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Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread

Snickerdoodle zucchini bread with a thick, crackled cinnamon sugar crust on top and a soft, tender loaf inside. Made as an easy zucchini quick bread by folding in grated, squeezed-dry zucchini and baking until golden and set.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
cooling 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.333 cup vegetable oil
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup zucchini, grated and squeezed dry
  • 3 tbsp granulated sugar Snickerdoodle topping
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon Snickerdoodle topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan. Set it aside so the batter can go in right after mixing.
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cream of tartar, and cinnamon together. Keep whisking until the dry spices look evenly blended.
  3. Beat granulated sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract until smooth. Stop when the mixture is glossy and no egg streaks remain.
  4. Stir in the grated zucchini that has been squeezed dry. The batter should look thick and speckled with zucchini.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Mix gently and stop as soon as you don’t see dry flour.
Bake
  1. Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and spread it level. Make sure the top is even so the crust crackles across the surface.
  2. Sprinkle the snickerdoodle topping of granulated sugar and cinnamon generously over the entire surface. Aim for a visible, thick coating rather than light dusting.
  3. Bake at 350°F for 50–58 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and the cinnamon sugar top is crackled and golden. Let it cool 15 minutes before slicing to help the loaf set cleanly.

Notes

Pro tip: squeeze the grated zucchini very well—excess moisture can prevent the loaf from setting and dull the cinnamon-sugar crust. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze sliced portions for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. If you want a lighter swap, use light sour cream (about 1:1) for a slightly reduced fat version while keeping the crust topping the same.