Name: Fresh Milled Flour Zucchini Bread
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Fresh Milled Flour
Ingredients: 3 cups freshly milled whole wheat flour (soft white wheat preferred); 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional); 3 eggs, large; ¾ cup melted coconut oil or light olive oil; ¾ cup pure maple syrup (or raw honey, if preferred); ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (adds moisture + sweetness); 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 cups grated zucchini, lightly packed (don’t peel, blot lightly with a towel); ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans; ½ cup dark chocolate chips (look for unsweetened or naturally sweetened varieties); ½ cup raisins or chopped dates for extra sweetness

This fresh milled flour zucchini bread is everything you want in a wholesome homemade loaf—moist, lightly sweet, and packed with garden-fresh zucchini. It’s naturally sweetened, simple to make, and a perfect way to enjoy the benefits of fresh ground wheat.

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Freshly milled flour zucchini bread on a cutting board

This fresh milled flour zucchini bread recipe is a delicious introduction to working with soft white wheat berries and results in a rustic, nutritious zucchini bread with great texture and flavor. It’s a family favorite here during the summer months when the garden zucchini plants are prolific. (Anyone else end up with a ton of zucchini every summer?) Plus, it freezes beautifully, so we have a little bit of summer even in the winter!

This easy recipe is the best of both words—a sweet bread with the health benefits of a whole wheat loaf. It’s a delicious way to add extra zucchini and whole grains to your diet. We love to pair this fresh milled zucchini bread with homemade sausage balls (no Bisquick needed) for a nutritious, easy breakfast.

If you’re already milling your own flour, you know how satisfying it is to use wheat berries right out of your pantry. If you’re new, this quick bread recipe is a great starting point. We love to use fresh milled flour in our banana bread with streusel topping, pumpkin chai bread, and carrot apple coffee cake bread.

For more great recipes using fresh milled flour, try fresh milled pancakes, fresh milled blueberry muffins, fresh milled Belgian waffles, whole wheat focaccia, or sourdough with fresh milled flour. Learn about switching to fresh milled with our fresh milled flour guide!

And if you’re a sourdough lover, check out stiff starter sourdough. This method is amazing and doesn’t end up with lots of discard!

Homemade whole wheat zucchini bread with a tea towel and fresh zucchini.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Naturally sweetened: This zucchini bread recipe uses maple syrup or honey instead of refined sugar, with just enough applesauce to keep it moist—just real food ingredients that taste great.

Great texture from fresh flour: Soft white wheat creates a tender crumb that doesn’t feel heavy—something that’s often hard to achieve with a whole wheat bread recipe. The extra moisture. from the zucchini pairs perfectly with fresh milled whole grain flour.

Perfect for summer gardens: If you have an abundance of zucchini or want to take advantage of seasonal produce, this is the perfect loaf to help you take advantage of zucchini season. Plus, you can freeze it for longer storage. It’s one of our favorite breads to freeze, so I often make a double batch.

What Is Fresh Milled Flour Zucchini Bread?

Fresh milled flour zucchini bread is a wholesome twist on the classic quick bread made with freshly ground whole wheat flour—typically soft white wheat for a softer result. Unlike commercial whole wheat flour, fresh milled flour retains all parts of the grain, including the germ and bran, making it more nutritious and flavorful.

Plus, it is easier on the digestive system than regular whole wheat. This delicious zucchini bread combines shredded zucchini and natural sweeteners. It’s a perfect marriage of old-fashioned comfort and modern nutrition.

Baking with freshly milled flour is a great way to incorporate whole grains into your diet. And the best part is that doesn’t have to be complicated!

Close up of freshly baked zucchini bread made with whole wheat flour.

Fresh Milled Flour Zucchini Bread Ingredients

Fresh milled flour: Use soft white wheat for lighter texture. White whole wheat flour is less dense than hard white or red wheat. I like to buy mine from Azure Standard.
Maple syrup or honey: This adds sweetness without using refined white sugars. You can also use coconut sugar.
Coconut oil: Keeps it moist; sub with light olive oil if preferred.
Zucchini: Use medium zucchinis. No need to peel, just blot to add moisture and texture.
Applesauce: Acts as a natural sweetener and moisture booster. Applesauce is a great thing to add when you’re wanting to eliminate processed sugars.

A full list of ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.

Tools You May Need

Grain mill — Nutrimill is a great option. I have a Fibidus that I have had for a long time. Some people also use a Vitamix blender to try using freshly milled flour and then get a grain mill at a later time.

One pound loaf pan — I like cast iron.

How To Make Fresh Milled Flour Zucchini Bread

Preheat oven to 350°F and prep your pans.
Shred or grate the zucchini with a box grater or food processor (pulse so you don’t over shred). As the zucchini shreds it will be a bit watery. Blot it—don’t squeeze.
Mill your fresh wheat berries and measure out 3 cups. About 2&1/2 cups of whole wheat berries will make 3 cups of flour.
Mix all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg (if using)) in a large mixing bowl.
Combine the wet ingredients (eggs, oil, maple syrup, applesauce, and vanilla) in a separate medium bowl. You can use a stand mixer or hand mixer to make this easier—the only thing is to make sure you don’t over-mix. Use a mixer on low speed.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir a small amount until just incorporated.
Fold in zucchini and any extras.
Let the batter rest for 15-20 minutes to allow the flour to absorb the moisture.
Pour batter evenly into the loaf pans and bake.
Cool and enjoy! We love to top with a little grass-fed butter.

Fresh milled flour zucchini bread with a tea towel and zuchini

Recipe Tips

Let the batter rest for at least 15 minutes (up to 30 minutes) before baking to allow the fresh flour to absorb moisture fully.
Don’t overmix the batter or the bread can become tough.
If using honey instead of maple syrup, reduce the amount of oil to ½ cup to balance out the moisture.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 24 hours. Transfer to the fridge after that to prevent molding. To freeze, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and freeze in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp and reheat in a toaster oven.

Fresh Milled Flour Zucchini Bread Variations

There are some really great ways to mix up this zucchini bread! We make some variations with all the extra zucchini and freeze for later. Try the original recipe, then next time try one of these variations:

Lemon poppy seed zucchini bread: Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon zest, and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds for a fresh twist.
Chocolate zucchini bread: Mix in ½ cup cocoa powder and increase sweetener slightly; top with about a cup of chocolate chips.
Savory herb version: Reduce maple syrup to ¼ cup and add ½ teaspoon garlic powder and chopped herbs for a savory side bread.
Zucchini muffins: Scoop into lined muffin tins and bake at 350°F for 22–25 minutes. Try our blueberry muffins with fresh milled flour too!

Notes on Natural Sweeteners

Maple syrup gives a rich, warm sweetness without being overpowering.
Honey can be used instead, but may make the bread a bit more moist and dense—reduce the amount of oil to ½ cup if using honey.
Applesauce boosts moisture and helps reduce the overall sweetener needed.

Homeamde zucchini bread made with whole wheat flour.

Recipe FAQs

Nope! The peel adds texture and color and softens while baking.

It’s generally recommended to squeeze excess water out of grated zucchini, but that is with store bought flour. Fresh milled flour absorbs more water, so you do not need to squeeze out the excess moisture when using this recipe and fresh milled flour.

To get about 2 cups of grated zucchini, you’ll need approximately 1 1/2 to 2 medium zucchinis. One medium zucchini typically yields around 1 cup of grated zucchini. A larger zucchini will yield slightly more, potentially 1 1/2 cups.

Soft white wheat is ideal for quick breads; it’s light and bakes more like all-purpose.

You can use fresh milled flour in any recipe! Because fresh milled flour absorbs more water than store-bought flour, you will need to add 5-10% more water to recipe. For more tips on using fresh milled flour, check out the baking with fresh milled grains guide!

I hope you love this recipe!