Sourdough Brown Butter Zucchini Bread
This Sourdough Brown Butter Zucchini Bread is everything you want in zucchini bread and a little more. Brown butter brings a caramelized flavor to this loaf and sourdough discard is used to ferment the batter to make it easy on the belly. This bread has all the nostalgia of Grandma's zucchini bread with a baker's twist to really elevate it!
Equipment
- Hand mixer or sturdy whisk
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Cheese or Vegetable Grater
- 9x5-inch loaf pan
- Parchment paper
- Paper towels
- Kitchen scale optional
Ingredients
Sourdough Brown Butter Zucchini Bread
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups (180g) finely shredded zucchini weigh before sweating
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, browned
- 1/4 cup (60g) sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup (75g) brown sugar, packed
- 1 Tablespoon (20g) honey
- 1/3 cup (60g) granulated white sugar
- 1/3 cup (80g) sourdough starter or discard (100% hydration)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 1/3 cup (200g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
Optional Mix-In's:
- 1/2 cup (60g) chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1/2 cup (90g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Brown The Butter:
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the butter foams and turns a rich amber color with brown specks at the bottom, emitting a nutty aroma. Remove from heat immediately. This process typically takes about 5-7 minutes.6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, browned
- Once butter is browned, remove the saucepan from heat and transfer the bowl you'll be using to mix your batter.
Sweat The Zucchini:
- Grate fresh zucchini until you have roughly 1 1/2 cups (180g). Lay out a paper towel and spread zucchini over paper towel in a thin layer. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sea salt all over the zucchini. This process is called "sweating" and will help remove some of the moisture. Let zucchini rest for 10 minutes.1 1/2 cups (180g) finely shredded zucchini
- After ten minute rest pat with paper towels or a lint-free kitchen towel to remove excess moisture. Transfer shredded zucchini to a bowl and set aside. If you choose to do an overnight fermentation, you can save this step for the morning you wish to bake your loaf.
Mix Batter:
- In the bowl you poured your brown butter, add the sour cream and whisk to gently cool off the butter before adding the rest of your wet ingredients. Add brown sugar, white sugar, honey, vanilla, sourdough starter, and eggs to the bowl.1/4 cup (60g) sour cream, 1/3 cup (75g) brown sugar, packed, 1 Tablespoon (20g) honey, 1/3 cup (60g) granulated white sugar, 1/3 cup (80g) sourdough starter, 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 large eggs
- Beat wet ingredients with a whisk or a hand mixer until everything is well combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom. Whisk to combine dry ingredients.1 1/3 cup (200g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger, 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
- Add dry ingredients to wet, and gently mix to combine. You don't want any streaks of flour, but be careful not to overmix at the same time. At this point, you can decide to do an overnight ferment option or skip the next step and bake same-day.
Overnight Ferment Option:
- Cover batter with plastic and refrigerate overnight. Remove bowl from refrigerator and allow to rest 30 minutes at room temperature. While batter is warming, prepare your zucchini as listed above.
- Fold shredded zucchini and any other mix-in's you would like into your batter.1/2 cup (60g) chopped walnuts or pecans, 1/2 cup (90g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Bake Zucchini Bread:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Pour batter into pan, smooth the top, and make a line with your spatula down the center to guide the expansion. Bake 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Batter should only fill pan 2/3 of the way full- more than this could lead to spillage. I like to place a cookie sheet on the rack beneath my bread to avoid any messy ovens. Loaf internal temperature should be 200-205 F when done. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Allow to cool 30 minutes before slicing.
- Enjoy! Yields 1 loaf
Notes
How to Store:
Room Temperature
• Store the fully cooled loaf tightly wrapped or in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days.
• For best texture, wrap in parchment or wax paper first, then place in a resealable bag or container to prevent sogginess.
Refrigerator
• If your kitchen is humid or you want to extend shelf life, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
• Let slices come to room temp or warm slightly before serving for the best flavor and texture.
Freezer
• Slice the fully cooled loaf and wrap individual pieces in parchment paper or plastic wrap.
• Place wrapped slices in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
• To reheat, thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in a toaster oven or microwave.
FAQ'S:
Can I skip the overnight ferment?
Absolutely — just bake right after mixing in the zucchini for a delicious quick version.
Can I use discard straight from the fridge?
Yes! Flat, unfed starter is perfect for this recipe.
Do I have to sweat the zucchini?
It’s highly recommended. If you skip it, the loaf may be overly wet or sink in the center.