Use up summer's most plentiful produce in this ultra-moist gluten-free zucchini bread with rich brown sugar notes and warm spices. Made with almond and oat flour, this summer-forward quick bread bakes up tender and flavorful, staying moist for days!
This post is sponsored by Andronico's Community Markets, a long-term partner of Snixy Kitchen, but the opinions are all my own.
Zucchini bread, despite its name, does not, in fact, taste like zucchini. Rather, zucchini is here for ultimate moisture and texture, with flavorful flours and spices taking the front seat.
This slightly nutty, cozy quick bread comforts and nourishes between summer camp and swim class.
Everyone needs a classic back-pocket zucchini bread recipe and this one is, in my opinion, exactly that. File it alongside my other favorite quick breads like my gluten-free pumpkin bread and gluten-free banana bread.
Here's why this is the best gluten-free zucchini bread
- Quick and easy: This quick bread lives up to its name - it's so quick and easy to make with no special equipment needed, as long as you have a basic box grater
- Tender and Moist: Even several days later!
- Spiced: It's flavored with warm and cozy spices
- Zucchini-forward: One loaf uses so much shredded zucchini, giving it the perfect amount of moisture
- Customizable: You can optionally add chocolate chips or nuts, depending on your whims!
Do I need to squeeze or drain the zucchini?
In my recipe tests, I found that lightly squeezing or draining the zucchini in a fine mesh sieve produces the best texture of zucchini bread - one that stays moist without becoming soggy, gummy, or spongy.
The easiest thing to do is place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl or the sink, and gently press out the zucchini with a spoon or spatula a few times. Or, wrap it in double layers of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and give it a light squeeze over the sink
However, if you're using small zucchini that doesn't have a ton of extra water in the flesh, you won't ruin your loaf if you skip this step.
Main Ingredients for Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread
This quick bread uses a combination of almond flour and gluten-free oat flour as it's flour flavor drivers, with sweet rice flour and tapioca flour added for texture, creating a crumb that is fluffy, moist, and chewy.
- Zucchini: finely grated. Use small to medium zucchini as large ones have too much moisture and may lead to a soggy or gummy bread
- Superfine blanched almond four: See below for a nut-free variation and flour substitution recommendations
- Gluten-free oat flour: contributes to the warm and cozy flavor notes and adds lightness and structure to create a fluffy crumb.
- Sweet rice flour: this is the key to the chewy texture of this loaf. It's gluten-free baking's secret weapon. Also called mochiko, sweet rice flour is very different than white rice or brown rice flour, so do not try subbing those in! Sweet rice flour's stickiness helps to bind the crumb together, creating chewiness like a classic quick bread recipe.
- Oil: use your favorite vegetable oil such as safflower, sunflower, or canola, or sub in refined coconut oil
- Dark brown sugar: I recommend organic dark brown sugar, as it has a higher molasses content than traditional and imparts a deep caramel molasses flavor to the warm cozy zucchini bread.
How to Make Gluten-Free Zucchini bread
This quick bread is exactly that: QUICK! Here's how you make it.
Grate the zucchini, and drain, squeeze, or blot some moisture out. Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl or the sink, and gently press out the zucchini with a spoon or spatula.
Alternatively, wrap it in double layers of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and give it a light squeeze over the sink.
In a large bowl, sift together almond flour, oat flour, sweet rice flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Add the zucchini to the dry ingredients...
... and toss to coat well.
Combine the oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl...
...and whisk until smooth.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients...
...and whisk until completely combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake on the middle rack for 55-60 minutes, until the center springs back when touched and a toothpick comes out of the center clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Let cool for at least an hour before slicing.
Hint: Before baking any quickbread, I take a knife or a chopstick and run it down the center (as shown above). I've found this helps encourage any split from rising toward the enter of the loaf (versus the sides).
Recipe
Ultra-Moist Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread (with almond flour)
Ingredients
- 225 g (1½ cups) grated zucchini
- 126 g (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) super-fine blanched almond flour
- 95 g (¾ cups + 2 tablespoons) gluten-free oat flour
- 90 g (½ cup + 1 tablespoon) sweet rice flour, also called mochiko - different from "white rice flour" or "brown rice flour"
- 21 g (3 tablesopons) Bob's Red Mill tapioca flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup (72 g) neutral oil, such as safflower, sunflower, canola, or refined coconut oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 100 g (½ cup) dark brown sugar, I recommend organic dark brown sugar
- 75 g (¼ cup + 2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk, dairy or non-dairy
- 1½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Grease a 9x5 loaf pan and line it with a sling of parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grate the zucchini, and drain, squeeze, or blot some moisture out. This will keep your zucchini bread moist, without becoming gummy or soggy. The easiest thing to do is place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl or the sink, and gently press out the zucchini with a spoon or spatula a few times. Or, wrap it in double layers of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and give it a light squeeze over the sink. The zucchini will likely weigh 160g - 200g once drained. If your zucchini didn't have a ton of extra moisture, it's okay if it weighs more!
- In a large bowl, sift together almond flour, oat flour, sweet rice flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the zucchini to the dry ingredients and toss to coat well.
- In a measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until completely combined. Optional: Fold in the chocolate chips, if desired.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake on the middle rack for 55-60 minutes, until the center springs back when touched and a toothpick comes out of the center clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let cool at least an hour before slicing.
- Let the bread cool completely before slicing.Please resist this temptation. As the bread cools, the crumb continues baking and sets as it cools. If you cut into it while it's still warm, your crumb will be overly moist and gummy. For the perfect crumb, let it cool at least an hour before slicing into it.
Notes
Do you leave the skin on when making zucchini bread?
Yes. The skin of the zucchini doesn't have any flavor or affect the outcome of the zucchini bread. Keep it on and carry on.Nut-free Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread
Even if you're allergic to nuts, you can still make delicious gluten-free zucchini bread. Replace the almond flour with 95g (½ cup + 3 tablespoons) gluten-free buckwheat flour, teff flour, or millet flour and follow the recipe as written.Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread
This zucchini bread is naturally dairy-free so long as you use non-dairy milk in the batter.Variations
- Nuts - Stir in up to ¾ cup toasted chopped walnuts or pecans or sprinkle chopped walnuts or pecans or sliced almonds on top.
- Chocolate Chips - Fold in up to a cup of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
- Chocolate Zucchini Bread - Replace the oat flour with cocoa powder by weight.
Storage
Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, in the fridge for up to a week, or freezer for up to 6 months. See post above for more storage details.
Recipe Variations
The great thing about quick breads like zucchini bread is that they can be endlessly customized. Here are a few ideas for dressing up this zucchini bread.
- Nuts - Stir in up to ¾ cup toasted chopped walnuts or pecans or sprinkle chopped walnuts or pecans or sliced almonds on top.
- Chocolate Chips - Fold in up to a cup of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
- Chocolate Zucchini Bread - Replace the oat flour with cocoa powder by weight.
SHOULD I USE A GLASS OR METAL LOAF PAN?
For quick breads that require long bake times, I recommend a metal loaf pan and not glass loaf pan. Given the hour-long bake time, a more insulating glass pan is more likely to create a much crisper and darker crust, potentially to the point of burning.
Rich Smiley -
This recipe is simply AWESOME!!! First time making, I actually doubled the recipe. Used all the listed ingredients; except, I omitted the granulated white sugar. I just added 1/4 cup more Organic Dark Brown Sugar. Used an Organic Cold-Pressed Coconut Oil and added 1 teaspoon of Ground Ginger Powder. Couldn't find a loaf pan. So I used a Mini Bundt Pan (6 - 2" x 3" sized Bundt Cakes) and an 8" x 8" Cake Pan. Baked for approx 35 minutes. Both came out AMAZING. Super Moist, Amazing Texture, the Bundt's have Nice, Crunchy Bottoms. Will definitely try the other flours! I do have Millet, Teff, and Buckwheat. Didn't put any nuts. Next time, maybe I'll try Pecans, Cashews or Macadamia. However, Zucchini is PERFECT all by itself! -- Mahalo nui loa (Thank you very much) "Snix" for creating and sharing this SUPERB Gluten-free Recipe!!! ~ Aloha nui loa (Much Love), Rich
Mary Ann -
I tried this gluten free Zucchini bread yesterday because I had fresh picked zucchini and the Mochiko rice flour. The crumb is tender, the bread is moist and the flavor is excellent. I highly recommend! Thank you for this terrific recipe.