Vegan Zucchini Brownies

Squares of vegan chocolate zucchini brownies stacked on a wooden board, showing their fudgy texture.

These fudgy vegan zucchini brownies are rich, moist, and packed with chocolate flavor — a simple egg-free, dairy-free dessert everyone will love.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 145kcal

Author Maria Vannelli RD

Ingredients

125 grams whole wheat flour approx 1 cup
30 grams natural unsweetened cocoa powder ⅓ cup
2 grams baking soda ½ teaspoon
3 grams salt ½ teaspoon
1 gram espresso powder ¼ teaspoon
120 grams granulated sugar ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons
60 mL olive oil ¼ cup
7.5 mL vanilla extract 1½ teaspoons
200 grams zucchini grated, lightly packed DO NOT SQUEEZE (see note) 1½ cups
85 grams dark chocolate wafers or chips, ½ cup
55-85 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips ⅓-½ cup, optional for garnishing

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Set the rack in the middle position. Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper, then lightly grease or spray with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder.
In another bowl, whisk together the sugar, olive oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Add the grated zucchini (with its liquid) to the wet ingredients and combine them properly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. The batter may look dry at first—let it rest for 2–3 minutes, and the zucchini will release enough moisture to bring the batter together.
Fold in the dark chocolate wafers (or chips). Do not overmix.
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. An offset spatula helps to spread the mixture in the corners.
Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
If desired, garnish immediately with the semi-sweet chocolate chips, wait a few minutes, then spread over the top.
Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing into squares.

Video

Notes

Yields: 16 brownies (2 x 2 inches / 5 x 5 cm each)
Note: You can also cut into 9 larger squares (about 2⅔ x 2⅔ inches / 7 x 7 cm) if you prefer bigger servings.
Grate the zucchini using the large holes of a box grater: This gives the brownies great texture and just the right amount of moisture.
Don’t squeeze the zucchini: Unlike many zucchini recipes, you actually want that natural moisture here! It keeps the brownies soft, fudgy, and perfectly gooey.
Let the batter rest: If your brownie batter looks a little dry at first, don’t panic. Just let it sit for 2–3 minutes — the zucchini will release more liquid, bringing everything together.
Mix gently, not endlessly: Stir the batter until it’s just combined. Overmixing can make brownies tough, and we’re going for melt-in-your-mouth fudgy.
Test for fudgy doneness: Stick a toothpick in the center — you want a few moist crumbs clinging to it, not a completely clean pick. That’s the secret to brownies that are rich instead of dry.
Get creative with flavor boosts: Want to take them up a notch? Fold in chocolate chunks, or try a pinch of cinnamon, or chili for a deeper chocolate kick.

Whole wheat flour vs White whole wheat flour: The main difference between these two types of flours is the variety of wheat which is lighter in color, hence the term "white". These flours can be used interchangeably. [source]

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used.

Nutrition