Moist, fluffy and healthy zucchini bread made with applesauce, fresh zucchini, and no refined sugar! Less than 200 calories per slice thanks to using less oil! Easy to make and kid approved!
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Zucchini season is here and one of my favorite thing to make is healthy zucchini bread with applesauce! We have a ton of recipes here using zucchini so if you have an overactive garden, try out lasagna rolls, chocolate muffins, or air fryer zucchini fries!
If you're a fan of banana bread, then you will love this healthy zucchini bread! Add in some shredded carrot or apple for even more delicious flavor.
This recipe is a delicious way to start you day with breakfast or for an afternoon snack. And if you love this one, be sure to try these pumpkin zucchini muffins!
What Makes This Recipe Work
- Uses fresh and seasonal ingredients (especially if you have an active garden or have hit up the farmer's market). A perfect way to use up a lot of zucchini.
- Easy to make ahead and store in your freezer for a quick snack or breakfast.
- Made with coconut oil and no butter making this recipe dairy free. To make this healthy zucchini bread with applesauce and no egg replace with a flax egg or additional applesauce.
- Hidden veggie recipe helps to get veggies in picky eaters. A great way to get veggies and fiber into your family!
- Easy to make into a loaf, mini loaves or even muffins!
- Made with applesauce instead of oil (we replaced half but you can make with no oil and all applesauce), this recipe is more heart healthy, lower in fat and lower in calories compared to the classic recipe. You can also use mashed bananas, pumpkin or Greek yogurt for an extra protein kick.
Ingredients to Make This Recipe
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Reference the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements and the notes below for substitution ideas.
- Flour: (I used King Arthur All Purpose Flour, you can also use King Arthur Gluten Free 1-1 baking flour if you are gluten free) If you're looking for a recipe made with almond flour, make these chocolate zucchini muffins. You may also consider swapping some of the all purpose flour for whole wheat flour.
- Coconut sugar: pure maple syrup or raw honey are also great sweeteners. You could also use brown sugar.
- Grated zucchini: I peel and shred on the smallest opening for better texture. You do not have to peel it though, I only do it for my picky eaters.
- Chocolate chips: I use dairy free Enjoy Life mini dark chocolate chips.
How to Make This Recipe
This is a step by step walkthrough of how to cook this recipe. Exact cook time and temperatures are available in the recipe card at the bottom.
- Start by combining the dry ingredients in a small bowl.
- In a large bowl whisk eggs and add remaining wet ingredients.
- Stir dry ingredients into wet and stir until just combined.
- Add in zucchini and any other add-ins. Mix until just incorporated and add in up to 3 tablespoon almond milk if batter is too thick. Pour into prepared bread pan and bake!
Expert Tips
- Refrigerator storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days on the counter. Alternatively, you can refrigerate it for up to one week. This may affect the level of moisture therefore I do not recommend slicing it prior to putting in the refrigerator.
- Freezer storage: Cooled loaves may be stored in a freezer safe container and frozen for up to three months.
- Mini Loaf Baking Instructions: Use a mini bread pan and divide batter evenly between four pans. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- This healthy zucchini bread uses coconut sugar instead of sugar. You can also use applesauce instead of sugar if you are looking to make a no sugar variety, however unsweetened applesauce will not sweeten the bread. You could experiment with adding in some stevia to sweeten the applesauce.
- This recipe is a healthy zucchini bread with applesauce to sweeten it. To add more sweetness add in some chocolate chips for a little more sweetness. You can omit the chocolate or even add raisins or blueberries or your favorite nut like chopped almonds, walnuts or pecans.
- Pack the zucchini down into the measuring cup and do not remove moisture unless there is an inordinate amount.
- Healthy zucchini bread with applesauce can be made vegan or eggless by swapping out eggs for a flax egg.
- Top with peanut butter or almond butter for an additional treat!
FAQs
The zucchini helps to keep zucchini bread moist. Similar to bananas in banana bread, zucchini is what gives it the moist texture.
This is up to you and your preferences. If you want your kids to ask no questions, peeling might be a good choice. I also like to grate my zucchini on the smallest grater so that there are not large pieces.
When I am making healthy zucchini bread with applesauce I find that the right balance of moisture comes from leaving the zucchini water in the recipe!
I will even add in up to 3 tablespoon of unsweetened vanilla almond milk before baking to ensure it has the perfect moist texture.
That being said, if you notice that your zucchini has a lot of moisture and you are worried about how to keep the bread from getting soggy in the middle you may choose to wring out some of the moisture prior to mixing.
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Healthy Zucchini Bread with Applesauce
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 teaspoon cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- 3 large eggs beaten
- ½ cup coconut oil melted
- ½ cup applesauce
- 2 cups coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Other Ingredients
- 2 cups zucchini grated
- ½ cup chocolate chips or more if desired
- unsweetened vanilla almond milk add 1 tablespoon at a time, only if batter seems too dry.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F. Spray your bread pan with coconut oil spray.
- Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
- Whisk eggs, coconut oil, applesauce, vanilla, and coconut sugar together in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until well incorporated. Once the mixture is incorporated, if it seems overly dry, add 1 tablespoon almond milk as needed until you are satisfied with the texture (should be thinner than a cookie batter but not thin)
- Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared bread pan. See recipe notes for tips for different pans. Do not fill the pan more than ⅔ full so that it doesn't overflow and bakes evenly.
- Bake for 50-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool loaves in the bread pans for about 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on a cooling rack.
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