Brown Sugar Zucchini Bread (Moist + 1-Bowl!)
Bakery-style flavor, real-life ease! Brown sugar, yogurt, and oil give this moist, one-bowl, less-sugar zucchini bread its soft crumb, golden crust, and perfectly spiced sweetness, no mixer required!
5 star review
“The texture of this bread is lovely! I had exactly twice as much zucchini as called for, so we doubled the recipe and baked it off in a 9×13. The bread was done in 40-45 minutes, if anyone else finds themselves in the same predicament. Thanks for including the ingredient weights, Robyn!”
– Lauren
The Perfect Zucchini Bread with Less Sugar + Greek Yogurt
If you’ve got some zucchini hanging around and want something cozy but not too sweet, then this one if for you! It’s super soft and moist (thank you, yogurt and oil), gently sweetened with brown sugar, and has just enough cinnamon to make the kitchen smell amazing. I also love that it uses less sugar than most versions, but still tastes like a real treat. Everything comes together in one bowl—no mixer required—and the texture is so good. Just golden on top and tender all the way through.
The grated zucchini adds moisture without tasting “veggie,” and the result is a beautifully golden loaf with a perfectly soft, moist crumb. It’s great for those “I’ve got a couple zucchini to use up” situations, and because it’s made with pantry staples, it’s easy to whip up without a special grocery run. On that note, if you love feel-good baking that’s equal parts cozy and practical, you’ll also love my easy quick bread recipes or these almond flour chocolate zucchini muffins. They’re all perfect for snacking, gifting, or freezing for later.
Welcome to My Kitchen! Let’s Bake Zucchini Bread w/ Yogurt
Less Sugar Zucchini Bread that Bakes up Juuuuuust Right
- In recipe testing, I found a light squeeze of the zucchini was just right, so there’s no need to go overboard or press it bone dry.
- I recommend using parchment paper for easy lifting and cleaner slices, which is especially helpful if you’re gifting or freezing the loaf.
- I find that mixing the sugars and eggs until pale and foamy creates a lighter texture and helps everything hold together beautifully, without a mixer.
Brown Sugar Zucchini Bread (Moist + 1-Bowl!)
Ingredients
- ½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar (100g)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup neutral oil, such as avocado, grapeseed, or canola (120ml)
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (120g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour (160g)
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ cups grated zucchini, not peeled, lightly squeezed to remove excess moisture (180g)
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat & Prep: Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch heavy duty aluminum loaf pan and line with parchment, leaving a slight overhang for easy lifting.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and eggs until pale and foamy, about 1 minute. Add the oil, yogurt, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk until smooth.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sprinkle the flour, baking powder, and baking soda over the wet mixture. Stir with a spatula until just combined, being careful to not overmix. It’s okay if there are some small lumps.
- Fold in Zucchini: Fold in the grated zucchini until it's evenly incorporated. The batter will be thick.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Tent loosely with foil if browning too quickly.
- Cool: Let the loaf cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then use the parchment to lift it out. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
- Golden, Not Burnt: I noticed the top can brown quickly in testing due to the brown sugar, so I suggest tenting with foil after 40 minutes if you notice the zucchini loaf starting to brown too quickly.
- Perfect Rise: Use room temperature ingredients (especially your eggs, yogurt, and zucchini) for the best rise on your cake.
- Accurate Measurements: For the most accurate baking, you can use a kitchen scale. But if you don’t have one, make sure you spoon and level your flour so it doesn’t get compacted in your measuring cup.
The texture of this bread is lovely! I had exactly twice as much zucchini as called for, so we doubled the recipe and baked it off in a 9×13. The bread was done in 40-45 minutes, if anyone else finds themselves in the same predicament. Thanks for including the ingredient weights, Robyn!
Lauren, brilliant, thanks for sharing your tip on doubling and making zucchini bread in a 9×13. So happy you enjoyed and I appreciate you taking the time to leave a review, too!