Heat your oven to 350°F. While it preheats, line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal later, then lightly spray with cooking spray. This setup ensures your bars won't stick and makes them easy to lift out once cooled.

Grate the zucchini on a box grater, then place it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly over the sink to remove as much moisture as possible—this is crucial for the texture of your bars, as excess water will make them dense and soggy. In a medium bowl, whisk together the room temperature eggs, coconut sugar, almond butter, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Stir in the squeezed zucchini until evenly distributed throughout the wet mixture.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Pour the dry mixture into the wet ingredients from Step 2 and stir until just combined—be careful not to overmix, as this can make the bars tough. Fold in the chocolate chips gently, reserving a small handful (about 2 tablespoons) for topping. I like to reserve some chips for the top because they create those beautiful little pockets of chocolate throughout and look more appetizing when baked.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan from Step 1, smoothing the top gently with a spatula. Scatter the reserved chocolate chips over the surface, pressing them in slightly so they stay put during baking. Bake for 28-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs—don't overbake, as these bars are best when slightly underdone in the center.

Remove the bars from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 30 minutes—this allows them to set without becoming dry. Once cooled, use the parchment overhang to lift the entire slab out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Let cool for another 10-15 minutes, then slice into squares and sprinkle the top with flaky finishing salt. I find that the finishing salt adds a subtle sophistication that complements the chocolate and brings out the nuttiness of the almond flour.