Incredibly Fudgy Zucchini Brownies

16 Servings
37 min

Sneak in some veggies in a batch of incredibly Fudgy Zucchini Brownies. So good and no one will ever suspect there is zucchini hiding inside!

If you’re a fan of fudgy-style brownies, these Zucchini Brownies will not disappoint! These brownies come together in less than 10 minutes using your food processor. They’re moist, rich, fudgy and a great way to use summer’s most prolific veggie, zucchini. Best of all, picky eaters will never suspect these brownies have zucchini in them.

The zucchini in these brownies is puréed in the food processor, making them incredibly moist without the stringy texture that sometimes comes with shredding it. With the moisture from the zucchini, this recipe calls for just 3 tablespoons of butter,making them healthy-ish.

Brownie Ingredients

Espresso powder enhances the chocolate flavor when baking and makes chocolate taste richer and more intense without adding any coffee flavor on its own.

For easy removal when baking bars or brownies, line the pan with parchment paper, which is nonstick. The ends of the paper provide ‘handles’ making it easy to lift the brownies out of the pan to cut on a flat surface. Parchment also helps regulate the oven temperature and can neutralize hot spots as a barrier between the pan and your batter.

Got a surplus of zucchini? Try Chocoholic's Zucchini Bread.

Incredibly Fudgy Zucchini Brownies
Recipe details
  • 16  Servings
  • Prep time: 7 Minutes Cook time: 30 Minutes Total time: 37 min
Show Nutrition Info
Hide Nutrition Info
Ingredients
Brownie Ingredients
  • (1) 8″ zucchini, washed, trimmed, cut into chunks, no need to peel (1 1/2 cups)
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa, Dutch-process or natural
  • 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder (for enhanced chocolate flavor)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate chips)
Frosting Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (I used dark)
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream or 3 tablespoons milk (I used 3 tablespoons Half and Half)
  • Flaky sea salt like Maldon or Fleur de Sel, for sprinkling on top of frosting
Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ square pan or line pan with parchment paper.
Whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, salt, and flour; set aside.
Combine the zucchini, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla in work bowl of a food processor; process until smooth.
Add dry ingredients to zucchini / egg mixture and process briefly, just until combined.
Add chocolate chips and pulse several times to break up chips.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake brownies for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs clinging to it; you shouldn’t see any sign of wet batter. Remove the brownies from the oven, and allow them to cool completely before frosting.
To make frosting:
Combine the chocolate chips and milk or cream in a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan.
Heat until the milk is steaming, and the chips are soft. Remove from the heat, and stir until smooth.
Spread the frosting on brownies, sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.
Place brownies in the refrigerator for an hour or so, to set. Store at room temperature, covered, for several days.
Tips
  • If you don’t have a food processor, use a blender to purée the zucchini, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth; transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl before proceeding with the recipe.
Mary @ Home is Where the Boat Is
Want more details about this and other recipes? Check out more here!
Go
Comments
  • Crumly Crumly on Jan 28, 2021

    Thanks for the info on the parchment paper, I didn’t know about the heat protection in the oven. I also have never heard of espresso powder. I hope I can find some. Thanks again. Sounds good.

    • Crumly Crumly on Jan 31, 2021

      Thanks, now that I have!

  • Jackie Jackie on Jan 28, 2021

    Can I substitute coconut flour for the plain flour to make it keto friendly?

    • Barb Barb on Jan 28, 2021

      You might try Almond flour instead. Coconut flour absorbs more liquid and will need more or it will be too dry. Don't know if adding more zucchini would fix that issue, but almond flour doesn't need the extra liquid.

Next