Zucchini Brownies

Zucchini Brownies! Heavenly chocolate fudgy brownies with a secret ingredient!  It is nearly impossible to detect these divine flourless brownies have a healthy portion of zucchini.  

One-bowl brownies that you'll be making again and again.  There are two versions with this recipe, one is a vegan brownie recipe, and you'll love the eggless brownies version.  The other includes an egg and is fantastic also!

Being skeptical because these brownies have zucchini is understandable, but these are the most delicious brownies!

The brownies get moisture from the zucchini.  If you add an egg you'll get a more cake-like brownie.  Leave it out and you'll get a more fudgy brownie.

How To Make Zucchini Brownies:

1.  Gather all the ingredients.  Grate the zucchini. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line an 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper and/or grease pan with oil.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add nut butter, zucchini, maple syrup, baking soda, vanilla extract, salt, cacao powder, egg and mix well until completely combined.
3. Stir in 1/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips, or chunks if using and stir well.
4. Pour into the 8 x 8 baking pan and smooth the batter.
5. Add chopped walnuts or extra chocolate chips if using.
6. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the edges and center are firm.  The edges will appear more crispy than the center and that is perfectly fine.
7. Cool completely before slicing (easiest this way).
8. If adding icing, do so before slicing and put the brownies in the refrigerator to allow icing to harden.

Tips and Techniques:

• Grate the zucchini using a hand cheese grater (easiest and fastest) using the large holes.
• You could also use a food processor with the shredding attachment.
• No need to squeeze liquid from grated zucchini shreds.
• Use organic zucchini if possible.
• The zucchini brownies with an egg are a little more cake-like and the vegan zucchini brownies without an egg are fudgier.

Do you grate zucchini with skin on or off?

• This is your choice, but I leave the skin on and the brownies come out perfectly.
• How to shred zucchini video.

Can you freeze zucchini brownies?

• Probably yes, but I have not tried this yet (they disappear too fast).

Why is zucchini used in baking?

• Zucchini contains a lot of water which contributes to the moisture of baked goods.   When the zucchini is heated through baking, the moisture/water in zucchini is released. The batter and finished baked goods will look very different in texture.

What do healthy zucchini brownies taste like?

• They taste great!  I cannot detect any zucchini and they are fudgy and delicious!

Eggless Brownie Recipe:

• For an egg-free version (vegan brownie recipe) of this recipe, leave out the egg and the brownie won't rise as much but will be fudgy and delicious.

Brownie Glaze:

• For a glaze, dairy-free ganache works really well.  Or you could place 1 cup of chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate) in a heatproof bowl with 1 teaspoon of coconut oil, melt in a microwave for about 45 seconds until melted.
• Spread glaze over cooled brownies.
• Place in the refrigerator to harden (about 1 hour).

Gluten-Free Desserts:

• Paleo Pumpkin Bars
• Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Paleo Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Fudge Cookies

Vegan Desserts:

• Edible Cookie Dough
• Vegan Cookie Dough
• Vegan Fudge

Vegan Baking Recipes:

• Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
• Vegan Sugar Cookies

Brownie Recipes:

• Paleo Brownies
• Flourless Brownies
• Vegan Brownies

I hope you enjoy this zucchini brownie recipe!

5 from 1 vote

Print

The Ultimate Zucchini Brownies!

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

55 mins

 

Zucchini brownies are a healthy gluten-free brownie, rich chocolate flavor and hard to detect zucchini is an ingredient! Two versions - one vegan (eggless brownies)! Both delicious! The best flourless brownies!

Course: Brownie, Brownies, Dessert, Nut Butter, Snack

Cuisine: American, Dessert

Servings: 9

Calories: 248 kcal

Author: Christine Galvani

Ingredients

• 1 cups shredded zucchini *-see notes below (about 1 medium-sized zucchini)
• 1 large egg (may omit for vegan brownies)
• 1 cup creamy nut butter (I have used cashew and almond)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup cacao powder (may substitute cocoa powder)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (additional amount needed if making a frosting)
• 2 tablespoon chopped raw walnuts (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Prepare an 8 x 8 brownie pan by spraying with coconut oil and lining with parchment paper.

3. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add all ingredients except chocolate chips and walnuts and mix until combined thoroughly.

4. Fold in chocolate chips and incorporate them.

5. Pour mixture into your prepared baking dish and sprinkle top with chopped walnuts if using.

6. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely and then cut into squares (about 9).

Recipe Notes

Tips and Techniques:

• Grate the zucchini using a hand cheese grater (easiest and fastest) using the large holes.
• No need to squeeze liquid from grated zucchini.
• Use organic zucchini if possible.
• The zucchini brownies with an egg are a little more cake-like and the vegan zucchini brownies without an egg are fudgier.

Do you grate zucchini with skin on or off?

• This is your choice, but I leave the skin on and the brownies come out perfectly.

Can you freeze zucchini brownies?

• Probably yes, but I have not tried this yet (they disappear too fast).

What do healthy zucchini brownies taste like?

• They taste great!  I cannot detect any zucchini and they are fudgy and delicious!

Nutrition Facts

The Ultimate Zucchini Brownies!

Amount Per Serving

Calories 248 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 4g20%

Cholesterol 19mg6%

Sodium 266mg11%

Potassium 295mg8%

Carbohydrates 17g6%

Fiber 3g12%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 65IU1%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 38mg4%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Resource:  Freezing Zucchini

Resource:  How To Shred Zucchini