Indulgent and luxurious Chocolate Zucchini Brownies become incredibly moist thanks to freshly grated zucchini. Crowned with a rich fudge frosting, these dense brownies come together effortlessly in a single bowl!
While we adore Roasted Zucchini as an accompaniment, let’s turn our attention to desserts. We’re passionate about this Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread and Zucchini Banana Bread. Which zucchini recipe tops your list?
Table of Contents
Why this Recipe Excels
If you haven’t incorporated zucchini into your chocolate treats yet, prepare for something special. This recipe offers the ideal solution for using surplus zucchini from your refrigerator, without defaulting to yet another zucchini bread loaf.
- Grated zucchini creates exceptionally moist chocolate brownies.
- Functions perfectly with fresh OR frozen zucchini.
- Crowned with luscious chocolate fudge frosting!
Added benefit: these are remarkably simple to prepare! The brownie mixture combines in one bowl within minutes.
If you’re passionate about frosted brownies, you must experience them with zucchini as well.
Chocolate Zucchini Brownies
Ingredients
For the Brownies
- 0.5 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 0.5 cup dark chocolate unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2.5 cups finely shredded zucchini
For the Frosting
- 0.25 cup unsalted butter melted
- 5 tablespoons dark chocolate unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 13×9 baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine oil, sugars, and vanilla extract. Add in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until well blended. The batter will be very dry, that’s okay!
- Fold in shredded zucchini. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes to absorb moisture.
- Pour the batter into prepared baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove and let cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting, whisk melted butter with cocoa powder in a small bowl. Add powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
- Spread frosting over cooled brownies. Cut into bars and enjoy!
Notes
Ingredient Highlights
- Cocoa powder. Premium chocolate cocoa powder, like Hershey’s Special Dark or Ghirardelli works best.
- Vegetable oil. An elevated fat-to-flour ratio maintains these brownies’ exceptional moisture and fudgy texture.
- Unsalted butter. When using salted butter, skip the additional kosher salt in the recipe.
- Vanilla extract. Always select pure vanilla over imitation vanilla. Our homemade vanilla extract is simple to prepare and budget-friendly too!
- Shredded zucchini. Review the instructions below for optimal zucchini grating techniques. When using frozen zucchini, ensure you remove excess moisture BEFORE measuring the required amount. Select smaller zucchinis when available since they hold significantly more moisture than oversized large zucchini (which are typically drier and ideal for freezing).
How to Grate Zucchini
The initial step for creating chocolate brownies with zucchini involves properly grating the zucchini. After rinsing your zucchini, remove the stems. (Peeling remains optional but unnecessary.)
For extra large zucchini, remove those large seeds from the center.
A food processor equipped with a grater attachment provides the most efficient method for grating zucchini. Start the food processor and feed the zucchini vertically while operating.
Alternatively, use the traditional method with a large box grater: Position the zucchini against the grater over a large bowl. Draw the zucchini down the grater’s side exactly as you would cheese.
I discourage using a fine microplane zester or food processor with blades. Both create more pureed and watery zucchini rather than grated, which won’t perform as effectively in the brownies.
After grating your zucchini, it’s brownie baking time!
Tips & Tricks
- Allow the batter to rest. The brownie mixture appears quite dry initially. This is expected. Let it sit for 10 minutes before transferring to the baking dish. The zucchini’s moisture will incorporate into the batter during this resting period. Trust the process!
- Cut brownies using a clean plastic knife. The plastic knife creates perfectly uniform cuts without crumbling! Ensure the brownies cool completely before cutting!
- Store securely covered. At room temperature, these chocolate zucchini brownies remain fresh for 4-5 days.
- Enhancements: Incorporate chocolate chips or walnut pieces into the batter before baking for an absolutely divine brownie.
Double Chocolate Zucchini Brownies
These fudgy brownies feature a delectable fudgy frosting topping.
It’s simple to create too! Blend melted butter with cocoa powder in a small bowl using a whisk. Incorporate powdered sugar, heavy cream and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
Spread over cooled brownies. Cut into bars and savor!! You could alternatively prepare a half portion of our creamy chocolate buttercream frosting. Or try our vanilla frosting recipe instead!
More Zucchini Recipes
FAQ – Chocolate Zucchini Brownies
Can you taste the zucchini in chocolate zucchini brownies?
No, you can’t taste the zucchini at all! The zucchini simply adds moisture and creates a fudgier texture without affecting the rich chocolate flavor.
Do I need to peel the zucchini before grating?
Peeling is optional but not necessary. The skin grates up fine and adds extra nutrients without changing the taste or texture of the brownies.
Can I use frozen zucchini for this recipe?
Yes! Just make sure to thaw the frozen zucchini completely and squeeze out excess moisture before measuring the amount needed for the recipe.
How long do chocolate zucchini brownies stay fresh?
These brownies stay fresh for 4-5 days when stored tightly covered at room temperature. The zucchini actually helps them stay moist longer than regular brownies.