The Best Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread Recipe
This snickerdoodle zucchini bread is the BEST use for extra zucchini ever! Made with coconut oil for a healthy twist and cream of tartar for a traditional taste, it’s the perfect snack, dessert, or even breakfast!
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What Can I Do With All of This Zucchini?
At this point in the season aren’t you ready to move on from zucchini noodles and veggie sautés? Doesn’t it seem like the time to turn this prolific veggie into something sweet and delicious?
This Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread recipe (or this Pecan Praline Zucchini Bread) is exactly what you need to turn those vegetables into a yummy treat!
Snickerdoodle…in a Zucchini Bread?
I love snickerdoodles and anything with a sugary crust. Checking both boxes, this Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread is an absolute winner in my book. The fact that it makes two loaves is also awesome, so you’ll have plenty to share.
What is Snickerdoodle?
A Snickerdoodle is a type of sugar cookie that is rolled in cinnamon and sugar. Some sources claim that the name is German in origin while others claim that it’s a nonsensical word stemming from a New England tradition of giving cookies unique names.
Since the origin of this popular cookie, snickerdoodle flavoring has shown up in all types of other products – lattes, cakes, donuts, ice cream, and, of course, this zucchini bread!
Zucchini Bread with Coconut Oil
Whenever possible I like to substitute coconut oil for vegetable oil when I cook.
Not only does this get a little bit of healthy fat into your food, but because it’s naturally sweet, you can reduce the amount of added sugar. (With this recipe, if you choose to use vegetable oil instead of coconut oil, you may want to increase the sugar in the bread by 1/4 a cup.)
And, while this bread is SO good right out of the oven, it’s even better the next day! I’m not sure what exactly is taking place, but the flavors and texture improve overnight!
What You’ll Need to Make Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread
Bread
- 1 cup coconut oil (melted)
- 3 eggs
- 1 ¼ cups granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar*
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups grated fresh zucchini (wet – do not dry it out first)
* If you do not have cream of tartar, you can substitute 1/2 tsp of baking powder
Topping
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar*
*If you do not have cream of tartar, you can omit it from the topping, no replacement is necessary.
Using cream of tartar gives the bread a bit lighter/more cake-like texture than using baking powder. It also gives the bread more of a true snickerdoodle taste and your house will absolutely smell like you are baking snickerdoodle cookies!
How to Make Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread with Coconut Oil
Step One
Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Next, coat two loaf pans (I used 4 ½“ x 8 ½“ pans) really well with the cooking spray of your choice.
Step Two
In a large bowl, beat oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until well combined.
Next, in a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt until everything is well combined.
Now, add the dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix until well combined. (The batter will be thick.)
Next, add the zucchini to the batter and mix again until everything is completely mixed together.
Finally, in a separate small bowl, combine the cinnamon, sugar, and creme of tartar to create the topping mixture.
Step Three
First, fill half of each loaf pan with batter and sprinkle 2 TBSP of the topping mixture over the batter in each pan.
Next, divide the remaining batter between the two pans and sprinkle the remaining sugar mixture over the tops of each loaf.
Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the bread to cool completely on a wire rack prior to serving.
How to Shred the Zucchini
I know that some people prefer using a food processor to shred their zucchini. I have some sort of mental block about pulling appliances out of my cupboard unless I REALLY need to use them. So, that being said, I use this traditional box grater and it only takes 3-4 minutes to shred the zucchini needed for this recipe. It’s super easy and a nice little workout. 🙂
What Can I Substitute for Coconut Oil?
If you do not have coconut oil on hand, you can substitute one cup of coconut oil for one cup of canola oil. If you do this, you may want to increase the sugar to 1 3/4 cup as canola oil does not lend the sweetness that coconut oil does to recipes.
Super-Cute Melamine {Non-Breakable!} Dessert Plates
I love having cute dessert plates on hand that I can hand out to everyone, including kids. Melamine (non-glass) plates have so many cute designs and, at first glance, most look like traditional glass plates.
Here are some of my favorite melamine plates this season! These are a fun, cute way to serve Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread and all of your other yummy treats!
The Best Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
Bread
- 1 cup coconut oil melted
- 3 eggs
- 1 ¼ cups granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar*
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups grated zucchini wet – do not dry it out first
- * *If you do not have cream of tartar, you can substitute 1/2 tsp of baking powder
Topping
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- **If you do not have cream of tartar you can omit it from the topping, no replacement is necessary.
Instructions
Step One
- Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Next, coat two loaf pans (I used 4 ½“ x 8 ½“ pans) really well with the cooking spray of your choice.
Step Two
- In a large bowl, beat oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until well combined.
- Next, in a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, creme of tartar, and salt until everything is well combined.
- Now, add the dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix until well combined. (The batter will be thick.)
- Next, add the zucchini to the batter and mix again until everything is completely mixed together.
- Finally, in a separate small bowl, combine the cinnamon, sugar, and creme of tartar to create the topping mixture.
Step Three
- First, fill half of each loaf pan with batter and sprinkle 2 TBSP of the topping mixture over the batter in each pan.
- Next, divide the remaining batter between the two pans and sprinkle the remaining sugar mixture over the tops of each loaf.
- Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the bread to cool completely on a wire rack prior to serving.
Notes
More Dessert Recipes
Check out all of our easy & delicious dessert recipes!
Other Easy Dessert Recipes You Will Love!
- Best Ever Pecan Praline Zucchini Bread
- Easy 4-Ingredient Lemon Zucchini Bread
- Amazing 2-Ingredient Lemon Bars
- Super Easy 5-Ingredient Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
- The Easiest Ever 4-Ingredient Banana Bread – Starts with a Cake Mix
- Crazy Good Cookies – 4-Ingredient Almond Joy
- Yummy and Pretty – Cherry Almond Sugar Cookies
- Coconut Kiss Macaroon Cookies
Make a Loaf of Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread with Coconut Oil Tonight!
Can you make this ahead of time and freeze it?
Yes! I even made it in mini bread pans, wrapped them well in foil, and frozen. That way, you can defrost the bread in smaller servings.
How many mini loaves does this make and how long do you bake the mini loaves?
Hi – I have never made these as mini loaves but my guess would be that it would make around 6-ish (depending on the size of your pans). I’d set your kitchen timer for around 20-22 minutes and begin checking the loaves for doneness at that time. Again, this is just my best guess from experience with similar recipes, not actual experience with this particular one. I hope that helps!
Can I substitute coconut sugar for the granulated sugar?
What can I use in place of coconut oil?
If you do not have coconut oil on hand, you can substitute one cup of coconut oil for one cup on canola oil. If you do this, you may want to increase the sugar to 1 3/4 cup as canola oil does not lend the sweetness that coconut oil does to recipes.
What I use in place of coconut oil?
You can substitute one cup of canola oil for one cup of coconut oil in this recipe. You may want to consider increasing the sugar to 1 3/4 cup if you do to add back some of the sweetness you’ll be missing by cutting out the coconut oil.
When you say coconut oil “in its liquid form”, do you mean fractionated coconut oil, or to melt the coconut oil before adding?
Mary Kay, I meant melted, I will go back and clarify in my post. Thank you for pointing that out!
Do you dry your zucchini first or add it with all the moisture?
Hi Melanie, add the zucchini will all of the moisture – I do not dry it first for this recipe.
This recipe was so good! I was glad I didn’t need to remove the moisture from the zucchini, so easy! I made muffins, approx 18 of them.
Would I be able to use coconut sugar or stevia? I was going to make this for my in laws but I didn’t want it to be bitter. Any thoughts?? Great recipe btw it was very easy and very tasty!!!!
I use coconut sugar often, and it does work in this recipe. I don’t personally use stevia so I’m not certain how that would effect the flavor.
Do you use refined or unrefined coconut oil?
I have used them interchangeably. In total transparency, I never notice which I’m ordering or picking up, so I just use whichever I have on-hand at the time.
Can I use coconut flour or almond flour to decrease the carbs?
Hi Sandy, in all transparency, I very rarely cook with coconut or almond flour, so I’m not sure how to incorporate them into a recipe. Maybe another reader has the answer?
I haven’t ever cooked or used coconut oil. Does the coconut oil give the bread a coconut flavor?
Lisa, I like to cook with coconut oil as a healthy alternative – it does not make the bread taste like coconut. If you prefer, you can swap the cup of coconut oil out for a cup of vegetable/canola oil. If you do so, you may want to increase the sugar to 1 3/4 cup, just to replace some of the natural sweetness in the coconut oil.
I am looking for a good Zucchini Snickerdoodle bread recipe to try (which by the way, your recipe is all over!) and I am surprised that almost every recipe I look at is missing what I would call a main ingredient in Snickerdoodles, cream of tartar! I just think it has a very distinct flavor and that is what makes it a snickerdoodle. So, my question is how much cream of tartar could I add to your recipe without destroying it! Lol
Hi Jenny, Thank you for the note – I’m glad you found my recipe!
Your question intrigued me, as I also LOVE Snickerdoodle cookies, so I’m doing a little research and going to try to play with the recipe this afternoon. I found that you can substitute 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar for 1 teaspoon baking powder but, since the recipe only calls for 1/2 tsp of baking powder, I’m not sure that will give you the flavor you’re after. Let me see what I can figure out and get back to you!
Hi – I attempted the recipe last night using cream of tartar and wish I could send you a loaf to taste test! First, I substituted the 1/2 tsp of cream of tartor for 1/2 tsp of baking powder, since I already had baking soda in the mix. This made the texture a bit more “cake-like” and not as dense as the original recipe, which I expected to some extent. I also mixed 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Not only did my house smell like I was cooking snickerdoodle cookies, but we could absolutely taste the cream of tartar! I may experiment again by decreasing the cream of tartar of 1/4 tsp in the mixture because I am a fan of a denser bread, but wanted to get back to you with my initial results. If you do make it, please let me know how it goes!
Hi, do you mean you substituted 1/2 tsp of cream of tartar for 1/2 tsp of baking powder? I am confused!
Omg, yes! I wrote that out too quickly and have corrected it! Replace the 1/2 tsp of baking powder with 1/2 tsp of cream of tartar. 🙂
Can you cut recipe in half?
Hi Donna, I’ve never cut the recipe in half before, but I imagine that it would be fine. The recipe is fairly forgiving – I know I’ve used more or less zucchini based upon what I had on hand and it always turns out well, so I think you’d be fine to try it!
I’m baking this now and just about done. Looks delicious and
Will let you know how it is as giving my boyfriend one loaf to take to his
Card game and other to my nieces birthday tomorrow
I made this zucchini bread today and it was fantastic! I used vegetable oil instead of coconut oil. I increased the sugar to 1 3/4 cups to make up for not having the coconut oil and it worked like a charm. 🙂
Thank you for this recipe, I will definitely be making more of it!
Just made this and it was AMAZING!! I love that it makes 2 loaves 😻😻
I have made this recipe at least 5 times now. It has become an absolute family favorite! Thank you for this 💜💜💜💜
Thank you so much, I”m really glad you love the recipe!
This was so good. I don’t like to use too much oil. I subbed it out with chunky Apple jam I made and canned. I also used stevia and sugar. I did use the snickerdoodle ingredients. Everyone loved it!
I often used overripe bananas in my zucchini bread instead of oil, so your idea of apple jam has got me thinking of trying bananas!
I just made this and it’s fantastic. I made the recipe using the cream of tarter substitution. This recipe is a keeper!!
I made muffins for a party and these are great. Next time I’m going to do a crumble topping on top. Yummy!
I love this as a bread! Any thoughts on making it into muffins? Would it work? Have you tried it? Any guesses on bake time?
Taste is delicious!,but the bread came out very dense. Suggestions are welcome.
I made this recipe and made mini loaves and muffins! I made 6 mini loaves and 10 muffins. I also subbed coconut sugar, wheat flour and cinnamon baking chips! Turned out DELICIOUS!
I have a recipe for Home made cinnamon chips and a video out on how to make it. It is pure heavenly tasting and smelly by the way! If you cant find the bought ones then this works great! If anyone wants the recipe I can send it to them.
Could I use butter instead of coconut oil?
You can use vegetable or canola oil in place of the coconut oil without effecting the taste. In theory, you can swap the oil out for butter, but I’ve never done it in this recipe, so I’m not sure how much the taste would be effected. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out. 🙂
Hi, Can I use Gluten free flour in this recipe?
Thank you My family and I have been enjoying all your recipes I’ve made 🙂
Hi Leticia – I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipes! I do not cook gluten-free, so I hesitate to give any advice on the topic. Maybe someone can jump in with a response?
Made this (even forgot to place the auger topping in the middle, just added it to the top) and it was so good! Got rave reviews!
This looks so good! I wouldn’t have thought to put those two flavors together!
Ha anyone tried making this with less sugar and no sugar sub? These types of recipes are usually way too sweet for me and contain far more sugar than I can have. I usually try to just use less sugar rather than subbing other sweeteners that just make it even sweeter. I get the need for sugar in the topping to get that snickerdoodle flavor, but would love to hear if anyone tried just cutting the sugar quantity. Not worried about it not being sweet enough, just want to make sure texture and density aren’t adversely affected.
This looks really good.
My house smells amazing and the first bite was divine!!
So much extra zucchini from the garden. I should make this.
Holy $#!+ this bread is amazing! A friend gave me a giant zucchini and I have picky eaters, so I blended it and used the whole thing (bit more than the 2c). It tastes so good, thank you for sharing! Keep experimenting!
Excellent! Loved the taste; made a big loaf and 4 mini loaves from the recipe. I did add an extra teaspoon of cinnamon because I love it. Thanks for my new go to😋
Yummy!! Thanks for the keeper!
Delicious! Even better the second day. Went with what I had on hand – Canola oil. So good. My family loves it. Thank you for the recipe.
My new favorite Zucchini bread recipe. I used olive oil in place of coconut oil. It turned out great. I’m going to have trouble staying out of it. Will need to share.
This is hands down thee best bread i have ever had..i put it on facebook and every one wanted the receipe. I shared your pinterest link..i told everyone to make at least one loaf and try it..im making 3 more today. Thank you so much for sharing..what a perfect way to use up zucchini!!
This looks so good! What a great combination of flavors!
Made your recipe as is, think maybe a little bit extra zucchini/summer squash. Did half muffins and one jumbo loaf. Delicious! Kids ate all the muffins. I traded the loaf for some apples and they called me back to ask to take more apples but really to rave about your recipe.
May be experimenting with adding some apple sauce or fried apples to it.
Just wanted to let you know you’re going in the recipe box. Can’t wait to try a few more of yours.