Zucchini Brownies: How to Make Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

Zucchini brownies are a version of the fudgy, chocolatey dessert with shredded zucchini mixed in. Zucchini brownie recipes are typically made with butter, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, eggs, and grated zucchini. The grated squash creates a tender texture and adds moisture to the brownies.

Due to the large amount of sugar they contain, zucchini brownies are not necessarily healthy brownies, but they have more nutritional value than their traditional counterparts. As far as health benefits go, fresh zucchini are high in dietary fiber and potassium—useful in maintaining good blood pressure—and help achieve the recommended daily value of vitamin C and B6.

Follow these tips to make the fudgiest chocolate zucchini brownies:

1. 1. Add chocolate chips. For even more chocolate flavor, additional sweetness, and complex texture, add chocolate chips to the batter. When the chocolate chips melt, they become soft and gooey, or when the brownies are at room temperature, the chocolate becomes firm and offers a crunch. Use semisweet chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate.
2. 2. Lightly beat the eggs. Introducing a lot of air into the brownie mixture creates cakey brownies as opposed to fudgy brownies. To avoid this, beat the eggs and sugar together just until they combine but before they become light and fluffy. This helps to produce a denser, fudgier brownie.
3. 3. Use only brown sugar. For chewy brownies, use only brown sugar instead of a combination of brown sugar and white, granulated sugar. Either light brown sugar or dark brown sugar will work, although dark brown sugar possesses a more intense molasses flavor that you might find complements a fudgy texture better.
4. 4. Use a box grater. Use a box grater or food processor with a shredding attachment to shred zucchini into medium-small pieces.
5. 5. Go gluten-free. You can also make this dessert gluten-free by simply using gluten-free flour—such as almond flour or rice flour—instead of the usual all-purpose flour.
6. 6. Add a boost of flavor. Make these brownies your own by customizing the flavor. Add peanut butter frosting after baking, or sprinkle with your favorite chocolate candies, coarsely chopped, before baking.