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Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

Chocolate zucchini brownies with an ultra-fudgy, dense crumb and a shiny, crinkled top. Grated zucchini is squeezed dry and folded in for moist brownies without tasting vegetables.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
cooling 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 270
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 0.75 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
salt
  • 0.25 tsp salt
granulated sugar
  • 1.5 cup granulated sugar
eggs
  • 3 eggs
vegetable oil
  • 0.5 cup vegetable oil
vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
zucchini, grated and squeezed dry
  • 2 cups zucchini grated and squeezed dry
semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips melt 1 cup and mix into batter
  • 0.5 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips fold remaining 1/2 cup in at the end
flaky sea salt for top (optional)
  • 0.25 tsp flaky sea salt optional for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking pan.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together until evenly combined.
Make the batter
  1. Melt 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and let cool slightly.
  2. Beat granulated sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until slightly fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  3. Stir in the melted chocolate and grated squeezed zucchini until the batter looks smooth and glossy.
  4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until combined, then fold in the remaining 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Bake and cool
  1. Spread batter into the greased pan and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if using.
  2. Bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes, until the top is set and shiny but the center still has a slight jiggle.
  3. Cool for 20 minutes before cutting so the brownies firm as they cool.

Notes

For the most fudgy texture, squeeze the grated zucchini very well so it doesn’t water down the batter. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days; freezer is yes (freeze sliced brownies for up to 2 months). For a dietary swap, you can try a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend to keep a similar crumb.