These zucchini bars make a fabulously healthy dessert or breakfast that comes together in no time! It’s naturally sweetened and contains no eggs!
Thanks to their mild flavor and the moisture they add to baked goods, zucchini is the perfect addition to healthy baking recipes. We have already made delicious and healthy zucchini bread, pancakes, and cookies. It’s now time to make some tasty and healthy zucchini bars.
Made with shredded zucchini and chocolate chips, these bars can be a good addition to your diet while tasting quite sinful!
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The best zucchini bars recipe
These bars were one of the sneaky ways my mom would get us kids to eat our veggies! Provided there was some visible chocolate chip action happening on top, we’d scoff them down!
- They have a perfect texture. The texture of these bars is pleasantly gooey and soft even after they have cooled.
- Easy and quick. Unlike some unbaked bar recipes, you don’t have to wait for hours to be able to enjoy these healthy treats. It takes less than an hour to bake these bars and enjoy them right away if you are impatient.
- Diet friendly. Made without eggs or dairy, this zucchini bar recipe is suitable for vegans, but also can be made gluten free.
- Rolled oats. Quick oats will work for this recipe too. But they will yield a softer texture. You will need to add an extra tablespoon of oats or oat flour to improve the consistency of the batter.
- Banana. Use a ripe banana to be able to mash it easily and provide sweetness for the bars.
Substitution idea
Bananas can be quite overpowering in a recipe so if you’d like an alternative, try unsweetened applesauce or pumpkin puree. You may need to add some maple syrup or sugar or compensate for the lack of sweetness.
- Peanut butter. Sugar-free homemade or storebought peanut butter.
Substitution idea
Not a fan of peanut butter or have an allergy? Swap it out for almond butter, sunflower seed butter or tahini.
- Zucchini. Shredded.
- Chocolate chips.
How to make zucchini bars
This is honestly one of the most hands-off recipes you’ll ever make. All you do is mix it up then the oven takes care of all the hard work!
Step 1 – Combine all ingredients
In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients, except the zucchini and chocolate chips, and mix until combined. Fold through the shredded zucchini and chocolate chips.
Step 2 – Bake the bars
Transfer the zucchini batter into the lined baking pan. Spread it out evenly and sprinkle more chocolate chips on top.
Bake the bars for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. If you like your bars to be extra gooey, remove them from the oven earlier.
- Remove the moisture from the zucchini. Once you have shredded the zucchini, use a cheesecloth or your hands to squeeze out the excess moisture. Skipping this step will result in overly moist and undercooked bars.
- Use quinoa or buckwheat flakes. If you are allergic to oats, swap them for quinoa or buckwheat flakes. Both will work though the texture and flavor of the bars will be slightly different.
- Cut the bars once they have completely cooled. This prevents the bars from falling apart and helps you achieve clean cuts.
- Use a bench scraper to cut the bars. This tool works better than a knife for cutting baked and unbaked bars.
Flavor variations
- Add cinnamon to these bars to make them more aromatic. This spice pairs exceptionally well with chocolate and elevates the flavor of baked goods
- If you don’t have a banana to make vegan zucchini bars, use mashed pumpkin or unsweetened applesauce instead. As these ingredients are less sweet, add a sweetener, such as liquid stevia or syrup.
- Sunflower seed butter is the perfect substitute for peanut butter for the bars for those with nut allergies.
- You can add a dash of vanilla extract to both recipes to enhance the flavor of the bars.
To store. Place these healthy bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To freeze. These bars are freezer-friendly. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Wrap the bars in parchment paper or food wrap to prevent them from sticking to each other. Thaw the bars in the fridge before eating them. You can also microwave them for 30 seconds to make the chocolate chips melty again.
More healthy dessert ideas
Bars, Blondies, and Slices
Blueberry Bars
Cookies
Strawberry Cookies
No Bake Desserts
Cookie Dough Bars
Cakes, Muffins, and Quick Breads
Flourless Chocolate Cake
To shred zucchini, first, wash it and dry it. Trim the ends. Hold a box grater over a bowl or a plate and shred the zucchini as much as possible. Use the side of the box grater with the largest holes.
You don’t have to peel zucchini. The zucchini skin is edible and even healthy. It also adds more color, flavor, and texture to the dish.
When made with gluten free oats, these bars are suitable for celiacs.
Zucchini Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free rolled oats
- 1/2 cup peanut butter can sub for any nut or seed butter
- 1 1/4 cups banana mashed
- 1/4 cup zucchini shredded and moisture squeezed out
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add all your ingredients, except for your zucchini and chocolate chips, and mix well. Fold in your chocolate chips and shredded zucchini.
- Transfer the zucchini bar batter into the lined pan and spread out using a rubber spatula. Top with extra chocolate chips and bake for 18-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the zucchini bars to cool in the pan completely, before slicing up into 8 bars.
Notes
Nutrition
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LOVE these are gluten free! and uses the extra zucchini from the garden.
This looks tasty. I should try this out on the family.
Ignore
my question.. just read you can sub
Have you tried subbing sun butter for peanut butter allergy peeps? I don’t want to buy almond butter if I can use the sun butter.
My husband and son loved these, and they don’t even like zucchini. They looked and tasted like an amazing treat, and I loved knowing they were eating something healthy. They did not last long. I will have to make a 2nd batch soon!
😀 That is what I like to hear! 🙂
I have struggled to find keto desserts that don’t taste like keto desserts. Just made the keto version of these and the search has ended. They are amazing!! Sooo delicious!
Aw thank you!
YES something healthy, delicious, and sweet that includes almond flour! Zucchini is a freaking bomb ingredient and I miss baking with it. These bars are a wonderful way to start!
How about sugar free recipes for diabetics? Have several friends who are diabetics so when I have to take stuff to meetings I can take something they can eat.
You would be best to run it by a medical professional.
This is not keto friendly.
Did you check out the recipes and content? There is a clear and evident keto option. Enjoy