diff --git a/xarray/backends/zarr.py b/xarray/backends/zarr.py
index 2469a31a3d9..cdc74e06882 100644
--- a/xarray/backends/zarr.py
+++ b/xarray/backends/zarr.py
@@ -10,13 +10,20 @@
 from .common import AbstractWritableDataStore, BackendArray, _encode_variable_name
 
 # need some special secret attributes to tell us the dimensions
-_DIMENSION_KEY = "_ARRAY_DIMENSIONS"
+DIMENSION_KEY = "_ARRAY_DIMENSIONS"
 
 
-# zarr attributes have to be serializable as json
-# many xarray datasets / variables have numpy arrays and values
-# these functions handle encoding / decoding of such items
-def _encode_zarr_attr_value(value):
+def encode_zarr_attr_value(value):
+    """
+    Encode a attribute value as something that can be serialized as json
+
+    Many xarray datasets / variables have numpy arrays and values. This
+    function handles encoding / decoding of such items.
+
+    ndarray -> list
+    scalar array -> scalar
+    other -> other (no change)
+    """
     if isinstance(value, np.ndarray):
         encoded = value.tolist()
     # this checks if it's a scalar number
@@ -170,7 +177,20 @@ def _get_zarr_dims_and_attrs(zarr_obj, dimension_key):
     return dimensions, attributes
 
 
-def _extract_zarr_variable_encoding(variable, raise_on_invalid=False):
+def extract_zarr_variable_encoding(variable, raise_on_invalid=False):
+    """
+    Extract zarr encoding dictionary from xarray Variable
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    variable : xarray.Variable
+    raise_on_invalid : bool, optional
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    encoding : dict
+        Zarr encoding for `variable`
+    """
     encoding = variable.encoding.copy()
 
     valid_encodings = {"chunks", "compressor", "filters", "cache_metadata"}
@@ -271,7 +291,7 @@ def __init__(self, zarr_group, consolidate_on_close=False):
 
     def open_store_variable(self, name, zarr_array):
         data = indexing.LazilyOuterIndexedArray(ZarrArrayWrapper(name, self))
-        dimensions, attributes = _get_zarr_dims_and_attrs(zarr_array, _DIMENSION_KEY)
+        dimensions, attributes = _get_zarr_dims_and_attrs(zarr_array, DIMENSION_KEY)
         attributes = dict(attributes)
         encoding = {
             "chunks": zarr_array.chunks,
@@ -298,7 +318,7 @@ def get_dimensions(self):
         dimensions = {}
         for k, v in self.ds.arrays():
             try:
-                for d, s in zip(v.attrs[_DIMENSION_KEY], v.shape):
+                for d, s in zip(v.attrs[DIMENSION_KEY], v.shape):
                     if d in dimensions and dimensions[d] != s:
                         raise ValueError(
                             "found conflicting lengths for dimension %s "
@@ -310,7 +330,7 @@ def get_dimensions(self):
                 raise KeyError(
                     "Zarr object is missing the attribute `%s`, "
                     "which is required for xarray to determine "
-                    "variable dimensions." % (_DIMENSION_KEY)
+                    "variable dimensions." % (DIMENSION_KEY)
                 )
         return dimensions
 
@@ -328,7 +348,7 @@ def encode_variable(self, variable):
         return variable
 
     def encode_attribute(self, a):
-        return _encode_zarr_attr_value(a)
+        return encode_zarr_attr_value(a)
 
     def store(
         self,
@@ -433,10 +453,10 @@ def set_variables(self, variables, check_encoding_set, writer, unlimited_dims=No
                     writer.add(v.data, zarr_array, region=tuple(new_region))
             else:
                 # new variable
-                encoding = _extract_zarr_variable_encoding(v, raise_on_invalid=check)
+                encoding = extract_zarr_variable_encoding(v, raise_on_invalid=check)
                 encoded_attrs = {}
                 # the magic for storing the hidden dimension data
-                encoded_attrs[_DIMENSION_KEY] = dims
+                encoded_attrs[DIMENSION_KEY] = dims
                 for k2, v2 in attrs.items():
                     encoded_attrs[k2] = self.encode_attribute(v2)
 
diff --git a/xarray/tests/test_backends.py b/xarray/tests/test_backends.py
index a4585985bdc..82fe1b38149 100644
--- a/xarray/tests/test_backends.py
+++ b/xarray/tests/test_backends.py
@@ -4498,3 +4498,50 @@ def test_invalid_netcdf_raises(engine):
     data = create_test_data()
     with raises_regex(ValueError, "unrecognized option 'invalid_netcdf'"):
         data.to_netcdf("foo.nc", engine=engine, invalid_netcdf=True)
+
+
+@requires_zarr
+def test_encode_zarr_attr_value():
+    # array -> list
+    arr = np.array([1, 2, 3])
+    expected = [1, 2, 3]
+    actual = backends.zarr.encode_zarr_attr_value(arr)
+    assert isinstance(actual, list)
+    assert actual == expected
+
+    # scalar array -> scalar
+    sarr = np.array(1)[()]
+    expected = 1
+    actual = backends.zarr.encode_zarr_attr_value(sarr)
+    assert isinstance(actual, int)
+    assert actual == expected
+
+    # string -> string (no change)
+    expected = "foo"
+    actual = backends.zarr.encode_zarr_attr_value(expected)
+    assert isinstance(actual, str)
+    assert actual == expected
+
+
+@requires_zarr
+def test_extract_zarr_variable_encoding():
+
+    var = xr.Variable("x", [1, 2])
+    actual = backends.zarr.extract_zarr_variable_encoding(var)
+    assert "chunks" in actual
+    assert actual["chunks"] is None
+
+    var = xr.Variable("x", [1, 2], encoding={"chunks": (1,)})
+    actual = backends.zarr.extract_zarr_variable_encoding(var)
+    assert actual["chunks"] == (1,)
+
+    # does not raise on invalid
+    var = xr.Variable("x", [1, 2], encoding={"foo": (1,)})
+    actual = backends.zarr.extract_zarr_variable_encoding(var)
+
+    # raises on invalid
+    var = xr.Variable("x", [1, 2], encoding={"foo": (1,)})
+    with raises_regex(ValueError, "unexpected encoding parameters"):
+        actual = backends.zarr.extract_zarr_variable_encoding(
+            var, raise_on_invalid=True
+        )