Zucchini Brownies are super fudgy, decadent, and chocolatey. Finely shredded zucchini keeps them incredibly moist, while chocolate chips add extra richness in every bite. SO dang good that they disappear from the baking sheet in seconds. Also try my Chocolate Zucchini Cake.
Get your daily serving of vegetables by eating a brownie! These zucchini brownies are perfect and easy treat for chocolate lovers as well as a great way to incorporate fiber and vegetables into your everyday diet - Zucchini recipes have never been more indulgent than this one.
You do not taste zucchini, you do not feel zucchini. It's just straight up chocolate brownies and yet you're eating your vegetables.
Don't you love using vegetables to make desserts? Zucchini as well as cooked carrots (by the way try this Carrot Cake Loaf as well) deserve to be listed as "dessert vegetables" in the grocery stores! And if that's not enough, below are 3 more compelling reasons to fall in love with zucchini brownies!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Your picky eaters will never know there is any zucchini in the brownie! You can't even taste or see the zucchini, and they are incredibly moist. I was super skeptical about baking with zucchini, but these guys blew me away. If I didn't make it myself, I wouldn't believe for a second that it was made with zucchini.
- These brownies tend to disappear fast. To make sure these lasts longer than a day, you will have to cover the pan, and hide them inside the oven or you'd keep grabbing a slice every time you walked by in the kitchen. They are made in 9x13 inch pan with lots of chocolate chips!
- No eggs! These rich, fudgy Zucchini Brownies are naturally vegan and made with simple pantry ingredients-no eggs, no flax eggs or special substitutions required!
Happy zucchini brownie day!
Ingredients
- Zucchini: Finely shredded zucchini, leaving in the moisture that comes with it.
- All-purpose flour: I like to use unbleached flour for all any brownie recipe because it's chlorine free and natural.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: This is the secret ingredient needed for the fudgy zucchini brownies!
- Salt, baking powder and baking soda: All necessary elements to make the brownies rise, taste moist and have that perfect texture!
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Dark chocolate chips will work beautifully as well.
- Vegetable oil: Canola or sunflower oil. Both are light in color and neutral.
- Sugar: granulated, turbinado or coconut sugar. The darker the sugar, the more molasses it has which means the more caramel like taste the brownie will have.
- Vanilla extract: Adds distinct flavor to otherwise bland ingredients without interfering with the chocolate flavor.
How to make zucchini brownies
This is an overview of the recipe that includes photos of the step by step instructions.
1. Mix dry ingredients
The first step is to whisk together the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract. Then add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, baking powder and mix until almost combined. When you add the zucchini in and mix everything again - the batter will appear kind of dry.
2. Let zucchini-chocolate mixture sit and hydrate
To make the brownie batter absorb the moisture, all you have to do is let zucchini and chocolate mixture sit for 2 minutes to let the zucchini release as much moisture as possible. Once the finely shredded zucchini is well blended into the chocolate mixture, the batter will become moist and manageable.
If the batter is still dry, let it rest for 5 minutes. Stir once more and you will see how much moisture the zucchini adds.
3. Add chocolate chips
Now add 1 ½ cups chocolate chips and stir once more.
5. Bake
Spread the batter in the baking dish and sprinkle the remaining chocolate on top.
Once you have batter in the 9x13 dish, bake these zucchini brownies for about 27-32 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Tips for making this recipe
- If making a vegan version: If you're making these to be vegan, make sure the chocolate chips you choose are vegan.
- Finely shred zucchini to prevent dry batter: If your brownies are too dry after 2 minutes of waiting to stir, wait an additional 2 minutes. The zucchini will moisten the batter as it sits. If you don't shred your zucchini finely it will take more like 5-10 minutes of sitting to release the moisture.
- Don't use a measuring cup: Once you shred the zucchini, don't pack the zucchini into the measuring cup. Just plop it in and let it be.
- Use plastic knife: The best way to cut brownies is with a disposable plastic knife. The brownies won't stick to it like a normal metal knife.
Variations and suggestions
- To make it gluten free: Use gluten free flour, such as Cup 4 Cup or King Arthur's 1 to 1.
- Oil: You can use olive or avocado oil instead of sunflower oil.
Zucchini Brownie FAQ
- Can you taste the vegetable in this brownie? You can't taste the zucchini at all, but definitely use the fine side of your grater so you get smaller pieces. The thick grated pieces don't incorporate as well.
- What is the difference in the texture compared to the regular brownie? It's a little less dense than box mix brownies and a tad more cakey, but the flavor is amazing especially with chocolate chips! If you are a really picky eater, never tried zucchini before but I want to do it, this recipe is a really good to try it.
Potential problems and how to fix them
- My batter is too dry, what do I do? There are 2 possible reasons for that. One is your zucchini is not shredded finely enough or not ripe enough to release enough moisture. In that case, either add 1 egg, or add a bit of liquid (water or milk).
- I recommend to wait 5 minutes for the moisture from zucchini to get absorbed into the batter and that might just fix the problem.
- I want to add an egg - the dryness of the batter scares me! Even though the recipe will initially look dry when you first put it together, trust the process by allowing the seemingly dry batter to rest after adding the zucchini. This all will work out perfectly delicious, moist and chocolatey! Please stop yourself from adding an egg! You will be glad you didn't and will be surprised at the results.
- My zucchini brownies are not done baking at designated time. You might need to bake them 10 minutes longer but no more than that.
Storage and refrigeration
- Store leftovers in an airtight counter at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.
- Freeze brownies in the freezer individually wrapped in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
More brownie recipes
- Monster Cookie Bars
- Cheesecake Chocolate Brownies
- Easy Peanut Butter Blondies
- Buckeye Brownies
- Salted Caramel Pretzel Brownies
- Raspberry Mousse Brownies
- Chocolate Mousse Brownies
Zucchini Brownies
Ingredients
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup neutral oil (canola or vegetable, etc)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups finely shredded zucchini leaving the moisture that comes with it
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips divided
Instructions
- Spray a 9x13 baking dish (preferably metal) and preheat your oven to 350 F.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract. Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, baking powder and mix until almost combined. Add the zucchini in and mix again until mostly combined. It will appear kind of dry. Let it sit for 2 minutes to let the zucchini release more moisture. Add 1 ½ cups chocolate chips and stir once more.
- Spread the batter in the baking dish and sprinkle the remaining chocolate on top. Bake for about 27-32 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on top of a wire cooling rack. Brownies will fall apart if cut when hot. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before cooling.
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