Vanilla Chai Zucchini Bars are light, moist, cakey bars with a pop of warm spices and creamy frosting that makes your mouth happy!
How did I come up with this recipe?
One of my favorite drinks is a vanilla chai latte. There is something about vanilla and all of those wonderful spices that warms your soul. This was my inspiration as I scrambled to find creative ways to use up the zucchini from my garden.
Speaking of gardens…is anyone else drowning in zucchini???
I have made all sorts of zucchini bread, zucchini boats, Crispy Baked Zucchini Fries, zucchini parmesan, and zucchini frittatas. All of my zucchini recipes were on repeat until I made this one!
I wanted to make something other than zucchini bread or muffins. Bar cookies were my choice – they are not fussy and are easy to prepare. Bake and cut them into bars. Great to bring to a picnic or to pack for lunch.
These zucchini bars are light and super moist because of the sour cream and are filled with all those warm chai spices that I love. The brown butter cream cheese frosting takes it over the top! Fluffy and light with specks of brown butter and vanilla bean. It’s hard to stop eating!
Why use Brown Butter?
Let’s talk about brown butter for a minute. I am a HUGE fan! It adds a beautiful nutty, salty flavor to whatever dish you are preparing. I’ve used it for baking, as a wonderful pan sauce for fish or chicken, and for pasta. It’s so versatile!
To make it, all you do is warm butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Watch it carefully for 4-5 minutes until it melts, gets foamy, then turns a lovely caramel color.
For more on how to brown butter, check out How to Brown Butter by Sally’s Baking Addiction.
Not sure if it’s worthwhile? Try my Ultimate Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies! It will make you a believer!
How to Make Vanilla Chai Zucchini Bars
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:
Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly. Butter will crackle, then foam. Watch your pan carefully. Within a couple minutes, the butter will turn a golden amber color and give off a nutty aroma. As soon as it turns golden brown, remove from heat. Pour into a medium bowl and let cool to room temperature.
*You can pour the butter into a heat safe bowl and put it in the refrigerator to solidify for 15 minutes.
In a large bowl, use a hand held mixer or paddle attachment with your stand mixer and beat the brown butter, cream cheese, and vanilla bean paste on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
Lower mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Mix until whipped and smooth.
Set aside while you prep the zucchini bars.
Zucchini Bars:
Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cardamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sour cream, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Once blended, fold in the grated zucchini.
Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined.
Pour batter into the prepared 9×13 pan and spread evenly.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until edges pull away from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bars comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan for one hour. Once bars are completely cooled, spread the frosting over the bars in a thick layer.
Refrigerate the bars until ready to serve. Cut into squares and enjoy!
How Long Can I Store Them?
The bars will keep in the refrigerator in a sealed container for 4-5 days.
Other Zucchini Recipes You May Like
Vanilla Chai Zucchini Bars
Ingredients
Ingredients:
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ cup brown butter room temperature
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Zucchini Bars:
- ½ cup salted butter melted
- 1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt room temperature
- 2 cups zucchini grated
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 eggs beaten
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. cardamon
- 1 tsp. nutmeg
- ½ tsp. ground cloves
Instructions
Instructions:
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly. Butter will crackle, then foam. Watch your pan carefully. Within a couple minutes, the butter will turn a golden amber color and give off a nutty aroma. As soon as it turns golden brown, remove from heat. Pour into a medium bowl and let cool to room temperature.
- *You can do this step one day ahead too!
- In a large bowl, use a hand held mixer or paddle attachment with your stand mixer and beat the brown butter, cream cheese, and vanilla bean paste on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Lower mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Mix until whipped and smooth.
- Set aside while you prep the zucchini bars.
Zucchini Bars:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cardamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sour cream, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Once blended, fold in the grated zucchini.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared 9×13 pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until edges pull away from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bars comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for one hour. Once bars are completely cooled, spread the frosting over the bars in a thick layer.
- Refrigerate the bars until ready to serve. Cut into squares and enjoy!