The Butterscotch Zucchini Bars That Convert Zucchini Haters (Moist, Tender, and Bake Sale Ready)
These butterscotch zucchini bars are the kind of thing you bring to a gathering and don't mention the zucchini until someone asks for the recipe. Grated zucchini makes the crumb impossibly tender, butterscotch chips melt into caramel pockets, and flaky salt on top makes them look like they came from a bakery. 45 minutes start to finish, about 35 cents a bar.
Equipment
- 9x13 baking pan
- Parchment Paper
- Box grater
- Whisk
- Rubber Spatula
- Wire cooling rack
- Bench scraper
Ingredients
Zucchini Prep
- 1 medium zucchini (about 6 oz), grated
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Mix-ins & Topping
- 1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips, divided
- as needed flaky sea salt, for finishing
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper, leaving a two-inch overhang on the long sides.
- Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Toss with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar in a small bowl and set aside. Do not drain or squeeze.
- In a large bowl, whisk the melted and slightly cooled butter with the remaining dark brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. It should look thick and glossy.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Fold with a rubber spatula until just combined. A few streaks of flour are fine.
- Add the zucchini (with any liquid in the bowl) and 1 1/4 cups of the butterscotch chips. Fold gently until evenly distributed. Reserve the remaining 1/4 cup of chips for the top.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle the reserved butterscotch chips and a light dusting of flaky sea salt over the top.
- Bake for 22-26 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The top should be golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out with moist crumbs attached — not wet batter, but not completely clean either.
- Let the pan cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes. Then lift the parchment sling onto a cutting board and cut into 24 bars. A bench scraper gives the cleanest cuts.
Notes
Don't squeeze the zucchini! The sugar draws out the moisture, and that moisture bakes off cleanly. Squeezing makes the bars dense.
Let melted butter cool for 5 minutes before adding eggs to avoid scrambled eggs.
Use a parchment sling for easy removal and clean cuts.
Flaky sea salt on top is non-negotiable — it contrasts the sweet butterscotch and makes the bars look bakery-level.