Description
This moist and flavorful Apple Butter Zucchini Bread combines the natural sweetness of apple butter and zucchini with warm cinnamon spices. It features a tender crumb enhanced by Greek yogurt and a delightful cinnamon sugar swirl on top, making it an irresistible treat for breakfast or snack time.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 stick salted butter, melted
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup apple butter
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup grated zucchini
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
Swirl Topping
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp salted butter, melted
Cinnamon Butter (for serving)
- 1 stick salted butter, at room temperature
- ¼ cup maple syrup or honey
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×5 inch bread pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make removal easier.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, apple butter, Greek yogurt, eggs, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Stir in the grated zucchini to incorporate evenly.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the wet mixture. Mix gently until just combined to avoid overmixing and ensure a tender bread.
- Pour Batter and Add Apple Butter Swirl: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it out evenly. If you like, swirl in 2-3 tablespoons of additional apple butter across the batter to create streaks that add flavor and visual appeal.
- Prepare Swirl Topping: In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, dark brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon, mixing until crumbly. Distribute the clumps evenly over the batter surface to form the cinnamon sugar swirl topping.
- Bake the Bread: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 60-65 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Make Cinnamon Butter: While the bread bakes, beat together the room temperature butter, maple syrup or honey, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and a pinch of sea salt in a bowl to make a smooth cinnamon butter spread.
- Serve: Allow the bread to cool slightly before slicing. Serve warm slices spread with the homemade cinnamon butter for extra indulgence.
Notes
- Grate the zucchini finely and squeeze out some excess moisture if it’s very watery to prevent a soggy bread.
- You can substitute all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour for a lighter texture.
- The apple butter swirl is optional but adds extra flavor bursts inside the bread.
- Store leftover bread wrapped tightly at room temperature for 2-3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- This bread freezes well; wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
