Lemon Pistachio Zucchini Bread is a fun twist on zucchini bread that’s positively addictive! Try it with a sweet lemon glaze as a dessert bread or dive in as is for a tasty breakfast bread to kickstart your day!
Baking freaks me out.
I’m probably one of the few people that doesn’t find it comforting or soothing whatsoever. Stress-baking always sounds good in theory but it never quite relaxes me. Instead I end up stressed and twitching over the measurements, mess, and OMG HOW DID FLOUR EVEN GET THERE?!
I hope it’s not just me… I feel like a weirdo just admitting it.
Ironically I also operate under the self-imposed rule that no packaged baked goods shall enter this house. If I want dessert, I have to make it.
Well gosh darn it, today I wanted dessert! Dessert bread in particular.
So I marched my anti-baking butt into the kitchen and got to work. Whatever it takes to get this fluffy zucchini bread info my face!
And you know what? I didn’t hate it. I embraced the mess and measuremnts and actually had fun playing mad scientist this time around. Granted, I wound up with flour and glaze on pretty much my entire body but I was super happy about it. The first bite of fluffy, fantastic zucchini bread made it all worthwhile.
If you’re part of the 99.9% of the population that simply adores baking you’re going to love this recipe. If you don’t, hand it off to a friend that likes to bake and instruct them to make you some. Zucchini bread for everyone!
Also since I’ve wasted like 3 minutes of your life rambling I should at least mention that it’s rock-your-face-off delicious, eh?
SO FREAKNG GOOD
Lemon Pistachio Zucchini Bread
Reserving it’s status as my all-time favorite breakfast bread, this lemon pistachio zucchini bread is bright, cheery, and totally addictive! Feeling a dessert-y vibe? Drizzle it in a sweet lemony glaze (recipe included below – woot!) and get ready to lick the whisk, the bowl, and anything it comes in contact with.
No pistachios? No problem! You can totally use walnuts here instead but MAN the pistachios are a legendary here! If you can pick some up for this recipe (and heart-healthy snacking too) then totally do, it’s worth it!
Lemon Pistachio Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1 + ¾ cups all-purpose flour (210 grams)
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup avocado oil (or favorite healthy oil)
- ¼ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- zest of 1 lemon (save 1/4 tsp for the glaze)
- 1 TBSP lemon juice
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup grated zucchini
- ½ cup shelled pistachio nuts (chopped/crushed)
LEMON GLAZE (OPTIONAL BUT DELICOUS!)
- 1 TBSP lemon juice (use less for a sweeter glaze, 2 TBSP for EXTRA-tart)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ tsp lemon zest, or to taste
- 1 tsp melted butter
- ⅛ tsp of finely ground salt
- ⅛ tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray 3 mini 6 x 3.5 x 2 inch loaf pans with cooking spray (I use my favorite avocado oil spray) and set aside. Using a different size? See notes for tips.
- Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and mix.
- In a large bowl, beat together eggs, sugar, and oil.
- Stir in sour cream, lemon juice + zest, and vanilla.
- Sift your flour mixture over the wet ingredients and stir with a fork until just barely incorporated.
- Gently pat your zucchini dry with a paper towel then fold it into the batter along with the pistachio nuts.
- Pour into mini loaf pans and place atop a baking sheet on the center rack of your preheated oven. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted to the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then remove + transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- If adding the optional glaze, once bread is mostly cooled, whisk together your glaze, starting with just 1/2 TBSP of lemon juice and adding more to taste based on tartness preference. Pour over bread, slice, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Zucchini bread adapted from Lizzy via allrecipes.com.
Lemon zest shows “divided” but no mention of using the 2nd half. Did you mean to say the 1 tbs lemon juice is divided and half goes in glaze?
Hi Carol! The divided amount is using 1/4 tsp for the glaze. Let me add a note in there right now to help clarify – great question! xoxo
Absolutely delicious! this was fantastic. I made a double batch and put one in the freezer to enjoy later. I did mine in two regular loaf pans and they baked up perfectly.
I made this a couple days ago and it’s a nice recipe. Light lemon-forward bread and a great way to use up zucchini without being the same-old.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Valerie, thank you!
Delicious! Could not keep my picky two-year-old away.
So glad y’all enjoyed it! Thanks Kristin!