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Zucchini Brownies

Zucchini brownies bake up fudgy and ultra-moist with a shiny, crinkled top crust. Grated zucchini is squeezed dry and folded into deep chocolate batter so it disappears completely inside.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
cooling 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 3 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Wet ingredients
  • 1.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Zucchini and chocolate
  • 2 cup zucchini, grated and squeezed dry
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (divided)
Optional add-ins
  • 0.5 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking pan. The pan should be ready to fill immediately once the batter is mixed.
Mix dry and wet
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Stop when the cocoa is fully incorporated and no dry streaks remain.
  2. Beat granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract together until smooth and slightly fluffy. The mixture should look glossy rather than grainy.
Add zucchini and chocolate
  1. Stir in grated squeezed zucchini, and expect the batter to look thin. You should still see zucchini evenly distributed, not clumped.
  2. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined, then fold in half the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see flour pockets.
  3. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and scatter the remaining semi-sweet chocolate chips over the top. For walnut lovers, sprinkle chopped walnuts over the surface as well.
Bake and cool
  1. Bake at 350°F for 25–28 minutes until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs (not wet). The center should look set, and the top should be shiny with a lightly crinkled surface.
  2. Cool for 20 minutes before cutting into squares. Letting them firm up will keep the fudgy interior from smearing.

Notes

For the best fudgy texture, squeeze the grated zucchini very dry so the batter stays thick enough to bake without turning gummy. Store airtight in the fridge up to 4 days. Freeze baked brownies in a sealed container up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge. If you want a nut-free version, omit the chopped walnuts.