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Lemon zucchini bars cut into neat squares on a white marble board, each bar topped with thick white cream cheese glaze dripping slightly down the sides, bright yellow lemon zest sprinkled on top, t...
Sarah Mitchell

Lemon Zucchini Bars With Cream Cheese Glaze

These lemon zucchini bars are the sneakiest way to get vegetables into dessert. The shredded zucchini disappears completely into the batter but keeps these bars unbelievably moist — like, you-won't-believe-there's-zucchini-in-here moist.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 215
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Lemon Zucchini Bars
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large items, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups packed shredded zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini), squeezed dry
For the Cream Cheese Glaze
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 -2 tablespoons whole milk (as needed for consistency)

Equipment

  • 9x13 inch baking pan
  • Parchment paper
  • Box grater or food processor with shredding disc
  • Clean kitchen towel for squeezing zucchini
  • Large mixing bowls
  • Whisk and spatula
  • Microplane or zester (for lemon zest)

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper leaving an overhang on two sides, and lightly grease the paper.
  2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl until evenly combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, beaten mixture, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined — a few small lumps are fine. Do not overmix or the bars will be tough.
  5. Fold in the squeezed-dry shredded zucchini until evenly distributed throughout the batter. The batter will be thick but spreadable.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Make sure it reaches all the corners.
  7. Bake for 22-26 minutes until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Don't overbake — these should be moist.
  8. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack — at least 45 minutes. The bars must be fully cool before glazing or the glaze will melt right off.
  9. Make the glaze by beating the softened cream cheese until smooth, then adding the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Add milk one tablespoon at a time until the glaze is thick but pourable — it should drip slowly off a spoon.
  10. Drizzle or spread the cream cheese glaze evenly over the cooled bars. Let the glaze set for 15-20 minutes, then lift the bars out using the parchment overhang and cut into 16 bars.

Notes

The single most important step in this recipe is squeezing the shredded zucchini dry. Don't be gentle — really wring out every drop of water you can. I use a clean kitchen towel, ball up the shredded zucchini inside it, and twist hard over the sink. You'll be amazed how much liquid comes out. If you skip this step, the bars will be wet and undercooked in the middle. Also, resist the urge to overbake — pull them out when a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. The zucchini moisture means they continue to set as they cool.