Description
These fudgy zucchini brownies are hands-down the best brownies I have ever eaten - and yes, there is an entire zucchini hiding inside! They are deeply chocolatey, perfectly moist and just sweet enough, all while being vegan, gluten-free and incredibly easy to make.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 medium zucchini, about 6 ounces
- 1/2 cup raw creamy almond butter
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup store-bought gluten-free oat flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips, plus additional chocolate chips for topping
Instructions
- Prep the zucchini. Shred it with the skin on, firmly pack one full cup, then squeeze out as much liquid as you can with a clean kitchen towel. Remember: measure first, squeeze second!
- Whisk the wet ingredients. Add the squeezed zucchini to a large mixing bowl along with the almond butter, almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients. Whisk in the oat flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until fully combined and no dry clumps remain.
- Stir in the chocolate chips. Fold in ½ cup of chocolate chips and try not to eat the batter!
- Bake. Spread the batter evenly into the pan, sprinkle extra chocolate chips over the top, and bake at 325°F for 20 minutes, until a knife comes out without batter on it.
- Cool completely (do not skip!). Let the brownies cool fully in the pan, then chill in the freezer before slicing. More on this below because it's THAT important!
Notes
- Measure the zucchini before squeezing: pack 1 full cup of shredded zucchini, then squeeze out the moisture. Do not skip either step!
- Use store-bought oat flour rather than homemade. Store-bought oat flour is more finely and evenly ground, which yields the best brownie texture. Make sure it's certified gluten-free if needed. (delete after adding to recipe card
- A note on baking pans. I have only tested these brownies in my ceramic-coated nonstick square baking pan at 325°F for 20 minutes. If your pan is not nonstick, I would suggest lining it with unbleached parchment paper - but since I haven't personally tested other pans, please keep an eye on your brownies and let me know how it goes! I do not recommend using a glass baking dish as it conducts heat differently and results will vary.
- Shred and freeze zucchini during zucchini season. This is my favorite trick for making these year-round! Shred your zucchini while it's abundant in summer, freeze it, and you'll be ready for brownies (and more zucchini recipes) any month of the year.
- Store the brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days or in the freezer for up to three months.
- To make these nut-free, replace the almond butter with a seed butter and use an unsweetened nut-free non-dairy milk, such as oat milk. I have only tested the recipe with raw creamy almond butter and almond milk, so the flavor and texture may vary slightly with substitutions.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American