Zucchini Crisp – An Easy & Delicious Dessert Recipe For Two

If you have a couple extra zucchini in your kitchen and you are trying to get creative on how to use them, then you are going to love this this Zucchini Crisp Dessert! With just one bite you will be shocked at how much it tastes like apple crisp!

In fact, when I make this for family and friends, I do not reveal that it is made with zucchini instead of apples until their serving is gone. Then when I tell them they can’t believe they just ate a vegetable dessert and not a fruit dessert.

Although it is delicious any time of the year, it is a great recipe to make in the middle of summer when zucchini are plentiful. Whether you grow your own garden or you have neighbors that are more than willing to share their bountiful harvest, it seems like zucchini are very easy to come by.

However, there are only so many recipes that you can make with zucchini without getting creative. Besides sautéing slices of zucchini for stir fry, grilling zucchini with other fresh vegetables and roasting it in the oven, over the years I have come up with some great uses for fresh picked zucchini.

Some of my other favorite zucchini recipes include:

• Zucchini Bread
• Zucchini Bread Mini Loaves
• Zucchini Muffins
• Zucchini and Sausage Skillet
• Zucchini and Ground Beef Casserole
• Lemon Zucchini Bread
• Zucchini Pizza Boats
• Zucchini Chips

Although, I have to admit, my favorite zucchini recipe is this one! And it couldn’t be easier to make with just a few simple ingredients.

Ingredients Required

1. Zucchini

The star of this dessert recipe is fresh zucchini. However, not all zucchini are created equal.

You can find zucchini in various sizes and thickness. From small, thin zucchini that you find at the Farmer’s market to huge, 2 foot long thick zucchini that your neighbor brings over.

Although you can use any size zucchini to make this recipe, it is best to use the thinner versions. That is because the large zucchini have a thick seed core that you will need to remove prior to making this dessert.

So how many zucchini do you need to make zucchini crisp? This recipe calls for two cups of diced zucchini that have been peeled and the seeds removed.

That equals approximately (2) 6 inch zucchini that are 1-2 inches in circumference. However you can use larger zucchini as well, as long as you end up with 2 cups.

2. Sugar

Granulated white sugar is used to coat the pieces of zucchini to add a little sweetness to the filling. Then brown sugar is used to sweeten the crisp topping.

3. Lemon Juice

A little acidity and tartness is added to the mixture with the addition of lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice works just fine in this recipe, however, if you have fresh lemons on hand you can use them as well.

1 medium lemon = approximately 3 tablespoons of juice

4. Cinnamon & Nutmeg

The classic warm spices of this zucchini crisp recipe comes from the addition of cinnamon and nutmeg. Cinnamon provides a sweet, woody flavor and the nutmeg has a warm and nutty flavor.

If you are out of nutmeg, no worries! Substitute more cinnamon for the nutmeg and the dessert will still taste delicious! And if you happen to have apple pie spice leftover from making Apple Pie Mug Cake, feel free to use that in place of the cinnamon & nutmeg.

5. Rolled Oats

This recipe calls for rolled oats as part of the zucchini crisp topping. Although there are many varieties of oatmeal, you want to make sure that you use rolled oats so that the topping turns out perfect.

So what exactly are rolled oats? Just like with all varieties of oats they start out whole, with the grain and the husk intact.

The husk is the tough covering that encases and protects each individual grain. Once that is removed, the oats (often called groats at this point) are steamed and flattened between wide spread out heavy rollers, hence the name rolled oats.

Rolled oats, also are commonly known as old-fashioned oats. Therefore you can purchase rolled or old-fashioned oats, but stay away from the Quick and Instant varieties of oatmeal.

6. Flour & Butter

All-purpose flour and butter are added to the topping to bind everything together. Just be sure to use cold butter and cut it in little pieces so that the topping can form into little crumbs, making the classic crisp topping.

Gluten-Free Option

For a gluten-free topping, you can substitute 1:1 Gluten Free Flour substitute for the all-purpose flour.

Although rolled oats are naturally gluten-free, they may have been processed in a facility with other gluten products. Therefore, if wanting to make this dessert gluten-free be sure to purchase rolled oats that are labeled gluten-free.

Zucchini Crisp Dessert For Two

*A printable recipe card is located at the bottom of this article which contains the specific measurements, temperatures and cook times. However, continue reading below to learn about more helpful tips about this specific recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups peeled, diced zucchini (seeds removed)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp. cold butter

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Then spray (2) 8 ounce ramekins or a small 1 quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Cut the ends off each side of the zucchini. Peel, cut in half lengthwise and then remove the seeds with the tip of a spoon.

Cut the zucchini in 1/2 inch squares and then place them in a medium size bowl. Then add the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg to the diced zucchini and toss until well coated.

Divide the zucchini in half and place an even amount in each ramekin. Alternatively, you can also place the zucchini in the small baking dish if you don’t have individual ramekins. Set aside.

In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar, rolled oats and flour. Cut the butter into small pieces and use a fork to incorporate the butter into the dry mixture until small crumbles form. Or place the mixture and butter in a food processor and pulse just until small crumbs form.

Place the crumb mixture over top of the zucchini pieces, being sure that all of the zucchini is covered.

Bake Time Required

Place the ramekins or baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.

The zucchini crisp is done when the edges are bubbly and the top is light golden brown in color. Remove from the oven and then let the zucchini crisp sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (optional).

Enjoy! Mary

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