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Best Zucchini Bread with Crunchy Cinnamon Streusel

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This moist and tender zucchini bread is topped with a buttery cinnamon streusel that bakes into a caramelized crust. It’s the perfect crowd-pleaser for potlucks, brunches, or any occasion, and it comes together in under 15 minutes of active prep time.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (preferably Saigon cinnamon)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure)
  • 1 ½ cups grated zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini, not peeled)
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar (for streusel)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes (for streusel)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or nonstick spray. If using parchment paper, leave some overhang on the long sides for easy removal.
  2. Wash the zucchini and trim off the stem end. Grate it on the large holes of a box grater to get about 1 ½ cups. Place the grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and squeeze firmly over the sink to remove excess moisture. Set aside.
  3. Make the streusel topping: In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup flour, ½ cup brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Add the cold butter cubes and use your fingertips or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse sand with some pea-sized butter bits. Refrigerate while you make the batter.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon salt until well combined.
  5. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, and 2 eggs until smooth and slightly lighter in color, about 1 minute. Add ½ cup oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and whisk until fully combined.
  6. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Use a rubber spatula to fold gently until just combined—do not overmix. A few lumps are fine.
  7. Add the squeezed zucchini to the batter and fold in with 4-5 gentle strokes. The batter will be thick and slightly bumpy.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the top, pressing down very gently so it adheres.
  9. Bake on the middle rack for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the streusel browns too quickly (around 40 minutes), tent loosely with aluminum foil.
  10. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment handles and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Squeeze the zucchini thoroughly to remove excess moisture—this is key to a light, fluffy texture. Keep the streusel cold until ready to use for a crunchier topping. Let the bread cool completely before slicing to prevent crumbling. The bread tastes even better the next day as flavors meld.

Nutrition

Keywords: zucchini bread, cinnamon streusel, quick bread, potluck recipe, easy baking, summer squash recipe

Find it online: https://flurpchef.com/best-zucchini-bread-with-crunchy-cinnamon-streusel/