How to Make Old-Fashioned Sourdough Zucchini Bread (Naturally Sweetened + Moist!)

This old-fashioned sourdough zucchini bread is naturally sweetened, moist, and full of cozy flavor. Use up sourdough discard and garden zucchini in one easy recipe.

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🥒 A Simple, From-Scratch Recipe for Zucchini Season

When the garden is overflowing with zucchini and your sourdough jar is begging to be used, this recipe is the answer. It’s everything I love about summer baking, simple, frugal, nourishing, and a little bit nostalgic.

This old-fashioned sourdough zucchini bread is naturally sweetened with maple syrup or honey, uses sourdough discard (no waste here!), and bakes into the moistest loaf you’ve ever had. It freezes beautifully and works as muffins, too, so you can stash a few for later.

Whether you’re baking to use up your harvest, bless a neighbor, or just fill your home with that sweet cinnamon smell, I hope this becomes a new summer favorite.

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🍞 Ingredients for Sourdough Zucchini Bread

Wet Ingredients:

• 1 cup grated zucchini, squeezed dry in a towel
• 1 cup sourdough discard (100% hydration, unfed)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil or butter
• 1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  (or sub 1 cup AP + 1/2 cup whole wheat flour)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg (optional)
• 1/4 tsp ginger (optional)

Optional Add-Ins:

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed for extra fiber

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👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sourdough discard, melted oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
3. Stir in the grated zucchini until combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.
5. Gently fold the dry mixture into the wet, stirring just until combined. Don’t overmix.
6. Fold in any add-ins you’re using (nuts, chocolate, flaxseed).
7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if desired.
8. Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
   (For muffins: bake 20–25 minutes.)
9. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.

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🧺 Old-Fashioned Tips & Variations

• Use what you have: Don’t stress over the oil, flour, or spice variations. This is a very forgiving recipe.
• Freeze it: This bread freezes well—just wrap in parchment and store in a freezer bag.
• Make muffins: Use a muffin tin with liners and bake for 20–25 minutes.
• Ferment the batter: For more tang and digestibility, let the mixed batter (before adding baking soda/powder) rest at room temp 4–6 hours. Stir in leaveners right before baking.

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🛒 Helpful Tools for This Recipe

• Pampered Chef Stoneware Loaf Pan — a vintage-style pan that bakes evenly and looks lovely on the table
• Silicone Muffin Pan — reusable and perfect for a low-waste kitchen
• Stasher Bags — for freezing shredded zucchini or baked muffins

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🌿 Related Posts You May Love:

• The Best Sourdough Banana Bread Recipe (With Discard Starter!)
• Stretching Your Meat Budget: 5 Simple Old-Fashioned Tips for Feeding Your Family Well
• Why Great Grandma Could Do It All: She Had a Daily Homemaking Rhythm

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✨ Final Thoughts

This sourdough zucchini bread is one of those easy, reliable recipes I find myself coming back to every summer. It’s simple enough to whip up on a weekday, nourishing enough to serve without guilt, and cozy enough to share with someone you love.

If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out! Leave a comment, pin it for later, or tag me on Pinterest or YouTube where I share more from-scratch recipes and old-fashioned homemaking inspiration.