Zucchini Brownies

I didn’t mean to start a brownie trust issue with some kids who are family friends, but here we are with a pan of gooey zucchini brownies. I passed them around, and it wasn’t until after the first bite that I remembered to mention the zucchini part. The kids gave me the side-eye like I’d pulled a fast one, but later when no one was looking, the brownies quietly disappeared.

Three chocolate chip brownies are arranged on a piece of parchment paper by focused on the center brownie with a glass of milk, zucchini and a bowl of chocolate chips nearby on the table.

Table of Contents

Why We Love Zucchini Brownies

Fudgy Brownie Taste – These are the brownies you turn to if you want a really good, thick fudgy brownie. They are packed full of chocolatey flavor.
Great Way To Use Zucchini – In the summer zucchini is often plentiful and inexpensive so it’s a great way to enjoy it. Zucchini goes great with chocolate! Try the double chocolate chip zucchini snack cake for more of a cake texture, or the one bowl chocolate chip zucchini muffins. It’s also really tasty in my infamous glazed zucchini lemon cake or the easy zucchini banana bread.
Kinda A Sneaky Vegetable… But Not – I don’t like to hide veggies in food, I tell my family when they are there, so they trust me. You’ll still see flecks of zucchini, but the flavor is all chocolate. It’s a great in-between recipe if you’re trying to help a picky eater branch out.

Love brownies? I’m a big fan too and can’t help but try making new ones! Try the gooey peanut butter swirl brownies, Andes mint brownies., or my super easy two ingredient pumpkin brownies. Or try a different flavor mix with the strawberry brownies, or the chocolate chip pecan blondies.

So, I made these brownies on a whim because of all the summer fresh zucchini, but I served them to some friends we had invited over with kids. I hadn’t planned on serving dessert, and I forgot to mention the brownies had zucchini in them.

The zucchini isn’t exactly hidden, and the kids were a little shocked, like I was trying to trick them. But that wasn’t the plan at all!

But the good news is as the parents hung out on the patio, the rest of the brownies disappeared alongside the snickerdoodle cookies they had brought to share. So even though I accidently “tricked” them, the brownies were still enjoyed!

Ingredients For Zucchini Brownies

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions below in the recipe card.

eggs large
brown sugar
white sugar
vanilla extract
butter melted, I used salted butter
all-purpose flour
unsweetened cocoa powder
salt
zucchini shredded- make sure to pat it dry well like is mentioned in the recipe or the brownies can be too cakey or sometimes even wet. This can especially happen in the summer when zucchini tends to be more full of water
chocolate chips semi sweet, dark chocolate or white chocolate would also be delicious

Can I Add Nuts To These Zucchini Brownies?

One friend said these brownies were great but could use a little texture, maybe some chopped walnuts or pecans. Chop up between 1/2 and 3/4 cup of nuts and throw them in at the same time as the chocolate chips if you like a little texture too.

I didn’t test the brownies like this again as I had already made four batches to make sure I got the sweetness, moisture and chewiness just right, but I will be trying it in the future. Let me know in the comments if you try it!

How To Make Zucchini Brownies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the square pan with parchment paper or grease the pan well.
Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl. Beat the eggs with a whisk or fork until the yolks break. Add sugar, brown sugar and vanilla to the bowl and mix well with a silicone spatula until combined. Pour the melted butter into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix with a spatula until combined.

A glass bowl with wet ingredients including beaten eggs, brown sugar, and white sugar, next to a blue spatula and a small bowl of vanilla extract for zucchini brownies.

A glass bowl with all wet ingredients mixed except melted butter which is in a small bowl nearby for zucchini brownies.

Add flour, cocoa and salt to the wet ingredients and mix with a silicone spatula until well combined. Sprinkling the salt around the bowl will help it not to clump in one spot. Watch to make sure all of the flour and cocoa just dissolves into the wet ingredients, but don’t overmix as it can give the brownies more of a cake like texture.

A mixing bowl with all wet ingredients mixed for zucchini brownies with the dry ingredients in bowls nearby.

A glass bowl containing chocolate zucchini brownie batter, with shredded zucchini and chocolate chips in separate bowls nearby.

Blot the shredded zucchini well with a few paper towels. Add the zucchini and chocolate chips to the batter, then fold it in with a silicone spatula.

Shredded zucchini on a paper towel-lined plate being patted dry for zucchini brownies next to two whole zucchinis and a bowl of chocolate brownie batter.

A glass bowl with chocolate zucchini brownie batter, shredded zucchini , and chocolate chips being mixed together.

Pour the brownie batter into the pan. Use your spatula to spread the batter evenly in the pan.

A glass bowl with chocolate zucchini brownie batter, shredded zucchini , and chocolate chips after mixing.

A square baking dish lined with parchment paper holds unbaked chocolate zucchini batter topped with chocolate chips for zucchini brownies.

Bake brownies for about 30-35 minutes or until when you insert a toothpick in the center, the brownies are fudgy but not wet with batter. When you tip the pan a little, the center should not move a lot. Allow the brownies to cool in the pan for a while, then slice and enjoy! They are really fudgy and will slice easier once cool.

A baking dish with nine chocolate chip brownies on parchment paper sliced in the pan.

Nine chocolate chip zucchini brownies after being sliced on parchment paper.

Kristy’s Quick Tip For Perfect Brownies

Don’t overmix once you add the flour! Stir just until the dry spots disappear to keep these brownies soft and fudgy, not cakey.

Easy Zucchini Brownies Variations

Looking to mix it up? These easy swaps and add-ins make it fun to try different brownie twists.

Add Nuts – This one is worth mentioning more than once, as nuts can give these fudgy brownies some texture. Try chopped walnuts, pecans or even pistachios.

Swap The Chocolate Chips – I’ve used semi sweet chocolate chips as they give the brownies some balance, but dark chocolate chips would also work. I think white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips or even M&Ms could be fun in this recipe.

Give Them Some Frosting – If you’re a frosted brownies kind of person, try adding just the frosting from my cosmic brownies, which is technically a copycat recipe but I think is better then the original!

A plate stacked with chocolate zucchini brownies topped with chocolate chip on a table.

Zucchini Brownies FAQ’s

Got questions? Here are a few common ones people ask about zucchini brownies (especially if it’s your first time baking with veggies and chocolate!).

Can you taste the zucchini in zucchini brownies?

Not really! You can see some green zucchini flecks, but all you taste is rich and chocolatey goodness. Zucchini helps make the brownies extra moist, but it totally disappears into the background flavor-wise. Peeling the zucchini first also makes it disappear into the brownies even more.

Can I squeeze the zucchini too much?

Don’t wring the zucchini out like you’re mad at it. Just blot it well with paper towels. You want it dry enough to not make soggy or cakey brownies, but a little moisture helps keep things fudgy.

Summer zucchini tends to be full of more water, it sometimes takes two rounds of paper towels for me.

Can I use frozen zucchini?

You can use frozen shredded zucchini, just thaw it first and blot it really well with paper towels to remove the extra water.

Can I make these brownies gluten free?

I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flour yet, but a good 1:1 all-purpose substitute (like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur) should work. If you try it, let me know in the comments! Nervous the flour you have may not work right? Make my naturally gluten free flourless brownie cookies instead.

A wide view of a chocolate chip zucchini brownie sits on a plate with chocolate chips and other ingredients on the counter nearby.

How To Store And Freeze Zucchini Brownies

These brownies also should freeze just fine after baking. Place them in a freezer zip top bag or container. If you have more then one layer I recommend separating them with parchment paper or freezer paper.

You can then defrost them on the counter one at a time, or the whole batch.

How Long Will Zucchini Brownies Last?

Expect these brownies will last for about 3-4 days. I recommend storing them in a covered airtight container. They can be stored on the counter or in the refrigerator, though they do last a little longer in the refrigerator especially when it’s hot outside.