Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bars

Let’s talk about Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bars. These soft, chewy treats are the ultimate answer to the “what do I do with all this zucchini?” question that summer throws at us. You know that moment when your garden decides to go wild, and suddenly you’ve got enough zucchini to start your own farmers market? Yeah, been there. A few years back, I was drowning in those green squashy logs. I had grilled it, spiralized it, sautéed it—everything short of turning it into a dessert.

Then came these Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cookie Bars.

This recipe was born out of pure desperation, with a “well, let’s just see what happens” attitude. I wanted something sweet, something comforting, and something that might actually make my kids eat vegetables without a side-eye. What came out of the oven was nothing short of a miracle: soft, chewy cookie bars that tasted like the best parts of a chocolate chip cookie—but with a little secret tucked inside.

You can’t even taste the zucchini, I swear. And that’s the magic. They’re like brownies met cookies and decided to sneak a veggie in for fun. Ever since that first batch, these bars have become a go-to in our house. Whether it’s breakfast-on-the-run, lunchbox snack, or dessert after dinner, they hit the spot every single time.

So if your counter is overflowing with summer squash or you’re just looking for a healthier spin on dessert, keep reading. This one’s a keeper.

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Why You’ll Love These Bars

Here’s the thing: these bars are the kitchen equivalent of a reliable best friend. Low-maintenance, sweet, and always showing up when you need them most. Let me break it down:

• Super simple to make. You won’t need any fancy tools or techniques. Just one bowl and a little stirring action.
• Seriously delicious. Think soft-baked chocolate chip cookies, but in bar form—with just the right touch of cinnamon and gooey chocolate chips.
• Sneaky-healthy. Zucchini adds moisture without tasting like vegetables. Perfect for picky eaters and veggie-dodgers.
• Uses up garden overload. Got extra zucchini? Boom. Problem solved.
• Portable and versatile. Perfect for road trips, potlucks, lunchboxes, or just hoarding at home for yourself.

Whether you’re a baking newbie or a cookie bar connoisseur, these Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cookie Bars will quickly become part of your regular rotation.

Quick & Easy: Here’s How It Works

We’re not messing with anything complicated here. This recipe uses basic pantry staples and comes together faster than your coffee brews. All you need is:

• A couple of mixing bowls
• A 9×13-inch pan
• An oven set to 350°F
• A spoon (or even better, a spatula that scrapes the bowl clean—don’t waste that batter!)

You’ll mix your wet stuff, toss in your dry ingredients, add in your shredded zucchini (squeeze it dry first—more on that later), stir in the chocolate chips, bake, cool, cut, and boom: moist zucchini dessert magic.

This is the kind of zucchini cookie bar recipe you’ll reach for again and again. Especially when you need a quick one-pan dessert, or you forgot it was your turn to bring treats to the office potluck.

What Do These Taste Like?

If you’re still skeptical about putting zucchini into a dessert, let me reassure you: this isn’t some weird green-tinged veggie bar. These bars taste like a classic chocolate chip cookie with a slightly cakier texture. The zucchini is basically a moisture machine. It melts into the batter, making everything soft, chewy, and never dry.

There’s a little hint of cinnamon in there too, which gives it that cozy flavor vibe we all secretly crave year-round.

If you’ve ever tried chewy chocolate zucchini cookies or soft cookie bars with zucchini and thought, “huh, not bad,”—trust me, this version is better. It’s soft but not soggy, sturdy enough to hold, and tender enough to melt in your mouth.

For even more soft cookie inspo, explore soft cookie options with our Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies.

What You’ll Need

Let’s take a look at what goes into these bars. Everything is super straightforward:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted (or coconut oil for a dairy-free twist)
• ¾ cup brown sugar (packed)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg (or ¼ cup applesauce for an eggless option)
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1½ cups finely shredded zucchini, squeezed dry
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Optional Add-ins:

• A handful of chopped walnuts or pecans if you’re feeling nutty.
• A sprinkle of flaky salt on top before baking if you love sweet-salty combos.

For a slightly healthier variation, you can try making zucchini bars without butter—just swap in ½ cup coconut oil or mashed banana. That’s a great trick for those watching dairy or fat intake.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s how you make the magic happen:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
2. Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the melted butter with the brown and granulated sugars. Stir until smooth.
4. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix until well combined.
5. Fold in the shredded, squeezed zucchini. It might look a little lumpy—that’s totally fine.
6. Add your dry ingredients to the wet, stirring until just combined. Don’t overmix!
7. Stir in the chocolate chips and any optional add-ins.
8. Spread the batter evenly into your prepared pan.
9. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
10. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into bars.

Pro tip: If you want clean, bakery-style cuts, chill the bars in the fridge before slicing.

A Few Helpful Baking Notes

• Squeeze that zucchini. You really want to get the moisture out. Wrap the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and wring it out like it owes you money.
• If you’re baking with frozen zucchini, let it thaw completely, then squeeze out every drop of liquid before using.
• Don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing = tough bars. Just fold it together until combined.
• Bake until the edges are golden and the middle is just set. They’ll continue to cook a little as they cool.

Want more zucchini baking ideas? Love baking with zucchini? You might also enjoy this Easy Carrot Cake packed with flavor.

Tips for Success

• Use parchment paper. It’ll make cleanup a breeze and helps you lift the bars right out of the pan.
• Let them cool completely before cutting. I know, it’s hard to wait. But it’s worth it.
• Make it dairy-free by swapping butter for coconut oil or a neutral oil.
• Want it eggless? Applesauce or a flax egg works beautifully.
• These make fantastic lunchbox zucchini bars. They hold their shape well and don’t crumble like traditional cookies.

And just a heads-up—this is one of those recipes where people ask, “What’s in these?” and then look shocked when you say zucchini. That’s the power of a good hidden veggie treat.

FAQs

Nutrition Info (per bar, based on 16 bars)

• Calories: 180
• Sugar: 15g
• Fat: 9g
• Carbs: 23g
• Protein: 2g

Note: This can vary depending on your swaps and how big you cut your bars.

Want more chocolate chip cookie alternatives? Try classic treats like the Chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar

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Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cookie Bars

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• Author: Jake
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 16 bars

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Description

Soft, chewy cookie bars loaded with gooey chocolate chips and a hidden veggie twist—perfect for using up garden zucchini and sneaking in a little health with your dessert.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (or coconut oil)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg (or 1/4 cup applesauce)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups finely shredded zucchini, squeezed dry
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Optional: chopped walnuts or pecans
• Optional: sprinkle of flaky salt on top before baking

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 9×13-inch baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
3. In a large bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Stir until smooth.
4. Add egg and vanilla extract; mix well.
5. Fold in shredded, squeezed-dry zucchini.
6. Stir in dry ingredients until just combined—don’t overmix.
7. Mix in chocolate chips and any optional add-ins.
8. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
9. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
10. Cool completely before cutting into bars. For clean cuts, chill in the fridge first.

Notes

Be sure to wring out zucchini well to avoid soggy batter. Great for lunchboxes or potlucks. Eggless and dairy-free options available. Stores well at room temp, fridge, or freezer.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bar
• Calories: 180
• Sugar: 15g
• Sodium: 100mg
• Fat: 9g
• Saturated Fat: 5g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 23g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 2g
• Cholesterol: 20mg

Final Thoughts

These Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cookie Bars are a little bit breakfast, a little bit dessert, and a whole lot of genius. They’re soft, chewy, not-too-sweet, and the zucchini makes them feel like a small healthy win in the middle of your day.

So whether you’ve got too much zucchini on your hands or just want something new for snack time, give these a shot. Your future self (and your family) will thank you.

Tried it? Loved it? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to snap a pic for the ‘gram. Tag us @virilerecipes so we can see your hidden veggie masterpieces!

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