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Joanna Gaines' Zucchini Bread

Joanna Gaines zucchini bread is a farmhouse-perfect zucchini loaf with a domed, split top and a golden-brown crust. This classic zucchini loaf stays moist by stirring in grated zucchini without squeezing, then baking until a toothpick comes out clean.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
cooling 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
Wet ingredients
  • 2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cup zucchini, grated (unsqueezed) Grate fresh and do not squeeze—leave moisture in for tenderness.
Optional & topping
  • 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional) Optional for crunch and texture.
  • 1 tbsp turbinado sugar for top Sprinkle on top before baking.

Equipment

  • 2 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease two 9x5 loaf pans (or bake in one large pan). Make sure the pans are well-coated for easy release.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Continue whisking until the spices are evenly distributed with no lumps.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. Whisk the granulated sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until well combined. Keep whisking until the mixture looks glossy and uniform.
Add zucchini
  1. Stir in the grated zucchini (no squeezing) so the moisture stays in the batter. Mix just until the zucchini is evenly incorporated with no dry pockets.
Combine batter
  1. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the chopped walnuts if using, stopping as soon as no flour streaks remain.
Bake
  1. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and sprinkle turbinado sugar on top. Bake 55–65 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
Cool
  1. Cool the loaves for 20 minutes before removing them from the pans. Letting them set helps the domed top and moist interior hold together.

Notes

Pro tip: Grate the zucchini and don’t squeeze it—those juices keep the crumb tender and prevent dryness. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze slices up to 3 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a dairy-free option, this recipe is already dairy-free—just ensure your vanilla extract contains no dairy-based additives.