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Zucchini Brownies

Zucchini brownies with fudgy, ultra-moist chocolate batter and a dense, shiny top crust—zucchini is grated, squeezed dry, and hidden inside for a deep chocolate bite. Baked until a toothpick shows moist crumbs (not wet), then cooled briefly so the center sets cleanly for easy slicing.
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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: 255
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour Measure level for best fudginess.
  • 0.5 cup unsweetened cocoa powder Use unsweetened cocoa for rich chocolate flavor.
  • 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
  • 2 cup zucchini Grate and squeeze dry before mixing.
Chocolate and mix-ins
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips Divide: some folded in, the rest scattered on top.
  • 0.5 cup chopped walnuts Optional.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the pan and heat oven
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking pan, then set it aside.
  2. Grease the pan thoroughly so the brownies release cleanly after cooling.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together until evenly combined.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. Beat granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and slightly fluffy.
Add zucchini and build the batter
  1. Stir in the grated, squeezed-dry zucchini; the batter will look thin because zucchini releases moisture.
  2. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined, then fold in half the semi-sweet chocolate chips.
  3. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and scatter the remaining semi-sweet chocolate chips over the top.
Bake
  1. Bake for 25–28 minutes at 350°F until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs (not wet); do not overbake.
Cool and serve
  1. Cool the brownies for 20 minutes before cutting into squares so the shiny top crust sets.

Notes

Pro tip: squeeze the grated zucchini as dry as you can—if it’s watery, the batter will turn less fudgy and the center may stay under-set. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days; freezer is yes (wrap tightly) for up to 2 months—thaw overnight in the fridge. For a gluten-free swap, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in the same amount.