These Zucchini Bars are full of oats, fresh zucchini, juicy raisins and a perfect hint of cinnamon. The best of zucchini bread in a bar. The easiest to put together--a nice crumbly summer treat!
I grew up on zucchini bread. My grandma's recipe was the VERY best and I made it all summer long with my mom.
So you better believe these buttery, crumbly oatmeal Zucchini Bars are the best of nostalgia and comfort in every bite. And my Zucchini Bread Overnight Oats. And my Zucchini Oatmeal Pancakes--yep, I love it.
These bars are what you get when you cross a bowl of oatmeal with a blondie recipe. Buttery oat and zucchini perfection.
I make these when I want a no nonsense, one bowl recipe that feeds my soul. Well, aside from grandma's recipe of course.
Literally all you have to do is toss all the ingredients together and bake. The most effort you will have to make is grating the zucchini--but the payoff is undoubtedly worth it.
Ingredients to make this recipe:
- Make sure to use rolled oats in these zucchini bars. You don't want quick cooking oats or steel cut.
How to make this recipe:
- Add the brown sugar, oats, flour, sea salt, cinnamon, and baking powder and stir or whisk to combine. (steps 1 and 2)
- Stir in the melted butter, vanilla, zucchini and raisins. Seriously, that's it!! If you want to add any chopped pecans or walnuts at this time, feel free to do so. (steps 3 and 4)
- Transfer the mixture to a parchment lined 8x8 inch baking pan. I spritz my parchment with a touch of spray oil as well. Parchment makes removal so simple and the oil is extra insurance. (step 5)
- Press the mixture firmly into the pan. This will make or break the structure of your bars. If you give it a nice firm press with your fingers or a spatula, they will hold shape nicely. Bake for about 25 minutes.(step 6)
- Allow to cool completely before butting. Ha, I get it, not easy. But cutting too early will get you into a crumbly mess for sure. Not necessary a horrible thing though! (step 7)
Notes:
- If you want your zucchini bars a bit more structured, leave them into for a few extra minutes. I prefer mine to still have a level of moist chewiness--not quite underdone, but certainly not baked 100%
- Enjoy these bars as is, or crumble over yogurt or ice cream for a fun option.
- Add in ½ cup of chopped nuts if desired. We never put nuts in our zucchini bread so adding them to these doesn't do it for me.
- Cream cheese frosting on top anyone??? That or a nice little drizzle or glaze is great too!
- If you have leftover zucchini, try these Cheesy Zucchini Tots, some Baked Parmesan Zucchini, or Zucchini Breakfast Cookies.
Check out these other recipes:
- Zucchini Bread Pancakes
- No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Oat Bars
- Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Cookies
- Egg Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Zucchini Bread Overnight Oats
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Zucchini Bars
Ingredients
- 1 ½ c rolled oats regular or gluten free
- 1 ½ c flour
- ¾ c brown sugar
- 1 c butter, melted
- 1 c zucchini, shredded
- ½ c raisins
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a mixing bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, sea salt and baking powder and stir until fully incorporated. Add in melted butter, vanilla, zucchini, and raisins and stir to combine.
- Transfer to an 8x8in baking pan lined with parchment and spritzed with spray oil. Press mixture firmly into the pan.
- Bake for about 25 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges.
- Allow to cool fully before cutting for best results!
Notes
- If you want your zucchini bars a bit more structured, leave them into for a few extra minutes. I prefer mine to still have a level of moist chewiness--not quite underdone, but certainly not baked 100%
- Enjoy these bars as is, or crumble over yogurt or ice cream for a fun option.
- Add in ½ cup of chopped nuts if desired. We never put nuts in our zucchini bread so adding them to these doesn't do it for me.
- Cream cheese frosting on top anyone??? That or a nice little drizzle or glaze is great too!
Danielle says
This turned out really good! I threw an egg in there to keep them from falling apart again and it worked really well!
Lorie says
Oh, great to know! I plan on updating this recipe soon and may need to test with an egg as well! Thanks!
สูตรเซียน says
good
savita ragoonanan says
Can I swap vanilla, cinnamon nd raisins for lemon and walnuts?
Lorie says
I think that should be ok!
Aika says
Wow! Those Zucchini Raisin Oatmeal Bars look delicious and healthy. It's perfect for snack time. By the way, is it okay to remove raisins in the recipe? I don't really like the taste of it.
Lorie says
Yes! You can totally omit them! Enjoy!!
Danielle says
I'm not a raisin fan and mine turned out super yummy without!
Lorie says
Also great to know, thanks Danielle!
Terrie says
I've never used coconut oil. What are your its benefits ? I have to cut my cholesterol and so I'm not eating butter etc. it coconut oil high in cholesterol? I'm s there a good substitute?
Lorie says
Hi! Coconut oil has a long list of health benefits including metabolism boost, heart health, cancer prevention and so much more. Check out this link: https://draxe.com/coconut-oil-benefits/
Cathy says
You come up with the best looking things in here!! I hate comments that don't include an actual review, but that's what this is going to have to be at the moment. I'm not eating sugar of any kind (stevia is okay). But these are first on the list to make when I introduce sweetness back in. And then, those energy bites. My husband finally came into the living room and said "who keeps sending you pictures of energy balls? Because I want you to start making them. They look good. Trust me--that was a thumbs up!!
Lorie says
Cathy, thanks so much! I finally got my husband loving them as well so it really can happen!!!