If you follow a paleo way of eating, or you’re just looking for a treat that’s lower in carbs without giving up chocolate, these Chocolate Zucchini Brownies are worth putting on your baking list.
Made with almond flour and maple syrup instead of regular flour and refined sugar, they’re a nutritious spin on a classic treat, and here’s the surprising part: you won’t taste any vegetables hiding in there at all.
Before you write these off because of the word “zucchini” in the title, give them a shot. These brownies are rich, dense, and chewy in all the right ways.
One bite and you’ll be right back in your childhood, pulling a warm brownie out of the pan from a boxed mix. Except this time, there’s shredded zucchini working behind the scenes to keep every square soft and fudgy.
This recipe uses just ten easy to find ingredients and comes together in about 25 minutes of hands on time.
If you’re a chocolate lover looking for something to make right after this, a Healthy Chocolate Fudge recipe makes a great follow-up treat.
Why These Brownies Work
The secret here is balance. Shredded zucchini adds moisture without adding any noticeable flavor of its own, which is what gives these brownies their fudgy, dense texture.
Almond flour and almond butter bring healthy fats and a slightly nutty richness, while maple syrup sweetens the whole batch naturally.
Cocoa powder does the heavy lifting on flavor, giving these brownies that deep, chocolatey taste you’re after.
Because everything comes together in just two bowls, this is a low fuss recipe that doesn’t demand a long ingredient list or a bunch of fancy equipment.
It’s the kind of treat you can put together on a weeknight without much planning.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s the full list of what goes into this recipe, along with a few notes on what to look for at the store.
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup coconut oil
- ¼ cup almond butter (creamy and unsweetened works best)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup almond flour (not almond meal)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup finely shredded zucchini, squeezed to remove extra moisture (no need to peel the zucchini first)
- ½ cup chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling on top
A few notes worth keeping in mind: make sure you’re using almond flour rather than almond meal, since the finer texture of almond flour gives these brownies the right consistency.
For the zucchini, shred it as finely as you can a food processor with a grating attachment works well, and running it through the processor for a few extra pulses afterward gets it even finer.
Once shredded, wrap it in a paper towel and squeeze out as much extra moisture as possible before adding it to the batter.
Kitchen Tools You’ll Want on Hand
This recipe doesn’t require much beyond basic kitchen equipment. Before you start, gather the following:
- 8×8 baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Non-stick spray
- Whisk
- Mixing bowl (a second one is helpful, though not required)
- Shredder
- Food processor (optional, but helpful for a finer zucchini texture)
- Toothpick
For measuring, you’ll want a 1 cup, ⅔ cup, ½ cup, ¼ cup, 1 teaspoon, and ¼ teaspoon on hand.
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, then add a light coat of non stick spray for extra insurance against sticking.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and maple syrup.Whisk in the coconut oil, almond butter, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
In a separate small bowl, mix together the almond flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until fully combined.
Fold in the shredded zucchini and chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared 8×8 pan, spreading it evenly. Top with a few extra chocolate chips if you’d like.
Bake for 24 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the brownies cool completely before cutting into squares.
Store them in the fridge to keep that fudgy, dense texture intact.
That’s the entire process. Once they’ve cooled and set, you’re left with a pan of rich, chocolatey brownies that hold together beautifully when sliced.
A Few Tips for the Best Results
Squeezing out the extra moisture from the shredded zucchini is one of the more important steps here. Skipping it can leave your batter too wet, which affects how the brownies bake and set.
Take the extra minute to wrap the shredded zucchini in a paper towel and give it a good squeeze before mixing it in.
Since these brownies don’t use any flour to help absorb moisture the way traditional recipes do, storing them in the fridge really does make a difference.
It keeps that fudgy texture from getting too soft or falling apart at room temperature, especially during warmer months.
If you want an extra chocolatey top, don’t skip the step of sprinkling a few more chocolate chips over the batter right before it goes into the oven.
They melt slightly on top and give each square a little more texture and shine.
No, peeling isn’t necessary. You can shred the zucchini with the skin still on, and it won’t affect the texture or flavor of the finished brownies.
It’s best to stick with almond flour rather than almond meal for this recipe. Almond flour has a finer texture, which helps the brownies hold together properly and gives them the right consistency.
Removing the extra moisture keeps the batter from becoming too wet, which could affect how the brownies bake and set. A quick squeeze with a paper towel makes a real difference in the final texture.
Keep them in the fridge. Because there’s no traditional flour in the recipe to help absorb moisture, refrigeration helps them hold their fudgy texture and stay fresh longer.
Coconut oil is used here as the main natural fat, and it works well with the other ingredients. If you need a substitute, another neutral oil can be used, though it may slightly change the flavor.
Yes, this recipe was created with paleo guidelines in mind, using almond flour, almond butter, and maple syrup instead of grain-based flour and refined sugar.
Yes, a food processor is optional. You can shred the zucchini with a regular box grater. Just be sure to squeeze out the extra moisture afterward.
Insert a toothpick or knife into the center of the pan. If it comes out clean, the brownies are ready to come out of the oven.
Chocolate Zucchini Brownies: Fudgy, Rich, and Secretly Good for You
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 0.5 cups maple syrup
- 0.5 cups coconut oil
- 0.3 cups almond butter
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cups almond flour
- 0.3 teaspoons baking soda
- 0.3 teaspoons salt
- 0.7 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cups finely shredded zucchini squeezed dry
- 0.5 cups chocolate chips plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat and prep pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper and non-stick spray.
- Whisk eggs and syrup: Whisk together 2 large eggs and 0.5 cups maple syrup in a large bowl.
- Add wet ingredients: Whisk in 0.5 cups coconut oil, 0.3 cups almond butter, and 1 teaspoons vanilla extract.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix 1 cups almond flour, 0.3 teaspoons baking soda, 0.3 teaspoons salt, and 0.7 cups unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Combine: Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined.
- Add zucchini and chocolate chips: Fold in 1 cups finely shredded zucchini, squeezed dry and 0.5 cups chocolate chips, plus more for topping.
- Pour into pan: Pour batter into the prepared pan and top with extra chocolate chips if desired.
- Bake: Bake for 26 minutes
- , or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool: Let cool completely before cutting.
- Store: Store in the fridge to keep them fudgy.
