Joanna Gaines’ zucchini bread bakes up with a tender, moist crumb and a golden crust that cracks just enough on top to look homemade in the best way. The loaf slices cleanly once it cools, but the inside stays soft and plush, with cinnamon, vanilla, and a little nutmeg giving it that warm bakery smell that fills the whole kitchen.
What makes this version work is the balance of moisture and structure. The zucchini goes in unsqueezed, which sounds wrong until you taste the finished loaf and realize that extra water is what keeps it from turning dry after baking. A full tablespoon of cinnamon gives it backbone, and the combination of baking soda and baking powder helps the top rise into that classic domed shape without making the crumb heavy.
Below, I’ve included the details that matter most: why the zucchini shouldn’t be drained, how to avoid a tough loaf, and a few ways to adapt it if you want to swap the nuts or bake it for later.
I was skeptical about not squeezing the zucchini, but the loaf came out incredibly moist without being wet. The turbinado sugar on top gave it a little crunch, and the center stayed soft for days.
Like this farmhouse zucchini loaf? Save it to Pinterest for the days when you want a moist, cinnamon-spiced quick bread with a crackly sugar top.
The Domed Top Comes From a Batter That Stays Loose
Quick breads only rise well when the batter is handled gently and baked before the leaveners lose their edge. Here, the zucchini brings enough moisture to keep the crumb tender, but the flour still needs to set into a strong enough structure to hold that tall loaf shape. If the batter gets overmixed, the loaf turns tight and the top loses that nice split crown.
- Do not squeeze the zucchini. That moisture helps the bread stay soft after it cools.
- Mix the dry ingredients separately before adding them. Even distribution matters here because cinnamon and leavening need to be throughout the batter.
- Stop stirring as soon as the flour disappears. A few streaks are better than a dense loaf.
- Use two pans if you want a more even bake and a prettier rise. One large pan works, but the center takes longer and can bake up heavier.
What the Zucchini, Sugar, and Oil Are Each Doing Here
- Zucchini — Grate it on the small side so it disappears into the crumb instead of leaving shreds that pull the loaf apart. Fresh zucchini is best because older ones can turn watery in a thin, uneven way.
- Vegetable oil — This is what keeps the texture soft for days. Butter adds flavor, but oil gives a steadier, moister crumb in this style of loaf.
- Granulated sugar — This does more than sweeten. It helps the loaf brown and keeps the interior tender.
- Turbinado sugar — The coarse topping bakes into a light crackly shell. Skip it if you want, but it adds the little bakery-style finish that makes the loaf stand out.
- Walnuts — Optional, but they add a pleasant crunch and a little bitterness that keeps the bread from tasting one-note. Toast them first if you want the flavor to stand out more.
How to Bake It Into a Tender Loaf Without a Gummy Center
Mix the dry and wet bowls separately
Whisk the flour, leaveners, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in one bowl, then combine the sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla in another until smooth. That extra step keeps the baking soda and baking powder from clumping, which matters more than people think in a dense quick bread. If the sugar mixture looks a little thick, that’s fine. The zucchini will loosen everything once it goes in.
Stir in the zucchini before the flour
Add the grated zucchini to the wet ingredients and stir it through before folding in the dry mix. This helps the zucchini distribute evenly, so you don’t end up with wet pockets in one slice and dry crumbs in another. Don’t drain the zucchini. If it looks wet, that’s exactly what you want.
Bake until the center is set, not just browned
Divide the batter into prepared pans, add the turbinado sugar, and bake until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. The top should be deep golden and split down the middle, but color alone isn’t enough here. If the loaf still jiggles in the center, give it more time. Pulling it early leaves you with a gummy middle that never really fixes itself.
Let the loaf cool before unmolding
Give the bread 20 minutes in the pan before turning it out. That short rest lets the crumb tighten so it doesn’t tear when you move it. If you try to slice it warm, the structure is still too soft and the middle can collapse under the knife.
How to Adapt This for Different Pans, Mix-Ins, and Diets
Bake it as one large loaf
One large 9×5 pan gives you a taller, more classic loaf, but it needs the full bake time and sometimes a little longer in the center. The top will dome nicely, though the middle can stay soft for a few extra minutes, so use the toothpick test in the deepest part of the loaf.
Leave out the walnuts
The bread still bakes up beautifully without nuts. You lose the crunch and a little contrast, but the crumb stays soft and the cinnamon-spice flavor comes through more clearly.
Make it dairy-free without changing the texture
This recipe is already dairy-free as written, which is one reason it bakes up so reliably. Keep the oil, skip butter swaps, and you’ll get the same moist crumb without any extra tinkering.
Turn it into muffins
Portion the batter into lined muffin cups and start checking early, since muffins bake much faster than loaves. You’ll lose the dramatic domed slice, but you gain crisp edges and easy grab-and-go portions.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store tightly wrapped for up to 5 days. The crumb stays moist, though the top loses some of its crackly sugar texture.
- Freezer: This loaf freezes well. Wrap slices or a whole cooled loaf tightly, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature while still wrapped so condensation doesn’t soften the crust too quickly.
- Reheating: Warm slices in a toaster oven or a low oven for the best texture. The common mistake is microwaving too long, which makes the bread rubbery instead of soft.
Answers to the Questions Worth Asking
Joanna Gaines' Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease two 9x5 loaf pans (or use one large pan) so the loaves don’t stick.
- Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together until evenly combined.
- Whisk granulated sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until well combined and smooth-looking.
- Stir in grated zucchini without squeezing it so the loaf bakes up moist.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined, then fold in walnuts if using for even distribution.
- Divide batter between the prepared pans, sprinkle turbinado sugar on top, and bake for 55–65 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops turn golden-brown.
- Cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pans so the domed tops set and slice cleanly.