Braided Zucchini Swirl Bread
This Braided Zucchini Swirl Bread is made with fresh grated zucchini, warm spices, and a creamy filling of cream cheese and fresh basil. It’s a savory yeast zucchini bread that is soft and tender with cream cheese and basil swirl that gives every slice a delicious herby flavor.
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Serve this for a weekend breakfast, brunch, or a cozy afternoon snack. It also perfect to bring to a family gathering or dinner to serve alongside the meal.
And for more breakfast recipes, the recipes below are worth trying:
- Hash Browns Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
- Cheesy Broccoli Breakfast Casserole
- Freezer-Friendly Bacon and Sausage Breakfast Sandwiches
- Ham and Cheese Breakfast Sliders
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- ½ cup grated zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini; squeeze out excess moisture)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
- 2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup warm milk (about 110°F or 43°C)
For the Cream Cheese and Basil Filling: - 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil (finely chopped)
For the Topping (optional): - pumpkin seeds for sprinkling
How to Make Braided Zucchini Swirl Bread
Step 1: Grate the zucchini and squeeze out excess moisture using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, combine the olive oil or butter, granulated sugar, salt, and egg. Mix until smooth.
Step 3: Add warm milk and sprinkle the yeast over the mixture. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes frothy.
Step 4: Stir in the grated zucchini.
Step 5: Gradually add 2 1/2 cups of flour along with the cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix until a soft dough forms, adding more flour as necessary.
Step 6: On a floured surface, knead the dough for about 5-7 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
Step 7: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Step 8: In a medium bowl, mix the softened cream cheese and chopped basil until well combined.
Step 9: Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into two equal pieces.
Step 10: Roll each piece into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
Spread half of the cream cheese and basil filling evenly over each rectangle.
Roll each rectangle tightly from the long side to form a log. Pinch the ends to seal.
Step 11: Cut each log lengthwise down the middle to expose the filling.
Step 12: Twist the two strands around each other to form a braid.
Step 13: Pinch the ends together to seal and tuck them underneath.
Grease a standard loaf pan. Place the braided loaf into the prepared loaf pan. Cover it with a cloth and let it rise for another 30-40 minutes.
Step 14: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). –
Brush the tops of the loaves with the beaten egg and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds if desired.
Bake in the loaf pan for about 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom.
Step 15: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Important Recipe Notes
- Squeeze the zucchini well. Zucchini holds a lot of water, so be sure to squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Too much liquid can make the dough sticky and difficult to shape.
- Don’t add all the flour at once. Start with 2½ cups and add more a little at a time only if the dough feels too sticky. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky but still easy to handle.
- Use warm, not hot, milk. Aim for about 110°F (43°C). Milk that is too hot can damage the yeast and keep the dough from rising properly.
- Give the dough enough time to rise. The first rise should be about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size. The second rise helps give the bread a lighter, softer texture.
- Soften the cream cheese first. Room-temperature cream cheese mixes much more easily with the fresh basil and spreads evenly over the dough.
- Don’t overfill the dough. Spread the cream cheese and basil mixture in an even layer, leaving a small border around the edges so the filling doesn’t squeeze out too much while rolling and twisting.
- Seal the ends well. Pinch the ends of each rolled log firmly before twisting to help keep the cream cheese filling inside the bread.
- Watch the bread near the end of baking. If the top starts browning too quickly, loosely cover it with foil for the remaining baking time.
- Let it cool before slicing. Give the bread plenty of time to cool on a wire rack. This helps the cream cheese filling set and makes the slices much easier to cut.
- Pumpkin seeds are optional. They add a nice little crunch and make the loaf look extra pretty, but the bread is just as delicious without them.
Braided Zucchini Swirl Bread
Ingredients
For the Dough
- ½ cup grated zucchini about 1 medium zucchini; squeeze out excess moisture
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 packet 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup warm milk about 110°F or 43°C
For the Cream Cheese and Basil Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup fresh basil finely chopped
For the Topping
- Optional: pumpkin seeds for sprinkling
Instructions
- Grate the zucchini and squeeze out excess moisture using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the olive oil or butter, granulated sugar, salt, and egg. Mix until smooth.
- Add warm milk and sprinkle the yeast over the mixture. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes frothy.
- Stir in the grated zucchini.
- Gradually add 2 1/2 cups of flour along with the cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix until a soft dough forms, adding more flour as necessary.
- On a floured surface, knead the dough for about 5-7 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- In a medium bowl, mix the softened cream cheese and chopped basil until well combined.
- Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into two equal pieces.
- Roll each piece into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.Spread half of the cream cheese and basil filling evenly over each rectangle. Roll each rectangle tightly from the long side to form a log. Pinch the ends to seal.
- Cut each log lengthwise down the middle to expose the filling.
- Twist the two strands around each other to form a braid.
- Pinch the ends together to seal and tuck them underneath.Grease a standard loaf pan. Place the braided loaf into the prepared loaf pan. Cover it with a cloth and let it rise for another 30-40 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush the tops of the loaves with the beaten egg and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds if desired. Bake in the loaf pan for about 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
