When the summer zucchini season overlaps the early apple crop, I know it’s time for a loaf (or 6) of our favorite Apple Cinnamon Zucchini Bread. This recipe is simple, delicious, and a great way to use up some of your fresh-from-the-garden zucchini. Everyone will devour it!
Like any quick bread, this Apple Cinnamon Zucchini is beyond simple — the hardest part is shredding the zucchini and slicing the apples.
Other than that, it’s the type of recipe that only requires a bowl and a spoon… and it’s great for children who enjoy helping in the kitchen.
Speaking of kids, ours still have a hard time believing there are 2 full cups of shredded zucchini in this bread! You honestly can’t taste the zucchini at all.
This bread is great to give as gifts because it’s sturdy and holds up well.
It also freezes extremely well, either as full loaves or pre-sliced.
And yes, you can double or triple the recipe if you want to make a bunch.
Ingredients for Apple Cinnamon Zucchini Bread
FOR THE BREAD
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 c. brown sugar
- 1/2 c. honey (or granulated sugar)
- 1/2 c. applesauce (or oil)
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 3 c. flour (whole grain works well)
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbl. ground cinnamon
- 2 c. shredded zucchini
- 1 c. peeled, chopped apple (a tart one is best)
FOR THE TOPPING
- 1/4 c. flour
- 1/4 c. brown sugar
- 1/4 c. oats
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 Tbl. cold butter
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Zucchini Bread
1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Grease and flour two 9″x5″ loaf pans (these are my favorites).
3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, honey, applesauce, and vanilla.
4. Add in flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
5. Fold in shredded zucchini and apple.
6. Spread batter into prepared pans.
7. In the same bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the topping (flour, brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon.)
8. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture is crumbly.
9. Sprinkle crumbly topping over each loaf pan.
10. Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the middle is set.
11. Cool in pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
12. Eat and Enjoy!
If you’re short on time but big on zucchini, simply shred all your zucchini and freeze it in 2-cup portions (this is also a great option if you want to wait for local apples).
How To Freeze Zucchini:
Shred your extra zucchini and freeze it flat in zip-top bags (I usually freeze it in 2-cup portions as that’s what most of my recipes call for).
It should last for many months in your freezer — potentially even years — and it works perfectly in any recipe calling for shredded zucchini.
The zucchini will be VERY watery when you defrost it, so you’ll want to defrost it in a bowl to prevent potential spills. I usually pour any extra liquid into my recipes, but you could drain it if you want a thicker consistency.
Apple Cinnamon Zucchini Bread
When the summer zucchini season overlaps the early apple crop here in West Michigan, I know it’s time for a loaf (or 6) of our favorite Apple Cinnamon Zucchini Bread.
Ingredients
FOR THE BREAD
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 c. brown sugar
- 1/2 c. honey (or granulated sugar)
- 1/2 c. applesauce (or oil)
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 3 c. flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbl. ground cinnamon
- 2 c. shredded zucchini
- 1 c. peeled, chopped apple (a tart one is best)
FOR THE TOPPING
- 1/4 c. flour
- 1/4 c. brown sugar
- 1/4 c. oats
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 Tbl. cold butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- Grease and flour two 9"x5" loaf pans.
- In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, honey, applesauce, and vanilla.
- Add in flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Fold in shredded zucchini and apple.
- Spread batter into prepared pans.
- In the same bowl combine flour, brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon.
- Cut in the cold butter until the mixture is crumbly.
- Sprinkle crumbly topping over each loaf pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the middle is set.
- Cool in pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
Feel free to alter the spices and seasonings to fit your family's taste buds. Sometimes I use nutmeg, allspice, cloves, apple pie spice, etc.
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Nutrition Information
Yield
20Serving Size
1 tenth of one loafAmount Per Serving Calories 172Total Fat 2gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 40mgSodium 179mgCarbohydrates 34gFiber 1gSugar 15gProtein 4g
Nutritional information is approximate and does not account for additional ingredients or added toppings.
More SWEET Zucchini Recipes:
- Zucchini Banana Sheet Cake
- Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Chocolate Zucchini Brownies
- Zucchini Crisp (it literally tastes exactly like apple crisp)
More SAVORY Zucchini Recipes:
That should be enough inspiration to keep you busy in the kitchen for as long as you want!
And if you don’t want to be busy in the kitchen right now, simply pin this recipe for later!
Heidi says
Hi Andrea….
Could this be made in a 8×8 pan instead of 2 loaf pans? If so, would the baking time remain the same?
Andrea says
Hi Heidi,
If you want it to be more like “coffee cake”, I’d probably try a 9″ x 13″ pan or a bundt pan. If you used an 8×8 pan, I’m not sure the center would ever set since the “bread” would be SO thick.
And… any time you change the type of pan, the baking time will drastically change. In general, a bundt pan would probably be the most similar to 2 loaf pans — but I’ve personally never tried it with this recipe so I can’t offer specifics. I’d guess that a 9×13 would be closer to 30 minutes — but you’d definitely want to check it around 25 and then adjust from there.
Let me know what you try and if it turns out!
Joy Eckstein says
We have zucchini coming out of our ears (already!!) and my family only likes it hidden. This bread is Totally Delicious! My 13yo and her friend made this recipe. The brownies are next… 🙂
Chris says
ANYTHING is good with that topping! 🙂 Yum!
Andrea says
haha — true! Anything topped with sugar, cinnamon, and butter has to be a winner 🙂
Julia says
I am so excited to try this recipe (and lots of the other ones too)! I literally shredded zucchini and froze it in 2-cup portions last week with the intention of making a zucchini bread. Thanks for all the yummy zucchini inspiration!
Andrea says
Hope you love the recipes, Julia!
Kathy says
Thanks for this recipe. My zucchini recipe always tastes like the oil, so I am going to try this recipe with the honey and applesauce, I know they say to substitute oil with applesauce in other recipes but I never have.
Enjoy the second half of summer.
Andrea says
Thanks Kathy! You could try a milder tasting oil too… but the applesauce is definitely fewer calories!
Sara says
Hi Andrea
Thanks so much for the freezer chart, It will be handy, got lots of zucchini at
market this weekend, no time to bake now. I am going to try your apple receipt
sounds so delish!
Andrea says
enjoy all your zucchini! we’re just finishing up a loaf of the apple zucchini bread!
Mickey says
I’ve never had zucchini before, but I would like to try it. I saw you said to shred it but do you need to peel it like cucumbers first? I would like to try this bread recipe. Thanks
michelle says
can you use any kind of apple?
Scinia says
Hi Andrea,
I love your recipes. Am not too fond of eggs in baked goods. Is it alright if i substitute flax seed for eggs in this apple-zucchini bread? Meanwhile, i shall try your zucchini brownie.
Scinia
Andrea says
Honestly, I don’t think Flax Seed would be a good substitute — it just doesn’t seem comparable to eggs in any way. however, you could always give it a try and see how they turn out!
Nicole Church says
Hi Andrea,
I thought this recipe sounded great when I first read it. I haven’t had the greatest apples this fall. I have just enough zucchini in my freezer to make it, but I’m wondering if my ‘not so crispy’ golden apples would be okay in this bread. I just don’t want to ruin it or waist my precious time! Have you ever baked with apples that weren’t very crispy or kind of old? Let me know…thanks!
Nicole
Andrea says
Yes Nicole,
This would be a perfect recipe for less-than-stellar apples… they get mushy when baked anyway! Another idea if you have lots of apples would be to make applesauce. Just peal and core them, put them in a large pan with about a 1/8 – 1/4c. of water (just so they dont’ burn) and cook them about 20 minutes, or until very soft. Mash them up and add a little sugar or cinnamon as desired. YUM!!
Rain says
I love zucchini bread too! I always make a bunch of it when the zukes go on sale at the market! It’s so moist and tender.
Paw Print Pet Tags says
I’m going to try this recipe because hubby hates veggies and I bet he won’t even know they’re in there. This bread looks moist and delicious!
Andrea says
It IS moist and delicious — and I guarantee your hubby will never taste the zucchini!
Andrea says
I wish I had all that frozen zucchini! Looks delicious!