Healthier Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread

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This healthier Snickerdoodle zucchini bread has browned butter, avocado or grapeseed oil, whole grain flours and a ribbon of cinnamon sugar in the middle. The perfect, beautifully balanced mix.

I have adapted this recipe from SouthernPlate, probably because I love Snickerdoodles, I mean, what’s not to love; a buttery sugar cookie, rolled in crunchy cinnamon sugar and baked to chewy perfection. I have a favorite Snickerdoodle recipe, but they haven’t quite made it on the blog, so in the meantime, I share with you my friend Norine’s recipe.

Nothing wrong with Christy’s original recipe from SouthernPlate, it’s just my nature to change a recipe up a bit and I always try to add a bit more whole grains where I am able.

Healthier Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread Ingredients

• unsalted butter (the real deal)
• avocado or grapeseed oil (try coconut oil orother vegetable oil)
• eggs
• light or dark brown sugar, dark brown will lend a bit more of a molasses flavor
• pure cane sugar
• pure vanilla extract
• all purpose unbleached flour
• light whole wheat flour (like a light whole wheat, whole wheat pastry flour or regular whole wheat)
• oat flour
• cinnamon
• allspice
• baking soda, baking powder and sea salt
• zucchini, grated

My first thought with this was to use all butter for this recipe in place of the oil, from what I have read using oil allows a little longer “shelf life” in baked goods, but butter imparts that amazing, buttery flavor and crumb. I decided to compromise with the health benefits of avocado oil and the amazing nutty depth of browned butter. And was I happy I did!

Then instead of all granulated sugar, I subbed out brown sugar, I used light because I had run out of dark brown sugar, but either would be delicious in this healthier snickerdoodle zucchini bread.

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Substitution Ideas for your Zucchini Bread

• use all butter, browning or melting it (you could try creaming softened butter with the sugar as well, giving you a lighter, “muffin-like” texture
• use all vegetable/coconut oil in place of butter
• omit brown sugar and use all granulated sugar
• reduce the sugar by ½-¾ cup and add 1/2 applesauce or 1 smashed banana for sweetness
• change up flours; try all whole wheat, all oat, all unbleached, a combination of almond, oat and whole wheat…you might even get away with using a good Gluten Free All-Purpose flour and some oat flour. Quickbreads are pretty forgiving! You can see how easy it is to change flours in my Gluten Free (or gluten full) “Ugly” Coffee Cake recipe.

Baking Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread at High Altitude vs. Sea Level

I bake at high altitude, Denver is the Mile High City, so I typically adjust my baked goods by reducing the temperature by 25 degrees and baking a bit longer, especially quickbreads. If baking at sea level, bake at 350 until a knife or toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 45-55 minutes.

This may seem like it has a lot of sugar, until you realize that you are getting two large loaves from the recipe. And see above under Substitutions for ideas to reduce the sugar.

I like quickbread recipes that yield two loaves so I can surprise a friend with a fresh baked loaf of quickbread, or freeze one for a chilly day when we need a little snack.

Make your bread go further by slicing the loaf in half, wrap with a piece of parchment paper, tie with a string or ribbon and adorn with something from your garden or pantry. Here I used cinnamon sticks, garland, fresh thyme and plain string, be creative. A daisy, black-eyed Susan, rosemary, lavender, or pretty colored ribbon would have been pretty too!

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Healthier Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread

Yield: 2 loaves

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Bake Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Print

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, browned (the real deal, no substitutions other than you may use salted butter)
• 1/2 cup avocado or grapeseed oil (try coconut oil orother vegetable oil)
• 3 eggs, large
• 1 cup light or dark brown sugar, dark brown will lend a bit more of a molasses flavor
• 3/4 cup pure cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose unbleached flour*
• 1 cup light whole wheat flour, sometimes called white whole wheat, or may use regular whole wheat (I used Bob's Red Mill Ivory Whole Wheat Flour)
• 1/2 cup oat flour
• 2 heaping teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cups zucchini, grated (about 1 large zucchini)

Topping and Cinnamon Sugar Layer

• ⅓ cup granulated sugar (up to ½ cup)
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350° (325° for high altitude or dark loaf pans). Grease and flour two standard sized loaf pans OR spray lightly with oil, and press in parchment paper (much easier cleanup)
2. Beat the following in a large mixing bowl; oil, browned butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla until combined. Careful you have cooled your butter slightly, so you don't scramble your eggs.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flours, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Pour the flour mixture into the the liquid mixture, stirring or beating until combined. Batter will be very thick and sticky, add zucchini and beat or stir to combine.
4. In a small bowl, stir together cinnamon and sugar topping ingredients and set aside.
5. Scoop half the batter into prepared loaf pans and sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar to great your "ribbon". Then spread the rest of the batter evenly between the two pans sprinkling with balance of cinnamon sugar.
6. Bake at 325-350° for 45-55 minutes (sea level or slightly above) or 50-65 minutes at high altitude. Remove from oven when knife inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then invert or use parchment paper to lift out and cool completely.
7. Store in baggie or on counter for 2-3 days, fridge for up to 10 days or freezer up to 3 months.

Notes

*if preferred you may make this with all purpose flour, the texture and flavor will be a bit lighter, but still good. I haven't tried, but Gluten Free All-purpose flour typically can be substituted with good success.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Silicone Spatula Set - Heat Resistant BPA FREE
• 
  100pcs Unbleached Parchment Paper Baking Liners Sheets
• 
  USA Pan Bakeware Aluminized Steel Loaf Pan 1140LF 8.5 x 4.5 x 3 Inch, Small, Silver
• 
  KitchenAid KHM7210CU 7-Speed Digital Hand Mixer with Turbo Beater II Accessories and Pro Whisk - Contour Silver
• 
  Anchor Hocking 2 Quart Glass Batter Bowl With Lid (81106L11)
• 
  Pampered Chef Small Batter Bowl - 32 ounces

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 32 slices Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 140 Total Fat: 4g Saturated Fat: 2g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 2g Cholesterol: 13mg Sodium: 126mg Carbohydrates: 25g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 16g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 2g

The nutritional information is estimated and may not be entirely accurate, at times it pulls information for suggestions and options which may increase calories, etc.

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