I have been making this healthy and easy Zucchini Crisp recipe for years, and I thought it was time to share it! It's a delicious zucchini dessert that tastes like apple crisp but uses a lot of shredded zucchini instead. It's also super healthy and easy to make, as well as a nice change from traditional apple crisp.
This Zucchini Mock Apple Crisp recipe is very popular during zucchini season at the end of summer and is a real crowd-pleaser. My version is a little lighter and healthier than others, WW friendly, and can be lightened up even more and made dairy-free or gluten-free (see substitutions and variations). This recipe was inspired by my Weight Watchers Apple Crisp on this site. If you're looking for zucchini recipes for dessert or sweet zucchini recipes, or have a lot of zucchini to use up (especially larger zucchini), you'll love this one!
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🥘Ingredient Notes
Because zucchini has a mellow flavor, it tends to take on the taste of the flavors it's cooked with. That's why it's ideal as a mock apple filling in this crisp. You'll find the ingredients in this zucchini dessert almost identical to apple crisp.
- Zucchini- you can use frozen zucchini, fresh zucchini, or zucchini slices (slice as you would apple slices for crisp) instead of shredded zucchini. Large zucchini are ideal for shredding and for use in baking and soups because they lose a little flavor and can be a bit tougher.
- Lemon zest. Lemon zest adds a nice citrusy contrast to this recipe.
- Cornstarch. Cornstarch makes a great thickener, but you could use arrowroot powder or tapioca starch instead.
- Maple syrup. I use reduced-sugar maple syrup.
- Water. Water is a great filler for crisps! I also use it in my Weight Watchers Apple Crisp/
- Light real whipped cream. I use Gay Lea brand (aerosol) because it's lighter/low-fat.
*See the printable recipe card for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
📖Variations & Substitutions
- Brown Sugar - you can use light or dark brown sugar
- Lighter/WW friendly- Use a light butter and sugar substitute (if you use them)
- Dairy-free - use vegan margarine or plant-based butter substitute and coconut whipped cream (aerosol bottle)
- Gluten-free - use gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose flour
🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make Zucchini Crisp
- Heat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Shred zucchini (fine shredding is best if you use a food processor and have the option). Pat dry with paper towels.
In a large bowl, combine zucchini, brown sugar, lemon zest, maple syrup, vanilla extract, water, cornstarch and cinnamon.
Mix together.
Pour the zucchini mixture into a baking dish then dot with spray whipped cream.
In a separate bowl, combine, oats, flour, cinnamon, and remaining ¼ cup brown sugar. Cut in butter (*an easy way is to use a cheese grater- see HINT below) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle crumb topping over zucchini mixture.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 -40 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Hint: Use a cheese grater to grate frozen (or very cold) butter into the topping instead of fussing with cubes of cold butter. This also distributes the butter more evenly in the topping.
Expert Recipe Tips
- Don't peel the zucchini. The peel adds color, texture, and nutrients, and it softens during baking, so there's no need to remove it.
- Use frozen shredded zucchini. Frozen zucchini works great in this recipe-just be sure to thaw completely and squeeze out excess liquid before using, or the filling may turn out watery.
- Grate the butter for the topping. Grating frozen or very cold butter into the topping mixture helps distribute it evenly without overworking it, resulting in a lighter, crumblier crisp.
- Don't skip the lemon zest. Lemon zest brightens the flavor and helps mimic the tartness of apples, enhancing the "mock apple" taste of the zucchini.
- Use finely shredded zucchini for best results. Finely shredded zucchini blends more smoothly into the filling and gives the texture of stewed apple, helping sell the illusion.
- Let the crisp rest after baking. Allow the crisp to sit for at least 10-15 minutes after baking. This helps the filling thicken further and makes it easier to serve.
- Add a pinch of salt to the topping. A small amount of salt enhances the sweetness of the crisp and balances the flavors, especially if you're using unsalted butter.
- Serve with a contrasting texture. Top the warm crisp with something creamy like light whipped cream or a scoop of frozen yogurt or vanilla ice cream to add contrast and richness.
🌡️Storage
Store this zucchini apple crisp in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This dessert freezes well in an airtight container for up to 3 months. It can simply be heated up in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
👪 Serving Size
This shredded zucchini recipe makes 10 (⅔ cup) servings. However, you can half, double, or triple the recipe by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.
🔢WW Points
This Mock Apple Crisp recipe is Weight Watchers friendly @ 8 WW points (⅔ cup serving). However, you can further reduce the points by using a light butter and/or sugar substitute like Monk fruit. If you use Monk fruit, only use half the amount (of sugar), which would be ⅛ cup.
Pro Tip
Shred your zucchini and freeze it in Ziplock freezer bags. Just be sure to defrost, drain, and squeeze out excess liquid before measuring for your recipe!
The great thing about shredded zucchini is that you don't have to peel it before you shred it; everything (seeds, peel, flesh, and flowers) is edible, and it's loaded with nutrients! Nor do you have to blanch it if you are shredding and freezing. You just need to wash it and cut off the ends before shredding it.
Shredded zucchini also freezes well, and you can use it in many recipes, like my Shredded Zucchini and Feta Sauté (shown below), my Healthy Zucchini Bars, and Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies. You can even drop it straight into soup or sauce as a filler. I use it in my One-pot hamburger soup all the time, and even in Spaghetti Sauce!
❔ Recipe FAQ's
Yes, both yellow zucchini and summer squash work well in this recipe. They have a similar texture and mild flavor that blends seamlessly into the "mock apple" filling.
If your shredded zucchini releases too much moisture, try patting it dry thoroughly with paper towels or squeezing it gently with a clean kitchen towel before mixing with the other ingredients.
Yes, you can prepare the zucchini filling and the crisp topping separately, store them in the fridge for up to a day, and assemble and bake just before serving.
If you're avoiding oats, replace them in the topping with more flour or a nut meal like almond flour for a slightly different texture.
The topping should be golden brown, and the filling should be bubbling around the edges. This usually takes 30-40 minutes at 375°F.
This Zucchini Crisp is a great way to use up extra zucchini in a delicious treat that's easy to make and healthy. So, if you are looking for zucchini dessert recipes, give this one a try!
📋More Favorite Zucchini Recipes
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📋Zucchini Crisp recipe (with shredded zucchini)
Equipment
- 9x13 ceramic baking dish *or any 9x13 pan or dish
Ingredients
Filling
- 8 cups shredded zucchini
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup (reduced sugar)
- 1 cup water
- 4 tablespoon light real whipped cream * I use Gay Lea brand spray can - it's 1 pt for 4 tbsps
Topping
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup quick rolled oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C ). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Filling
- Shred zucchini (fine). *You do NOT need to peel it before shredding
- In a large bowl, combine zucchini, ¼ cup of the brown sugar, lemon zest, maple syrup, vanilla extract, water, cornstarch and cinnamon.8 cups shredded zucchini, ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 4 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup water, 2 tablespoon maple syrup (reduced sugar)
- Mix together.
- Pour zucchini mixture into baking dish then dot with spray whipped cream.4 tablespoon light real whipped cream * I use Gay Lea brand spray can - it's 1 pt for 4 tbsps
Topping
- In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients (oats, flour, cinnamon and remainder of brown sugar). Cut in butter (or grate - see HINT) until mixture resembles coarse crumb.6 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 cup quick rolled oats, 1 cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- HINT: * an easy way to cut in butter, is to use a grater with cold or ideally frozen butter
- Sprinkle crumb topping over zucchini mixture.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 -40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.
- Garnish with additional whipped cream, cinnamon and lemon peel, if desired. Or serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
