Best Ever Healthy Zucchini Brownies

Rich and delicious Healthy Zucchini Brownies made with shredded zucchini, whole wheat flour, and no refined sugar. Super moist and fudgy, no one even realizes that there is 2 cups of zucchini packed into the recipe!

We love healthy zucchini recipes around here and that includes baked goods like healthy chocolate zucchini bread and healthy zucchini bread.

These zucchini brownies are pure delight! Fudgy, healthy and easy. They taste like real brownies while made with whole foods!

Because zucchini is seasonal but the love for brownies can be year round, I make zucchini brownies during summer months.

Then in the winter, you can find me cooking batches of Instant Pot black beans and whipping up black bean brownies. And no one complains, when I make almond flour brownies and brownies with oat flour, either!

Everyone in my household was particularly excited for the remake of healthy brownie recipe with zucchini. Kids want to eat zucchini. Pinch me!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Better for you brownies: This zucchini dessert has the best simple yet clean ingredients. In fact, you could almost get away with eating these at every meal.
• Easy recipe: No wringing out your shredded zucchini for hours, just a quick squeeze and into the bowl they go. And did I mention, you can make this recipe in one bowl?!
• Fudgy: They actually get fudgier the next day!

Ingredients for Healthy Zucchini Brownies

Zucchini is the perfect vegetable to sneak into desserts because of both its mild taste and high water ratio keeps your brownies moist without ever fear of being dry.

• Zucchini: We will be adding a full 2 cups of shredded zucchini, talk about nourishing!
• Egg: For binding and holding these brownies together.
• Whole wheat or spelt flour: You can use only whole wheat or spelt flour. Any gluten free flour will not work because this zucchini brownie recipe relies on gluten in dough to rise. All purpose flour acts differently than whole wheat flour too.
• Maple syrup: I love to use this natural sweetener in baked goods because its flavor is mild without overpowering.
• Coconut oil: I find coconut oil best to use because it is solid. Zucchini brownies will be a tad more fudgy as they cool and oil becomes solid again after baking. Plus, that means these are dairy free!
• Cacao powder: A superfood full of antioxidants and nutrients. Can use cocoa powder too.

Substitutions

Here are some common substitutions if you happen to be out of an ingredient!

• Liquid sweetener: You can use any other liquid sweetener like honey, agave, brown rice syrup. Baking is a science and the ratio of dry to liquid is important and can’t be offset.
• Oil: You can use any mild tasting oil like avocado oil, however best results are with coconut oil!
• Cacao powder: More common unsweetened cocoa powder is OK. It’ more processed but can be found easily at any grocer.
• Other flour: Unfortunately for this recipe, I don’t recommend to use any other flour except ones listed in the recipe.
• Egg: Unfortunately, using applesauce instead of egg results in a cake like zucchini brownie. This recipe needs an egg!
• Chocolate chips: Not a substitution but if desired, sprinkle chocolate chips on top before baking.

How to Make Healthy Zucchini Brownies

This recipe comes together in one bowl, but all zucchini recipes use different techniques, so please read.

Prep baking dish: I highly recommend to line dish with parchment paper for easy removal.

Prep zucchini by shredding on medium size hole side of grater and giving a gentle squeeze. Set aside in colander while preparing remaining ingredients.

Liquids: Measure oil in liquid state. I recommend not to make oil very hot so it doesn’t “cook” the egg in batter.

Whisk all liquids first, and then add and whisk your leavening agents and cacao powder until “chocolate sauce” consistency.

Fold in shredded zucchini: Gently stir your previously set aside shredded zucchini.

Add flour: Mix until just combined.

Bake: Bake for 28 minutes at 375 degrees F preheated oven. Top should be soft and glossy and the centre not too jiggly.

Cool properly: Let brownies cool in the pan for about an hour. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool off completely. If you have patience, brownies become fudgier next day.

Make a healthy brownie sundae! Cut brownies into 16 squares and enjoy on their own or a dollop of vegan vanilla ice cream or healthy chocolate ice cream.

Tips for Baking with Zucchini

• Use large or small zucchini: The size of the zucchini doesn’t matter, just the amount.
• A word about baseball bat sized zucchini: Please do remove large seeds before grating as they could have a bitter taste!
• Don’t peel the zucchini: It’s so thin no one will notice plus researchers say it has the highest level of antioxidants. Yeah!
• Measuring: Do not overpack your measuring cup with zucchini because even extra 1/4 cup increases baking time.
• Follow the recipe: All zucchini recipes will differ how they prep the zucchini. For this recipe, give zucchini only a small squeeze to release some water.

How to Store

Overnight: Zucchini brownies taste even better the next day as they settle and cool off. That’s when brownies become really fudgy as coconut oil solidifies and settles.

At first brownies might look like cake. I leave them on a plate covered with kitchen towel on the counter overnight.

Past 24 hrs mark: In a glass airtight container, in a cool dry place for up to 4 days. If it’s hot outside, refrigerate for up to a week.

Freezing: Freeze brownies in an airtight container for up to 3 – 4 months. I would be surprised if you have any left to freeze. 🙂

FAQs

More Healthy Zucchini Recipes

• Chocolate zucchini muffins
• Healthy zucchini muffins
• Lemon zucchini bread
• Zucchini chocolate chip muffins
• Almond flour zucchini bread
• Almond flour zucchini muffins
• Healthy lemon zucchini bread
• Healthy zucchini banana bread