by hand.

Side by side photos. With a number in the upper left corner in white text and black outline to indicate the step #. The left '5' shows a lighter batter mixed together in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer off to the side. The right '6' shows shredded zucchini being mixed into the batter with a silicone spatula.

Next, add in eggs one at a time and vanilla to the bowl and mix until well combined.
Then, add in shredded zucchini and mix in by hand to the batter using a silicone spatula or wooden spoon.

Side by side photos. With a number in the upper left corner in white text and black outline to indicate the step #. The left '7' shows a zucchini bread batter in a mixing bowl with a silicone spatula. The right '8' shows the zucchini bread batter poured into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper.

Next, add in all dry ingredients and gently fold into batter until combined using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Optionally, sift all the dry ingredients in if flour and spices are clumped together.
Pour batter into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper.

Side by side photos. With a number in the upper left corner in white text and black outline to indicate the step #. The left '9' shows baked zucchini bread with parchment paper on it, on a small cooling rack. The right '10' shows zucchini bread sliced on a wooden serving plank.

Bake in pre-heated oven for about 65-75 minutes until a wooden skewer comes out clean.
Remove from oven and put on a cooling rack in the loaf pan. Let it cool for 10-20 minutes in the pan. Then remove pan and let it continue to cool on the cooling rack until room temperature. Then, slice and serve.

Expert Tips

Properly Measure Flour: If you just dip your measuring cup into a bag of flour, chances are you have way too much flour due to packing. I keep a small digital scale to accurately measure flour BUT you can also use the spoon and level method too if you don't have a scale. To do this, use a spoon to fluff up the flour within your flour bag or container. Then use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup and finally use the straight edge of a knife to level the flour across the measuring cup.
Don't Overmix: Overmixing can make your zucchini bread tough or bake unevenly. That's why in the recipe, I mix the zucchini and dry ingredients by hand to lessen that chance.
Wooden Skewer Test: when you zucchini bread is toward the end of its bake, make sure to insert a wooden skewer into the center of the zucchini bread. When you pull the wooden skewer out, you want it with a few moist crumbs or completely clean to indicate its finished baking. If there is any wet batter, it needs to continue to bake.

Recipe FAQs

Why does my zucchini bread taste bitter?

Zucchini can sometimes be bitter due to an overabundance of a toxin, curcurbitacin. Cucurbitacin is meant to steer mammals clear of zucchini. Usually the zucchini crop is properly developed and is not bitter. BUT, when weather is particularly dry and hot, or zucchini are oversized or large, the zucchini can taste bitter from its outer skin and the ends.

Do I have to squeeze out water of my shredded zucchini?

Squeezing is TECHNICALLY optional but I like squeezing it out to allow for more shredded zucchini in the overall loaf. I definitely recommend it if your zucchini is extra juicy though.

How do I adjust for my particular altitude?

I baked this recipe at 5,280 feet above sea level. If you need to adjust for your altitude. Check out this article here!

What is the best pan to bake bread in?

For this recipe, I used a glass loaf pan but you can use whatever you have on head. Read this Guide to Loaf Pans to better understand how to bake with your certain equipment.

Storing

I wrap my zucchini bread in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container at room temperature about 2-3 days. Zucchini bread can also be frozen! Allow it to cool completely, then wrap the loaf (or individual slices) tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-proof bag. When frozen zucchini bread will keep for several months.

PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page? I always appreciate feedback. You can also follow me on Pinteres t, Facebook or Instagram.