Zucchini Brownies (gluten-free, dairy-free options)
The gooiest zucchini brownies ever! You’d never guess these are made a little healthier and made with whole grains (but can also be made with all-purpose or gluten-free flour) or that zucchini and that applesauce takes the place of oil! With gluten-free and dairy-free options.
I don’t like zucchini at all. I’m also not a fan of “hiding” veggies in my dessert recipes, because I can always tell that they’re in there. That’s not the case with these brownies!
These healthy zucchini brownies still have sugar in them, but they’re not quite as bad as your usual brownie recipe. If you want something especially naughty, try these gluten-free brownies, which are really the best brownies ever – gluten-free or not! They can also be made with whole wheat flour.
These chocolate zucchini brownies have no added fat* (except what’s in the chocolate chips) and are full of zucchini and whole grains (but really do not taste like it!) so you can feel good about giving these to your children.
* I love healthy fats and usually load up my recipes with them. But in this one, it’s just not needed!
Really, unless your kids watch you make these, or you grate the zucchini coarsely, there’s no way that they’ll be able to tell that these brownies have zucchini in them. Or that they’re whole wheat or whole spelt. The gluten-free version also doesn’t taste gluten-free!
Want some more kid-friendly recipes? Try my no-bake oatmeal cookies. They’re whole grain and naturally gluten-free + vegan. And perfect for the lunch box!
This whole wheat banana bread is also a favorite and you can always toss in some walnuts or chocolate chips for something different.
And if you have portion control issues, these brownies halve beautifully! Use a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan and bake for only 14 minutes.
I highly recommend not decreasing the amount of chocolate chips in the batter. You can definitely skip the ones on top, but these zucchini brownies rely on the sweetness and flavor from the chocolate chips!
I’m pretty sure you’d be disappointed if you didn’t use the chocolate in the batter. And I definitely don’t want that!
Be sure to use Dutch-process cocoa powder in these zucchini brownies. If you use the regular natural kind (like Hershey’s), these zucchini brownies will likely come out cakey instead of nice and fudgy like you see!
Besides, once you have some Dutch-process cocoa powder, you’ll be able to make these whole wheat chocolate cupcakes! They’re seriously just as delicious as traditional cupcakes made with all-purpose flour.
If you don’t mind the brownies being a bit cakey and prefer to use regular cocoa powder, then go for it! Some commenters have mentioned making them with regular cocoa powder and loving them.
Have more zucchini to use? This chocolate zucchini bread also looks great! As do these zucchini muffins.
Enjoy!
Zucchini Brownies (gluten-free, dairy-free options)
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs 50 grams each, out of shell
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar or unrefined sugar or granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup (125 grams) flour see notes
- 1/2 cup (55 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder (using regular cocoa powder may result in cakey brownies)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (280 to 320 grams) zucchini peeled and grated
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips + 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips to sprinkle on top, for dairy-free, use Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C) and line an 8″x8″ pan with parchment paper or spray with baking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, vanilla, coconut sugar, and apple sauce and let this sit for 5 minutes to let the coconut sugar dissolve.2 large eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 3/4 cup coconut sugar, 1/4 cup (60 ml) unsweetened applesauce
- In a separate medium bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder (sifted if lumpy!), baking soda and salt. Make sure there are no clumps before going on to the next step.1 cup (125 grams) flour, 1/2 cup (55 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Add the dry mix to the wet, gently stir until combined. Be sure not to over mix!
- Then fold in the zucchini and 1 cup chocolate chips.2 cups (280 to 320 grams) zucchini, 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Pour the batter into the pan and even the surface with a spatula.
- Sprinkle 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips on top.
- Bake for 20 – 30 minutes (14 minutes for the half batch) or until a toothpick inserted in the middle doesn’t come out gooey. It might still be sticky – just not have raw batter on it.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature or up to one week in the refrigerator. I recommend storing them in the refrigerator right from the beginning due to their high moisture content.
Notes
- Some commenters mentioned that baking soda doesn’t make sense in this recipe. I agreed with them and have tried this recipe twice without baking soda. They came out rubbery and absolutely disgusting both times. I don’t understand why, but baking soda definitely works and is absolutely necessary here! Please DO NOT try them without baking soda. Thanks!
- The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.
I made these the other night and they were FANTASTIC! I have been trying to find a healthy dessert that is delicious and that my fiancee would eat (happily). And he loved them too. I’m literally making them right now.
So happy that you and your fiancee like them! :) I have the same issue with my guy not liking healthy desserts (even though they don’t taste healthy!) Thanks so much for the feedback and the rating. :)
Coarsely or finely grated?
Thanks!
I used a medium grater! I’d go for coarse if you don’t have a medium one. Hope you’ll like them. :)
Will these be okay without the 1 c of choc chips inside them?? They look SO GOOD but we are out of choc chips :(
I guess that they’d be okay but they won’t be nearly as good! There’s not that much sugar in them so you need the chocolate chips for sweetness and gooey-ness. ;) I hope you’ll like them!
Is coconut sugar the same as coconut palm sugar?
Yup! It’s the same. :)
Thank you so much for this recipe! I got married to a non-vegetable-lover, and I spend a LOT of time figuring out how to get veggies into him – whether he knows about it or not. He loves dessert, and I don’t care about it, so he should have been suspicious when I made him a pan of these the other night, but he had NO CLUE. And I’m impressed – two cups of zucchini is not easy to hide in anything. The zucchini really keeps them moist. I didn’t have any cocoa powder when I thought I did, so I improvised and added ‘sipping chocolate” powder I had in the pantry. THANK YOU!
Wow, that’s awesome! I’m also a veggie hater so I can sympathize with your husband. ;) So funny that he had no clue that these had zucchini in them. Woohoo! I’m happy to hear that the sipping chocolate powder worked out. :) Thanks so much for the feedback!
I just made these and they are delish…..You would never know that there is zucchini in them. I’m not even going to tell the kids or hubby. Thank you for the great recipe.
We finally got around to making these, soooo good! My girls thought it was funny that we put a zucchini in brownies. We gobbled them up in no time! Thank you!!
I’m so happy that you all liked them, Monica! And awesome that your girls thought it was funny about the zucchini (rather than gross!) Thanks so much for letting me know that they came out well. :)
These brownies look ridiculously gooey! I want to plant my face in them :D
Hehe. Me too! Soo gooey. ;)
YES!!! Healthy brownies are the best. :)
Yay healthy brownies! :D
Healthier weekend treats, and maybe a little less ice cream….lol
Healthy treats for grandkids!
Love giveaways! Thanks!
less sugar for us!
I am cutting out most gluten products from my family’s diet. I have been gradually switching us to using all organic produce and proteins and I am making sure we are eating high protein foods.
I have decided to feed my family with more organic foods this school year.
I will introduce more veggies into our diet. We are mostly meat and potato people.
I’m trying to instill a healthy lifestyle and way of thinking into my babygirl. I want it to b be second nature to them.
I want the pans and the brownies…
I need to learn how to tell my family no for my kids. They are constantly offering crap to eat and it makes me crazy… oh it makes me crazy. It’s such a fine fine line though.
These look really good. I’ll have to make them when no one is around to see the zuc get added in.