If you love zucchini bread but are looking for a healthier recipe, this is it! This Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread is still light, tender, and so delicious. No one will know it is a healthier recipe.
What Makes This Bread So Good?
Zucchini bread is a classic. It is one of those breads we ate as children, and that most of us still love today.
There is something about the flavor of the zucchini, cinnamon, and other spices that make it such a great quick bread.
It is simple to make. You can make this loaf of bread in under 10 minutes, there is baking time, of course, but making the bread takes very little time.
It is just as good the second day as it is the first. This bread makes a really good breakfast the day after you make it. One of my favorite breakfasts, actually.
Another really great thing about this recipe is it uses whole wheat flour and reduced sugar. Don't worry though, even with those healthy changes, it still tastes so much like the original, most people won't even notice.
Ingredients
- Zucchini- The zucchini should be firm and not soft and squishy.
- Whole wheat Flour- I really like to use whole wheat pastry flour for my quick breads. It is a lower protein flour that produces a tender crumb. It isn't good for yeast breads, but is really good in quick breads.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda- These are both used for leaveners.
- Cinnamon- You can skip this, but I love cinnamon in this recipe.
- Salt- Just a touch, it won't take much.
- Oil- You can also use melted butter, but I prefer oil as it produces a much more tender bread.
- Eggs- These are essential for structure and texture.
- Brown Sugar- You could also use granulated sugar. I do not recommend a liquid sweetener as it changes the texture Granulars work though.
- Plain Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream- This also helps keep the loaf tender.
- Vanilla always enhances the flavor in sweet breads.
- Walnuts- optional, but we highly recommend it in our family.
Notes
There are a few things to note about this recipe.
I made this a whole wheat loaf, but if you really want, you can always make this an all-white recipe. Simply swap out the whole wheat for all-purpose flour.
I also like to add in other nuts if you like. I used walnuts, but pecans, hazelnuts, and even cashews are really good!
Baking With Whole Wheat Flour
If you’ve had a bad experience with whole wheat flour or have just been hesitant to give it a try, I can help you through the process. I have worked really hard to learn how to bake well with whole wheat.
In this recipe, I use whole wheat pastry flour. Not all flours are equal and that’s because the proteins in the flour have an effect on the whole bake. So be sure you get the right type of flour.
A whole wheat pastry flour has a lower amount of protein making the final quick bread nice and soft.
It’s important not to overmix your bread, this is true of any quick bread but especially true with whole wheat flour.
Another really important note is not to overbake! Whole wheat flour absorbs more moisture, so be sure not to overbake!
FAQ
It doesn't last long in our house, but I will tell you, I know it stays good for at least 3 days!
You sure can! Double this recipe and freeze one loaf.
I love any kind of nuts, dried fruits, etc.
Other Whole Wheat Recipes
- Apple Doodles
- Whole Wheat Biscuits
- Bran Muffins
- Multigrain Bread
- Strawberry Sugar Cookie Bars
- Snickerdoodles
- Honey Oatmeal Bread
Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups zucchini, grated and squeezed
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- 6 tablespoons neutral flavored oil or melted butter
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Spray pans. I used my square brownie pans, but traditional muffin pans will work just as well. If you prefer, you can always make bread with it too. In small bowl combine all dry ingredients, minus sugar. In another larger bowl, add in eggs. Mix to break them up. Add in oil, yogurt, vanilla and brown sugar. Mix well. Add wet to dry and mix, careful not to over mix. Add in zucchini and again, careful not to over mix. Scoop into pans. Bake until slightly under baked, they will continue baking after you pull them from the oven. This happens with every baked good, but is especially tricky with whole wheat baked goods. They dry out quickly.Serve them right away,let them cool or even freeze them, and thaw. You have so many options with this. Now sit back and enjoy. You deserve it.