Easy Yellow Squash Bread

Yellow squash bread is one of those recipes that sneaks up on you. You take one bite expecting something ordinary and then you just stop and go, wait, this is really good. It is moist, warmly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, and has the softest, most tender crumb you will find in any summer quick bread. If your garden is overflowing with yellow squash right now, this is exactly where it needs to go.

This yellow squash bread is moist, warmly spiced, and incredibly tender thanks to fresh garden squash, sour cream, and cinnamon. A cozy family favorite from Jasmine’s kitchen.

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I started making this yellow squash bread every summer when our neighbor drops off more squash than we could ever eat in one season. It is one of those old fashioned yellow squash bread recipes that feels cozy and familiar the moment it comes out of the oven. We make it for weekend brunches, afternoon snacks, and honestly sometimes just because the kitchen smells incredible when it is baking. Cinnamon and vanilla in a warm oven is basically the best air freshener money cannot buy.

Jump to:

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

Why You'll Love This Yellow Squash Bread

• Uses up your summer squash the best possible way. If you have an abundance of garden yellow squash and no idea what to do with it, this easy yellow squash bread is your answer. It uses up a full 1.5 cups of shredded squash in one loaf.
• Incredibly moist and tender every single time. The combination of sour cream, canola oil, and the natural moisture from the squash gives this bread a soft crumb that stays fresh for days without drying out.
• Simple enough for any skill level. No mixer needed, no complicated techniques. Two bowls, a grater, and a loaf pan and you are good to go.

Ingredients for Yellow Squash Bread

Everything here is simple and easy to find. Most of it is probably already sitting in your pantry. Here is what goes into this moist yellow squash bread from start to finish.

What You'll Need

• All-purpose flour (2 cups)
• Baking powder (1 tsp)
• Baking soda (½ tsp)
• Salt (½ tsp)
• Ground cinnamon (1 tsp)
• Ground nutmeg (¼ tsp)
• Large eggs, room temperature (2)
• Canola oil (½ cup)
• Granulated white sugar (½ cup)
• Packed brown sugar (½ cup)
• Sour cream (½ cup)
• Vanilla extract (1 tsp)
• Shredded yellow squash, not squeezed dry (1.5 cups, about 2 medium squash)
• Cooking spray or butter (for greasing the pan)
• Optional: chopped walnuts (½ cup)

Why These Ingredients Matter

• Sour cream is what makes this yellow squash bread with sour cream so much more tender than the average quick bread. The acidity reacts with the baking soda to help the loaf rise beautifully, and the fat adds richness and keeps the crumb soft for days.
• Brown sugar and white sugar together give you the best of both worlds. White sugar keeps the texture light, while brown sugar adds a deep, warm molasses flavor that pairs perfectly with the cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Shredded yellow squash that is NOT squeezed dry is the key to the whole loaf. Unlike some recipes that have you pat the squash dry, keeping all that natural moisture in is exactly what gives this bread its signature moist crumb. Do not skip this detail.

How to Make Yellow Squash Bread

Step-by-Step Directions

Step 1: Preheat and prep your pan. Set your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan well with cooking spray or butter, then dust it lightly with flour and tap out the excess. This keeps the bread from sticking and gives the outside of the loaf a slightly crisp edge.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until combined. The mixture should look uniform in color and smell warm and fragrant from the spices. Set this aside.

Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients. In a second large bowl, whisk together the eggs, canola oil, white sugar, brown sugar, sour cream, and vanilla extract until smooth and slightly pale in color, about 1 minute of whisking. The mixture should look creamy and well combined with no streaks of oil remaining.

Pro-Tip: Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before you start. Cold eggs can make the oil seize up and create an uneven, slightly lumpy batter. Set them out on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes before baking.

Step 4: Fold in the squash. Add the shredded yellow squash to the wet ingredient bowl and stir it in until evenly distributed. The batter will look loose and wet at this stage, which is completely normal. That moisture is exactly what you want.

Step 5: Combine wet and dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold everything together gently with slow, sweeping strokes. Stop as soon as no dry flour streaks are visible. If you are adding walnuts, fold them in now. Do not overmix or the bread will turn out dense and tough instead of tender.

Step 6: Bake the loaf. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with your spatula. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55 to 65 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with no wet batter on it. If the top is browning too fast around the 40 minute mark, loosely tent a piece of foil over the pan and keep baking.

Step 7: Cool before slicing. Let the yellow squash bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack. Wait at least 30 minutes before slicing. I know it is hard to wait, but cutting into a hot quick bread compresses the crumb and makes it gummy. Patience here is really worth it.

Hint: For the most even shred, use the large holes on a box grater and grate directly over your measuring cup. You want rustic, visible shreds in the batter, not a fine mush. Larger shreds keep the texture interesting and melt beautifully into the crumb as it bakes.

Speaking of summer squash baking, if you love quick breads like this one you absolutely have to check out my Gluten Free Zucchini Bread too. It is just as easy and just as delicious.

Little Moments in the Kitchen

The first time I asked Olivia to help me grate the squash for this yellow squash bread, I handed her the box grater and walked away to measure out the dry ingredients. I turned back around about 90 seconds later and she had somehow managed to grate shredded squash onto the cutting board, the counter, her shirt, and a small section of the kitchen floor. She looked up at me completely unbothered and said, "I think I made too much."

She had absolutely made too much. There was squash everywhere. We cleaned it up laughing, measured out the right amount, and the bread still came out perfect. Now she is the designated squash grater every summer and I just make sure to put down a kitchen towel first. Some lessons are only learned once.

Substitutions for Yellow Squash Bread

• Sour cream: Swap with plain full-fat Greek yogurt in a 1:1 ratio. It gives almost the same moisture and tang. Low-fat yogurt works too but the crumb will be slightly less rich.
• Canola oil: Use melted coconut oil or plain vegetable oil instead. Coconut oil adds a very subtle sweetness that pairs nicely with the cinnamon. Avoid olive oil as the flavor is too strong for a sweet quick bread.
• All-purpose flour: A gluten free 1:1 baking flour blend works well here. The texture will be slightly more dense but still delicious. My Gluten Free Pancake Bites use a similar swap if you want a reference for how it bakes.
• White and brown sugar: Replace both with coconut sugar at the same total quantity. The loaf will be slightly darker in color and have a more caramel-like depth of flavor.
• Yellow squash: Yes, you can absolutely use zucchini as a 1:1 swap. The flavor is slightly different but the texture is nearly identical. This is one of the most popular summer squash quick bread swaps out there.

Variations on Yellow Squash Bread

• Pineapple coconut: Add ½ cup of drained crushed pineapple and ¼ cup of shredded sweetened coconut to the batter. This yellow squash bread with pineapple version is sweeter, tropical, and absolutely perfect for a summer brunch spread. The pineapple adds brightness and the coconut gives every bite a little chew.
• Walnut spice: Fold in ½ cup of roughly chopped walnuts and bump the cinnamon up to 1.5 teaspoons. The yellow squash bread with walnuts version has a heartier bite, a little crunch in every slice, and a deeper warm spice flavor. It tastes like something your grandmother would have made on a Sunday morning.
• Mini muffins for kids: Pour the batter into a greased mini muffin tin and bake at 350 degrees F for 16 to 18 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are golden. Olivia loves these because they are perfectly snack-sized and she can grab one without asking me to slice anything.

Equipment for Yellow Squash Bread

• Box grater: The large-hole side is what you want for shredding the squash. A food processor with a grating attachment works too and is faster if you are making a double batch.
• 9x5 inch loaf pan: This is the standard size for most quick bread recipes. A smaller 8x4 pan will work but the loaf will be taller and may need an extra 5 to 10 minutes of bake time. Check with a toothpick rather than relying on the clock.
• Two large mixing bowls: One for dry, one for wet. Keeping them separate until the last moment is what prevents overmixing and keeps the crumb light and tender.
• Rubber spatula: Essential for the gentle folding technique. A wooden spoon works but a spatula gives you much better control over how hard you are working the batter.
• Wire cooling rack: Cooling the loaf on a rack instead of leaving it in the pan prevents the bottom and sides from getting soggy from trapped steam.

Storage Tips for Yellow Squash Bread

• Room temperature: Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container. It stays fresh and moist at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Let slices come to room temperature before eating or give them a quick 10 seconds in the microwave to bring back the soft texture.
• Freezer: This yellow squash bread freezes beautifully. Wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, place them in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or let a slice sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
• Wet toppings or glaze: If you are adding a glaze or fresh fruit toppings, store those separately and add them after thawing or just before serving.

This recipe is also a great one to keep in your easy bake rotation alongside my Cottage Cheese Flatbread for a mix of sweet and savory homemade breads through the week.

FAQ about Yellow Squash Bread

Conclusion

This yellow squash bread is one of those recipes that earns a permanent spot in your summer baking rotation the very first time you make it. It is moist, warmly spiced, easy to throw together, and a genuinely delicious way to use up all that beautiful garden squash. Whether you make it plain, loaded with walnuts, or with a tropical pineapple twist, every version comes out soft and satisfying.

Give this yellow squash bread a try this season and tell me in the comments how yours turned out and what you added to it. I love hearing your variations. And if you want to keep exploring squash baking, this Butternut Squash Bread from AllRecipes is a great one to bookmark for fall. Happy baking!

Related

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Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Yellow Squash Bread:

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