Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

Posted Jun 15, 2021, Updated Feb 27, 2024

4.89 from 9 votes

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These zucchini brownies are rich and fudgy with a crinkly top and loaded with shredded zucchini! They’re the best chocolate zucchini brownies ever and a perfect summer treat for chocolate lovers.

up close photo of a Chocolate Zucchini Brownie with a bite taken out of it

Brownies are my all-time favorite dessert, so naturally I had to create the best Zucchini Brownies as a delicious way to use up all the zucchini in our garden.

These zucchini brownies are rich and fudgy with a crinkly top and are loaded with shredded zucchini! They’re the best chocolate zucchini brownies ever and a perfect summer treat for chocolate lovers.

Chocolate Zucchini Brownies: Ingredients & Substitutions

These brownies are so good as-is, but as always we’ll discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions.

overhead photo of the labeled ingredients in this chocolate zucchini brownie recipe

Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well, you may need to adjust the amount of sea salt in the recipe! Coconut oil or ghee can also be used in this recipe, but butter is my favorite.
Chopped chocolate. If you are looking to make the best zucchini brownies, then you need to choose a high-quality chocolate! The form of the chocolate doesn’t matter too much. Chips, chopped bars, discs, etc. all work equally well because it’s being melted. However the quality and cocoa content of your chocolate will affect the final outcome. I typically use Ghirardelli 60% dark chocolate chips.
Granulated sugar. Any granulated sugar works well in this recipe. I use organic cane sugar.
Vanilla extract. Make sure to use pure vanilla extract, and not imitation.
Cocoa powder. regular unsweetened cocoa powder is the best choice for these chocolate zucchini brownies. You can use extra dark cocoa powder for an even more intense chocolate flavor.
All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version, substitute a 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour blend.
Fine Sea Salt. I recommend using pure fine sea salt in baking and cooking. If you use iodized table salt decrease the amount of salt by half.
Eggs. I have not tried using egg substitutes. If you do and it works well for you please let me know in the comments below!
Zucchini. There’s no substitute for the zucchini (obviously)! For the fudgiest brownies make sure to squeeze out some of the water in the shredded zucchini before putting it in the bater.

How to Make Zucchini Brownies

The process to make zucchini brownies is just as important to the final outcome as the ingredients. For that perfect shiny crinkly top with a fudgy center, it’s very important to follow the steps as they are listed in this recipe! So let’s break them down and get started (don’t forget to watch the video too)!

The first step in making this brownie recipe is to melt the butter and chocolate together. This can be done in one of two ways:

In the microwave. warm butter & chocolate in the microwave for 60 seconds. Stir and warm in 30 second increments with stirring in between until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
On the stovetop. Gently warm butter and chocolate on the stovetop over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth and shiny!

Set the melted butter/chocolate mixture aside to cool slightly while you mix up the rest of the batter.

two overhead photos showing How to Make Zucchini Brownies

Then combine the dry ingredients and set them aside to use later.

These zucchini brownies are rich and fudgy with a crinkly top and loaded with shredded zucchini! They’re the best chocolate zucchini brownies ever and a perfect summer treat for chocolate lovers.

Beating the ingredients results in a shiny, crinkly top on these zucchini brownies. You can use a hand mixer or a standing mixer (my preference). Begin by beating the eggs alone for 60 seconds until they are pale yellow.

Next, add the sugar and beat for an additional 30-60 seconds, or until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is has thickened slightly.

Once the sugar is dissolved, add vanilla and the melted butter/chocolate mixture and beat on medium speed until the ingredients are combined and the batter is smooth.

Next, add the dry ingredients to the batter. If the flour or cocoa powder are clumpy, you may want to sift them before adding them to the wet ingredients. The batter at this point should be thick but not hard.

Use a spatula to fold in the chocolate chips and zucchini until they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Remove water

I recommend squeezing the water out of the shredded zucchini before adding it to the batter. This prevents cakey brownies.

Bake

Spread the zucchini brownie batter evenly in a pan and bake. Be sure to test them at the beginning of the recommended baking time, you do not want over-baked brownies!

Cool & Serve

Let the zucchini brownies cool in the baking pan for at least 15 minutes before cutting. You can eat them warm (yum) or at room temperature. They will hold up better to cutting as they cool.

Frost (Optional)

You can also frost the zucchini brownies before cutting once they are completely cooled. Here are some of our favorite frosting recipes:

9 Chocolate Zucchini Brownies cut into squares

Zucchini Brownies FAQs

How do I store zucchini brownies?

If you don’t eat all these zucchini brownies right away, you will need to store them. To keep brownies fresh, store them in an airtight container. They will last at room temperature for 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Can you freeze brownies?

Yes! I recommend wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap or vacuum sealing them, then storing the wrapped brownies in an airtight container or plastic bag in the freezer.

Do you have to squeeze zucchini out to use in this recipe?

Yes, in order to keep the texture fudgy and not cakey, I recommend squeezing the water out of the zucchini before using it to make these zucchini brownies.

How do you know when zucchini brownies are done?

This varies depending on just how gooey you want these fudgy brownies to be. For me, the perfect amount of gooeyness is achieved when the brownies are set on the top and around the edges, and they jiggle every-so-slightly when the pan is shaken.

two chocolate zucchini brownies on a plate, one with a bite taken out of it

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