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Cheesy Zucchini Yogurt Twists 🥒🧀
Savory baked twists made with a simple Greek yogurt dough, zucchini, cream cheese and grated cheese. An easy handheld snack for babies and toddlers.
For babies, bake the twists until cooked through and golden while keeping the center tender. Avoid letting the ends become excessively hard, dry or crunchy.
Ingredients
- About 7.1 oz self-rising flour (200g)
- About 6.7 oz Greek yogurt (190g)
- ½ zucchini, grated and squeezed
- 3–4 tbsp cream cheese (about 43–57g)
- 1 big handful grated cheddar or Parmesan cheese
Metric conversions may vary slightly depending on the brand.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Add the self-raising flour and Greek yogurt to a medium bowl and mix together.
- When the mixture is almost combined, transfer it to a flat work surface and knead until it forms a ball.
- If the dough feels too sticky, add a little extra flour while kneading.
- Sprinkle the work surface with flour and roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 1cm thick.
- Spread the cream cheese over one half of the dough.
- Top the cream cheese with the grated, squeezed zucchini and the grated cheddar or Parmesan cheese.
- Fold the other half of the dough over the filling to create a sandwich, then press gently with a rolling pin.
- Cut the filled dough into strips approximately 1.5–2cm thick.
- Twist each strip and place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Brush the tops with a little melted butter if desired.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until risen and golden brown.
- Allow the twists to cool slightly before serving.
Baby Serving Guide
9 months+: Allow the twist to cool to a safe temperature before serving.
Check that the center is tender and that the dough can be easily torn apart or squashed between your fingers.
For younger babies, offer an appropriately sized tender piece rather than a whole twist if the full twist is too firm or difficult to manage.
Trim or avoid any ends that have become particularly hard or crunchy during baking.
Baby-Friendly Tips
- Zucchini: Grate it and squeeze out the excess moisture before adding it to the filling.
- Texture: Avoid overbaking the twists until they become dry or very crisp.
- Cheese: The recipe does not include added salt. Cheddar, Parmesan and cream cheese naturally contribute sodium.
- Dairy: Greek yogurt, cream cheese, cheddar or Parmesan, and optional butter contain milk, a common allergen.
- Wheat: Self-raising flour contains wheat.
- Always serve baby seated upright and under close adult supervision.
Recipe Tips
- If the dough feels sticky, add a little extra flour while kneading.
- If using plain or spelt flour instead of self-raising flour, add 2½ tsp baking powder.
- Squeeze the grated zucchini thoroughly so excess moisture does not make the filling watery.
Storage
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Freezer: Store in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or reheat directly from frozen in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10–15 minutes.
Nutrition Information
View estimated nutritional values
Estimated for the entire recipe (all 8–10 twists combined)
Calories: ~1,200 kcal | Carbohydrates: ~158 g | Protein: ~48 g | Fat: ~40 g | Fiber: ~7 g | Sugar: ~11 g | Vitamin A: ~300 µg RAE | Vitamin C: ~9 mg* | Calcium: ~650 mg | Iron: ~8 mg
These estimates are for the full batch of 8–10 twists, not for a single twist. Actual totals vary with the amounts and types of cheese used.
Calculations assume 200g self-raising flour, 190g plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, half a medium zucchini (approximately 100g before squeezing), 3–4 tbsp cream cheese (approximately 50g), and one big handful grated cheddar (approximately 30g). These estimated weights do not change the original ingredient quantities.
The recipe does not specify the weight of the zucchini or the handful of cheese. Parmesan instead of cheddar, different Greek yogurt varieties, or more or less cream cheese can noticeably change calories, protein, fat, calcium and sodium.
Optional melted butter for brushing and any additional flour used during kneading or dusting are excluded because their amounts are not specified.
The sugar estimate includes naturally occurring sugars primarily from plain yogurt and vegetables. No separate sugar is added to the original ingredient formula.
*Vitamin C is estimated from ingredients before baking and may decrease during cooking. Vitamin A is expressed as micrograms of retinol activity equivalents (RAE).
These are approximate ingredient-based estimates, not laboratory measurements. Actual nutritional values depend on ingredient brands, portion weights and preparation.
