Easy Gluten Free Zucchini Bread

Gluten free zucchini bread is one of those recipes I genuinely make on repeat, and I promise you, once you try this version, you will not miss regular zucchini bread even a little bit. It is perfectly moist, lightly sweet, and loaded with warm cinnamon and nutmeg flavor. We use a good gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum, so the crumb comes out soft and plush every single time. No gummy texture, no crumbling apart, just a beautiful, tender loaf that tastes like a warm hug.

This gluten free zucchini bread is incredibly moist, tender, and perfectly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. Made in one bowl with simple ingredients, it’s a cozy, family-friendly recipe you’ll bake on repeat.

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This is the kind of bread that fits every season, honestly. I bake it most in late summer when zucchini is everywhere in the garden and I'm trying to use it all up before it takes over my kitchen counter. But I also make it in the fall because it pairs so well with a cozy cup of tea on a cool morning. Around the holidays, I swap in a handful of chocolate chips and it becomes a total showstopper. It is that versatile.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
• Ingredients for Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
• How to Make Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
• My Top Tips for Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
• Little Moments in the Kitchen
• Substitutions for Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
• Variations on Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
• Equipment for Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
• Storage Tips for Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
• Olivia's Tip for Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
• FAQ about Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
• Related
• Pairing
• 📖 Recipe

Why You'll Love This Gluten Free Zucchini Bread

• One bowl, no mixer needed. Seriously, you just stir everything together by hand and pour it into the pan. It is the easiest quick bread I know, and cleanup takes five minutes.
• Dairy-free and allergy-friendly. This gluten free zucchini bread uses oil instead of butter and works beautifully with almond milk, so it is naturally dairy-free too. Perfect if you are baking for a crowd with mixed dietary needs.
• Kid-approved every single time. Olivia has never once turned down a slice of this bread, and she does not even realize she is eating vegetables. That is a mom win I will take any day.

Ingredients for Gluten Free Zucchini Bread

You only need simple, everyday ingredients for this gluten free zucchini bread. Most of these are probably already in your pantry, and the only real "special" item is a good gluten-free flour blend, which you can find at pretty much any grocery store now.

What You'll Need

• Gluten-free 1:1 baking flour (with xanthan gum)
• Fresh zucchini, grated
• Eggs (room temperature)
• Light brown sugar
• Granulated white sugar
• Neutral oil (vegetable or avocado oil)
• Unsweetened almond milk (or any milk you love)
• Vanilla extract
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground nutmeg
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Salt

Why These Ingredients Matter

• Gluten-free 1:1 baking flour with xanthan gum is the real hero here. The xanthan gum acts as the binder that gluten normally provides, which is what gives this gluten free zucchini bread its soft, cohesive crumb instead of a crumbly mess. I have tested this with Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 and King Arthur Measure for Measure and both work great.
• Fresh grated zucchini is what keeps this loaf incredibly moist without making it heavy or dense. The natural water content in the zucchini does the work for you. I do not squeeze mine dry, which is actually key to the texture of this particular recipe.
• Brown sugar plus white sugar is a combo I swear by for quick breads. The brown sugar adds a subtle molasses depth and keeps the crumb tender, while the white sugar gives it that gentle lift and sweetness. Together they make this gluten free zucchini bread taste like it came from a really good bakery.

How to Make Gluten Free Zucchini Bread

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a standard 9x5-inch loaf pan with oil or cooking spray, then line it with parchment paper so the bread lifts out cleanly.
2. Grate your zucchini. Use the large holes on a box grater and grate until you have about 1 ½ cups loosely packed. Do not squeeze out the moisture, you want to keep it in. Set it aside while you mix your other ingredients.
3. Whisk together the wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, brown sugar, white sugar, almond milk, and vanilla extract together until the mixture looks smooth and the sugars are mostly dissolved, about 1 minute by hand.
4. Add your dry ingredients. Add the gluten-free flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt directly into the same bowl. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined and no dry flour streaks remain. The batter will look thick but that is exactly right.

Pro-Tip: Do not overmix once the flour goes in. Stir only until the batter just comes together. Overmixing gluten-free batters can make the bread gummy and dense instead of light and tender.

5. Fold in the grated zucchini. Use a spatula to gently fold it through the batter until it is evenly distributed and the batter looks flecked with green throughout.
6. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top with the back of your spatula so it sits level. If you want, sprinkle a tiny pinch of cinnamon sugar on top for a golden, slightly crackly crust.
7. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning too fast around the 40-minute mark, loosely tent it with foil.
8. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment paper and transfer to a wire rack. Let it cool completely before slicing, at least 30 more minutes, so the crumb sets up properly.

Hint: For the most evenly baked loaf, make sure your oven is fully preheated before the pan goes in. Gluten-free quick breads need that initial blast of heat to rise properly.

Little Moments in the Kitchen

The first time I made this gluten free zucchini bread with Olivia, she stood at the counter watching me grate the zucchini with the most suspicious look on her face. She crossed her arms and said, "Mom. You are putting a vegetable in the dessert bread. That is not okay." I had to explain that zucchini is basically just moisture and that she would not even taste it. She did not believe me at all.

Then the bread came out of the oven and smelled incredible, all cinnamon and brown sugar and warmth. She tried one slice, went very quiet for a second, and then said, "Okay fine. This is actually really good. But I'm only eating it because it's your recipe." I will take that review, Olivia. I absolutely will.

Substitutions for Gluten Free Zucchini Bread

• Flour: Any quality gluten-free 1:1 baking flour with xanthan gum works here. Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1, King Arthur Measure for Measure, and oat flour blends have all worked well in my kitchen. If using oat flour only, the texture will be slightly denser.
• Eggs: For a vegan gluten free zucchini bread, use 2 flax eggs (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons water per egg, rested for 5 minutes). The texture is a little more dense but still delicious.
• Milk: Any plant-based milk works fine. Oat milk, coconut milk, or regular dairy milk all swap in a 1:1 ratio.
• Sugar: To make a gluten-free zucchini bread with no refined sugar, replace both sugars with coconut sugar at the same amounts. It gives a slightly deeper, caramel-like flavor.
• Oil: Melted coconut oil works in place of vegetable oil and adds a mild sweetness.

Variations on Gluten Free Zucchini Bread

• Chocolate chip: Fold in ¾ cup of semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips into the batter just before pouring it into the pan. This is hands down Olivia's favorite version of gluten free zucchini bread and the one I always bring to school events. Nobody ever guesses it is gluten-free.
• Nutty: Stir in ½ cup of roughly chopped walnuts or pecans for a little crunch and richness. The nuts toast slightly while baking and add a wonderful contrast to the soft, moist crumb.
• Mini loaves: Divide the batter between 3 mini loaf pans and bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. These make the sweetest little gifts wrapped in parchment and twine, especially around the holidays. They remind me of my Eggnog Pie that I make every December for gift giving too.

Equipment for Gluten Free Zucchini Bread

• Box grater: The large holes give you the right texture of grated zucchini. Fine holes make it too watery and mushy.
• 9x5 inch loaf pan: This is the standard size this recipe is written for. A darker pan will brown the outside faster, so start checking at 50 minutes if yours is dark metal.
• Parchment paper: Non-negotiable for me. Gluten-free baked goods tend to stick more than regular ones, and parchment makes removal totally stress-free.
• Large mixing bowl and a sturdy spatula: No mixer needed at all. A good spatula and some light hand-mixing is everything this recipe requires.

Storage Tips for Gluten Free Zucchini Bread

• Room temperature: Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap or store slices in an airtight container. It stays moist and fresh for up to 2 days at room temperature.
• Fridge: Stored in an airtight container, this gluten free zucchini bread keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The cool temperature actually helps the slices hold together even better.
• Freezer: This bread freezes beautifully. Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, then place them in a zip-top freezer bag. They keep for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour or pop a slice in the toaster straight from frozen.

If you love easy baked treats that store well, my Blueberry Delight is another great one to have ready in the fridge for the week.

FAQ about Gluten Free Zucchini Bread

Conclusion

This gluten free zucchini bread is one of those recipes that earns a permanent spot in your rotation. It is moist, warm, perfectly spiced, and honestly just as good as any traditional zucchini bread I have ever had. Whether you keep it classic, stir in chocolate chips, or make a batch of mini loaves for gifting, this recipe delivers every single time and the whole family loves it.

I really hope you bake this one soon and that it brings as much joy to your kitchen as it does to mine. When you do, come back and let me know how it went in the comments! I love hearing about your baking adventures. And if you want even more inspiration on gluten-free quick breads and baking basics, the team at Allrecipes has some great community-tested variations worth exploring too.

Related

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Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Gluten Free Zucchini Bread:

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