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Zucchini bread is the perfect recipe to have on hand for the summer all the way into the fall. Because it’s so good! And it’s the best thing to turn too much zucchini into - no one will groan and roll their eyes if you pull this out of the oven. But even better than that, it’s gluten free! Take it from me, us gluten free people don’t often get such a wonderful, home baked treat.
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This recipe is perfect for -
- Breakfast
- Dessert
- A gift
- A pot luck - put a note on it that it’s gluten free and just see how grateful people can be
- A lunch box treat (this tastes even better the day after you bake it)
Ingredients
- my All-in-One gluten free flour blend - grab this recipe in my free ebook, Gluten Free Baking for Beginners
- coconut flour - adds sweetness and moisture
- millet flour - also adds a touch of sweetness
- cinnamon and brown sugar - more sweetness, and rich flavor
- buttermilk - one of my secrets for really moist gluten free quick breads
- eggs - adds protein and is a good binder in gluten free foods
- coconut oil - adds an amazing flavor and aroma that blends perfectly with the zucchini and cinnamon in this recipe
- and last but not least, the star of this recipe - finely shredded zucchini. Peel it first if you have picky eaters who look suspiciously at anything "green" in their dessert. But I like to save time by leaving the peel on since I don't have little ones in the house anymore.
And for more gluten free baking tips, be sure to read "Best Beginner's Tips for Successful Gluten Free Baking".
Instructions
Here's how to make this seriously delectable zucchini bread:
- Combine the flour blend, coconut flour, millet flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Whisk it thoroughly to combine. You don't want pockets of salt or bitter baking powder when you take a bite - whisk it thoroughly!
2. In a mixer add the buttermilk, eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla. Let sit while you prep the zucchini.
3. Wash the zucchini and cut off the ends. If it's large, cut it into smaller chunks to make it easier to handle when shredding it.
4. You can use a box shredder, but you will get much better results if you use a food processor. See "Box Grater or Food Processor?" below.
5. Add the zucchini to the ingredients in the mixer. There's no need to squeeze out the excess liquid from the zucchini - the added moisture is important in this recipe.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer. Add one of the mix-ins recommended below, if you want.
7. Mix on medium speed for at least 1 full minute to fully hydrate and combine the different gluten free flours.
8. Cover and let the batter rest for about 10-20 minutes to further allow the gluten free flours to blend together and completely absorb the liquids.
9. Scoop batter into a loaf pan lined with parchment and sprayed lightly with cooking spray or oil.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 50+ minutes, or until an internal thermometer reads 200 degrees.
11. When it's finished cooking, remove from the oven. Using the parchment paper as handles, pull the zucchini bread out and lay it on it's side to cool. This will prevent the sides from collapsing or from the top going flat.
Watch the Video
Some Delicious Mix-ins
You can add some extras to this versatile quick bread to spice things up a little if you want.
- ⅔ cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans + ⅓ cup shredded coconut (I prefer unsweetened coconut)
- ⅔ cup chopped walnuts
- other chocolate chips, such as cinnamon chips or white chocolate chips, ⅔ cup
Here's some I made using coconut and pecans, and I think I like it even better than with chocolate chips!⤵
Another yummy gluten free quick bread that's similar to this one is my banana bread recipe.
Box Grater or Food Processor?
For best results, use a food processor to shred the zucchini. Why?
Most box graters have holes that are too large, which makes big chunks of zucchini that doesn't bake well. Or too fine, which makes kind of a mush when you try to grate the zucchini. But a food processor usually has more sizes of grating wheels to choose from.
Here are some things you need to make the best gluten free zucchini bread:
- digital thermometer: the most accurate way to tell if a gluten free loaf is done
- pullman bread pan, or any pan with taller sides: gluten free bread will rise higher if you bake it in a pan with tall sides
- food processor: the best way to shred zucchini
Tools to bake the best gluten free zucchini bread
Storage
Zucchini bread, like most quick breads, tastes even better the next day. Wrap it in plastic wrap, or store it in a sealed container and keep in the fridge. It should last for 3-4 days that way before it starts to get dry and crumbly (that's just the nature of a lot of gluten free baked goods).
If you need to keep it for longer than that, then I would just freeze it. Double wrap it (in plastic wrap + foil, or plastic wrap + a freezer bag). It should keep safely in the freezer for a few months, although it's never lasted that long at our house!
FAQs About Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
Not for this recipe. Gluten free baked goods generally benefit from added moisture, so don't drain or blot the shredded zucchini dry. After shredding it just simply add it to the recipe as is.
I don't peel my zucchini in this recipe, because it practically dissolves when it bakes and no one notices it. You might see tiny green flecks in the finished product, so if you have a very picky eater who is suspicious of anything green in their treats, you could go ahead and peel it.
If your bread was still too hot when you sliced it, that will cause it to crumble and fall apart. This is doubly true if it's gluten free. Leave it alone to cool for a good long time before cutting into it, and it should hold together very well when it's sliced.
Most likely it's because it wasn't cooked all the way through. Check the temperature using a digital thermometer, and make sure it has reached 200 degrees before taking it out of the oven.
1 medium sized zucchini, roughly 5-6 inches long, will give you around 1 cup of shredded zucchini. So 2 medium sized zucchini or 1 large zucchini should yield 2 cups.
Like all vegetables, zucchini does not contain gluten. Gluten is found in grains such as wheat, rye, barley, spelt, triticale, and kamut.
There are 2 possible reasons: too much leavening (baking powder or baking soda), or not enough. Too much will create big bubbles that pop before the bread is finished baking so the air pockets collapse, leaving you with a heavy texture. Too little leavening will not create enough air pockets which will also give it a heavy texture. So measure the leavening carefully!
More Zucchini Recipes
If you are looking for even more ways to use up zucchini (I’m right there with ya), here are a couple of my personal favorites:
Gluten Free Baked Goodies
If you love to bake for gluten free people (including yourself 👋), I've got you covered:
Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
This is the best way to use up too much zucchini! Satisfying and sweet, with a hint of coconut and cinnamon. Buttermilk makes this gluten free loaf extra moist. Sprinkled with your choice of chocolate chips, nuts, or coconut flakes this versatile treat is always a hit.
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cup All-in-One flour blend *see notes*
- ⅓ cup coconut flour
- ⅓ cup millet flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup buttermilk
-
½ cup egg, or 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups finely grated zucchini
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the flours, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Whisk together to combine.
- In a mixer add the buttermilk, eggs, brown sugar, coconut oil, vanilla, and shredded zucchini. Blend until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixer. Add one of the mix-ins, if using.
- With the mixer on medium speed, mix for at least 1 full minute to fully hydrate and combine all the gluten free flours.
- Let the batter rest for about 10-20 minutes.
- During this time preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray or oil.
- Scoop the batter into the loaf pan.
- Bake for 50 minutes (often longer), but definitely use an internal thermometer for best results. The temperature should reach 200℉ in the center - this is the best way to tell if a gluten free loaf is done.
- Remove from the oven and use the parchment paper as handles to lift the loaf from the pan. Lay it on its side to cool. This helps prevent it from collapsing or flattening out on top.
- Refrain from slicing it until it’s cool. I know it will be hard, but if you slice it while it’s still too hot it will crumble.
Equipment
1 to 1 Baking Flour (Bob's Red Mill)
Buy Now →Notes
Notes: All-in-One flour blend: I use my own recipe for this, which you can find here You can also use Namaste’s Perfect flour blend, King Arthur’s Measure for Measure flour, Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking flour. Try any flour blend that contains xanthan gum - this recipe won’t work without a binder like that.