These rich and fudgy dark chocolate zucchini brownies taste so much like regular chocolate brownies, you’d never guess there’s an entire cup of zucchini in the recipe!
Healthy chocolate zucchini brownies
If you haven’t tried zucchini brownies before, these are a must try.
The zucchini adds unbelievable moisture and softness to the recipe, without all the extra fat and calories. It lets you cut back on the oil, while secretly packing the fudgy chocolate treats with nutrition at the same time.
Brownies that are healthy and don’t taste healthy? It’s the best of both worlds!
Also be sure to make these Black Bean Brownies
Above – watch the zucchini fudge brownie recipe video
Vegan zucchini brownie ingredients
The zucchini brownie recipe can be soy free, dairy free, gluten free, and vegan, with no eggs, no butter, and no flax seeds.
In addition to shredded zucchini, this healthy dessert recipe calls for the following traditional brownie ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, oil or almond butter, water, Dutch cocoa powder, and regular unsweetened cocoa powder.
If desired, you can also stir in a handful of mini chocolate chips, chopped chocolate, shredded coconut, or diced walnuts or pecans.
Vitamin packed zucchini summer squash stands in for much of the oil, adding extra moisture and nutrition without all the fat and calories. Or you can use softened almond butter or cashew butter for oil free brownies. I have not tried applesauce here.
Dutch process cocoa powder gives baked dessert recipes a classic brownie flavor, and you will often see this ingredient in boxed brownie mixes. It should be readily available at both health food stores and regular grocery stores.
Refined sugar free sweeteners, such as coconut sugar or date sugar, can be substituted for the granulated sugar. I would guess that xylitol or a granulated monk fruit blend should also work, but I have not tried either of these options.
If you prefer sugar free brownies with almond flour, try the keto brownies listed below. While this particular brownie recipe does not work with coconut flour, I do have a separate recipe for low carb Coconut Flour Brownies.
You can use spelt flour or all purpose white flour, or opt for oat flour to make gluten free zucchini brownies. Some brands of gluten free all purpose flour may also work.
How to make zucchini brownies
Start by gathering the brownie ingredients and shredding the zucchini.
If you are unsure of the best way to shred zucchini, see below.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an eight inch square or round baking pan with parchment paper, or grease the bottom and sides of the pan with oil. Set this pan aside.
Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and stir very well. Add the wet ingredients, including the zucchini, and stir to form a batter.
Smooth the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Place on the center rack of the oven.
For ultra fudgy brownies, my favorite baking trick is to remove the underdone brownies after fifteen minutes. Let them cool, then refrigerate overnight so they firm up without being overcooked or cakey. If you are in a rush or do prefer cake like brownies instead of extra fudgy ones, bake the brownies for twenty minutes or until fully cooked.
These brownies, like many baked goods, are much sweeter and richer the next day, with a better brownie texture. So let them sit a day before serving… if you can wait!
The chocolate recipe is great on its own or with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.
Storage tips for zucchini brownies
For optimum freshness, it is best to store leftover brownies in the refrigerator.
Very loosely cover them the first night with a paper towel, then fully cover any remaining leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days.
Or slice and freeze leftovers in a container, with sheet of parchment paper or wax paper in between layers of brownies to prevent them from sticking together.
Once frozen, the healthy zucchini brownies should be good for up to two months.
Warm up or thaw the baked goods before serving.
More Zucchini Recipes
How to shred zucchini
The recipe calls for one cup of zucchini, which is about one or two zucchini, depending on the size.
I usually buy three zucchini just to be on the safe side, and because leftovers can always be used up in this homemade Coconut Curry Recipe.
The easiest way to shred a zucchini is not with a grater, but with a food processor.
Chop the vegetable into medium pieces, then pulse until finely grated, stopping a few times to scrape down the sides of the machine if needed.
Measure out the one cup of zucchini squash after processing, not before. While some recipes tell you to do so, I didn’t bother to blot out excess moisture here.
The recipe was adapted from my Vegan Brownies.
Zucchini Brownies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup white, oat, or spelt flour (for keto, try these Keto Brownies)
- 1/2 cup sugar, unrefined if desired
- 1/3 cup additional sugar OR erythritol
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp dutch cocoa powder
- 1 cup finely shredded zucchini (160g) (see above for how to shred zucchini)
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, optional
- 1/4 cup oil, or 1/3 cup softened almond butter
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment, or grease well, and set aside. In a large bowl, stir dry ingredients very well, then add remaining ingredients to form a batter. Smooth into the pan. Bake on the center rack – I like to bake 15 minutes and then refrigerate overnight so they firm up while remaining fudgy. If you're in a rush, bake 20 minutes or until fully cooked. The brownies are sweeter and richer the day after they are made, IF you can wait!View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
More Healthy Chocolate Recipes
Oh man these are good, you can’t taste the zucchini in the brownies AT ALL!
What happened to the zucchini brownies recipe that used coconut flour? It just redirects to here now.
Hi! The old version can be found still if you just put the url into the wayback machine (web.archive.org) 🙂
Hi Katie. I have just one question for you. How do you look the way you do and cook all the wonderful delicious foods you make? I would look like a house. I must say all your dishes look incredible. I would love to make and eat them all. Ha Ha.
Hi Simone! Most likely, a fast metabolism is only part of it… Katie might eat around 3000 on a daily basis, but it’s pretty consistent, whereas many people will eat much less day to day, but then they go out and consume large amounts of calories from restaurant meals and alcohol on weekends, so it probably evens out in the end. Katie also walks a ton and runs a little bit, which elevates caloric needs. Some of it also probably has to do with adrenaline. Katie is trying to learn how to relax more – Studies show people with slower metabolisms are often actually healthier because a fast metabolism is more taxing on the body. (We are not doctors or nutritionists; just summarizing some articles we’ve read.)
Hi! This looks great. What is the reasoning behind using unsweetened cocoa powder *and* dutch cocoa powder?
They are absolutely better in taste and texture one day after baking. Delicious! Use good quality cocoas so the chocolate flavor stands out.
The baking time felt a bit unclear. 15 min, then on the refrigerator for fudgy style, but is it 20 min total baking time for cake like brownies or 20 additional minutes? I had made several changes to the recipe (brown sugar in place of granulated, added instant coffee crystals and a touch of vanilla extract. Less sweet with a slightly bitter ending.) so I relied on a toothpick test plus the brownies pulled away from the side of the pan, which for me was 26 minutes baking time.
Fudgy and candy brownies?! Yup! These are so freaking delicious.
Grated my zucchini with a box grater, then gently pulsed it in my blender. Perfect perfect perfect.
I have a question about the icing. It is not included in the recipe, so I am assuming it is not included in the nutrition label. Am I correct about that assumption?
HELP! I need to double the recipe and bake in a 9 x 13 pan. How long should I bake it for?