The transition from summer to fall is my FAVOURITE time of the year. The crisp air and gorgeous colours when the trees turn make me want to dive into a cozy knit sweater, throw on the slippers, steep some tea and crank up the oven to bake. Is anybody else with me? This Apple Zucchini Bread is perfect for those cozy fall days when you want something wholesome, delicious, and comforting.
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Why This Apple Zucchini Bread Will Become Your Go-To Fall Recipe
There’s something magical about combining the last of your garden zucchini with crisp fall apples. This Apple Zucchini Bread recipe creates the most incredibly moist loaf that tastes like autumn in every bite. Whether you’re meal prepping for busy school mornings or looking for the perfect treat to share with neighbours, this bread delivers every single time.
Baking Tips For The Perfect Apple Zucchini Bread Every Time
- Don’t drain your zucchini – that moisture is pure gold for creating an incredibly tender crumb.
- Choose tart apples like Granny Smith for the perfect sweet-tart balance and to prevent mushy fruit pieces.
- Grate finely – smaller pieces distribute more evenly and create better texture throughout the loaf.
- Don’t over-mix – fold the wet and dry ingredients together just until combined to avoid a tough bread.
- Test doneness properly – a toothpick should come out with just a few moist crumbs, not completely clean.
- Cool completely before slicing – this prevents crumbly, falling-apart pieces.
What Makes This Apple Zucchini Bread Special
This lightly sweetened bread is the perfect way to use up that extra zucchini from the garden, and together with the apple, it makes this loaf incredibly moist! The combination of warm spices, fresh fruit, and hidden vegetables creates a treat that’s both indulgent and nutritious.
Different Ways To Make The Most Of This Apple Zucchini Bread Recipe
This Apple Zucchini Bread recipe is wonderfully versatile! Here are 4 simple ways to customize it:
- Standard Loaf: Bake in a 9×5 inch loaf pan for the classic presentation
- Two Small Loaves: Perfect for gifting or freezing one for later
- Muffins: Reduce bake time to approximately 20 minutes for grab-and-go portions
- Mini Muffins: Great for lunchboxes and little hands
Pro Tip: Leave out the pecans if you want to make it lunch-friendly for kids with nut allergies.
Apple Zucchini Bread Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
This Apple Zucchini Bread keeps beautifully! Here’s how to store it:
- Room Temperature: Wrap in plastic wrap and store for up to 3 days
- Refrigerator: Keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container
- Freezer: Wrap individual slices or whole loaf and freeze for up to 3 months
More Recipes to Use Up Your Zucchini
If after making this Apple Zucchini Bread you still have zucchini leftover, I recommend trying these reader-favourite recipes!
You also need to check out my complete guide to healthy zucchini recipes and creative uses! And if you’re ready to master the art of sneaky vegetable cooking, join Fraîche Table for access to hundreds of family-tested recipes, custom grocery lists, and meal plans that turn healthy eating into a breeze.
Apple Zucchini Bread
This moist Apple Zucchini Bread combines garden zucchini with crisp fall apples for the perfect cozy treat. Easy recipe with pro baking tips included!
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup tightly packed grated zucchini (skin on)
- 1 ¼ cup tightly packed grated peeled apple (I used Granny Smith)
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- ½ cup oil (ie. avocado, canola or olive oil)
- 3 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup toasted pecans (chopped)
- 3/4 cup sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- dash nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350F and grease and flour your 9×5" loaf pan (you can also line muffin tins with papers and make this into muffins).
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Mix the wet ingredients together well in a medium bowl.
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Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl until combined.
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Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, folding with a rubber spatula until it is completely incorporated together.
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Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan(s) or tins and bake until it is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, approximately 1 hour (the bake time will be less if you are dividing the batter into muffin tins: closer to 20 minutes for muffins).
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Remove from the oven, let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and invert it onto a baking rack, removing the loaf pan, to cool slightly before serving.
Approximately how many zucchini dies one need for a cup? I only have one in hand. Thanks! Will be making asap.
Hi Liz! A small one should do!
Cant wait to try this! Do you think coconut sugar could be used instead of white sugar?
I already had the grater out making apple birch muesli when this recipe was posted on the blog, so I made it instantly. It turned out beautifully. I also wondered if there was a healthier option to substitute for the white sugar, and could unsweetened applesauce be used instead of vegetable oil. Otherwise, it is delicious!
Hi Kim!
Thanks for the feedback! You can try cutting back on the sugar, it won’t impact the texture too much, or substituting coconut sugar if that works for you. I’ve had success substituting apple sauce for oil in the past, though I’m not afraid of a bit of fat in my diet so it’s really up to you! Would love to hear if you try it out! I think that you could cut back on some of the sugar if you substitute the oil out for apple sauce!
When I bake banana bread, I substitute a bit of apple sauce and reduce the amount of sugar the recipe calls for. I find the ripe bananas provide lots of sweetness and the apple sauce adds a bit more moisture to the bread.
Your recipes are always fantastic! Can’t wait to try this one out. Thanks Tori!
Can’t wait to make this one later today. Know my little one will love it as much as we will 🙂
Thanks Michele I hope your crew liked it!
I can’t wait to try this. Looks so yummy. I so love your kitchen!!!! It is really pretty!
Hi Francene, thanks so much! It’s actually my friend’s kitchen, isn’t it lovely!? Ours will be done in January can’t wait!
Made it tonight! So delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Awesome thanks Hannah! I’m so happy you loved it!
Hi Tori! So excited to try this recipe. Do you squeeze out the water from the zucchini and apples?
Hi Lindsay! No you don’t have to squeeze out the water great question!
Yes, you should. I have left the z. wet and it made the bread claggy. The blotted z. is wet enough to make a moist loaf.
Can you just omit the pecans? I’m not a fan of nuts in baking but wanted to make sure it would still turn out!
You sure can leave them out Bailey!
Hi Tori,
I was delighted with the zucchini apple bread recipe. Such a treat to enjoy with a hot cup of coffee.
Your banana bread recipe is also a true hit in our household.
Thank you for all your wonderful recipes, I have tried so many of them and I am NEVER disappointed.
Tori this is DELICIOUS – the best zucchini loaf I’ve made!! I made a small loaf and some muffins and both were so moist and such a hit with everyone! I’m going to make it again this week.
Absolutely delicious Tori! This is the third recipe I’ve tried in a week from your blog! All of the ingredients work beautifully together. I will make this on a regular basis! Thank you so much for sharing! 😊💞
I’m so happy you liked it Verna and thanks for the valuable feedback, it’s always so nice when people take the precious time out of their days to comment:). Have a great day! Tori
Hi Tori,
I want to try this recipe. Just wondering if I can use olive oil instead. I don’t have All spice, would it taste different if I don’t add it? Thanks!
You bet! I am just re-working the recipe to make a vegan version and used olive oil to see, and it was perfect! No worries about the allspice I would just add a bit more of the other spices!
Just made this recipe into mini muffins to store in the freezer for school lunches. Let my six year old son taste test them, and I’ve never seen him so excited over a food, safe to say they were a hit! Thanks Tori!!
That’s fabulous, love that feedback!!! It doesn’t get any more honest than coming from a 6 year old!
Thanks for writing me the note Janice it means a lot to me! Take care! Tori
I just recently discovered this recipe as I have an over abundance of zucchini from my little backyard garden and I have to say it is a huge hit in my household! I’ve made it twice now in the last 2 weeks and even doubled it the second time so I could make both bread and muffins because my hubby loved it so much the first time! I omit the pecans and the all spice because I don’t have any and just added slightly more cinnamon & nutmeg. Thanks for the great recipe 🙂
Thanks Steph so happy you like it and thank you for taking the time to comment! Tori
I made this and there was too much batter for the size of tin you recommended. It tasted great, but it oozes out the loaf pan during cooking.
Thank you Karen, I will adjust the recipe to split it into 2 smaller loaf pans!
Hi Tori,
Is there anyway to make this gluten free? Have you tried using any other types of flour?
Thanks
Hi Krystal, no I haven’t but would love to hear if someone tries it with a 1:1 gluten free flour I think that is what I would try.
Hi there,
Do you happen to have the nutritional values for this recipe?
Hi Keely, no so sorry I don’t!
Tori THANK YOU so much for this yummy recipe. I recently had a boatload of apples given to me and this was the perfect thing to make for the family. I omitted the pecans to make it lunch friendly for the kids but look forward to making it with the pecans for myself 🙂 Also wanted to thank you for making such a terrific blog with really delicious and easy to make recipes. Your recipes and instagram posts are such good inspiration for cooking and baking. Any chance you would know an easy pumpkin scone recipe I could make?
Hi Kristy! Thank you so so much for the lovely message that just made my day! I actually do have a pumpkin scone recipe- just search for ‘pumpkin’ on the site (the search function is in the menu) and it should come up! Happy Baking! Tori
Hi Tory, tried this recipe this week and I loved it but my loaf didn’t fully cook through with the heat and time requirements. Do you find that you have to leave it in longer than 40mins? Would like to make a few more loafs this weekend 🙂 Thank you!
Hi Jimena! I had modified the recipe to use two smaller loaf pans if you don’t have an oversized one – even at that it was really full on mine. Do you have smaller loaf pans? If not I would recommend just filling your regular loaf pan to the 3/4 mark and making muffins out of the rest!
These are delicious and I got my 3 year old to help me mix the different ingredients. I didn’t use any nutmeg (since I didn’t have any). But next time, I’m definitely going to buy and use nutmeg. It’ll make it even better! Thanks for the recipe.
Can’t wait to try it my sister in law shared it with me…. we are both bakers in heaven. I noticed I can use olive oil but what about grapeseed oil ?
Hi Georgina! So great! For sure you could use any neutral vegetable oil, even avocado oil!
Great day in Kelowna to bake. In the oven as I speak. I made a double batch as I have a lot of zucchini and transparent apples from a family farm.
2 loafs and 12 muffins made.
Yummy, so moist with a crispy edge. Adding to my recipe box. Thanks Tori!
That’s fabulous thank you Melanie!
Finally made this recipe today. Realized I forgot to add the sugar, but honestly it didn’t need it. It was plenty sweet without it! Also took quite a lot longer than the 40 mins suggested for baking, but I made one large loaf. Will definitely do this one again!
Hi Tori!
I was at the farmer’s market this weekend and they had baking apples available already (I’m from Ontario). I made this recipe into muffins and my family loved it! (and it was a hit with my 1 1/2 year old niece). I didn’t have pecans so I added a cup of oats.
Looking forward to making it again!
Thanks 🙂
Meaghan
So glad you liked it!
I read in the comments you’re tweaking the recipe to make a vegan one. We have an egg allergy, do you think I can just substitute with apple applesauce or should I do a “flax/chia seed + water egg”?
I usually use a flax egg!
I just tried both this recipe and your double chocolate omega 3 loaf! Very good and very well received by all of my family!
Can I add hemp seeds in this recipe too? Your double chocolate zucchini recipe turned out delicious! Also wondering if I can add more hemp seeds to that recipe.
Made the apple zucchini bread on the weekend and it was 5☆. Thanks for another great recipe! Can’t wait for my cookbook!
Sadly, I planted yellow summer squash instead of zucchini this year. Have you ever substituted summer squash for zucchini in these types of recipes? I’m missing zucchini this time of year 🙁
I unfortunately haven’t tried it before but in theory it should work?
Hi Tori,
Can I omit the honey?
I wouldn’t recommend it as it won’t be as sweet and might be a bit dry!
So moist and delicious. I halved the sugar and left out the nuts (for school lunches) and they were still delicious! Thanks for another delicious recipe Tori.
Awesome! So glad it was a hit!
Hi Tori! Do you think I could use apple sauce as an egg replacement when making the recipe as muffins?
I haven’t tried it before but let me know if you do! In theory it should work!
Hi Tori,
Have you tried this recipe with maple syrup instead of sugar? If so, how did it go and what ratio would I use?
Thanks!
Hi Melanie, no I haven’t. I would love to try at some point, but it would impact the ratio of ingredients (dry:wet). In the meantime you could use coconut sugar if you are looking for a different option!
Made this today it’s delicious! We doubled the recipe and made a loaf and muffins. Would you say if you froze the muffins they would still be good after ?
yes! I freeze my muffins all the time!
Amazing recipe for fall, made them into muffins so delicous!! Will definitely be doing this recipe very soon.
Awesome! So glad you liked them Genevieve thanks for taking the time to comment!
Yummy! I made mine gluten free with a blend of 1/2 cup of light buckwheat, 1/2 cup of tapioca starch, 1/2 cup of arrowroot flour and 1/2 cup of sorghum flour.
They turned out moist, not dense at all and not too crumbly.
That’s so awesome thanks Lyndsay!
Just made these as muffins with maple syrup instead of honey and about 1/2 the sugar (and no nuts so they are school safe) and they are delicious!! Thanks for the amazing recipe as always – your site is my go to for recipes especially for baked goods.
Thank you Melanie!! That means a lot!
Just made these as mini muffins! Delicious!! Made your top secret granola yesterday too. You’re my go to for recipes! Thank you!!
That’s fabulous thanks for sharing Julie!! Tori
This was another total hit with my family! I’m always looking for recipes that minimize sugar and maximize fruit and veggies and this was perfect! We also threw in dried cherries and omitted nuts and the end result was delicious!
Thanks so much Janet!
Delicious! Made these into muffins (took about 25 mi items to cook) and they’re such a hit. Everyone I’ve served them to loves them. Great way to use up the abundance of zucchini in my garden.
Best Zucchini Bread EVER!
My picky boys could eat an entire bread in one sitting!
Delicious!
Shared the recipe with my Mom and she loves it too!
Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe!
Hi Tori,
I’m looking forward to trying this recipe. Is there a gluten free version?
Hi Tiffany, you can try using a 1:1 Gf flour blend but I haven’t tried it before!
Wow! Your fans ❤️ this recipe! Congrats!
Jackson and I made this on Sunday. I’ve never grated an apple before so I was hesitant but it was EASY! I just hate the thought of grating my knuckles like I’ve done before while grating cheese.
Everyone loved it. I was a little hard on the result bc it was a little crumbly at first slice but, I see now yours was too! 🤪 I think next time I might crumble a little ‘sugar in the raw’ on top bc I like that bit of crunch.
So amazed Jackson liked it. So often he makes things and then won’t eat it!
We subscribe to High 5 from Highlights magazine. I’d love to see you be a contributor there!
Any thanks again!
Here’s my IG photo for proof! https://www.instagram.com/p/CE_3AeiJQiL/?igshid=1l3mn1zehp881
WOW, so so good! I had some extra zucchini to use up, so I searched Fraiche Living for a recipe. What a great way to use up the extra zucchini and apples that I had lying around. I was able to make 18 muffins (tray and a half), and each tray took 20-22 minutes.
YUM!
Thanks so much Stephanie! So happy you enjoyed. xx Tori
Yet another amazing recipe from Fraiche! Hands down best zucchini bread I’ve made. Any time I need a recipe I know where to look 🙂 amazing! My girls loved helping make it, learning how to grate zucchini, and loved eating it even more!
Delicious and easy recipe! Made these with my 4 year old son and they turned out great. We did two loafs (one recipe) for 30 minutes. I added a little pear, hemp hearts and bran – 10/10 and healthy! Thanks for the great recipe
Hey Karalyn! Thank you so much for the kind message and for taking the time to rate! Your recipe modifications sounds great, I will have to try! xx Tori
Made this today while home from all Thanksgiving activities. I did blot out some of my zucchini as it was very wet, and doubled the recipe. So my nephew has some mini muffins for JK and I’ve got several in the freezer. A great, moist muffin with veggies hidden in.
Tried this recipe today
Had a lot of zucchini so I doubled the recipe
I used half whole wheat flour and added some millet and rye flour
I used toasted walnuts instead of Pecans and used half coconut oil and half olive oil
Reduced the sugar by a third as my husband is diabetic
The cakes turned delicious!!
I have tried several of your wonderful versatile healthy recipes
Thank you so much!