I’ve been on a zucchini dessert bread recipe kick lately (as if you couldn’t tell!). My family loves any and all desserts (who doesn’t right?!); this Healthy Blueberry Zucchini Bread was a total showstopper when I made it again last weekend. The reason I love baking zucchini dessert breads is because my picky 5-year-old can’t get enough of this, even after I told her it has zucchini in it (yes, that icky gross GREEN stuff that so many toddlers and kids despise!) and HELLO – it’s summertime and fruits (yes, zucchini is actually a fruit) are abundant, cheap, and high quality. I was so pleased to see how much my daughter loves all my zucchini bread recipes and is always begging for more. This recipe blew me away as the texture is so fluffy and moist – it’s quite literally the world’s perfect zucchini bread dessert recipe!
My mouthwatering Healthy Blueberry Zucchini Bread recipe contains all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, vanilla, egg, butter, applesauce, zucchini, and blueberries, and takes about 45 minutes to bake. If you like this, then you’ll love Lite Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread, My MIL’s Banana Bread, Blueberry Lemon Bread, Blueberry Muffins, Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins, and French Toast Muffins recipes!
Benefits of Zucchini
Zucchini is antioxidant rich and contains compounds that, per Healthline’s article, may protect your body from damage caused by free radicals. Carotenoids including lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene are abundant in zucchini. Carotenoids such as these may benefit your skin, eyes, heart, as well as protect against cancer. The skin of the zucchini contains the highest antioxidant levels and yellow zucchini may contain fewer levels of antioxidants than their green counterpart. Additionally, zucchini may aid in digestion, reduce blood sugar levels, and improve heart health.
Why is it a healthy dessert bread recipe?
My Healthy Blueberry Zucchini Bread recipe contains applesauce and zucchini instead of granulated sugar, providing the perfect crumb and bite with much less sugar. By the taste of this zucchini bread, you would never even notice that it doesn’t have sugar. It fools my five-year-old every time and I honestly cannot ever get enough of this insanely addicting bread recipe!
Ingredients in Healthy Blueberry Zucchini Bread
Flour. All-purpose flour provides structure and when it’s combined with the wet ingredients, it starts to thicken which is necessary for this bread recipe.
Brown sugar. Brown sugar provides a fluffy and moist texture. Sugar also interferes with gluten by limiting the amount of gluten that is developed which leads to leaven the bread, confirming that your bread will attain the perfect texture.
Baking soda. Baking soda reacts quickly and generates a gas when exposed to heat or acidic ingredients. Its acidic component, cream of tartar, is built in and reacts with the included alkaline baking soda when it contacts liquids.
Salt. Salt enhances the flavors of the other ingredients and adds flavor.
Vanilla. Vanilla provides a sweetener in this bread recipe.
Egg. Eggs provide nutrition, flavor, and help bind the other ingredients. Eggs also affect the texture and they are also leavening agents like sugar and baking powder.
Butter. Use unsalted butter as this recipe calls for salt. My insanely delicious homemade butter is the BEST butter recipe out there!
Applesauce. Applesauce is a natural sweetener that provides a sweet flavor and an alternative to white sugar.
Zucchini. Freshly grated zucchini adds moisture, nutrition, and texture to this dessert bread recipe.
Blueberries. Blueberries are packed with antioxidants and provide a sweet flavor. According to Healthline’s post, blueberries are a known superfood loaded with nutrients. Blueberries may help reduce blood pressure, improve memory, prevent heart disease, and more.
How to make the best Healthy Blueberry Zucchini Bread
STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 325° F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
STEP 2: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.
STEP 3: In a medium bowl, mix the vanilla, egg, butter, apple sauce, and zucchini. Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix well.
STEP 4: In a small bowl, gently mix the blueberries and 2 teaspoons flour until they’re well coated.
STEP 5: Gently stir in the blueberries. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf ban. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
STEP 6: Let cool before serving.
STEP 7: If you make this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and comment!
Recommended tools to make this recipe
- Loaf Pan. This one makes perfect corners for your chocolate chip zucchini bread.
- Whisk. This whisk is study and expedites the mixing process.
- Mixing Bowls. The large bowl is great preparing the batter.
More recipes you can’t live without!
Lite Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
The Real Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffin Recipe
Easy 5-Minute Chocolate Pudding Pie
Final Thoughts
Finally, if you make this Healthy Blueberry Zucchini Bread recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from everyone who makes this recipe and always try my best to respond to all comments.
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag #elisemccollister on Instagram! It makes me so happy to see your recipe photos!
Healthy Blueberry Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- cooking spray
- 2 c all-purpose flour
- ½ c brown sugar packed
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 c applesauce
- 1½ c zucchini grated
- 1 c blueberries
- 2 tsp all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325° F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, mix the vanilla, egg, butter, apple sauce, and zucchini. Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix well.
- In a small bowl, gently mix the blueberries and 2 teaspoons flour until they’re well coated.
- Gently stir in the blueberries. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf ban. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool before serving.
- If you make this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and comment!
Nutrition (per serving)
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Elise’s Kitchen Favorites
This was a win. I added in a bit if wheat germ to make it a bit heartier and cinnamon, but overall, great texture and good flavor. I’m trying it again today with just zucchini (because I used up my blueberries on this recipe earlier this week), so I’ll see how it goes with adding a bit more zucchini to make up for the lack of blueberries. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Holly, I’m so glad you liked this recipe! It’s one of my favorites, especially when I have a lot of zucchini!