Blueberry streusel zucchini bread is the perfect quick bread for summer. It's filled with fresh blueberries and topped with a sweet brown sugar streusel.
If you've got an abundance of garden zucchini this summer, try making a loaf of blueberry zucchini bread. It's filled with juicy blueberries and topped with a sweet streusel that you'll love!
This bread turns out moist, tender, and perfectly sweetened. The base is made with simple pantry ingredients that you may already have on hand so it's easy to bake up a loaf quickly.
Serve blueberry streusel zucchini bread as a less sweet dessert, as a snack with your afternoon tea, or with your morning coffee for breakfast. If you like this recipe, you may also love my apple zucchini bread that's made with big cubes of fresh apple and a hint of cinnamon.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Zucchini - You'll need one cup of finely grated zucchini for this recipe. Do not drain or squeeze the liquid from your zucchini, this liquid adds moisture to your bread. Shredded zucchini should be lightly packed into your measuring cup. For this recipe, you'll need about 1 medium or 1.5 small zucchinis.
- Sugars - Granulated sugar and brown sugar add sweetness and moisture to your zucchini bread. As written, this bread turns out lightly sweetened. For a sweeter bread, you could add an extra ¼ cup of granulated sugar.
- Vegetable oil - Adds moisture to your bread. Canola oil or light olive oil can work in a pinch.
- Eggs - Add moisture and structure to your bread.
- Vanilla extract - Adds depth of flavor to your bread.
- All-purpose flour - Adds structure to your bread. I have not tested this recipe with other types of flours so I don't suggest making any substitutions. Baking is an exact science. Altering main ingredients can change the density and texture of your bread. If you have a different type of flour, then search for a recipe that includes the flour that you'd like to use.
- Leavening agents - This recipe uses both baking soda and baking powder. They cannot be substituted for one another - you'll need both to get the proper amount of lift.
- Salt - Enhances the flavors of the other ingredients without making your bread "salty". I don't recommend omitting the salt in this recipe.
- Blueberries - You'll need about 1 cup or 155 grams of fresh blueberries. I haven't tested this recipe with frozen blueberries, so I can't say for sure how your bread would turn out. If you give it a try, let us know how it goes in the comments below!
Streusel ingredients
I've included an optional streusel topping in the recipe card below. It makes an excellent sweet and crunchy addition to your blueberry bread!
- All-purpose flour - The base of the streusel topping.
- Brown sugar - Adds sweetness and helps the topping brown in the oven.
- Butter - Adds flavor and holds the topping together. Unsalted or salted butter can be used in this recipe. If using salted butter, omit the listed salt for the topping.
- Seasoning - Cinnamon and salt add flavor to the topping. While the cinnamon can be omitted if desired, I don't recommend omitting the salt (unless you're using salted butter).
Tips and tricks
Shredding zucchini for bread - I recommend using the small side of a box grater to grate zucchini for baked goods. Finely grated zucchini melts seamlessly into the batter when baked with the only sign of zucchini being the tiny green flecks. The large side of a box grater also works but adds a noticeable texture to your baked bread.
Gently mix batter - If the batter is overmixed, the gluten is overworked and your bread can turn out tough. Instead, use a gentle stirring motion with a spoon (no need for a stand mixer or hand mixer) and only stir until ingredients are just incorporated.
Pan size - This recipe makes one 9x5 loaf of zucchini bread. These are the pans I use for all my zucchini bread recipes: Farberware Loaf Pan 9x5, Set of 2
Streusel tips - Your streusel should look like wet, clumpy sand while mixing. If the ingredients are too wet and forming a paste, add another tablespoon of flour and stir until clumps form. If the mixture looks too dry, add a small amount of butter or oil and continue stirring.
Storage
Blueberry zucchini bread can be stored at room temperature for 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container.
Zucchini bread can be frozen for up to 6 months in a tightly sealed, freezer-safe container. To thaw a whole loaf, place on the countertop for up to 3 hours to bring to room temperature. Single slices will thaw in about 1 hour or less.
Frequently asked questions
No, there's no need to peel your zucchini before shredding it for zucchini bread. The skin of the zucchini contains fiber and other nutrients you'd otherwise be missing out on by peeling it off.
Once your bread is baked, the only sign of zucchini is tiny flecks of green throughout. Otherwise, the zucchini (skin included) melts right into the bread.
No, do not squeeze the liquid from your zucchini. For this particular recipe we're utilizing the liquid in the zucchini to thin the batter slightly and add moisture to the bread.
No, zucchini has a mild flavor that makes it ideal for baking. Cucumber has a fresh "melon" flavor that's much more pronounced and not ideal for hiding in baked goods. For more information: Zucchini vs Cucumber - What's the Difference?
I haven't tested this recipe with frozen blueberries so I can't say for sure how your bread would turn out. If you give this a try, let us know how it goes in the comments section below the recipe card.
Troubleshooting
If your baked zucchini bread turned out soggy or sinking in the center, then it was either underbaked or had too much moisture. Make sure not to add extra wet ingredients to this recipe, like extra zucchini, a dollop of sour cream, applesauce, or extra vegetable oil. This recipe includes exact measurements of wet and dry ingredients to ensure your bread turns out perfectly baked and moist, not wet or soggy.
Dry baked goods can happen for several reasons. Either your bread was overbaked, too many dry ingredients (like flour) were added to the recipe, or the moisture-adding ingredients (eggs, sugar, oil, zucchini) were reduced.
Bland baked goods can happen for a few reasons. Omitting the salt, reducing the sugar, or adding too much flour can cause your bread to turn out bland. Salt enhances the flavors of the other ingredients - it's not there to make your bread "salty". Measure flour accurately by weighing it using the gram measurements listed in the recipe card. If you don't have a scale, use the spoon and level method. Gently spoon flour into a measuring cup, then level off the top with a knife. Scooping flour with a measuring cup compacts flour into the cup, adding up to 25% extra flour to the recipe. Decreasing the listed sugar can also make your bread turn out bland (and sometimes dry).
📖 Recipe
Blueberry Streusel Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
Blueberry bread
- 1 cup (135 g) finely grated zucchini, do not squeeze liquid out
- ½ cup (106 g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (155 g) blueberries
Streusel topping (optional)
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 6 tablespoons (45 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons (40 g) brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Blueberry bread
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease one 9x5 loaf pan (or line with parchment paper) and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add zucchini (including liquid), brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir with a spoon until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, add dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to remove clumps. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until just incorporated. Add blueberries and stir to combine (optionally, reserve a few to sprinkle on top).
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and set aside.
Streusel topping
- In a bowl, add melted butter, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until clumps form. Mixture will be thick and clumpy. Crumble topping evenly over the batter.
- Bake for about 48 to 55 minutes, OR until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean/with dry crumbs, or bread reaches 200 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit in the center (baking times will vary based on your oven and type of pan used).
- Allow bread to cool completely on the counter before removing from pan and slicing.
Recommended Equipment
Video
Notes
- Leftover zucchini bread will keep in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. If your bread is very moist/wet, I recommend refrigerating.
- Zucchini bread can be frozen for up to 6 months. Tightly wrap in plastic wrap/foil and store in a freezer safe bag or container. Thaw on the counter top for 1 to 3 hours.
- I haven't tested this recipe with frozen blueberries so I can't say for sure how your bread would turn out. If you give this a try, let us know how it went in the comments below.
Perfect zucchini bread! Moist and tender, and the juicy blueberries and crunchy streusel are the perfect touch 😋
Thanks so much Ann! Happy to hear you enjoyed it 🙂