This Healthy Lemon Zucchini Bread recipe is super moist with a delicious burst of zingy, zesty lemon flavor, nutrient-dense almond flour, and a hidden green veggie – sure to be a family favorite! This lemon bread is also naturally gluten-free, refined sugar-free, oil-free, wheat flour-free, and can be enjoyed as a snack, breakfast, or dessert!
If you’ve never hidden zucchini into your baked goods before, it’s time to start now with healthy zucchini muffins and zucchini brownies. I even have a recipe for whole wheat/spelt lemon zucchini muffins, too!
Table of contents
- Moist, Zingy, Summer-Ready Lemon Zucchini Bread
- Why This Lemon Zucchini Bread Recipe Works?
- Ingredients for Lemon Zucchini Bread
- How To Make Gluten Free Lemon Zucchini Bread
- Tips for Best Results
- Variations and Optional Add in’s
- FAQs
- Serving Recommendations
- Making This Lemon Quick Bread in Advance
- More Healthy Quick Bread Recipes
Moist, Zingy, Summer-Ready Lemon Zucchini Bread
This lemon zucchini bread recipe is one of my all-time favorites on the blog and is something I’ve made for almost a decade! Try it for yourself and you’ll realize this lemon zucchini bread tastes like a super-indulgent version that uses all the regular white flours, sugars, etc. Except that it isn’t!
Instead, this lemon bread is zesty, sweet, and decadent without being overly sweet using just unrefined sugar. It’s also super moist from zucchini (like this almond flour zucchini bread and zucchini banana bread too- so soft and moist!), zingy from lemon juice and zest, and even more nutrient-dense with the use of wheat-free almond flour.
Like zucchini, almond flour has become a favorite baking ingredient of mine. Made up of finely ground blanched almonds, almond flour is low-carb, high-fiber, high-protein, and packed with heart-healthy fats. This combination means that it creates rich baked goods that fill you up without feeling ‘heavy’ on your tummy. In fact, almond flour bakes are super moist and light–like this almond flour cake, chocolate cake, and brownies.
However, even with all these healthier ingredients, this lemon bread is a family favorite (even with kids), and no one would guess it’s filled with zucchini. It’s the perfect summery loaf to make during summer when there’s an overflow of zucchini in your (or your neighbors) garden. I mean, there’s only so much grilled zucchini, zucchini fritters, and zucchini lasagna you can make, right?! Plus, my kids love anything lemony – like these healthy lemon bars, too.
Best of all, the baked lemon zucchini loaf is healthy and wholesome enough that you can enjoy it as a snack, breakfast, brunch, or dessert dish! And if you’re still looking for more inspiration on how to use up leftover zucchini, why not check out this list of 30 healthy zucchini recipes! Plus, did you know cakes aren’t the only thing you can ‘hide’ zucchini in? I also use it in these turkey burgers and meatballs, too!
Why This Lemon Zucchini Bread Recipe Works?
- This lemon zucchini bread is soft, sweet, and moist but much healthier than regular lemon bread recipes!
- It’s also bursting with fresh, zesty lemon flavor!
- The addition of zucchini yields a super-moist cake, with no zucchini flavor. It practically melts in the mouth!
- Yet it still manages to have that delicious slightly crispy crusty edges!
- Made from just 5 simple ingredients and a handful of baking essentials!
- This lemon zucchini bread recipe is naturally gluten-free with the use of high-protein, nutrient-dense almond flour!
Ingredients for Lemon Zucchini Bread
All you need for this lemon zucchini cake is just 5 simple ingredients and a handful of baking essentials including baking powder and soda, salt, and vanilla extract.
- Eggs: Use room-temperature eggs for the best results. I have not tested with flax or chia eggs but they may work.
- Zucchini: You’ll need around 1/2 a medium zucchini – this will help to add moisture to the lemon zucchini bread without impacting flavor.
- Lemon: It’s best to use an unwaxed organic lemon since we’re using the zest and juice. Use one large or two small lemons.
- Sweetener: I’ve used maple syrup and honey before. Other liquid sweeteners will also work, but the flavor will vary.
- Almond flour: Use superfine blanched almond flour for the best results. You can experiment with a coarser almond meal, but the texture will differ.
- Leavening agents: Baking powder and baking soda both work to provide lift and texture to the lemon bread.
- Salt: Just a little is needed to balance and enhance the depth of flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: I recommend using natural vanilla for the best flavor.
How To Make Gluten Free Lemon Zucchini Bread
- Preheat the oven: to 350F/180C and line a 9×5-inch loaf tin with parchment paper (leave some overhang) and cooking spray. Then set aside.
- Prep your lemon and zucchini: Zest and juice the lemon, and grate the zucchini on the medium side of a manual grater or using a food processor disk. Don’t squeeze any of the liquid from the zucchini.
Make sure to zest the lemon before cutting it in half and squeezing out the juice! I like to use this zester and this squeezer. My husband loves this glass lemon juicer for his morning lemon water.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl combine the eggs, lemon zest + juice, maple syrup, vanilla extract, baking powder and baking soda, and salt. Whisk until light and foamy.
- Fold in the zucchini and almond flour: Use a spatula to gently fold the almond flour and then the zucchini into the batter until well combined. When ready, the batter should be thick – like muffin batter consistency.
- Bake the lemon zucchini bread: Bake the lemon bread in the oven for around 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Then remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before removing it to cool completely on a wire rack. Then slice and enjoy!
Tips for Best Results
- Make sure to allow it cool: I know it’s hard to resist, but please let the lemon zucchini bread cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting it with a serrated knife. That way it won’t fall apart on you!
- Grease the pan: That way it should be easy to remove the lemon bread from your pan. I actually find that parchment paper is unnecessary but I recommend it, just in case. I recently bought this ceramic non-stick loaf pan and I adore it – no parchment paper needed!
- Making substitutions to the recipe: Any time a substitution is made it can impact the flavor and/or texture of the lemon bread. For that reason, I recommend making the recipe as written for the best results. However, I’ve included several substitutions I have tried though, too.
- Make sure to use the spoon and level method: When measuring the almond flour (rather than scooping the cup directly into the flour bag).
If you use too much flour, this lemon zucchini almond cake will end up dense. Be sure to measure almond flour exactly.
Variations and Optional Add in’s
Once you have the basic lemon zucchini bread recipe sorted, feel free to experiment with optional extras for another boost in flavor. Here are some of my top suggestions that pair well with lemon bread.
- Tea: Earl Grey pairs particularly well with lemon bread. I recommend mixing the leaves from around 2 Earl Grey tea bags into the cake batter. Alternatively, regular black tea (2 tea bags) would also work.
- Lavender: Just 1 tsp of culinary grade dried lavender is enough to delicately scent the lemon bread without overwhelming.
- Poppy seeds: Lemon and poppyseed are a classic pairing. Add 1 tbsp of poppyseeds to this lemon zucchini bread.
- Berries: This lemon zucchini bread recipe is already very moist, thanks to the zucchini. If adding berries, you may want to squeeze out a little excess liquid from the zucchini. I recommend adding around 1/2 cup of blueberries, chopped strawberries, or raspberries. Keep some of that to dot the top of the loaf with before baking. You can also use dried fruits/berries too.
You could also attempt to make a healthier ‘glaze’ – perhaps like the one I made for these healthy cinnamon rolls.
FAQs
Almond flour is essentially finely ground blanched almonds, so most wheat flours won’t work for this recipe as they absorb liquids differently and interact with the ingredients differently. If you’re unable to find almond flour in-store, you may be able to make your own with blanched almonds. Use a high-speed blender to grind them into a floury consistency (15-20 seconds) – but don’t over-process or you’ll start making almond butter. This almond meal may not be as fine as the superfine store-bought option though, so may impact texture.
In terms of substitutes, you may be able to use cashew flour (which is similar in fat and structure). For a nut-free option, sunflower seed flour may work but can turn green from the leavening agents. I haven’t tested either though, so I recommend using almond flour!
If you take a look through my dessert recipes, you’ll quickly realize that I’m obsessed with baking with almond flour. Here are a few other options you could try:
Almond flour muffins
Almond flour pancakes
Almond flour cookies
Almond flour banana bread
Almond flour waffles
Almond flour blueberry muffins
Yes, I’ve used honey or maple syrup with this recipe with excellent results.
You sure do. Zucchini skin in very thin and, once baked, practically disappears into the lemon zucchini loaf (or any baked good). That’s what makes it such an easy addition to baked goods- just grate, mix, and bake for extra nutrients but no zucchini taste!
According to a reader, yes. You can make 12 muffins, baked in a silicone muffin pan for 22 minutes – no parchment paper/greasing requires. Then cool for 20 minutes and enjoy.
Although, I do actually have a lemon zucchini muffin recipe using whole wheat or spelt flour, if you’d prefer!
I haven’t tested that with this lemon zucchini loaf. However, I have previously with my almond flour banana bread (replacing 1/4 cup honey) so it may work. If you try, let me know your results – note that the texture may differ!
You sure can- this citrus zucchini loaf will work amazingly with lime, orange, or blood orange too! It may even work with grapefruit, though I haven’t tried.
This isn’t something I’ve tried, though readers have done so with success. You can use a flax/chia egg by combining 1tbsp ground flax/chia with 3tbsp water (per egg). Mix well and leave to ‘thicken’ for 5 minutes.
Some ovens seem to have an issue with baking the outside of cakes too quickly. If this seems to be happening, cover the lemon bread loosely with parchment paper halfway through to prevent the outside from burning.
Serving Recommendations
You can enjoy a slice of this lemon zucchini bread in several ways including as-is, at room temperature, or even warmed up (just 10-20 seconds in the microwave). Here are a few of my top suggestions:
- Butter: Spread a little butter or go one step further with honey butter (just a little is all you need).
- Yogurt and fruit: Top a slice of the lemon bread with a dollop of my Instant Pot yogurt and some berries or fruit.
- Whipped ‘cream’: Use a dollop of whipped coconut cream with berries instead of yogurt.
- Ice-cream: For a simple dessert, add a small scoop of ice-cream (like this vegan vanilla ice-cream) over a warmed slice of lemon zucchini bread.
Making This Lemon Quick Bread in Advance
I’ll be honest, in my house, this lemon zucchini bread is gone within 12 hours, so I’ve never had to struggle with storing. However, if you do have leftovers (lucky you!), then:
Storing: Store it covered with a kitchen towel on a counter for several days (4-5) or in the fridge for up to a week.
Freeze: You can bake 2 loaves and freeze one for up to 3 months in a sealed Ziploc bag. To thaw, just leave it on a counter for 3-4 hours.
You can also prepare the lemon zucchini batter in advance:
Make ahead: Prepare the batter minus the leavening agents up to a day in advance and store covered in the refrigerator. When you want to continue the lemon zucchini bread recipe, add the baking powder and soda, mix well, and then bake.
More Healthy Quick Bread Recipes
- Healthy banana bread
- Healthy zucchini bread
- Healthy pumpkin bread
- Healthy chocolate bread
- Healthy apple bread
- Healthy chocolate zucchini bread
Alternatively, you can browse through my entire collection of healthy muffins and breads!
Lemon Zucchini Bread {No Oil, Flour or Sugar}
Ingredients
- 3 eggs large
- 1 large lemon zest and juice of
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup shredded zucchini not squeezed
- 3 1/3 cups almond flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, line 9 x 5 loaf pan with unbleached parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add eggs, lemon zest and juice (zest first before squeezing juice), maple syrup, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract and salt. Whisk until combined. Mixture will be foamy.
- Add zucchini and almond flour (don’t forget to skim the top of measuring cup with a knife) . Mix gently with spatula to combine.
- Pour batter into previously prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove bread from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack to cool off for 10 minutes. Holding onto the flaps of parchment paper remove bread from a loaf pan and let it cool off completely before slicing with sharp serrated knife.
Make ahead: Prepare the batter minus the leavening agents up to a day in advance and store covered in the refrigerator. When you want to continue the lemon zucchini bread recipe, add the baking powder and soda, mix well, and then bake.
Store: Store covered in a cool dry place for up to 5 days.
Freeze: In an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipes and images are a copyright of ifoodreal.com. It is against the law to republish recipes anywhere including social media, print and all world wide web. Nutritional info is provided for informational purposes only and to the best knowledge.
Great tasting recipe. Rare for gluten free recipes!
So great to hear Shar and glad you found the recipe!
This is by far the best almond flour lemon zucchini recipe I’ve made so far.
Thanks Kevin!
Trust her when she says this recipe should not be made with coconut flour. I made this recipe last week according to her recipe and it came out beautifully!!! Moist and full of flavor. Then this weekend I made it with …. you guessed it, 1/2 coconut flour and 1/2 almond flour ( I just had to try it ) …. well, the batter was a bit dry and the loaf was even drier. It taste good at best, but dry. So next weekend, I will, without hesitation, make this according to the recipe. Thank you for sharing your yummies with us.
This lemon bread is so delicious I just want to keep eating it, it baked really well part from the crust would crumble off the edges, even though I used a bread knife, so not sure if I didn’t wait long enough for it to get cool, I was just too excited to try it, also I would have liked it a bit more lemony, so would it be ok to use more lemons in it?
So glad to hear you loved it! If you add more liquid (lemon juice) it could affect the ratio of dry to wet ingredients. You could definitely add more lemon zest OR even dried lemon peel (sometimes you can find that in the baking spice aisle at the grocer).
Yummy bread ! Very moist and great lemon taste I did make a light glaze for top Thanks
Have made this recipe twice now and my family loves it. Not perfect though, as my baking skills are somewhat lacking; but I try.
Both times the loaf has sunk in the middle before I remove it from the oven. I saw another post here that mentioned the same issue. The solution was to add a bit more flour. I did that the second time with the same result.
I live at altitude, 5,000 ft., and wondering if that could be the issue? Would you have any suggestions in that regard?
Usually falling in the middle means the batter was over mixed. High altitude in your case sounds like it may have affected it too. Usually for baking at 5,000 ft altitude you can try to decrease the baking powder – for each tsp reduce the amount by 1/8-1/4 tsp. You could also try to increase oven temperature by 25 degrees F. Note: that I have not tested either of those but they may help your high altitude baking situation.
Over mixing? Definite possibility! I over tighten every nut, bolt and screw I come in contact with, so over mixing would not be a surprise. Will be more attentive.
I will also try your suggestion on using less baking powder for my elevation and increasing oven temp by 25 degrees. Tweaking is all part of the fun. Thanks for the reply.
This looks amazing! I am doing whole 30 and can’t have maple syrup, honey, sugars or sweetners. Do you think an extra 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla would work instead? Or do you have other ideas for a substitute?
Unfortunately not on the vanilla as baking is a science and altering the ratio of liquid to flour etc can really impact the texture and how it bakes.
Just pulled this out of the oven and we waited a whole 20 mins before we couldn’t wait any longer to try it. This bread is perfect. Absolutely perfect. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Do you think that adding an additional cup of squeezed zucchini per loaf would make the bread to heavy or dense?
Baking is a bit art and a bit science and we have not tested it with extra zucchini.
Delicious! Made it for a lazy Sunday morning and kids, hubby and brother all loved it! Hubby says it’s better than Starbucks lemon loaf!! It’s super moist and easy to throw together.
This is such a yummy recipe I’m so glad I found it. Thank you for posting healthy foods Olena!! Sooo nice!
I can’t wait to try this an with variations of the recipe! Thanks soooooo much for sharing!
Enjoy!!!
I made your regular almond flour zucchini bread and the lemon. The regular I cooked in round cake pans and the lemon in my loaf pans. The regular came out perfect and was delicious but both lemons sunk even before I took them out of the oven and they were almost too moist. Besides my possible human error, I noticed there was no adjustment to the dry ingredients yet the lemon had the additional lemon juice. So I might try again either skipping the loaf pans or adding a tinge more flour. But that regular recipe was perfect and Amazing! Thank you!
I think a tinge more almond flour will fix the issue.
Awesome recipe!! Very delicious! Will try with some blueberry and pecan on top next time. Thank you
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Hi Olena. I have a question – weird one I’m sure. However, I’m asking anyway! 😁
Question: Could this bread be mailed via FedEx, 2 day delivery? Of course packed/shiped accordingly to food requirements. I would like to make this to send to a couple of family members. Any advise? Thank you in advance.
Haha made me smile. Technically it should be fine if not more than 2 days. My only concern would be if the package is left for hours in a scorching heat somewhere along the line…But might be worth the risk. I would be worried less in winter.
I think you’re correct about the transit… heat… sitting in a facility until delivery – plus package would be going across 2 states from me. Oh well, guess I will be making & eating all these goodies for my household. 🤔 Blueberry muffins, Banana bread… etc..😁
For sure I’ll be sending p kgs this fall/winter!
Thank you for responding back.
This is a delicious recipe!! It made 12 muffins – baked in a silicone muffin pan for 22 mins. No greasing or parchment paper needed. Cool in pan for 20 minutes, then just pop out.
I’m so happy to read this! Thanks for your positive feedback!
Can you use granulated monkfruit sweetener instead of honey or maple syrup?
I think so but I have not tried. However, I tried with almond flour banana bread to replace 1/4 cup honey, where as this recipe calls for 1/2 cup. I would give it a go. Please let me know if you try.
I used organic honey and made 12 muffins that came out wonderful! So delicious.
Yay! So happy to hear!
The first dessert i bake simply as banana bread loaf, but always turn out im not very impressed and soo disappointed
BUT,…. but the first time i saw your recipe in social media and the first things i look out is the ingredients!!! Im sooo like WOW!! i love this its look healthy and easy then i subscribe rightaaway!!! Darn!! 5 healhty dinner recipes in the second day!!! And THE DESSERT!!!! Looks really great i tried first the almond flour banana muffin and WOOohhh,,, i told my daughter look i can baked hahaha thats the first day i was happy in baking careerrr haha… i never failed my second fav the zuchinii banana loaf!! My kids love it!!!
Keep it up your amazing recipeies and ingredients!!! I really REAALLY loved your Work!!!!
Hey Bella! I really appreciate your awesome feedback and am so happy that you are enjoying my recipes 🙂
Amazing and yummy my family’s favorite dessert. This is so good and the ingredients are so healthy. I can feel good about letting my family and myself eat as much as we want. I make this almost weekly.
Wonderful feedback, thank you Diane!
Looks great! Can I substitute lemon for orange?
Hey Amanda! I haven’t tried it with orange, but I don’t see why not! Let me know how it turns out.
This is a big hit in my home, especially during Sunday football when the men really enjoy it hit out of the oven. I add pecans to my recipe and it works great. Thank you for sharing
Pecans would be fabulous with this bread! Thanks for sharing Linda!
Hi!
These sounds so yummy!! Here’s my question:
Can you make these into muffins instead of a loaf? If so, how would the recipe differ? Less baking time, at least, yes?
Hi Joyce!
Just use my lemon zucchini muffins recipe!
https://ifoodreal.com/lemon-zucchini-muffins/
Can you provide the nutritional breakdown — calories, protein, fat, carbs …
Thank you
Hi Sue! We are working on some website updates. Sorry about the missing nutritional breakdown. It is there now!
Wonderful recipe. Substituted Walden Farms Sugar Maple Syrup to cut down on the carbs and sugar. Do you know how that changes the nutritional values?
Hi Maryanne. If you use Walden Farms Maple syrup, there is 7.6 g of carbs and 1.6 g of sugar per serving.
Has anyone tried this with flax eggs? Will it still work?
I made it with chia eggs and it worked!
The bread is amazing, but my oven is very small and tends to bake the outside of the bread (and everything for that matter) much quicker than the inside, so the edges burn a bit. Any reccomendations on oven temperature or cook time?
Yes cover bread loosely with parchment paper half way through to prevent outside from browning and still cooking inside.
yes, it is like the photo. Now that I. looked again. there are no domes. Everyone loves it!! I am on my 3rd loaf in 3 days!!
The ease and taste were great! It did not rise like a usual loaf. Should I expect that with almond flour?
Was it like in the photo? Almond flour baked goods come out with very good firm and yet moist texture but definitely do not look like bakery style white flour muffins cause there is no gluten for those domes etc.
This is an amazingly good recipe. I made one loaf the first time to try the recipe. Now, I am making 4 loaves because it was very good. My friend also made the recipe and she loved it too.
I am so happy to hear this Cindy.
Does this have the grainy texture that sometimes happens with almond flour recipes? Or do the other ingredients make it more “bread” like.
I do not find that this has a grainy texture at all.
This loaf is absolutely delicious, so moist and zingy. I didn’t expect it to taste so good, and I had to hold myself back from eating the whole loaf once I tasted it! This is the first recipe of yours I have tried, and I have many more pinned which I look forward to trying out. Thank you for the easy and delicious recipe!
Thanks for taking the time to leave this awesome feedback. I am so happy you like the zucchini bread so much.
Very tasty however found it to be too moist; a little mushy. Perhaps the amount of fresh squeezed lemon juice? Will try it again and add less liquid or I would add perhaps 1/4 rice flour or variation to alter the texture. I would also add less honey…a little too sweet but that’s easy to adjust.
Thank you kindly,
Rita
excellent taste for a gluten free loaf. use the parchment as my first loaf stuck without it.
everbody loves it. i love it for no sugar and oil.
Thanks for sharing Sandra! And yes, parchment paper is a must!
This was my first attempt at “heart healthy” baking (first week of healthy cooking period!!) – low carb, low sugar, low salt, etc etc. This Lemon bread turned out awesome! I’d never heard of Almond flour – and have just also learned about Agave Nectar as a natural sugar substitute. So I figured – why not? I tried it (without the salt) – and also experimented with a frosting of Agave Nectar thickened with the Almond flour, topped with some lemon zest. Oh, my goodness – just the perfect extra sweetness we needed. Will try this with blueberries next…. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!!! I most definitely will be trying others on your site. Thank you for sharing them!
I am so happy that you liked this recipe, Jodi!
Excellent. I was short 1/2 cup almond flour so added 1/4 c whole wheat flour turned out a little darker but tasted great!!
Glad it worked out Cynthia!
Second time making this!
I love it!!!!!
All I can say is mmmmm good. I am diabetic and looking for low sugar/carb recipes and this one is tops. Thanks
Love this recipe, you can make it so many different ways, with green chilies and diced onion is another option! I make one with berries and one with Chili’s! I make two at a time that’s how much I like it! Thank you for a flourless
delicious bread!??
Hi Michele! Thanks for sharing. I had never thought to make this bread with green chilies and diced onion.
Hello,
Can I use coconut flour in substitute for Almond flour when making your “Healthy Lemon Zucchini Bread?
Unfortunately no.
Excellent bread, great flavour, I added a 1/4 cup of Krisda chocolate chips, but the recipe honestly doesn’t even need them it’s that good. Thank you so much for your low carb recipes, I have tried two so far and both are 5 star!
Thanks for sharing your positive feedback Cheryl!
I liked the bread but 50 minutes was sppx 10 minutes too long for my oven. I even had a thermometer in there … 350. It was burnt on the outside.
While my first attempt “fell” in the middle, it was so moist and delicious. I will add more lemon next time and will use fresher almond flour. My Kirkland almond flour was nearing expiry and had been in the freezer for some time. It may have added to the moisture content. Thank you for sharing your recipes, I have the chocolate zucchini loaf in the oven as I type!
Omg- this was so delicious. I made this as directed, but had to add some unsweetened applesauce, since I ran out of oil and it turned out amazing. I shared it with both my mom and sister, who also loved it. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Thank you for sharing my recipe with your family. I am thrilled that you like it so much!
Perfect texture and delicious taste.
Every one who ate it wants the recipe,
Thank so much for sharing.
Yay! Love hearing this 🙂
Can’t wait for it to cook as we have a glut of courgettes, then I will have a go at a chocolate brownie version of this recipe as that too should be irresistible!
Hello! Thank you very much for this fantastic recipe. I am a first time baker and tried this out as I absolutely LOVE lemon bread. The bread, texture wise, came out perfect. My only issue is that it tasted a little like baking soda and/or powder. I measure everything exactly, even skimmed off the heaps off the teaspoon. Any ideas of what I can do to eliminate that taste?
Try to add 1/2 tsp of baking soda next time or mix in baking powder and soda with almond flour first. Maybe there was a lump of it.
can I use applesauce instead of eggs?
No.
Loved it. Concerned about the almond flour but it was wonderful, whole family enjoyed it
So happy this was a hit with your family!
Added the blueberries, and this is absolutely the BEST recipe for a healthy version of zucchini bread. Thank you so much, I will be trying more of your recipes!
So happy to hear Rebecca!
can i make this recipe into muffins
Yes. Bake for 20 mins at 375 and the ndo clean toothpick test.
I know it says not to squeeze the zucchini but I have a bunch that are frozen and was hoping to use. Would I still not squeeze them?
If you use frozen zucchini, I would give it a bit of a squeeze once it thaws!
This has to be one of the easiest and most delicious zucchini breads that I have made! So moist and tastes like cake. I didn’t have zest so I used 8-10 drops of top quality lemon essential oil made to be ingested and 1 1/2 tsp poppyseeds. Next time I will try it with fresh squeezed orange juice and orange zest or essential oil.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Ellen! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Do you think subbing date syrup or applesauce would work instead of maple syrup/honey?
I assume date syrup is sweet and sticky then yes. Applesauce – I don’t think so unless you are ok with not sweet bread at all.
I would say Agave could be used as well
I’m planning on making your healthy lemon zucchini bread but I wasn’t clear when you said skim the top of the measuring cup do you put whatever you skim off the top into the mixture that you’re going to cook.Also if you can answer this for me can I use muffin cups for this recipe instead of a loaf pan?
Hi Gloria! When I said skim off the top, I was referring to measuring the flour. When you measure the almond flour, I would recommend using a flat straight edge (like the straight back of a knife) to level off the top of the flour in the measuring cup (to make sure you get an accurate amount). Whatever isn’t in the measuring cup shouldn’t go into the batter. Hope that makes sense.
Here is a link to my zucchini muffin recipes:
https://ifoodreal.com/healthy-zucchini-muffins/
ThanksThat makes sense, btw cn I put this
Can’t thank you enuf for this amazing recipe. Perfect proportions….. family just loved it!!!
I replaced lemon with orange but rest of recipe was the same.
Super hit and a repeat in my house! ? ?
I am so happy to hear this recipe was a hit with your family!
Can I can I use frozen zucchini? Same time for glass dish?
If you use frozen zucchini, you will have to make sure you squeeze out the extra moisture after it has thawed.
I love the fact that the bread does not have bananas. The lemon juice and zest add a wonderful taste to it.
What kind of almond flour did you use? My bread came out much darker. Next time I may use half of the maple syrup in your recipe.
Kirkland brand. Did you use dark metal baking pan? If so, it conducts more heat. Use light colour or try reducing the oven temperature by 25°F. 1/2 maple syrup will work too.
I used half honey so that my diabetic mother can indulge, and it turned out fantastic!!
That’s so great to hear!
This is my 4th time using this recipe. So delicious! You can’t go wrong! My family and friends have all loved it. Next time I’m going to try with the blueberries! ?
So happy this recipe is such a hit with your friends and family Desiree!
I made this with summer squash instead of zucchini. I also used Swerve instead of honey or maple syrup since I am trying to reduce my sugar and carb intake. It worked out surprisingly well. I mixed all the liquid ingredients, substituting the sweeter with swerve and added 1/8 cup water. The bread came out well. My husband used my lemon for his ice tea, so I had to use bottled juice and dried lemon peel. (Which didn’t work out too well) He felt so bad that he went out and bought me 3 lemons, so there is definitely more bread in the near future!
Haha, good man! Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Migail.
Absolutely love the way this tastes and smells but really could not get the bread to “dry out” so to speak. I kept it in the oven an extra 25 minutes and it still was wayyyy too moist and the bread has turned out very mushy and I basically have to scoop it out of the bread pan. Sad. Will try again another day.
Try squeezing zucchini next time and bake in metal loaf pan. Should work. I suspect some zucchini are more watery than other…
I’ve tried this recipe twice now, and same problem. Very soggy. I used a patty pan, so I wonder if it had too much water.
Maybe that’s the case. Give it a squeeze before adding.
Awesome!!! Love the smell, taste and most importantly it’s healthy. Thank you Olena for the brilliant recipe!
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Ming!
Hi Olena, sitting down wirh coffee and freshly made lemon zucchini bread–per your additional comments– I added half cup of blueberries that needed to be used up. Very good and so moist! Will make again! Thank you!!
You are very welcome Trish!
Love. Love. Love this recipe! I add more lemon because it is one of my favourite flavours in baking. I don’t eat sugar or anything sweet I reduce the amount of honey. This loaf can be found in my kitchen almost every week;)
Thank you from another Vancouver Island foodie?
You are so welcome Deborah. Love that this zucchini bread recipe is on regular rotation at your house!
Hi! Really curious as to if a granulated natural sweetener, like erythritol, would work here. Thanks in advance 🙂
I haven’t tried. It might or you might have to sub for lost liquid from maple syrup – applesauce or yogurt.
Very moist. I added 1/2 cup blueberries but would have liked to add more for a little more sweetness. For my taste I would enjoy more lemon flavor- should I add more lemon juice or zest for that?
A bit more zest should do the trick!
Gave it 5 stars without even baking it. That’s how sure I am. This one is next on my list. Just made the banana one. It’s cooling so don’t know how it tastes, but it smells delicious! I’m a newbie when it comes to gluten-free baking. I really miss wheat flour. ? but am thankful for all the gf recipes to try. ?
Delicious!!!
Do you think I could use oat flour instead of almond flour?
Thank you in advance for your answer!
Sorry but no. 2 different animals. 🙂
This recipe is amazing! You weren’t lying about “2 slices per person”!! I am very excited to have this in my recipe book now! Thank you for a family favorite recipe. 🙂
Hi Gabriella! I am so happy to hear my lemon zucchini bread is now a family favourite 🙂
Thank you thank you…. first I have been looking for bread options for my blood type. I shared this recipe and almond flour banana bread with my fb Eating right for your Blood type O group. This one is my favourite. This is a hit. We have specific foods we can eat. The response is ?. Everyone can’t wait to try. I’ve loved them. They are delicious! I love your site. This site is extremely helpful to eating right for us O blood types. Thank you thank you
You’re welcome Victoria!
Why’s this good for type O blood types? I’m O+.
The O blood type works best with certain foods and findng the right foods can be a challenge. I can recommend Dr. Adamo Eating right for your blood type. He has books, website etc. I started getting more serious after i had surgery. I apologize for the late response. We also have a fb page just for Os. It’s a lot of info.
Love this recipe especially with the lemon! Really lovely and easy to make.
This is to die for, I had to adjust the cooking time dramatically. I baked it for approx 30-35min
Glad you liked the zucchini bread. Every oven bakes things differently. Otherwise, not sure why you had to adjust the cooking time.
Hi! Excited to try this! I’m imagining it would throw things off, as it would be somewhat more absorbent than almond flour, but any chance that brown rice flour could work, do you think?
Hi Claire. You are imagining it right. 🙂 Completely 2 different “animals”. Sorry but nothing I can do.
The perfect compliment to my cup
of coffee:)) Just the right amount of sweetness, not too sweet. I wasn’t sure whether to make the recipe with maple syrup or honey, so I used a quarter cup of each. I love thats it’s dairy and gluten free! My kids loved it too!
Next time I will be sure to add more lemon zest to achieve that intense lemon flavor. This is my first time zesting a lemon and I wasn’t sure how much of the skin to zest. Next time, I will do the whole lemon but it was still delicious ?
So glad that you and your family enjoyed this recipe Shameen! And yes, it’s perfect with a cup of coffee.
Cooking lemon zucchini bread now … can’t wait to taste it
For inexperienced bakers like me it would be super helpful if you could share a picture of what your zest and zucchini looks like before adding to mixture. My zest is coming out like mush- my lemon might be too ripe and I’m not sure if my zucchini pieces are too large (my grater only has one size). I am in the middle of making this so will just continue and see how it turns out. Just a suggestion!
Thank you for your suggestion. It is great and I will do next time. Your bread should be fine. Even if I showed size of my grated zucchini you have only one size anyways. Should work!:)
Pleasantly surprised. Very moist, however I should’ve cooked it a wee bit longer than the 50min. Will make again ?
Sometimes you have to adjust baking times for your individual oven. Next time it will be perfect 🙂
Wished I could give this more stars because it is that good and it blew my mind as you said it would, the most amazing bread I have ever had and I love bread! My hubby who is finicky about changing up recipes loves as much and the fact it is super healthy no gluten is a big plus for both of us! Sharing your recipes with our family and looking ford to many more. Thank you so much!!
You are very welcome Michelle! Made my day hearing how much this zucchini bread blew your mind hehe
I made this recipe as muffins (per suggestion of my 5-year-old) since we don’t have the loaf pan. They came out great! Perfect proportions, not too sweet, not too sour. We added the poppy seeds and also replaced one of the eggs with chia seeds. My 4 and 5 year olds both loved the muffins. Great simple recipe, with bonus of kids eating some nuts and veggies for once 🙂 Thanks!
Hi Nadia! It is so awesome to hear that your kiddos loved this recipe 🙂
Hi Olena! I just made it! It’s everything you said it is. It satisfies my picky eater (9 year old). He’d avoid zucchini with a ten foot pole. It’s easy, fast and a great healthy alternative to the poppyseed lemon loaf sold at the national doughnut retailer. The crust is the part of this treat that my children prefer. I’ll try baking the batter in muffin top style, since they prefer the top. It’s a great recipe!
Wonderful recipe that I will share with family and friends! I’m an inexperienced baker and first time zucchini bread eater. I found the instructions very easy to follow and the results were great!
Yay! Keep on baking Angel!
Delicious flavor. I’m not sure what I did wrong but it almost turned out too moist. I followed the recipe to a T and divided the batter into 3 mini loaf pans so that I could freeze a few. The top is perfect and has a great sweet crust, but the bread that was in the pan almost seems not fully cooked. I popped them back in for another 10 min and the top just for crispier. Thoughts on why the rest wouldn’t crust up or bake all the way? It’s good, and I’m sure it’s cooked all the way, but is too moist. Thanks!
I am not sure. I also never made it in mini loaf pans. You can try to squeeze zucchini next time – maybe yours contained too much water, maybe they differ.
It was so easy to make. I absolutely loved the lemony flavor. I used two summer squash and it made it taste like cake. Great recipe!
Just as promised! Sweet and tasty. Used recipe as it is directed. Wished I would have had poppy seeds. Would have made it perfect. Love it.
Poppy seeds next time you make it 🙂
Can I make an adjustment in the recipe if I accidentally squeezed out the liquid from the zucchini prior to finalizing which recipe I wanted to try? I’m not a baker so I don’t want to experiment.
Yes you can add 1/4 cup milk. Should work!:)
These receipes sound so good. Problem is there is no amounts for each ingredient. I can guess using other similar receipes, but for new cooks – they would not have a clue. In future shares, please put the amounts for each incredient. I plan to get Almond Flour soon and try some of these. Thanks
Hi Mary Ann! Each recipe has a recipe card that lists complete ingredients, amounts and instructions. You just have to scroll through the blog post to get to it. There is also a “jump to the recipe” button at the top of the post that will take you there! Hope that helps!
Absolutely delicious. I didn’t change a thing and it came out perfectly. Thank you for this amazing cake recipe!
Thanks for the positive review Maida!
Delicious ?!!!!!!! Thanks for the recipe!
You are welcome Inna!
Can I make 12 muffins with this? (More portable than a slice of cake.)
Sure. Shorter cook time though. Start with 25 mins.
Divinely delicious!!! Second time round… doubling the recipe for more loaves NYUM!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Jacqui!
I can’t wait to make this bread. It’s so nice to find gluten free recipes that actually sound good. I feel like I may be able to bake once in a while and have people that don’t have celiac enjoy them. Thank you
Please let me know how it turns out. Everyone will love this bread!!! Even Italians haha
Wonderful! Made into muffins and added poppy and hemp seeds! Thanks!
Thank you for your wonderful review, Roy!!!
Delicious and simple to make.
Thanks for wonderful review, Barney.
Delicious!!! Will add poppy seeds or hemp seeds next time.
Yum. Poppy seeds would be top notch!
I’ve made this several times and love it with poppy seeds. I divide mine into 12 muffins and bake for 22 minutes.
Sounds delicious!
I am so excited to try this recipe – I love your almond flour banana muffins!! Can I make the lemon zucchini bread with less sweetener, say 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup instead of 1/2 cup, or will that throw everything off? Thanks!
Should be fine!
Hi,
I love the look of your recipe and am hoping to make it as soon as I get your reply– I’ve been craving some of healthy comfort food recently!
Does your cake have a really sharp lemony flavour, as I often find lemon cakes a bit lacklustre, but love the flavour… If you think it would work I was going to double (or even triple!) the lemon content? BUT the main reason I’m messaging you is that I have a nut sensitivity, do you think I could substitute half of the almond flour with any other gluten free flours? I definitely have coconut, tapioca and maybe buckwheat flours in my pantry, so please let me know which.
Thank you for your lovely recipe, hope to hear back from you soon!
Ella 🙂
It has prominent lemon flavor. I think everyone has their own intensity scale haha. I can definitely taste lemon.
Coconut flour won’t work 100%. I have not tried other substitutes. Almond and other GF flours are completely different. I personally don’t think it will work. Simply because AF doesn’t soak up liquid like dry buckwheat flour.
I tried your healthy lemon zucchini bread and boy ! It turned out awesome on my first baking attempt ?I am so happy ?as i have alz been so skeptic about perfect baking so I followed your recipe to- to. Your recipe is a winner. Will definitely try other recipes
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Tamalika!
Unbelievably amazing and so delish
That is so amazing to hear! Glad you enjoyed my recipe, Pam!
The best muffins I have ever eaten!!! Doing triple dose this time. I did add poppy seeds and it turned out super yummy!
Yes, classic lemon and poppy seeds. That is so amazing to hear! Glad you enjoyed my recipe, Anna!
Wow! Delicious. I’m going through a break up, perfect baking distraction! I added a 1/4 cup of semi-sweet mini chocolate chips.
That is so amazing to hear! Glad you enjoyed my recipe, Emily! And sorry to hear about the break up.
I apologize for my typo. I mean I will put blueberries in next time.Sorry?
We love this zucchini bread! Next time I bake it I will but blueberries in it. It is delicious. I baked mine in 4 mini loaves.@
Fantastic! Glad everyone enjoyed the recipe, Jo!
Your recipes are fantastic. Thanks for including the nutritional content.
Made my day, Dee! So happy to hear! xoxo
If I want to make these into muffins, how long should I bake them?
For 20ish mins.
Terrific
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Joyce!
I made this today because I had a bag of almond flour in my pantry that I didn’t know what to do with. We have a cabin and when people come to visit they bring all kinds of things and leave them behind. Every now and then I have to figure out ways to use things that I don’t usually buy. So, the almond flour was a challenge and am I ever glad I found this recipe! We love it!! Thank you..
That is so amazing to hear! Glad you enjoyed my recipe, Anne! Try my almond flour banana muffins. Super popular recipe and you can use up a bag and freeze them.
Absolutely delicious! I used almond meal instead of almond flour and it still turned out fine. My 3yo son refuses most foods but demolished this – so did I…
Good to know about almond meal. Thanks for sharing! Yes this bread is my fave!
This is amazing!
I used Suger Free maple syrup and added 2 scoops of Lady Boss protein powder. I also had squeezed the liquid out of the zucchini so I added about 2tbsp of Swoon sugar free simple syrup back into it to replace the moisture. One mistake I made was I used 3 1/2 cups of almond flour instead of 3 1/3 cups but it didn’t seem to make a big difference. I definitely will make this again 🙂
Oops! I JUST did the same thing. Used 3.5 not 3.33 cups almond flour. It’s still in the oven. Hope it turns out okay…
Question: Does anyone know the best way to store for the week? Was thinking a plastic baggie in the fridge. It’s just me; no family to have it all gone in 12 hours. Thanks!
It is very moist. I would refrigerate it in some container with ventilation. Not sure if it doesn’t get too soggy or moldy by day 7. You can freeze slices, it thaws fast.
So simple to make and sooo delicious!!!
Yay! So happy to hear!
Can i use hazelnut “flour” instead of almond flour?
I think so. It is a nut so kind of same.
Can i use orange instead of limon?
Yes! Yum!!!
Excellent recipe! I used agave instead of maple syrup.
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Did you use the same amount of agave as maple?
Yes you would substitute the same amount.
Im wondering if i can use coconut sugar instead of the maple sugar. I am soo excited to make this!
Unfortunately not. You have to use liquid sweetener like maple syrup or honey.
I followed the recipe exactly but I think maybe when the blueberries cooked all the juice settled at the bottom of the cake because it’s super moist/mushy at the bottom… Any suggestions?
Yes. Use a bit less blueberries. And toss them in a bit of almond flour before adding to batter. It will make sure they won’t sink. Check out my breakfast cake how I do it.
Hi! I am going to make this tonight!! Can you use coconut flour instead of almond? Trying to use what I have here… thanks
No because coconut flour is “thirsty”. Has to be almond flour.
Could I substitute flax eggs or applesauce (sweetened or unsweetened) for the eggs? Thank you.
Mary
Hm no because eggs need to hold almond flour together.
Can Egg Beaters be used instead of eggs? I have to watch my cholesterol.
I would say 99% yes but I haven’t tried.
I just tried the recipe with egg beaters. They worked fine. I LOVE this recipe. Yummmmm
Can I add any blueberries to this?
Yes! Up to 2 cups.
Great balance: This bread was enjoyed by my brother who shuns sweets and my daughter who adores them!
Can I substitute whole wheat flour for the almond flour? My husband is allergic to nuts but this recipe sounds amazing!
Unfortunately not. They act completely different and would need different amount of liquid etc.
How much lemon zest & lemon juice needs to be used? No measurements were given in recipe.
1 large lemon.
I made this for a group meeting and none left. Delicious!!
Can you use pureed zucchini in this recipe?
Hmmm not sure.Never tried.
Can’t stop making it. So moist and satisfying that urge for a baked goodie. Been off refined sugar for 4 months now. Lost 38#’s in 1st 3 mo. Plus my diabetes for 1st time in 18 years is under control w/A1C 5-7. . Ty JESUS
So happy for you! Keep it up and be healthy. Glad you enjoyed the recipe.:)
Is 305 calories for one slice? Isnt it high?
Yes, 1 slice. Nuts are high in good calories and fats. Calories are provided for info purposes. We are not a diet site and do not count calories. We encourage to eat whole and real foods.
YUM! I made this today. It was delicious. I have a chopper that I put the zucchini in (equivalent of grating it) and beaters for the eggs etc, making it quick and easy. I’m definitely going to do this again. Thanks.
Yay. Awesome. That works.
Made this on a whim bc I had everything on hand – wow!! I was surprised at how good this is for such healthy ingredients. Will for sure make again and be visiting this site often for other recipes.
So happy to hear, Tricia!
Oh, man, I could go for this right now. Have to buy almond flour. Olena, what do you think of using flax or chia eggs for this beauty?
No sorry I don’t think so. Almond flour really needs a good binder like eggs.
It’s in the oven! Will post a picture later. Used 1/2 cup frozen wild blueberries from Trader Joe but didn’t read your tip about dredging them in flour first. I’ll be back!
Sounds good. You can’t attach picture on the website but on Instagram for sure tag me #ifoodreal
Made it the second time last night. Used 2 lemons (zest & juice) and 50/50 maple syrup and honey. Even though toothpick clean after 50 minutes, I left it in the turned-off open oven for about 1/2 hour. Cake, as good as it was the first try, is even better! Next time it’ll be all honey since I ran out of maple syrup. Just read that you said up to 2C of blueberries, so I’ll up that next time from 1/2C to at least 1C. The experiment is on!
Yay! You are on fire this hot summer month with your baking.:)
Hello, I would love to bake this bread but I am a diabetic and maple syrup/honey sends my blood glucose levels very high. Is there a low carbohydrate alternative to maple syrup and honey? I was thinking of using an equivalent amount of melted butter and adding sweetener it, do you think this would work? Or unsweetened apple sauce would have a lot less carbohydrate?
I love your recipes, thank you, Ellie
Hi Ellie. Butter wouldn’t work. I think you can use plain yogurt or applesauce with a bit of sweetener. Or there is sweetened applesauce. Should be fine.:) Let me know how it goes.
Ellie try making a pitted date purée for your sweetener. I used it in the Almond Flour Banana Bread. Ratio was 1;2. It turned out fine. It was sweet enough. But I wanted sweeter. Next time I will add a little more purée. I used the following date recipe https://detoxinista.com/make-date-paste-healthy-sugar-substitute/
Delicious! I made this recipe as muffins and they turned out perfectly!
Yay! Yes, totally acceptable. You should try my almond flour banana muffins.
Very easy to make and was delicious! I’ll be making it again!
Super easy to make and was delicious! Will be making it again!
So easy! I just loved it!❤Congrats!
So happy to hear!