Zucchini “Apple” Crumble Bars
Cozy, cinnamony, veggie-packed crumble bars that taste just like apple — even though they’re made with zucchini.
Ingredients
Crust + Crumble
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 2 Tbsp coconut flour
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp Swerve or monk-fruit blend
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
- 2 pinches salt
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter cold, cubed
Filling
- 3 medium zucchini peeled, seeded, chopped
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp Swerve
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp xanthan gum
Instructions
- Prep the pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 6×6 or 7×7 pan with parchment.
- Make the crust: In a mixing bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, sweetener, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt. Cut in cold butter until crumbly.
- Press 2/3 of the dough into the prepared pan to form the base. Refrigerate the rest for the crumble topping.
- Pre-bake crust for 10–12 minutes, just until the edges look golden. Cool.
- Make the filling: In a saucepan, melt butter and add chopped zucchini, cinnamon, sweetener, lemon juice, and vanilla. Cook 15–20 minutes until softened and reduced.
- Sprinkle in xanthan gum and stir until thick.
- Assemble: Spread filling over baked crust. Crumble the reserved dough on top.
- Bake again for 15–18 minutes, until topping is golden.
- Cool completely and chill 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
Why this matters: Cold butter keeps the crust tender and creates that shortbread texture. Rachel’s Real-Talk: These bars are great make-ahead desserts and slice cleaner when chilled.