Sweet Pumpkin Apple Zucchini Bread

If you ask me, combining three fall favorites into one loaf is pure genius.

This pumpkin apple zucchini bread brings together the best of autumn baking in one moist, spiced treat. Sweet pumpkin puree and tender apple chunks pair with hidden shreds of zucchini for extra moisture.

The bread gets its warm flavor from classic fall spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, baked until golden in a standard loaf pan. A light dusting of sugar on top gives it a slightly crispy crust that contrasts nicely with the soft interior.

It’s a crowd-pleasing recipe that makes your kitchen smell amazing, perfect for cozy mornings or afternoon snacks.

What Kind of Zucchini Should I Use?

Any medium-sized zucchini from the grocery store will work perfectly for this bread recipe. You’ll want to avoid the giant zucchini that sometimes show up in gardens, as they tend to be more watery and have larger seeds that can affect the texture. Medium zucchini (about 6-8 inches long) have the right balance of moisture and flavor without being too seedy. Make sure to peel your zucchini before shredding, and give the shredded zucchini a gentle squeeze with a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture – this prevents your bread from becoming too soggy.

Options for Substitutions

This triple-threat bread is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps and substitutions:

• Canned pumpkin pie filling: You can use plain pumpkin puree instead – just add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to make up for the missing spices. Mashed sweet potato or butternut squash also work well.
• Unsweetened applesauce: If you’re out of applesauce, try mashed banana, plain Greek yogurt, or even more shredded zucchini (just squeeze out the extra moisture first).
• Zucchini: Yellow squash makes a great swap for zucchini, or you can use shredded carrots for a slightly different flavor. Just make sure to squeeze out excess moisture with a clean kitchen towel.
• All-purpose flour: For a healthier twist, you can replace up to half the flour with whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour. The bread will be slightly denser but still delicious.
• Egg whites: If you only have whole eggs, use 1 additional whole egg instead of the 2 egg whites. The bread will be a bit richer but just as tasty.
• White sugar: Brown sugar, coconut sugar, or even honey (reduce other liquids by 1 tablespoon) work well here for added flavor depth.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making this triple-veggie bread is not squeezing out excess moisture from your shredded zucchini, which can make your loaf dense and soggy – wrap the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and give it a good squeeze before adding it to your batter.

Another common error is overmixing the batter once you add the flour, so stir just until the ingredients are combined to keep your bread tender rather than tough.

Don’t skip testing for doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center – this bread can look done on the outside while still being wet in the middle due to all the moisture from the pumpkin, applesauce, and zucchini.

For best results, let the bread cool completely in the pan for about 10 minutes before turning it out, as the extra moisture makes it more fragile when warm.

What to Serve With Pumpkin Apple Zucchini Bread?

This bread is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack with a hot cup of coffee or chai tea. I love slicing it thick and spreading a little butter or cream cheese on top, which really brings out all those warm fall flavors. For breakfast, try serving it alongside some Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey, or even toast a slice and top it with a thin layer of peanut butter. It also makes a great dessert when served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This moist bread stays fresh wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. The pumpkin and zucchini help keep it nice and tender, so it actually gets even better after a day or two when all the flavors meld together.

Freeze: Pumpkin apple zucchini bread freezes really well for up to 3 months. I like to slice it first, then wrap individual slices in plastic wrap before putting them in a freezer bag. This way you can grab just a slice or two whenever you want a quick snack or breakfast.

Thaw: To enjoy frozen slices, just let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or pop them in the toaster for a warm treat. If you froze the whole loaf, let it thaw overnight on the counter before slicing.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	40-50 minutes
Total Time	55-70 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 650-750
• Protein: 16-20 g
• Fat: 7-10 g
• Carbohydrates: 135-145 g

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/5 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon (freshly ground preferred for more flavor)
• 3/4 cup pumpkin pie filling (I use Libby’s pumpkin puree)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 medium zucchini (shredded and excess moisture squeezed out)
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda

Step 1: Prepare Your Pan and Oven

• 1 medium zucchini

Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray a loaf pan (or appropriate baking pan) with cooking spray, making sure to coat the bottom and all sides evenly.

This prevents sticking and ensures clean, even browning.

While the oven preheats, prepare your shredded zucchini by squeezing out excess moisture using a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth—this is crucial because too much liquid will make the bread dense and soggy rather than moist and tender.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients Together

• 1 1/5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.

I like to use freshly ground cinnamon when possible because it has a brighter, more complex flavor than pre-ground.

Whisking the dry ingredients together ensures the leavening agents and spices are evenly distributed throughout the batter, which gives you consistent rise and flavor in every slice.

Step 3: Create the Wet Ingredient Base

• 2 large eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup pumpkin pie filling
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• shredded zucchini from Step 1

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the room temperature eggs, egg whites, and granulated sugar until the mixture is well combined and slightly lighter in color, about 1-2 minutes.

The room temperature eggs mix more smoothly and incorporate air better than cold ones.

Then add the pumpkin pie filling, applesauce, shredded zucchini (from Step 1), and vanilla extract.

Beat until everything is fully combined and you don’t see any streaks of pumpkin or applesauce remaining.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2
• wet ingredient mixture from Step 3

Add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2 to the wet ingredients from Step 3 and mix on low speed or by hand with a spatula until just combined—stop as soon as you don’t see any flour streaks.

Overmixing develops gluten, which makes quick breads tough and dense instead of tender and moist.

It’s okay if there are a few small lumps; they’ll disappear during baking.

Step 5: Bake Until Golden and Set

• batter from Step 4
• prepared pan from Step 1

Pour the batter into the prepared pan from Step 1 and smooth the top gently with a spatula.

Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).

The bread will rise nicely and turn golden brown on top.

If the top begins to brown too quickly, loosely tent it with foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking.

Step 6: Cool and Serve

Let the bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes—this allows the crumb structure to set so it won’t fall apart when you remove it.

After cooling, turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

I recommend waiting until it’s completely cool before slicing for cleaner, more even pieces, though warm slices are wonderfully tender if you can’t resist.