Simple Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread

Zucchini bread is a delicious and nutritious quick bread that can easily be made gluten-free, so anyone following a gluten-free diet due to celiac disease and gluten intolerance can enjoy it, too.

My gluten-free zucchini bread is moist, tender, and offers a hearty crumb. It can be enjoyed as a tasty breakfast option, a midday snack, or a comforting dessert.

I recommend warming it in your toaster oven and adding a pat of soft butter for a less sweet but still delicious quick bread treat. You can also top it with my tangy cinnamon cream cheese glaze to add the sweetness you crave when serving it for dessert.

Ingredients

For the quick bread, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• ¾ cup avocado oil or other vegetable oil
• 3 eggs, large
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 lb zucchini, grated (this is 3 medium zucchinis, which makes about 4 cups of grated zucchini – do NOT drain)
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 3 cups gluten-free flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to1 Gluten-Free Flour)
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if using a flour blend that already has xanthan gum)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

And for the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Glaze, which is optional, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

How to Make Zucchini Bread

Start by preheating the oven to 350°F and lightly greasing two 9×4 inch loaf pans with cooking spray or a paper towel coated with oil. Set aside.

Add the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum (if needed), salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Add the brown sugar and oil to a large bowl and beat with a handheld electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until smooth and creamy. Add the grated zucchini (do not drain or squeeze out the liquid) and mix to combine.

Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture and stir until it’s just combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the two greased loaf pans, and bake in a preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the zucchini bread comes out clean.

How to Make the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Glaze

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until soft and smooth using a handheld electric mixer.

Add the vanilla extract, lemon juice, and powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add the cinnamon and beat until evenly combined.

Once the zucchini bread has cooled, drizzle and spread the glaze over the bread.

Recipe Notes

About the Pans: I use two 9×4-inch loaf pans because they give a gluten-free batter more structure to rise against. You can use 9×5 pans instead, but you may need to lower the baking time.

Zucchini 101: In my testing, 1 lb of zucchini is about three medium-sized zucchini, making about four cups of grated zucchini.

This recipe uses all of the moisture in the zucchini instead of milk in the batter. Do not squeeze out or drain the liquid from the zucchini. If you do, the batter will become dry and thick.

Tip: You can also make this recipe without grating the zucchini and instead using a blender. In a high-powered blender, blend the zucchini, chopped into chunks, with the oil and eggs until smooth. Add the brown sugar and vanilla and blend until smooth. Then add the dry ingredients and pulse until combined (or stir them in by hand until combined.) Bake as directed in the recipe.

Dairy-Free: To make this recipe dairy-free, use a dairy-free cream cheese in the glaze. The gluten-free zucchini bread is otherwise gluten-free, as written.

Vegan: To make this recipe egg-free and vegan, use dairy-free substitutes and an egg replacer, like a flax or chia egg or Bob’s Red Mill’s Egg Replacer.

To make a single flax or chia egg, mix one tablespoon of ground flax or ground chia seed with three tablespoons of warm water and let it sit for five minutes to gel.

For this recipe, which uses three eggs, you’ll need three tablespoons of ground flax or chia seed and ½ cup plus one tablespoon of warm water.

Store Leftovers: Store leftover zucchini bread for up to five days in an airtight container at room temperature.