Description
Delicious and healthy zucchini brownies made with whole wheat flour, natural sweeteners, and coconut oil. These brownies are moist, slightly fudgy, and a perfect guilt-free treat packed with vegetable goodness.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 2 cups large zucchini, shredded (not tightly packed)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup maple syrup, honey or any liquid sweetener
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cacao or cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole wheat or spelt flour
Instructions
- Prepare the Zucchini: Place the shredded zucchini in a colander to drain excess moisture while you prepare the other ingredients. This step helps prevent the brownies from being too wet.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line an 8×8 glass baking dish with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until uniformly combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: To the wet mixture, whisk in the cacao powder, baking soda, and salt until smooth and well combined.
- Incorporate Zucchini: Gently squeeze the zucchini to remove some excess liquid but do not squeeze it dry. Stir the zucchini into the batter evenly.
- Add Flour: Add the whole wheat or spelt flour to the batter and mix gently just until combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Transfer Batter and Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and level the top with a spatula. Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until the center is just set but still slightly jiggly. A toothpick inserted should come out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter. Avoid overbaking for a fudgier texture.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the brownies from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for about an hour. Use the parchment paper flaps to lift the brownies onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely before cutting into 16 squares and enjoying.
Notes
- Using 3/4 cup maple syrup increases sweetness and fudginess, which some prefer.
- Adding chocolate chips can make the brownies sweeter and richer.
- Glass baking dishes yield fudgier brownies; metal pans produce a more cakey texture.
- Brownies get fudgier after resting overnight, especially if refrigerated.
- Store in an airtight glass container at room temperature for up to 4 days or refrigerate for up to a week in warm climates.
- Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 months.
- Use only whole wheat or spelt flour; gluten-free blends won’t work as they lack gluten.
- Any mild-tasting oil can substitute coconut oil, but coconut oil solidifies when cooled, making brownies more fudgy.
- Regular cocoa powder can replace cacao powder if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 brownie (1/16th of recipe)
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
