Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bars with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

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Yep, it’s mid October and I’m sharing a zucchini recipe.

Pumpkin is all the rage and the crock pots are coming out of the cupboard at an alarming rate. I get it, I really do. Fall is spectacular. The changing of seasons where we say goodbye to the long hot days and gear up for the cooler weather ahead of us. For me it means snowboarding season is just around the corner and soon I can live in sweat pants and hoodies. Hip hip hooray!!

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Fall also marks the end of my beloved Wednesday farmers market. Yesterday was so unbelievably beautiful in Park City that I walked around the market slowly, soaking up the sun and the mountain views while picking up apples, butternut squash, potatoes and onions. In addition to all the lovely fall veggies, I was rewarded with some zucchini and tomatoes that will probably be my last. I think because we had such a late start to the summer that we are now being spoiled with some late summer produce that is usually long gone by now. Filling my bag with zucchini reminded me that I made these bars a month or so back and never got around to sharing them.

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I never got around to sharing them because our world was turned upside down and inside out. We are slowly returning to normal (whatever that means) and I decided that I could still share these beauties because 1) they’re too delicious not to, 2) you can get zucchini year round, and 3) this is my blog and I can do whatever I want.

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So here we are almost to Halloween and you’re getting a zucchini bar recipe. I’m making these again this week since we are expected to have beautiful weather for the next few days and I’m going to enjoy every last bite remembering the beautiful summer and getting excited for the snow that is going to be here before we now it.

Happy fall, folks!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bars

For the bars:

  • 2 cups grated zucchini
  • 3/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

For the icing:

  • 2 tablespoon butter, softened
  • 4 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
  • 1- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • zest of one lemon
  • 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice

Baking Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture and mix together. Stir in shredded zucchini and chocolate chips. Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan and pour batter in. Bake for 25-30 minutes. While bars are baking prepare icing. In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon zest. Mix until well combined adding lemon juice as necessary until you get the desired consistency.
When bars are finished baking, remove from oven and cool completely before adding cream cheese icing. Cut into squares and serve.