Zucchini Brownies

August 4, 2023
5 from 2 votes
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Ultra Rich and Moist Zucchini Brownies. Healthier, loaded with chocolate, and topped with a simple ganache. These are super decadent!

Looking for more Zucchini Recipes? Try my Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread, my Zucchini Cookies or The BEST Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Zucchini Brownies with chocolate ganache

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Zucchini Brownie Recipe

It’s pretty hard to believe that there are vegetables in these chocolate zucchini brownies! They are so rich and dense with the perfect amount of sweetness. I used less flour for a chewier brownie and substituted brown sugar in place of granulated sugar.

These brownies are loaded with tons of chocolate flavor. I used unsweetened cocoa powder AND semi-sweet chocolate chips. I also added instant coffee granules to bring out the flavor of the chocolate. You would never know there is zucchini in the brownies. You can’t taste it at all!

This zucchini brownie recipe is a lot healthier too! I only added 4 tablespoons of butter and a lot less sugar than my standard Brownie Recipe. The ganache is also optional if you want to save on some of the calories.

These Healthier Zucchini Brownies are the perfect way to use up zucchini from your garden!

What makes these Zucchini Brownies the best

Brown butter: Adds so much flavor and extra nuttiness to the brownies. Totally worth the extra step.
Less flour: Makes the brownies chewy and fudgy.
Light brown sugar: I use brown sugar in place of granulated sugar for extra flavor and softness.
Instant coffee granules: Are added to bring out the cocoa flavor in the brownies. You can also substitute espresso powder if you have that on hand!

zucchini brownie ingredients

Zucchini: Zucchinis add moisture and extra nutrition. You’d never know they were in there!
Butter: I brown the butter which gives a ton of flavor to these zucchini brownies. It’s SO good!
Sugar: This time I used light brown sugar. I like the caramel flavor it brings along with sweetness.
Chocolate: Brownies must have chocolate! These healthy brownies have both cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate chips in them.
Coffee: When baking anything chocolatey I always add in some coffee. This makes it taste even more chocolatey!
Baking Powder: This is a raising agent so that the brownies have a little lift (but aren’t cake-like).
Eggs: Eggs bind all of the ingredients and also add a little lift.
Vanilla: Vanilla goes into almost all of my baked sweets to emphasize the sweetness.
Flour: Just a little flour is all you need for this recipe! The zucchini brownies come out extra fudgy and chewy!

how to make zucchini brownies

This recipe is also extremely simple to make. No mixer required!

Preheat the oven: To 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 9 or 8 x 8 pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Lightly spray with cooking spray or grease with butter. Set aside.
Brown butter: Add butter to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until light brown/caramel in color. 5-10 minutes. Make sure to keep an eye on it so the butter does not burn. It also helps to use a light-colored saucepan for this.

Combine batter: Pour browned butter into a large bowl along with both sugars, cocoa powder, salt, instant coffee granules, and baking powder.

Stir until combined and allow to rest for 5 minutes or until the mixture has cooled down. Stir in the eggs and vanilla and mix until the batter has a nice sheen to it. Fold in the flour, shredded zucchini, and chocolate chips just until combined. (Do not over mix)

Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes or until the top is set and a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool: Brownies completely and lift out the aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Frost with chocolate ganache cut into 9 brownies and serve!

How to make Chocolate Ganache

I top the Zucchini Brownies off with a simple Chocolate Ganache. The ganache is super easy to whip up. To make the chocolate ganache melt chocolate and heavy cream in the microwave until smooth and melted. You can also cook the ganache over a double boiler. Allow the ganache to cool for about 2-3 minutes. Spread on top of the cooled brownies and place them in the fridge to allow them to set.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does zucchini replace in baking?

Surprisingly, zucchini replaces the oil! Yes, there is still browned butter in this zucchini brownies recipe for taste, but that’s all! You wouldn’t know it was missing.

What makes a brownie fudgy?

Less flour and more fat make brownies turn out fudgy. Funnily enough, replacing some of the fat with zucchini will still make the brownies fudgy. Just make sure you keep the flour ratio low!

Why do people add zucchini to cake?

Zucchini is an excellent ingredient to add to cake and brownies because it replaces some of the fat. This makes your cake lower in calories and higher in nutrition, while also adding in some moisture. A great thing about adding zucchini to sweet bakes is it has a mild flavor and you can’t taste it!

Here are more decadent chocolate recipes to try!