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Zucchini Crisp Recipe (Tastes Just Like Apple Crisp)

Zucchini Crisp might just be the best-kept secret of summertime desserts. If you’re a fan of apple crisp you are going to love this recipe!

Despite being made with zucchini, it tastes just like traditional apple crisp. A crunchy oat topping covers tender chunks of cinnamon sugar coated zucchini below.

Top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you will have the perfect dessert to enjoy on a hot summer day. It is one of my favorite recipes to make when I am trying to use the zucchini from my garden. And what better way to use it than to turn it into a dessert!

zucchini crisp with ice cream
When you take a bite of this dessert you will be convinced that you are eating apple crisp.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

1. The Taste

You might be skeptical about a dessert made from zucchini, but once you take a bite you’ll be shocked. The zucchini takes on the flavor of the sweet, cinnamon-spiced seasoning, mimicking the texture and taste of apples.

You get that familiar warmth of cinnamon and nutmeg, paired with a crunchy, buttery topping that brings it all together into a simple, yet delicious dessert.

2. Serve It Warm or Cold

This dessert is perfect for summer because it’s easy to make and can be enjoyed warm or cold.

Enjoy it when it comes out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the perfect dessert after dinner. Or pull it out of the refrigerator for a cool snack in the middle of a hot summer day.

3. Great Way To Use Fresh Zucchini

If you’ve ever grown zucchini or know someone who has, you know that by mid-summer, zucchini plants are producing more than you can handle. They seem to multiply overnight, leaving you with several that you need to use up.

peeled and diced zucchini
It is best to peel and dice the zucchini in bite size pieces.

Zucchini crisp is a perfect solution. It uses 4-5 medium size zucchini, which will put a significant dent in your zucchini supply.

Not to mention it is a great way to get some extra vegetables into your diet. Kids and adults alike won’t be able to tell that they’re eating zucchini when it’s disguised in this delicious dessert.

4. Make Ahead Dessert Recipe

Another reason that I love to make this dessert is because I can prepare it ahead of time. Sometimes I will go ahead and bake it and serve it cold the next day.

And other times I will prepare it in the morning or even a day in advance, and then cover and put it in the refrigerator. Then about an hour before I am ready to serve it, I put it in the oven to bake.

How Much Zucchini Do You Need To Make Zucchini Crisp

For this recipe, you will need 8 cups of peeled and diced zucchini. So how many zucchini do you need?

It is difficult to give an exact answer, as zucchini come in all different sizes. However, as a guideline, start with 3-4 medium size zucchini.

Then you can continue to peel additional zucchini if needed to get the 8 cups that is required for this zucchini crisp recipe.

cinnamon on diced zucchini
Be sure to toss the zucchini pieces with the seasoning so that you have a consistent flavor in every bite.

Steps For Making Zucchini Crisp

The process of making zucchini crisp is simple, straightforward, and requires only a few basic steps. In fact, you can have this delicious dessert prepared before your oven preheats.

Step 1- Prepare The Zucchini: The first step in making this recipe is to peel and remove the seeds of the zucchini. Yes, peeling is highly recommended for this recipe because you not only want to mimic the taste of apple crisp, but you want it to look like apple crisp as well.

Once you have the zucchini peeled, cut the zucchini in half from the top to the bottom and use a spoon to scrape the seeds out and discard. Then cut and dice the zucchini into 1/2 – 1 inch, bite size chunks.

Next, add the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg to the zucchini pieces. Toss the mixture until the zucchini is evenly coated.

Step 2 – Prepare The Crisp Topping: In a separate bowl, add the oats, brown sugar, and flour and mix to combine. Then cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbles.

You can cut in the butter by using two forks, a pastry cutter, or use your hands. Once the mixture starts to look like small pebbles, it is ready.

cutting butter with oats

Step 3 – Assemble: Spread the zucchini into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Then sprinkle the crisp crumbles evenly over top of the zucchini.

Step 4: Bake: Place the zucchini crisp in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. It is ready to come out of the oven when the edges are bubbly and the top is golden brown.

Zucchini Crisp Recipe

*Specific measurements and complete recipe instructions are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to continue to read the tips and tricks to making this recipe below.

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 cups zucchini, peeled, deseeded and diced into bite size pieces*
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup butter

*I would suggest starting with 3-4 medium size zucchini. Then you can continue to peel additional zucchini if needed to get the 8 cups that is required for this zucchini crisp recipe.

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.

Mix zucchini, white sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Toss until the zucchini is coated.

Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish. In another bowl, combine brown sugar, oats, and flour. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over top of the zucchini.

zucchini crisp baked
Take the Zucchini Crisp out of the oven when the edges are nice and bubbly and the topping is golden brown.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until the mixture is bubbly and the top is light brown. Remove from the oven and let set 10 minutes before serving.

Once cool, cover and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

There you have it! A surprisingly easy dessert recipe made with zucchini! So the next time that you need a quick and easy dessert, or just want to try something new, zucchini crisp is your answer.

Give it a try this summer, and it might just become your new favorite dessert. And if you have more zucchini than you know what to do with, try some of the recipes below.

Some of my favorite zucchini recipes:

Enjoy! Mary

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Yield: 8 servings

Zucchini Crisp

zucchini crisp with ice cream

All the flavors of Apple Crisp but made with zucchini instead of apples! A great recipe to use those garden fresh zucchini.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 8 cups zucchini, peeled, deseeded and diced into bite size pieces
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup butter

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
  2. Mix zucchini, white sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Toss until the zucchini is coated. Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish.
  3. In another bowl, combine brown sugar, oats, and flour. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over top of zucchini.
  4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until the mixture is bubbly and the top is light brown.
  5. Remove from the oven and let set 10 minutes before serving.
  6. Once cool, cover and store at room temperature.

Notes

Approximately 4-5 medium size zucchini 

Recipe provided by Make Your Meals

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1 grams

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 368Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 108mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 4gSugar: 39gProtein: 6g

Nutritional Information is to be used as a general guideline only . Nutritional calculations will vary from the types and brands of the products used.

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