Freshly shredded zucchini is the not so secret key to making these chocolate zucchini bars incredibly sumptuous in texture, while still astonishingly easy to prepare. And once those sneaky little squash ribbons have been baked until tender and thoroughly melded into the rich chocolate batter, most folks will never even notice the zucchini is there. Whether you are just trying to make the most of an abundant garden harvest, or maybe looking for creative ways to squeeze a few more vegetables into your menu, this recipe is sure to win new friends and admirers. And it will especially delight all those chocolate lovers in your orbit. Served simply plain, or topped with a luscious layer of cream cheese frosting for a bit more drama, this quick and delectable dessert is a real crowd pleaser any way you slice it.
Although chocolate zucchini bars don't really require any embellishment, they are even more irresistible when crowned with a layer of cream cheese frosting.
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Ingredients for Chocolate Zucchini Bars
- eggs
- vegetable oil
- sugar
- all purpose flour
- baking soda
- kosher salt
- ground cinnamon
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- pure vanilla extract
- zucchini
- cream cheese frosting (optional)
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Heat the oven to 350℉ and lightly grease a standard size jelly roll pan (15"x10"x1") with oil.
Shred the zucchini. (The large holes on a box grater work best for this task.)
In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, vegetable oil, and sugar with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and cocoa.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients all at once, and then mix well by hand until smooth.
Then add the vanilla and the shredded zucchini and stir by hand until the batter looks well combined.
Pour the batter into the greased jelly roll pan.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the edges begin pulling away from the sides of the pan.
Then cool completely in the pan.
If desired, spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting evenly over the top before cutting into bars.
Hint: All that shredded zucchini lends a naturally tender crumb to these cake-like dessert bars, but it is still important not to overbake them. Check frequently for doneness near the end of their cooking time.
Variations
- Add Nuts - Chocolate zucchini bars are even better when they are laced with nuts for a bit of crunch...try mixing in a cup of chopped walnuts or pecans along with the shredded zucchini.
- Play with Spices and Flavorings - Don't adore cinnamon? Simply omit it. Feeling a bit adventurous in the spice arena? Perhaps try adding some cardamom, allspice, cloves, or a pinch of cayenne. Prefer more intensity when it comes to your chocolate? Add a couple teaspoons of instant espresso powder to the mix when combining the wet ingredients.
- Chocolate on Chocolate - If topping the bars with cream cheese frosting, make it a chocolate cream cheese frosting by adding three tablespoons of cocoa along with the powdered sugar.
Equipment
Don't have a jelly roll pan? You can also use a rimmed cookie sheet here, as long as the dimensions are similar. For instance, a rimmed cookie sheet measuring about 17"x12" works just fine for this recipe...the bars will turn out slightly shorter in height, but they will still be sensational.
Storage
Chocolate zucchini bars will keep well for at least a few days when covered with plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container. If topped with cream cheese frosting, they should be placed in the refrigerator.
Related
Looking for more easy desserts? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Zucchini Bars
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1½ cups vegetable oil plus a little more for greasing the pan
- 1½ cups sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups zucchini shredded
- 1 batch cream cheese frosting (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350℉ and lightly grease a standard size jelly roll pan (15"x10"x1") with oil.
- In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, vegetable oil, and sugar with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and cocoa.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients all at once, and then mix well by hand until smooth.
- Add the vanilla and the shredded zucchini, and then stir by hand until the batter looks well combined.
- Pour the batter into the greased jelly roll pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the edges begin pulling away from the sides of the pan.
- Cool completely in the pan. If desired, spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting evenly over the top before cutting into bars.
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