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    Home » Zucchini Bars

    Zucchini Bars

    Published: Jul 18, 2022 · Modified: Feb 14, 2023 by Laura · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    These zucchini bars are most, perfectly spiced and loaded with fresh zucchini. Topped with the best cream cheese frosting, they're a delicious dessert perfect for using up fresh garden zucchini!

    7 Zucchini Bars with cream cheese frosting cut into square

    These zucchini bars with cream cheese frosting are easy to make with a handful of simple ingredients.

    They're a cross between a zucchini cake and a blonde brownie (zucchini brownies) in the best possible way. They're dense and moist, richly spiced and perfectly sweet!

    A delicious recipe to use up garden zucchini in the summer!

    up close photo of a zucchini bar with cream cheese frosting

    Zucchini Bars: Ingredients & Substitutions

    overhead photo of the ingredients in this Zucchini Bars recipe
    • Salted butter.  Unsalted butter, coconut oil and ghee are good substitutions for salted butter.
    • Sour cream. full-fat sour cream is the best for the richest taste and texture. You can use light sour cream or Greek yogurt.
    • Granulated sugar. white granulated sugar or organic cane sugar are the best choices.
    • All-purpose flour. You can substitute up to half of the all purpose flour with white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour. 
    • Zucchini. this recipe uses one medium/small zucchini, which comes out to be about 1 cup after being shredded. If you shred and freeze zucchini in the summer to use all year long, let the zucchini thaw in a strainer in the sink until it's room temperature. Squeeze out a little bit of the excess water and use in the recipe.
    a Zucchini Bar on a plate with a bite taken out of it

    How to make zucchini bars

    This recipe is very easy to make, we'll walk through how to make zucchini bars step-by-step, and don't forget to watch the video.

    Begin by combining flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl, set aside.

    two photos showing How to Make Zucchini Bars - combining dry ingredients

    Then, melt the butter gently, stirring until it's smooth. Be careful not to over-head the butter.

    Then, whisk in the sour cream, egg, vanilla and sugar until mixture is smooth.

    two photos showing How to Make Zucchini Bars - combining wet ingredients

    Next, add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until smooth.

    two photos showing How to Make Zucchini Bars - combining wet and dry ingredients

    Then, gently fold in the shredded zucchini until itis evenly distributed throughout the batter.

    two photos showing How to Make Zucchini Bars - adding the zucchini to the batter

    Next, spread the batter evenly in a prepared baking dish and bake in the until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bars comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

    Let the bars cool completely in the pan.

    two photos showing How to Make Zucchini Bars - in the baking dish before and after baking

    While the bars are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting https://joyfoodsunshine.com/cream-cheese-frosting/.

    This frosting recipe makes enough for two batches of zucchini bars, you can cut it in half or just use half and freeze the other half for another recipe.

    cream cheese frosting in a mixing bowl for these zucchini bars

    Spread the frosting over the top of the cooled bars, then chill the zucchini bars until you are ready to serve.

    two photos showing cream cheese frosting being spread over the top of cooled zucchini bars

    Serve

    Cut the zucchini bars into squares and serve. The bars can be served slightly chilled or room temperature.

    9 Zucchini Bars with cream cheese frosting cut into squares

    Store

    Store leftover zucchini bars in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    Freeze

    You can either freeze individual squares or you can freeze the entire pan of bars:

    Entire recipe. Make the recipe, then chill it until it's completely cooled, then cover the top tightly with plastic wrap and foil (or bake in a pan with a lid) and freeze for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

    Individual bars. To freeze individual bars, put them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer until they are hardened (about 1 hour). Individually wrap each bar in plastic wrap and put them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

    a Zucchini Bar on a plate with a fork and a bite taken out of it

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I double this recipe?

    Yes, double the recipe and bake in a 9x13" baking dish.

    Do I have to peel zucchini before baking with it? 

    No! You don't have to peel the zucchini. In fact, most of the nutrition is in the skin so I prefer to keep it on.

    Can I use frozen zucchini?

    If you shred and freeze zucchini in the summer to use all year long, let the zucchini thaw in a strainer in the sink until it's room temperature. Squeeze out a little bit of the excess water and use in the recipe.

    6 Zucchini Bars with cream cheese frosting cut into squares

    If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don't forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube - be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

    Zucchini Bars Recipe

    Laura
    These zucchini bars are most, perfectly spiced and loaded with fresh zucchini. Topped with the best cream cheese frosting, they're a delicious dessert perfect for using up fresh garden zucchini!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Cooling 1 hr
    Total Time 1 hr 35 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 16 Servings
    Calories 110 kcal

    Equipment

    • glass batter bowl
    • box grater
    • measuring spoons
    • measuring cups
    • spatula
    • 8x8" baking pan

    Ingredients
     
     

    • ¼ cup salted butter melted
    • ½ cup sour cream room temperature
    • 1 egg beaten
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • ¾ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • ½ tsp baking soda
    • ½ tsp fine sea salt
    • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1 cup zucchini shredded (1 small zucchini)
    • Cream cheese frosting
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
    • Grease an 8x8” baking dish, set aside.
    • Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl, set aside.
    • In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter.
    • Whisk in sour cream, egg, vanilla and sugar until mixture is smooth.
    • Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until smooth.
    • Fold in zucchini until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
    • Spread batter evenly in the prepared baking dish.
    • Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 min or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bars comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
    • Let cool completely.
    • Make the cream cheese frosting (follow this recipe: https://joyfoodsunshine.com/cream-cheese-frosting/)
    • Spread it over the top of the cooled bars.
    • Chill until you are ready to cut into squares and serve. The bars can be served slightly chilled or room temperature.

    Video

    Notes

    The cream cheese frosting recipe makes enough for two batches of zucchini bars, you can cut it in half or just use half and freeze the other half for another recipe.
    Nutrition information calculated for the zucchini bars without the frosting.
    Ingredient Substitutions
    • Salted butter.  Unsalted butter, coconut oil and ghee are good substitutions for salted butter.
    • Sour cream. full-fat sour cream is the best for the richest taste and texture. You can use light sour cream or Greek yogurt.
    • Granulated sugar. white granulated sugar or organic cane sugar are the best choices.
    • All-purpose flour. You can substitute up to half of the all purpose flour with white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour. 
    • Zucchini. this recipe uses one medium/small zucchini, which comes out to be about 1 cup after being shredded. If you shred and freeze zucchini in the summer to use all year long, let the zucchini thaw in a strainer in the sink until it's room temperature. Squeeze out a little bit of the excess water and use in the recipe.
    Store
    Store leftover zucchini bars in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
    Freeze
    You can either freeze individual squares or you can freeze the entire pan of bars:
    Entire recipe. Make the recipe, then chill it until it's completely cooled, then cover the top tightly with plastic wrap and foil (or bake in a pan with a lid) and freeze for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
    Individual bars. To freeze individual bars, put them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer until they are hardened (about 1 hour). Individually wrap each bar in plastic wrap and put them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1sliceCalories: 110kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 137mgPotassium: 43mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 164IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Susan G

      August 07, 2022 at 12:56 pm

      5 stars
      These were excellent! I loved that they were baked in an 8x8 inch pan! My husband gave them a 10 out of 10! Thank you! I just found your website and am looking forward to trying more of your recipes!

      Reply
      • Laura

        August 07, 2022 at 4:10 pm

        Thank you so much Susan! I'm so glad you and your husband enjoyed them!

        Reply

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