Zucchini blondies with penuche fudge frosting are moist and tender zucchini bars with an old time penuche fudge frosting, Watch out ~ they’re irresistible!
got zucchini? I suggest zucchini blondies!
In between all your zoodles and ratatouilles, I highly recommend whipping up a batch (or two) of these divine zucchini blondies. They can be your little secret ~ the combination of the tender blondie and the creamy melt in your mouth fudge is a winner. When your neighbors are trying to foist off their glut of backyard zucchini, you can just politely take it all in…as if you’re doing them a big favor…
penuche frosting…explain please!
What’s penuche? (Pronounced pa–nuchi.)Â It’s an old-timey New England style vanilla candy, made with brown sugar and milk or cream, it’s like a blonde fudge. (Ask your grandmother.)
You might be tempted to think of of zucchini blondies as being almost healthy, I mean, there’s a green veggie involved, right? But let me set you straight….this is some serious dessert. That frosting sets up to a penuche fudge-like consistency and is quite rich.
zucchini blondie tips and tricks
Bars and blondies are some of the easiest desserts to make, but there are a few things to keep in mind for perfect results.
look for small zucchini for baking
- I like to use the small ones for shredding because you get more color and flavor that way. They have less seeds and less moisture than ginormous specimens.
do you peel zucchini for blondies?
- Heck no, the peel adds nutrition and color.
should I squeeze the moisture out of my zucchini?
- No, not for this recipe, it accounts for the moisture in the veg.
what’s the best way to store zucchini blondies?
- They can be stored loosely covered on the counter, but in warm weather they taste great chilled. Your choice.
what you’re saying about these zucchini blondies
“You’ve done it again, Sue! My husband and I are head over heels for these bars!”
Candace
“There are so many recipes out there, I rarely make one twice, but I’m holding on to this one for zucchini season every year.”
Erin
“Best use of zucchini…ever! These are absolutely delicious.”
Kyra
what else we do with zucchini
- Moist Zucchini Brownies
- Caramel Frosted Zucchini Pecan Bars
- Old Fashioned Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Blue Ribbon Zucchini Pie
- Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread
- Ultimate One Bowl Zucchini Bread!
- The BEST Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Zucchini Blondies with Penuche Fudge Frosting
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup shredded zucchini, packed
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts, I used walnuts and pecans
penuche frosting
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp cream or whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9×9 baking pan. I line mine with parchment with long ends so I can lift it out later for neater cutting, but that's optional.
- Start with the blondies. Beat the butter and brown sugar sugar together for a couple of minutes until well blended and the color lightens a bit. Work out any sugar lumps.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Fold in the flour, and then the zucchini and nuts. Mix just until well blended, don’t over-mix.
- Turn the batter into your prepared pan. Smooth it out so the surface is flat.
- Bake for about 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out without wet batter clinging to it. Don't over bake these.
- Let cool a bit on a rack while you make the frosting. I like to frost these bars when they are still a little bit warm.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the sugar and cream. Bring the mixture up to a boil, whisking continuously.
- When it comes to a boil, take it off the heat and whisk in the sugar until you have a thick frosting. It will set up quickly, so pour it over the blondies and smooth out with an offset spatula before it hardens.
- Let the frosting set up, then cut the blondies and enjoy!
Nutrition
This was a rare miss from the many recipes on the site I have tried. One of the reasons is that the directions for the frosting threw me. It says “add the sugar and cream” and then later says “add the sugar.” The instructions should probably specify which sugar you add where (seems obvious now, but still should say brown sugar first, then confectioner’s after you take it off the heat)–I had never made this type of frosting before and so put them both in at step one and hence, my penuche was overcooked. It cracked when I attempted to cut them into squares. Even if I had made the frosting correctly, these still would underwhelm me. To each their own! I typically love the recipes on this site so one miss isn’t too shabby 🙂
Can you make this in a 9×13 if you double the recipe?
I think that should work.
Best use of zucchini…ever! These are absolutely delicious.
I thought these were great! The only modifications I made were to use half whole wheat flour and half white flour, and to brown the butter for the dough. There are so many recipes out there, I rarely make one twice, but I’m holding on to this one for zucchini season every year.
I noticed that there is no leavening added to these bars. Is that correct?
That’s correct Patti. Blondies and brownies are meant to be moist and dense, and don’t need leaveners for lift.
I just made the Zucchini Blondies with Penuche Fudge Frosting after seeing the post on my FB feed. They turned out flat as a pancake. I used a 9×9 stone pan to cook them. Any suggestions why they are flat and didn’t puff up at all?
I don’t know if you can tell from the photos, Alice, but they’re quite thin and moist. I think of blondies as being sort of dense, and they don’t rise like a cake would.