Meet your new favorite quick bread recipe: Zucchini Gingerbread. This wonderful loaf is everything you want for a cozy brunch, afternoon snack, or holiday treat. It’s impossibly moist thanks to a generous amount of fresh zucchini, kissed with deep tones of ginger, molasses, and warm baking spices. Even the veggie skeptics in your life are sure to adore this spicy-sweet loaf that walks the perfect line between classic gingerbread comfort and unexpected vibrance from the zucchini. Trust me, if you’ve never tried this twist, now is the time!

Zucchini Gingerbread Recipe - Recipe Image

Ingredients You’ll Need

The magic of Zucchini Gingerbread is how a handful of simple, pantry-friendly ingredients come together to create something surprisingly special. Each component plays an important role, contributing not just taste, but also the bread’s tender crumb, lightly spiced aroma, and gorgeous color.

Zucchini: Use 1.5 cups finely grated and do not drain—its moisture is essential for a soft, lush texture.
Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and a rich, caramel note that pairs perfectly with the spices.
Vegetable Oil: Keeps the loaf super moist and tender; swap with melted coconut oil for extra flavor.
Large Eggs: Two room temperature eggs give structure and a slight lift to the bread.
Vanilla Extract: This subtle background note rounds out all the warm, spicy flavors.
All-Purpose Flour: Your sturdy base that holds everything together—be sure to measure it carefully.
Baking Soda: Works with the acidic molasses for a gentle rise and soft crumb.
Ground Ginger: The star spice here—don’t hold back, this is what makes the bread sing!
Cinnamon: Softens the ginger heat and brings toasty notes to every bite.
Ground Cloves: Just a touch gives deeper spice and that signature gingerbread scent.
Salt: Enhances all the other flavors—don’t skip it.
Molasses: Brings deep, dark sweetness and a tug of nostalgia to each slice.
Hot Water: Helps dissolve the molasses with zero effort and makes mixing a breeze.

How to Make Zucchini Gingerbread

Step 1: Prep Your Pan and Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. You can also line the pan with parchment for easy removal—just leave a little overhang for lifting your finished loaf right out with no sticking drama!

Step 2: Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, combine your finely grated zucchini (remember, keep all that lovely liquid!), brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir everything together until you have a thick and even, slightly golden mixture. At this point, it’ll smell sweet and earthy and look like the start of something delicious.

Step 3: Whisk the Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, briefly whisk together your flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt. Mixing these dry ingredients separately ensures even distribution of baking soda and spices, so every bite of your Zucchini Gingerbread has a bit of everything.

Step 4: Blend Molasses and Hot Water

In a third small bowl (or large measuring cup), stir together the molasses and hot water until completely blended. Doing this step alone means the molasses won’t clump up or stick at the bottom—crucial for a smooth, consistent batter.

Step 5: Alternate Dry and Molasses Mixtures

Now for the fun—building your batter! Alternately add half of the dry ingredients and half of the molasses mixture to the zucchini blend. Stir gently until just combined after each addition. Repeat with the remaining dry mix and molasses. Don’t overmix—keeping things just barely combined is the secret to a super-tender loaf.

Step 6: Bake to Perfection

Pour your batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Slide the pan into the oven and bake for about 48 to 55 minutes. Your kitchen will smell like the holidays, thanks to ginger and cloves. Check for doneness with a toothpick—it should come out clean or with just a few dry crumbs. Sometimes, reaching a bread center temperature of about 200°F means you’ve nailed it.

Step 7: Cool and Finish

Let your Zucchini Gingerbread cool completely in the pan on a rack. This step is golden—if you try to slice too soon, you’ll miss out on the beautiful crumb. Once cool, gently lift it out, dust with a little powdered sugar if you like, and get ready for that first warm, spicy bite!

How to Serve Zucchini Gingerbread

Garnishes

Top your cooled loaf with a pretty sprinkle of confectioner’s sugar for classic charm, or drizzle a simple lemon glaze for an extra zing that highlights the ginger. Chopped toasted walnuts or candied ginger pieces make for another layer of texture and a little party on top!

Side Dishes

Pair slices of Zucchini Gingerbread with a dollop of tangy Greek yogurt or a slather of soft cream cheese. If you’re serving it for brunch, fresh berries or an orange salad on the side can brighten up your table and balance those deep molasses flavors.

Creative Ways to Present

Try cutting the loaf into cubes and serving them on a tiered dessert tray for tea. For something unexpected, turn thick slices into over-the-top French toast, or use a round cookie cutter to make mini cakes layered with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Wrap your Zucchini Gingerbread tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. It keeps beautifully at room temperature for up to three days, staying moist and flavorful. You’ll find the spices continue to meld and intensify overnight—sometimes, it’s even better the next day!

Freezing

If you want to make Zucchini Gingerbread ahead or save leftovers for a rainy day, slice the cooled loaf and wrap individual pieces in plastic wrap. Place them all in a freezer bag or airtight container. Bread can be frozen for up to three months—just thaw slices as needed for an instant treat.

Reheating

For a fresh-from-the-oven feel, reheat slices in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds, or toast gently in a skillet until just warmed through. This little bit of heat brings out all the gingerbread spices and makes your kitchen smell absolutely heavenly all over again.

FAQs

Can I use frozen zucchini for Zucchini Gingerbread?

Absolutely! Just thaw your grated zucchini and include all the liquid as you would with fresh. Sometimes after freezing, there’s a bit more water, but that only adds to the bread’s moisture—the recipe is quite forgiving.

Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

Yes! Replace the all-purpose flour with your favorite gluten-free all-purpose blend. Just make sure the blend contains xanthan gum or another binder for the best texture. The bread will still rise nicely and have that signature tender crumb.

Is there a way to make Zucchini Gingerbread dairy-free?

Good news—this recipe is already dairy-free as written. If you’d like to swap the eggs, two flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flax mixed with 5 tablespoons water) work well, but texture may be a bit denser.

Why do I need to use all the zucchini’s liquid?

The zucchini’s natural moisture is what gives Zucchini Gingerbread its soft, pudding-like crumb. Draining would make the loaf dry, so after grating, simply add zucchini and any juice directly into the batter for guaranteed lusciousness.

What kind of molasses is best for this recipe?

Use regular unsulphured molasses for classic flavor and a touch of tang. Avoid blackstrap molasses unless you love intense, bittersweet notes—it’s much stronger and can overpower the other spices.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a baking project that’s as fun as it is delicious, I can’t recommend Zucchini Gingerbread enough. It’s comforting, full of warm spice, and the perfect way to use up that extra zucchini hiding in your fridge. I hope you fall in love with this favorite as much as I have!

Zucchini Gingerbread Recipe

★★★★★

5.3 from 27 reviews

Author: Lily
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yield: 1 loaf (about 12 slices) 1x
Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Description

A delightful twist on traditional gingerbread, this Zucchini Gingerbread recipe is moist, flavorful, and perfect for any time of day.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
Combine wet ingredients: In a bowl, mix zucchini, brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
Whisk dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
Mix molasses: In another bowl, whisk molasses and hot water.
Combine ingredients: Add dry ingredients and molasses mixture to wet ingredients alternately, stirring until just combined.
Bake: Pour batter into the pan and bake for 48-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool and serve: Let the bread cool in the pan before slicing. Dust with confectioner’s sugar if desired.

Notes

You can add chopped nuts or raisins for extra texture.
This bread freezes well for future enjoyment.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Category: Dessert, Snack
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 220
Sugar: 18g
Sodium: 220mg
Fat: 7g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Unsaturated Fat: 5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 36g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 3g
Cholesterol: 35mg

Keywords: Zucchini Gingerbread, Gingerbread Recipe, Zucchini Recipe, Baking, Dessert