Nothing to do today except to dive straight into these gorgeous brownies. But spoiler alert, they aren’t what they seem at first glance. Maybe I should call them deceptive brownies These fudgey babies are loaded up with veggies! What?! Yup, that’s right. And I’ve been making these chocolate chip zucchini brownies for years. Normally, it was always to help use up some of the zucchini from my garden at our old house - which tended to produce A LOT of zucchini! So I’d be making chocolate chip zucchini bread, vegetarian stuffed zucchini, harvest zucchini muffins, almond butter zucchini muffins, zucchini turkey burgers and even zucchini cheddar whole wheat waffles. Not a bad thing… But today’s recipe secretly folds some shredded zucchini into these thick, rich brownies that are extra chocolate-y with all the chocolate chips in the batter. They’re also soft and melty and just a chocolate fest in your mouth basically. Plus, they are completely whole grain and contain 2 full cups of zucchini. There’s no butter or oil in the recipe at all. Instead, we’ve got some applesauce giving us a little extra boost of nutrition. So you can feel OK about taking down a couple at a time. Maybe 3. (I have portion control problems…) So let’s get baking! Now, I’ve got some notes and tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make healthy zucchini brownies. Just tryin’ to be helpful. If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Flour: I use a whole wheat flour, but you can substitute regular all-purpose flour here if you prefer. Or use a mix of whole wheat and all-purpose flour. Zucchini: I don’t bother peeling the zucchini. Just use the fine side of your grater to get it finely grated so it almost melts right into the batter. Measuring: The 2 cups of grated zucchini is measured before you squeeze the extra moisture out. Grate 2 cups then squeeze with paper towels or a kitchen towel to get the extra water out. You’ll have a compact little ball of zucchini. Break it up a bit as you add it to the batter so the zucchini gets evenly incorporated. Yield: This size batch yields 9-16 brownies, depending on how you want to cut them. We like big, thick brownies here so I make 9 large squares.
I’ve also baked a half batch in an 8x4 bread pan. Alternatively, you could double the recipe and use a 9x13 baking dish for more brownies. As for storing, you’ll want to let the brownies cool completely and then they can be stored in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to 4 days. (They keep better in the fridge because of all the moisture from the zucchini.) I actually kind-of prefer them cold but you leave them at room temperature for a bit or even heat one in the microwave if you want it a little warmed up. Make these chocolate chip zucchini brownies. Soon. You’ll be getting wafts of chocolate-y goodness in no time and they’ll come out warm and melty and thick and beautiful. You’ll be in chocolate heaven! Enjoy! XO, Kathryn Flour: I use a whole wheat flour, but you can substitute regular all-purpose flour here if you prefer. Or use a mix of whole wheat and all-purpose flour. Zucchini: I don’t bother peeling the zucchini. Just use the fine side of your grater to get it finely grated so it almost melts right into the batter. Measuring: The 2 cups of grated zucchini is measured before you squeeze the extra moisture out. Grate 2 cups then squeeze with paper towels or a kitchen towel to get the extra water out. You’ll have a compact little ball of zucchini. Break it up a bit as you add it to the batter so the zucchini gets evenly incorporated. Yield: This size batch yields 9-16 brownies, depending on how you want to cut them. We like big, thick brownies here so I make 9 large squares. I’ve also baked a half batch in an 8x4 bread pan. Alternatively, you could double the recipe and use a 9x13 baking dish for more brownies.
