Zucchini Crisp Recipe (Yes, Veggies for Dessert!)

Veggies for dessert?! Yes please! This zucchini crisp recipe is a delicious way to transform a usually savory vegetable into a sweet and decadent dessert. As a dietitian, I included some small nutrition tweaks, like using maple syrup rather than sugar and in lesser amounts than other recipes. I also topped this with a mixture of oats, almond flour, and pecans for some healthy fats and fiber. But it’s still an indulgent dessert that you and your family will love!

Why You’ll Love Zucchini Crisp

• The answer to the “I have way too much zucchini in my garden” conundrum
• Unexpected and fun way to get more vegetables in your day
• Filling and delicious
• Good source of potassium, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and magnesium
• Easy to modify for any dietary restrictions

Ingredients

Here’s a picture of everything you’ll need to make this, along with selected ingredient notes:

• Zucchini – Medium or large (but not oversized) zucchini work best for this recipe. You’ll need around 2-3 large zucchini (or more medium). Unlike some other sweet desserts where the zucchini is shredded and drained, the zucchini in this recipe will be chopped and does not need to be drained prior to using. Do not use frozen zucchini for this recipe as the moisture content is often much higher than fresh.

• Pecans – Make sure you’re using chopped pecans and not pecan halves. If you use large pecans, they sometimes end up above the rest of the topping and are prone to burning a bit.

Instructions

This recipe is very simple to make! You’ll find the full amounts and instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s a helpful overview with photos and tips.

Start by peeling and chopping your zucchini into about a ½ to ¾-inch dice. If you prefer having quite soft zucchini when the dish is done, I recommend dicing on the smaller side.

Some other recipes call for de-seeding the zucchini before chopping; I never bother to do this as long as the zucchini doesn’t have a ton of large seeds. If you would prefer to do so, though, you can certainly do that by cutting the zucchini in half lengthwise and then scraping out the seeds with a spoon before chopping. If you’re using very large oversized zucchini, you will likely want to de-seed them as those seeds can be bigger and more noticeable.

Mix the chopped zucchini in a bowl with the maple syrup, lemon juice, corn starch, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Pour that into a greased 8×8 baking dish.

You can use the same bowl to make the topping. Combine the oats, flour, pecans, cinnamon, and salt, and give everything a stir, then add the maple syrup and melted butter and stir until well combined.

Dollop the topping over the zucchini in the baking dish, spreading relatively evenly (it’s normal that it won’t be thickly covered).

Bake that at 375 degrees F for about 30-40 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender and the topping is golden brown (but not burnt).

Let it cool in the dish for a few minutes, then serve slightly warm. I love this topped with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream but it is also delicious as-is!

Recipe Tips and Modifications

Storage: Store leftover crisp in a food storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Note that the topping is crisp and has the best texture right out of the oven, though – it may get a bit soft when storing and reheating.

To make dairy-free: Use dairy-free butter for the topping. If adding ice cream for serving, use a dairy-free version.

To make vegan: Use dairy-free butter, and if adding ice cream, a vegan version.

To make gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oats. The rest of the recipe is gluten-free as-is.

To make lower-sugar: Use a sugar-free maple syrup instead of pure maple syrup.

More Vegetable Desserts

If you’re looking for more desserts that use veggies, try one of these options:

• Fudgy butternut squash brownies
• Sweetpotato ice cream cone cupcakes
• Pumpkin protein brownies
• Sweetpotato blueberry crisp
• Butternut squash molasses cookies
• Butternut squash rosemary olive oil cake

I hope you enjoy this zucchini crisp recipe. If you get a chance to try it, feel free to leave a comment or recipe rating below.