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Did you know you could make pie with zucchini and it tastes like apple? It’s true! Zucchini Pie Bars have a shortbread crust and crumble topping and they’re filled with a cooked cinnamon sugar zucchini. This is a great secret way to use up zucchini!
It’s mind blowing, but zucchini tastes like apples if cooked with 3 simple ingredients. When I discovered that fact I ran to make this recipe! I must mention that this is one of my favorite recipes from this blog and I mean it 200%. For any dessert that contains cooked zucchini, count me in on it because not only is it delicious, but it helps clear out my veggie drawer from all the zucchini. #WinWin
All you have to do to make zucchini pie is to make a shortbread crust and crumble (one bowl, two layers!) and then cook up diced zucchini with cinnamon, sugar, and butter. Once they bake together the pie is crunchy, rich, sweet, crumbly and SO good.
Ingredients in Sweet Zucchini Pie
- For the shortbread crust and crumble you need are all-purpose flour, butter, and sugar. You’ll add quick oats to the top crumble as well.
- The zucchini needs to be fresh (not frozen or it will be soggy). You should peel the zucchini so the filling is soft, like you do for apple pie.
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Dorothy’s Expert Pie Tips
- The shortbread crust mixture will be crumbly. Simply compact it together with your hands in the pan.
- Use a parchment paper sling or foil for easy removal.
- Serve with caramel sauce and/or ice cream or whipped cream.
- If you are using a hand mixer, use your hands to break up any large chunks of butter. A stand mixer makes the crumble come together easily.
- You know crumble bars are done baking when they’re golden on top and the center is bubbly.
Zucchini Pie Bars Recipe
Video
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups (186g) all purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Filling:
- 2 cups peeled and diced zucchini
- 1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon (12g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Topping:
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (124g) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup (40g) quick cook oats
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Line a 9×9” pan with foil and spray with cooking spray (for easy removal and cutting of bars). Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Prepare the crust by slowly mixing all the ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl using hand mixer. The mixture will be crumbly and if you are using a hand mixer you may need to use your hands to break up any large chunks of butter. Press the crust in the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.
- Make the filling: Heat a frying pan over low heat. Melt the butter, then add the zucchini, sugar, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes until the zucchini just looks like it’s getting translucent around the edges. Drain and let sit until the crust is done.
- Make the topping while the zucchini is cooking: you can use the same bowl you used for the crust. Use a stand or a hand mixer to cream the butter and sugar. Add the flour, oats, and salt and mix slowly. The mixture will be somewhat crumbly.
- Right before the crust comes out of the oven, drain the zucchini again. Remove the hot crust from the oven. Sprinkle the zucchini carefully on top (make sure they are well drained first – do not add any of the extra liquid!), then sprinkle with the topping. Bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, until the top starts to get golden brown.
- Cool completely in pan before slicing into bars and serving. Serve with caramel sauce and/or ice cream or whipped cream.
- Store bars in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to one month.
Notes
- Use the same bowl for the crust and crumble to save time and dishes!
- A stand mixer gets the crumble together easiest, but you can use a hand mixer (you may have to get your hands involved).
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 4 months.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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How to make zucchini pie
- Prepare the crust by slowly mixing all the ingredients in a large bowl. The mixture should be crumbly.
- Press the crust in the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 350° oven.
- Heat a frying pan over low heat to make the filling. Meltbutter, then add the zucchini, sugar, and cinnamon. Cookthe ingredients together and stir until the zucchini looks like it’s getting a bit translucent around the edges.
- Drain the zucchini and let sit until the crust is done baking
- Cream the butter and sugar to make the topping while the zucchini is cooking then add flour, oats, and salt and mix slowly to get a crumbly mixture.
- Drain the zucchini again right before the crust comes out of the oven.
- Sprinkle the drained zucchini carefully on top, making sure there’s no liquid at all. Then sprinkle with the topping.
- Bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, until the top starts to get golden brown.
- Cool completely in the pan before slicing into bars and serving.
FAQs
Yes, freeze slices for up to one month.
Store bars in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
These bars look so nice! Interesting filling!
I can’t wait to put this with the crust…..I’ve been doing it as a crisp! And we call it Fwapple Crisp…..you know…..faux-apple! Ha!
Love that name!!
So intrigued and excited to try these bars out!! First of all, anything with a crumb topping or the word pie in it is already a winner in my book! And if I can get my boys to eat vegetables in their dessert too and love it….nothing beats that!
Right? Veggies for dessert and they’ll never know!
I’m intrigued! I used the zucchini you gave me in a healthy-type bread, and it was delicious; this is definitely worth trying. I didn’t know that they could taste like apples! As for Justice, I’m glad that we have now outgrown that store (finally!). Their clearance wasn’t cheap; it just made it affordable.
YES! I can testify that you would not know this had zucchini in it if you hadn’t been told. They were great cold and absolutely wonderful warmed in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. My only problem is that I ran out of them way too fast!!! 🙂
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