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These zucchini bars with brown butter frosting are one of my favorite ways to use up all the zucchini from my garden. The bars are soft, warmly spiced, and incredibly moist, while the nutty brown butter frosting makes every bite taste extra special.
What’s So Special About These Zucchini Bars?
- Perfectly Moist: Freshly shredded zucchini keeps the bars soft and tender without making them taste like vegetables.
- Irresistible Frosting: Browning the butter gives the frosting a rich, nutty flavor that takes these bars over the top.
- Uses Plenty of Zucchini: This recipe uses two cups, so you can use up all of your garden zucchini!
- Feeds a Crowd: One pan makes 24 bars, so they are great for potlucks, parties, or sharing with neighbors.
A Reader’s Review
This was the year I entered in the State Fair. (Bucket list). I used this recipe for dessert bars on the county level snd received a blue ribbon. Made it again for the State Fair, zucchini bars and received an Honorable Mention. I’ve had people text me for the recipe. Thank you for this recipe I did make as the recipe says, no changes.
– Jeff
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Zucchini:
- Shred size: Finely shred it to help it disappear into the bars, or use a larger shred for more visible zucchini.
- Peeling: Optional.
- Do Not Squeeze It! The liquid keeps the bars soft and tender.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter for better control of salt.
- Milk: Start with less milk and add more as needed until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
- Make Them Your Own! Leave out the pecans or replace them with chopped walnuts or chocolate chips.
How to Make Zucchini Bars
These zucchini bars come together quickly with simple pantry ingredients and freshly shredded zucchini. When the garden is overflowing, use the rest to make my favorite zucchini bread, double chocolate zucchini brownies, or crispy Parmesan fried zucchini.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a jelly roll pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth.
- Combine: Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix just until combined. *Do not overmix, or the bars may become dense. Fold in the shredded zucchini and chopped pecans.
- Add to Pan: Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bars cool completely before adding the frosting so it does not melt.
Brown Butter Frosting
- Brown Butter: Add the butter to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 5-8 minutes. The butter is ready when it turns golden brown, develops toasted brown specks, and smells nutty. Remove it from the heat immediately and let it cool slightly.
- Make Frosting: Use a hand mixer to combine the browned butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Begin with 8 tablespoons of milk, then gradually add more as needed until the frosting is smooth and spreadable. Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled bars. Slice the Zucchini Bars and serve.
Alyssa’s “How To Brown Butter Like a Pro” Tips
- Use a light-colored pan: It makes it easier to see the toasted brown specks forming on the bottom.
- Butter: Cut into pieces for even melting and browning.
- Stir frequently: This helps the butter cook evenly and prevents the milk solids from burning.
- Watch and smell: The butter is ready when it turns golden brown, develops toasted specks, and smells rich and nutty.
- Remove it from the heat promptly: As soon as the butter is browned, take the pan off the heat so it does not continue cooking.
* Be sure to use all the toasted brown bits in the frosting. That is where much of the nutty flavor comes from!
Must Have Tools For This Recipe
- Jelly Roll Pan: A 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan. A standard half-sheet pan will also work, but the bars will be much thinner.
- Hand Mixer: Either works well for mixing the brown butter frosting until smooth and creamy.
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Zucchini Bars with Brown Butter Frosting
Soft and moist cinnamon zucchini bars topped with rich, nutty brown butter frosting.
Equipment
- 1 15 x 10 x 1 baking sheet jelly roll pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups shredded zucchini about 2 medium zucchini
- 1 ½ cups chopped pecans optional
Brown Butter Frosting
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8-10 tablespoons milk more or less as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 15x10x1 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Add 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, and 3 large eggs to a large mixing bowl and whisk together until smooth. Add the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.
- Stir in 2 cups shredded zucchini and 1 ½ cups chopped pecans. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the bars cool completely.
Brown Butter Frosting
- Heat a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add 6 tablespoons unsalted butter to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the butter to cool slightly.
- Use a hand mixer to combine the browned butter with 6 cups powdered sugarand 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add 8-10 tablespoons milk until smooth and spreadable. Spread evenly over the cooled bars and serve.
Video
Notes
Leftover Instructions
- Room Temperature: Zucchini bars with butter frosting will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- In the Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- In the Freezer: Chill the cooled bars for 2 hours, then freeze them in an airtight container with parchment between layers for up to 3 months. Thaw in a single layer at room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 370kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 3gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 79mgPotassium: 85mgFiber: 1gSugar: 43gVitamin A: 154IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Zucchini Recipes To Try
I made these today and they are awesome! Definitely one of our new favorites!
Made these tonight. Holy smokes they are AMAZING!!! Followed the recipe exactly but baked in a 9×13. Browning the butter makes the icing fantasticly awesome.
I just made these. I won’t get to try them until later, but the frosting tasted amazing! I can’t wait to try them. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes!
Making these now, but wonder how I could reduce the oil? Can I substitute apple sauce? Might give a nice sweetness. Thoughts?
This recipe was amazing! I forgot I didn’t have a shredder for the zucchini so I put mine in a blender. Next time I am going to put raisins in as well. I loved loved loved the frosting! I wasn’t sure if these needed to be refrigerated or not but I put them in the fridge just in case and they were really good cold!
I am going to try this recipe. I will take them to my reunion.sounds really delish!!!!!!
Could I make these in a 9×13?
You probably could just increase the cooking time. 🙂
I LOVE zucchini right now, and that frosting sounds like absolute heaven! Browned butter should really be a candle scent. It’s too good!
Made this recipe for a family reunion today and it was AWESOME! So moist. Saving this recipe.
OK… I just made these and am stuck on the brown butter frosting. I wondered how the frosting turns out to be so white like in the picture – with brown butter in it. Well, mine didn’t and I don’t taste a nutty flavor like another reviewer did, I just taste powdered sugar. The recipe didn’t say if you are supposed to keep the pan on the heat after adding the sugar and mik/vanilla. I didn’t and I got a thick blob. I put it on the heat and it softened up, but again, I don’t get what is so good about it. I’m not giving up – I will let it cool and frost the bars. Hopefully together they will be good.
PS .. did a taste test – and they are good. A little after taste with the frosting, but not too bad. A for Bars. B- for frosting. Would probably prefer a cream cheese frosting.
What is the shelf-life? Will they keep, or best eaten right away? Thanks.
I made these last night and they are seriously the best things I have ever eaten in my life. The bars are incredible and the browned butter makes the frosting. Thank you for the recipe!!
i’ve never made zucchini bars before.. interesting recipe, definitely one i need to try! love the brown butter frosting.. yum!
Browned butter is the ticket! These bars looks amazing! I love baking with zucchini and these look amazing!
I so just pinned this to make!!! Sounds delish.
I seriously just finished making a zucchini recipe with brown butter frosting!! Then, I see these. Ha – great minds think alike 🙂