Get ready for a snack bar that’s truly special! These Healthy Zucchini Oat Bars are packed with wholesome ingredients like oats, flaxseed, zucchini, and naturally sweetened with bananas and raisins – making them healthy enough for breakfast but totally delicious enough for dessert. I absolutely love recipes like this that sneak in extra veggies without anyone noticing! These Zucchini Oat Bars are vegan, gluten-free (just use certified GF oats!), and perfect for a nutritious on-the-go treat, especially during these active spring days around April 19, 2025!
Why You’ll Love These Healthy Zucchini Oat Bars
- Packed with Goodness: Loaded with oats, flaxseed, zucchini, banana, and raisins for fiber and nutrients.
- Healthy & Wholesome: Vegan, gluten-free (use certified GF oats), and naturally sweetened.
- Sneaky Veggies: A great way to incorporate zucchini into a delicious treat.
- Easy Food Processor Recipe: The food processor does most of the mixing work!
- Perfect On-the-Go Snack: Great for breakfast, snacks, or packing in lunchboxes.
Ingredients for Healthy Zucchini Oat Bars
Here’s what you’ll need to make these nutritious and delicious bars. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Dry Ingredients
- Old fashioned oats (use certified gluten-free if necessary) (Grain)
- Raisins (ensure moist/sticky or soak first) (Dried Fruit)
- Ground flaxseed (Seed)
- Cinnamon (Spice)
- Baking soda (Leavening Agent)
- Salt (Seasoning)
Wet Ingredients
- Very ripe bananas (Fruit)
- Creamy peanut butter (natural, runny, no sugar added recommended) (Nut Butter)
- Applesauce (Fruit Puree)
- Vanilla extract (Flavoring)
Mix-Ins
- Shredded zucchini, squeezed dry (Vegetable)
- Dark chocolate chunks (plus more for topping) (Chocolate) (Use vegan brand if desired)
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)
Variations
I love the combination of flavors in these Healthy Zucchini Oat Bars, but they are very adaptable:
- Different Nut/Seed Butter: Use almond butter, cashew butter, tahini, or sunflower seed butter (for nut-free) instead of peanut butter.
- Different Dried Fruit: Substitute chopped dates, apricots, or dried cranberries for the raisins.
- Add Nuts/Seeds: Mix in chopped walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), or sunflower seeds along with the chocolate chunks.
- Different Spices: Add nutmeg, ginger, or cardamom along with the cinnamon.
- No Chocolate: Omit the chocolate chunks for a purely fruit and oat bar.
How to Make Healthy Zucchini Oat Bars
Let me show you how easy it is to make these Healthy Zucchini Oat Bars using a food processor:
Prep Oven and Pan
- First, I preheat my oven to 375 degrees F (190°C).
- I grease an 8×8 inch nonstick pan with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.
Process Dry Ingredients
- I place the old-fashioned oats and raisins into my food processor.
- I process them together until the oats resemble a coarse flour consistency. Processing the raisins helps distribute their sweetness and binding power.
Combine All Ingredients (Except Mix-Ins)
- To the food processor with the oat/raisin mixture, I add the ground flaxseed, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ripe bananas, creamy peanut butter, applesauce, and vanilla extract.
- I process until the mixture is smooth and well combined. I scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl if necessary to make sure everything gets incorporated.
Add Mix-Ins
- Now, using a spatula (not the food processor blade), I stir in the shredded zucchini (that I’ve squeezed very dry!) and the dark chocolate chunks.
Bake
- I pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer.
- I top with more chocolate chunks for extra deliciousness!
- I bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean and the edges are lightly golden.
Cool and Serve
- Cool in pan
- Slice and serve
Tips and Tricks for the BEST Oat Bars
Here are my secrets for making these Healthy Zucchini Oat Bars truly exceptional:
- Squeeze Zucchini DRY: This is crucial! Zucchini holds a lot of water. Use paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to squeeze out as much liquid as possible to prevent soggy bars.
- Use Ripe Bananas: Very ripe bananas (with lots of brown spots) provide the most natural sweetness and moisture.
- Natural Runny Peanut Butter: Use a natural peanut butter where the oil separates. If it’s very thick, warm it slightly. Ensure it has no added sugar.
- Don’t Overbake: Bake just until a toothpick comes out clean. Overbaking can make them dry.
- Parchment Paper Sling: Lining the pan with parchment paper that extends over the sides makes lifting the bars out for cutting much easier.
How to Serve
These Healthy Zucchini Oat Bars are perfect served:
- As Is: A fantastic grab-and-go breakfast or snack.
- Warmed Slightly: Pop one in the microwave for a few seconds for a cozier treat.
- With Yogurt: Crumble over plain or vanilla yogurt.
- As a Light Dessert: A healthier way to satisfy a sweet craving.
Serve at room temperature.
Make Ahead and Storage
These bars are great for meal prep! Once completely cooled, store the Zucchini Oat Bars in an airtight container:
- Room Temperature: For up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: For up to a week.
- Freezer: For longer storage, wrap individual bars or the whole slab tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
FAQs about Healthy Zucchini Oat Bars
- Can I use quick oats instead of old-fashioned oats?
- Old-fashioned rolled oats provide the best chewy texture. Quick oats might result in a slightly softer, less chewy bar but can work in a pinch.
- Can I make these nut-free?
- Yes! Substitute the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter or tahini. Ensure your chocolate chips are nut-free if needed.
- Are these bars very sweet?
- They rely on natural sweetness from bananas, raisins, and potentially the chocolate chips. If you prefer sweeter bars, you could add a tablespoon or two of maple syrup, but this will change the nutritional profile.
Enjoy these nutritious, delicious, and easy-to-make Healthy Zucchini Oat Bars! They’re a fantastic snack or breakfast option.
Print
Healthy Zucchini Oat Bars (Vegan, GF, Easy Snack!)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 9 1x
- Category: Breakfast, Snack, Dessert, Bars, Healthy, Vegan, Gluten-Free (with certified GF oats)
- Cuisine: American
Description
These healthy zucchini oat bars are wholesome enough for breakfast but indulgent enough for dessert. They’re vegan, easily made gluten-free, and perfect for an on-the-go nutritious treat! Loaded with oats, flax, zucchini, and naturally sweetened with raisins, bananas, and dark chocolate.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats (use certified gluten-free if necessary)
- ½ cup raisins (ensure they are moist and sticky; if dry, soak in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain well)
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
- ¼ cup creamy natural peanut butter (use an all-natural, runny, no-sugar-added variety)
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed very dry (see notes)
- ½ cup dark chocolate chunks (plus more for topping), use a vegan brand if desired
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease an 8×8 inch nonstick baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
- Process Oats and Raisins: Place the old fashioned oats and raisins into a food processor. Pulse together until the oats resemble a coarse flour consistency.
- Combine Remaining Ingredients: Add the ground flaxseed, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, mashed bananas, natural peanut butter, applesauce, and vanilla extract to the food processor with the oat/raisin mixture.
- Process Until Smooth: Process until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl as necessary.
- Add Zucchini and Chocolate: Transfer the mixture to a bowl (or continue in the food processor if large enough, but mixing by hand is often better at this stage). Use a spatula to stir in the squeezed-dry shredded zucchini and ½ cup of the dark chocolate chunks until evenly distributed. Do not overmix.
- Transfer to Pan: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Top with additional chocolate chunks.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean and the edges are lightly golden.
- Cool and Slice: Let the bars cool completely in the pan for at least 15-20 minutes before using the parchment paper sling to lift them out. Cool further on a wire rack before slicing into 9 large bars.
Notes
- Gluten-Free: Ensure your oats are certified gluten-free if required.
- Raisins: Use moist, sticky raisins. If yours are dry, soaking them briefly plumps them up.
- Peanut Butter: Natural, runny peanut butter (just nuts and salt) works best. Do not use conventional peanut butter with added sugars and oils, as the texture will be different. Almond or cashew butter can be substituted.
- Squeezing Zucchini: It is crucial to squeeze as much moisture as possible out of the shredded zucchini using paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Excess moisture will make the bars too wet.
- Chocolate: Use vegan dark chocolate chunks or chips if needed.
- Storage: Store cooled bars in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.