By After many rounds of testing (this recipe was actually years in the making), we have finally nailed high-protein zucchini bread without protein powder! It packs 11g of protein per slice and 3g of fiber and rivals any zucchini bread you'll find at your favorite bakery. I'm not lying-try it for yourself!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you'll get fun new recipes from us every week!
Last year we planted our first zucchini plant and, like any novice gardeners, we didn't realize just how many it would produce! So last summer, I perfected zucchini chocolate protein muffins, but this summer I wanted a bread version. I've made many zucchini bread recipes, but honestly, Starbucks is always better, so this was a challenge.
But we finally have a protein zucchini bread recipe with far less sugar, more protein, more fiber, and all the flavor. I'm going a bit out on a limb here and leaving out chocolate chips. Instead, we've got an orange sugar crackle topping and warm spices like cinnamon and cardamom for the most mouth-watering bite!
Jump to:
be patient - I mean it!
This recipe has a lot of wet ingredients so it is crucial that you let the bread cool for at least 10 minutes (preferably longer) in the pan before even trying to remove it. This will ensure it's baked through properly and won't be gummy.
key ingredients & swaps
See the recipe card for the full quantities and ingredient list.
- Flour: I use all purpose flour in most of my baked goods because it's just what I have on hand. But you can swap up to half with whole wheat or oat flour.
- Orange: Only use the zest here. The juice adds too much moisture and reacts with the leaveners.
- Dairy: We use plain low-fat Greek yogurt and soy milk (again, just what we have in the house). But regular milk or plant-based style Greek yogurt will work. These ingredients add a good amount of protein and are a similar base to our other high-protein baking recipes.
- Sweetener: The batter uses maple syrup for more warmth. Agave will work, but do not use honey because it's acidic. I tested it originally with honey, and it was a dense, burnt mess. And yes, you need the white sugar for the top because no other sugar crystallizes like this. And while you can omit it, I'm just telling you now that it will not be bakery-worthy without the sugar topping.
- Zucchini: You'll need 1 small one and there's no need to peel it. But, you should squeeze out excess moisture with a thin dish cloth or cheese cloth.
- Ground flaxseeds: Feel free to swap with hemp seeds as needed.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
some sugar is ok!
I prefer to use all-natural sugar when at all possible, but life is about balance. And the reason the orange crackle on top is so crucial and takes this bread to that next level is because number 1, the crunch, and number 2, it puts orange on your tongue right away. Everything else that follows is like a soft, cozy blanket!
step by step: tips to nail this recipe every time
- Line or grease your pan: This bread likes to stick, so it's crucial to line your pan or grease it with oil.
- Mix wet and dry separately: Normally, I don't like to do this, but the Greek yogurt likes to react with the baking powder, causing it to taste bitter. If you keep them separate until the last minute, there's less of a reaction.
- Some lumps are ok: When folding the wet and dry ingredients together, some lumps are fine. You do not want to over-mix or the bread will be gummy.
- Tap, tap, tap: To check if my bread is done, I gently press the top and see if it's firm but bouncy. Then I tap it to see if it sounds hollow. Because of all the moisture, a thermometer isn't super accurate. You can use a toothpick to see if it's done too!
quick recipe video
if the top is browning
This is common, just gently tent the top with foil when you notice it browning faster than it's baking.
want to save it? great!
You can keep this bread in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature. Or, you can freeze it for up to 3 months. I like to freeze individual slices wrapped in plastic wrap for easy reheating.
Recipe
protein zucchini bread with orange crackle
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup all-purpose flour (or 1:1 gluten free flour )
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup ground flaxseeds
- 1 ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon cardamom
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup plain greek yogurt (or plant based Greek style)
- 2 eggs (or flax eggs)
- 3 tablespoon milk (I prefer soy milk, but any higher protein plant based milk or cow's milk works)
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons pure maple syrup (or agave)
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil (or olive oil)
- 1 cup zucchini (shredded/grated , about 1 medium zucchini 5-6" long)
- Zest of 2 oranges
- ⅛ cup sugar for topping
Before you start!
If you make this recipe, please take a moment to leave us a review. We love to hear from you!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven 350 degrees. Grease or line a bread pan.
- Lay out a cheese cloth or thin dish cloth and grate the 1 cup zucchini on it. Squeeze the cloth together to ring out any excess moisture from the zucchini over the sink. Set this aside.
- In a medium bowl combbine the ⅔ cup plain greek yogurt, 2 eggs, 3 tablespoon milk, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 6 tablespoons pure maple syrup, 2 tablespoon avocado oil, shredded zucchini, and the zest from 1 orange.
- In a large bowl whisk together the 1.5 cup all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ cup ground flaxseeds, 1 ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon cardamom, and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and mix until just combined. Some lumps are fine. Be cautious not to overmix. This is a very thick batter, so I have to press it together to hydrate all the flour.
- In a small bowl add the ⅛ cup sugar for topping and the zest from the other orange. Use your fingers to rub them together until it become fragrant.
- Spread the batter evenly in the bread pan. The batter gets sticky so it helps to wet the spatula or offset spatula (even the back of a spoon works). Sprinkle the sugar mixture on top, using your hands to spread it out evenly. Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too quickly, just loosely tent it with foil. Let it cool for at least 10 minutes in the pan before digging in. Otherwise it could be gummy inside!
Video
Notes
Looking for more information?
Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
Just made this today and my entire family loved it! It’s just sweet enough to satisfy a sweet tooth but I also love that it has Greek yogurt and flaxseed in it! My only regret is not doubling the recipe and making two loaves!!
That's awesome to hear!
I used ground chia seeds and it worked fine. Not as tasty as my mom's fattening recipe, but I certainly feel less guilty eating a piece ! I will definitely make more and freeze. thank you
haha, thanks so much for trying it! Glad you enjoyed it!
This is so beautiful and the orange zest so fragrant! My take is that I wish it were either a tiny bit sweeter or saltier as it didn’t land in either category for me flavor-wise. Had to use 2 tbsp psyllium husk to replace the flaxseeds as I have a girl who is allergic to chia, flax and all other egg replacers…texture turned out well. Fabulous toasted this morning - thanks for all the extra work you put in to make real food with protein counts!
Thanks for letting us know, glad you enjoyed it still!
Absolutely amazing. I didn’t have Greek yogurt, swapped for regular (coconut/dairy free vanilla) and the bread was incredible anyways. Fluffy inside and crispy too. Will make again, just have to hype myself up to squeeze the zucchini shreds again.
That's so awesome to hear!!
This looks so well crafted that I cannot wait to use my freshly picked zucchini to make this tonight!!
Great!
oh my GOODNESS this was easy amd FANTASTIC! I did make a few tiny adjustments (im NOT a baker at all) as I wanted to increase the protein and decrease the sugars from the Maple syrup. I added 2 scoops of Prime Protein unflavored powder for 40 additional grams of protein. I used 2 tbls of Maple syrup and subbed in 4 tbls of Golden Monk fruit sweetener. I also added a good splash of Maple syrup flavor extract to keep the flavor but without the sugars.
The texture is amazing, its perfect! thank you sooo much!
So happy to hear that!! Thanks for making it and letting us know those subs worked!
Good, hearty bread! Terrific! Not just empty calories.
Totally!!