Vegetables Squash Summer Squash Zucchini 20 Sneaky Ways to Turn Zucchini Into Tempting Desserts By Vanessa Greaves Vanessa Greaves Vanessa Greaves is a Senior Editor at Allrecipes with nearly two decades of experience helping home cooks gain confidence in the kitchen. A self-taught cook who grew up reading cookbooks for fun, Vanessa lives and breathes the challenges faced by busy everyday cooks to get dinner on the table. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Updated on May 28, 2021 Close Photo: KGora Zucchini is a master illusionist. This modest summer squash can transform itself into decadent treats that fool even the most determined zucchini haters. But don't just take my word for it — see what reviewers have to say about these sneaky zucchini desserts, plus get tips for prepping zucchini so you get the results you're after. You are, after all, the Houdini of your zucchini. 01 of 22 Zucchini Bars with Spice Frosting View Recipe Allrecipes An aromatically spiced sheet cake is extra moist thanks to the addition of zucchini. "Never, ever would you know there's zucchini in these bars (fooled my hubby) unless somebody told you. This is just a delicious and super moist spice cake." —lutzflcat 02 of 22 Chocolate Zucchini Cake III View Recipe Carla If you haven't paired chocolate with zucchini yet, this top-rated chocolate zucchini cake recipe is where you should start. "This is one of those cakes where you close your eyes with each bite, it's so good. My French boyfriend couldn't believe it was made with zucchini. Perfect!" —RAKK 03 of 22 Chocolate-Zucchini Cupcakes View Recipe naples34102 More chocolate and zucchini, this time in miniature cupcake form. Kids will love these! "Seriously amazing. My daughter and I love these and you can't tell there's zucchini in them at all!" —Arielle 04 of 22 Zucchini Brownies View Recipe L.P.L. The secret to fudgy brownies? Who knew it was zucchini?! "Fabulous!!! By the end of the zucchini season in our garden my husband can't even stand the word zucchini! These are so moist and wonderful, and you never even guess there are zucchinis included!" —COWELLS4 05 of 22 Zucchini Cookies View Recipe Crin Soft cookies with just the right amount of chew, these zucchini-packed cookies are begging for a glass of milk. "I know...that was my first thought, too: 'Zucchini cookies? You have got to be kidding me!' However, a cookie is a cookie so I gave these a go. Hello, delicious! They were light, soft, chewy, flavorful, and gone!" —TMoore 06 of 22 Zucchini Pie I View Recipe Heather Lots of glowing reviews mention that this zucchini pie is reminiscent of pumpkin pie. A perfect late summer dessert that carries you through to pumpkin season. "My Dad and sister were like, 'hmmmm...zucchini pie, really?' Of course, after the first bite they both LOVED it." —huntannaka 07 of 22 Zucchini Apple Pie View Recipe Dawn Smith Zucchini melds with apples in a delicious pie that combines fruit and veg in every bite. "Amazing...best disguise for zucchini yet. When I served it at dinner my husband asked, 'What kind of apples are these?' I said, 'The long, skinny, green kind from the garden!'" —OHIOMOMX2 08 of 22 Zucchini Cobbler View Recipe ang If you're a fan of apple cobbler, you may want to give this squash cobbler a go! Peeling the zucchini, while optional, would fool even the most discerning of picky eaters! "This recipe is DEEE-licious! I served it at a scrapbooking party that my mom had and all the ladies LOVED it! Almost all of them asked for the recipe and they were shocked that it was zucchini and not apple cobbler. 5 stars!" —Carrie 09 of 22 Zucchini-Lemon Sorbet View Recipe Meredith Is there anything zucchini can't do? This refreshing sorbet has a secret ingredient that no one will ever guess. "Had a few other friends try it before I told them what was in it and the consensus came back with an astounding 'NOM! followed by, 'Really? Zucchini?'" —mmm 10 of 22 Lemon Zucchini Bars View Recipe naples34102 Little flecks of green make these bright and lemony cake bars as pretty to look at as they are to eat. "Light and luscious. Didn't peel the zucchini which left the bars with 'green things' but didn't affect the taste. I freeze the correct amount of grated zucchini with the lemon rind and during the winter I've got a head start on these bars!" —Diane Nelson 11 of 22 Orange Poppy Seed Zucchini Cake View Recipe Qhhunters A zucchini cake that combines with orange zest and poppy seeds for a unique flavor combination. Allrecipes Allstar Qhhunters gave it five-stars: "This is more like a quick bread vs a cake. That said this bread has a lot going on but it is delicious." 12 of 22 Don't Knock it Until You Try it Zucchini Chocolate Banana Nut Milkshake View Recipe Holiday Baker Veggies in a milkshake?! It's a summertime treat that is healthier than anyone would ever guess. "Everyone in my family loved it and nobody could believe the secret ingredient was zucchini — you can't taste it at all!" —Jennifer DeFosse 13 of 22 Zucchini Raspberry Cupcakes View Recipe Jeannine Ross "Sturdy but moist not too sweet brownie-like cupcake studded with a delicious combination of fresh raspberries and gooey chocolate chips in every bite. I completely forgot there was zucchini in them! I tasted one 'for rating and review purposes' and then I had to get me out of the kitchen." —naples34102 Try these cupcakes topped with chocolate ganache. 14 of 22 Zucchini Walnut Carrot Cake View Recipe lutzflcat Fans of zucchini bread and carrot cake will love this mash up of the two. "We really enjoyed this cake! It is SO moist and not too sweet. Watch your cooking time. I made mine in a glass casserole dish and 38 minutes was perfect." —Staci 15 of 22 Zucchini Cinnamon Cobbler View Recipe lutzflcat Another zucchini cobbler recipe to choose from, this time with a healthy dose of cinnamon. This five-star review from Allrecipes Allstar lutzflcat tells you this is a summer cobbler you must try: "Every now and then you find a recipe that just catches you totally by surprise, and this is one of them." 16 of 22 Zucchini Cake III View Recipe val161 A beautiful zucchini cake baked in a Bundt or tube pan. "This was delicious! I substituted 1/2c applesauce + 1/2c oil and added a cup of raisins. I also baked this in a bundt pan (for 55 min) rather than a tube pan. Glazed this with a cream cheese glaze." —Sarah Wilkerson 17 of 22 Vegan Zucchini Brownies View Recipe Rita Vegans and non-vegans alike will love these delicious zucchini brownies. "Super gooey and decadent, approved even by non-zucchini fans," says reviewer Rita. 18 of 22 Zucchini Crisp View Recipe tyrone777 A sweet, crumbly topping works wonders on top of zucchini to create a dessert that tastes just like an apple crisp! "I find awesome recipes here all the time! I am a frequent allrecipes user however this I'd the first time I have ever posted a review... [This] recipe was amazing and deserves to have 1000 5 star reviews!" —Linda Marie 19 of 22 Mom's Chocolate Zucchini Cookies View Recipe Pam A cake-like cookie combining zucchini, chocolate, and aromatic spices including cinnamon and clove. "These were to die for! I didn't even notice the zucchini," says a five-star review by Aliesha. 20 of 22 Chocolate Swirl Zucchini Sheet Cake View Recipe KGora If you want to impress at your next potluck or picnic, this zucchini sheet cake is your answer. "This recipe is a keeper in my stash of cake recopies. My family and I really enjoyed the moist, chocolate taste of this dessert. Most of my family didn't believe there was zucchini in it. This is a great cake for family get togethers and church pot luck dinners." —Barbara Ray 21 of 22 Tips for Making Desserts With Zucchini Meredith Use small to medium zucchini. Large zucchini the size of small zeppelins tend to be dry and not as sweet as you want them to be in your desserts.No need to seed unless you use an overlarge zucchini with big, tougher seeds.Shred zucchini with a grater instead of chopping it so you get ultra thin pieces that will blend into your recipe smoothly.Don't squeeze the squash. The natural moisture in zucchini adds moisture to your recipe, which is a good thing for desserts. So in most cases, it's fine to not squeeze out extra moisture. 22 of 22 More Inspiration keribeth We have so much more to tempt you when it comes to this humble summer squash. Check out our recipes and collections for more ideas: Pictured: Zucchini Pancakes Our Best Zucchini Bread Recipes The entire Zucchini Recipe Collection Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit