These Zucchini Oatmeal Bars are a delicious option that the whole family will enjoy for breakfast or dessert. They are made with oats and butterscotch chips, making them a sweet way to enjoy summer produce.
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Zucchini Granola Bars
Last week, I bought too many zucchini at the grocery store. So, I have been busy creating new and fun recipes to use all the green veggies.
We started with zucchini blueberry muffins, banana zucchini bread, and a pineapple zucchini cake. With the last zucchini, I made baked oatmeal bars, modifying these caramel apple oatmeal bars.
The combo of butterscotch chips and oatmeal gives these soft granola bars a sweet and hearty flavor. The frosting is totally optional, but I love the extra sweetness it adds.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make. Skip the store-bought oatmeal breakfast bars and make this one-bowl recipe in less than an hour.
- Soft and Chewy. They are a sweet cross between soft baked oatmeal and a chewy oat bar.
- Snack Size. Grab one for a quick breakfast on the go, pack them in school lunches, or enjoy it as an after-school snack.
Main Ingredients
This easy zucchini oatmeal bar recipe requires a few simple ingredients plus one green squash. Butterscotch chips and frosting sweeten the baked oatmeal bars.
- Butter - We like to use unsalted butter in our recipes because it gives us better control over the saltiness.
- Brown Sugar - Sweetens the bars and gives them that soft, moist texture.
- Quick Oats - The smaller oats hold together better in this recipe. Do not use rolled or steel-cut oats.
- Cake Spice Mix - This is a delicious spice blend for baked goods. You can buy it in stores or use our homemade cake spice.
- Fresh Zucchini—One small-medium zucchini will yield around 1 cup grated. If you don't want to see green flecks, substitute yellow summer squash.
- Butterscotch Chips—These chips' brown sugar and butter flavor goes well with zucchini and oats. White or milk chocolate chips can also be used.
BruCrew Tip: Have extra butterscotch chips? Make butterscotch muffins or butterscotch chip cookies.
How To Make Zucchini Oatmeal Bars
You won't believe how easy these zucchini bars are to make. Here's what you'll need to do.
- Beat the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla extract, and then mix again.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. The mixture will become very thick as you mix it. Keep mixing it until everything comes together.
- Grate the zucchini in the smallest hole of a box grater. Gently stir the shredded zucchini and butterscotch chips into the dough.
- Using the back of a spatula, press the mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake, then cool completely before frosting.
Storage Recommendations
On the Counter: Store the baked zucchini squares in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days.
In the Refrigerator: Because these bars contain veggies, they are a bit more moist than regular granola bars. Cover the container tightly or wrap each one in plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Tips and Tricks
- Line the pan with parchment paper so you can easily remove the entire pan of oat bars before cutting.
- Use the smallest holes on your grater to shred the zucchini into little pieces. These will "melt" into the dough, so picky eaters won't know there are veggies in there.
- Please do not squeeze the excess water from the shredded zucchini unless it is extremely wet.
- Experiment with different mixins like mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, raisins, or dried cranberries.
- Do not overbake these homemade granola bars because that will dry them out.
FAQs
No, you can leave the peels on as you shred them. Most of the fiber and nutrition is in the skin, which tends to "melt" into baked goods so that you won't see much of it.
I recommend using quick oats for this recipe. Rolled oats give these bars a coarser, chewier texture. To make quick oats, pulse the large oats in a blender or food processor.
Absolutely! Add chopped nuts, dark chocolate, or dried fruits and nuts to the dough for extra flavor and texture.
More Oat Bars
- Strawberry Granola Bars
- Peanut Butter Bars
- S'mores Granola Bars
- Cookie Butter Bars
- Caramel Oatmeal Bars
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Recipe
Butterscotch Zucchini Oatmeal Bars
These Zucchini Oatmeal Bars are a delicious option that the whole family will enjoy for breakfast or dessert. They are made with oats and butterscotch chips, making them a sweet way to enjoy summer produce.
Ingredients
For the Bars
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups quick oats
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 2 teaspoons cake spice
- 1 cup shredded zucchini
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
For the Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons whipping cream
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13 glass pan with nonstick spray.
- Beat the butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat again.
- Stir together the flour, oats, salt, and cake spice. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients until it is all mixed in.
- Gently stir in the zucchini and butterscotch chips by hand. Spread the mixture into the prepared dish. Use the back of a spatula to press it down evenly.
- Bake for 24-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Beat the butter, vanilla, whipping cream, and salt until creamy. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar until mixed in. Beat on medium high for 1-2 minutes.
- Spread over the cooled bars. Store in a sealed container on the counter for 1-2 days, then refrigerate.
Notes
- Line the pan with parchment paper so you can easily remove the entire pan of oat bars before cutting.
- Use the smallest holes on your grater to shred the zucchini into little pieces. These will "melt" into the dough, so picky eaters won't know there are veggies in there.
- Please do not squeeze the excess water from the shredded zucchini unless it is extremely wet.
- Experiment with different mixins like mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, raisins, or dried cranberries.
- Do not overbake these homemade granola bars because that will dry them out.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 253Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 102mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 1gSugar: 20gProtein: 3g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
This post was first published in August 2014. It was updated and republished in August 2024.
Patricia
Hi....I want to make this recipe, but I have a silly quesiton..... are rolled oats the quick oats or the old fashioned oats? Please reply. Thanks.
Jocelyn
Rolled oats are the old fashioned oats. Either will work in this recipe though. I hope you enjoy these bars!
Amy @ Amy's Healthy Baking
I am the SAME way when it comes to plants!! My parents actually gave me an itty bitty cactus for my birthday last year because they figured it was small enough to put on my desk so I'd remember to water it. Well, my blog stuff sort of took over its spot on the desk, so it got moved to the table... And my guy hid it behind his boxes of games, so it died within 2 months. And cacti are supposed to survive without water for ages! Whoops... Anyway, I'd much rather pay someone for zucchini too. These bars look incredible!
Hayley+@+The+Domestic+Rebel
Butterscotch and zucchini? You're a mad dessert genius!
Chels+R.
Mmm, Love these! The butterscotch chips are a fabulous addition.
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Chels! 🙂
Chelsea+@chelseasmessyapron
I have never seen zucchini and butterscotch paired together but I totally love it - this is fantastic! pinned 🙂
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Chelsea! 🙂
Heather+@+Shards+of+Lavender
Oooh, I am definitely making these! Zucchini abounds in my garden and I absolutely love Butterscotch... It's amazing how little attention you can give zucchini and it still loves you back:)
Julianne+@+Beyond+Frosting
Green thumb? It's not a trait that I was bestowed with. These Zucchini bars sound awesome though!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Julianne! 😉
Shannon+@+Bake.Frost.Repeat
Perfect! You sound like me, trying to find other things to put butterscotch in 🙂
There is a guy at work who has a garden and brings in zucchini by the bag full. I definitely need to make a batch of these and take them to the office.
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Shannon! 🙂
Dorothy+@+Crazy+for+Crust
I love the idea of the butterscotch with the zucchini! Genius!
Aimee@ShugarySweets
Yep, you just described my perfect morning 🙂 Love these!!!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Aimee! 😉
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice
I always have extra zucchinis around in the summer, so I'm definitely going to try this out! I love that you gave these bars a fresh twist with butterscotch. And that frosting looks amazing, I'm sure I could eat the whole bowl! 🙂
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction
Love the butterscotch! These bars definitely look like a great way to start the day!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Jessica! 🙂
Laura @ Laura's Culinary Adventures
I need to find some zucchini to make this delicious cake!
Wendy
I think we subconsciously over plant or over buy zucchini just so that we can "justify" turning vegetables into delicious treats like these bars! 🙂 The more zucchini treats, the better! Butterscotch with cinnamon is so good together!
Jocelyn Brubaker
So true! 🙂 Thanks Wendy!
Zainab @ Blahnik Baker
I love zucchini and just really go overboard in buying it!! Mixing it with butterscotch is a whole new level I need to explore. These bars look amazing!!
Mir
I can't grown anything to save my life. I am so jealous of people who are good at it!
The butterscotch is such a good idea. These bars are so inventive!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Haha, thanks Mir! 🙂
Chelsea+@+Gal+on+a+Mission
I have always loved having a garden and picking the tomatoes and all of the veggies. It's very rewarding! By the way, these zucchini bars look AMAZING! I love anything with zucchini! Hope you had a great weekend! 🙂
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes)
Zucchini and butterscotch sound like a great combo! Smart for sure! Love these bars!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Jocelyn! 🙂
Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet
Our garden did fabulous this season, our zucchini did not but I still want these bars!
Tieghan
I am loving the use of zucchini here. These bars look delicious and a great way to sneak in some zucchini!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Tieghan!