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Fudgy Zucchini Brownies: Moist Chocolate Bars for Potlucks and Weeknight Baking Pinterest recipe pin

Fudgy Zucchini Brownies

Dense, fudgy zucchini brownies made with grated zucchini, melted chocolate, and a short, low-temperature bake for reliably moist bars.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 32 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 16 squares
Calories: 220
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium zucchini about 1 1/2 cups grated, lightly pressed
  • 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup neutral oil canola or vegetable
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips or chopped walnuts optional

Equipment

  • 1 9×9-inch square baking pan
  • 1 Box grater
  • 1 Mixing bowl

Method
 

Prepare and preheat
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F and line a 9×9-inch pan with parchment, leaving an overhang for lifting.
Grate zucchini
  1. Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater and place in a clean towel; press firmly to remove excess surface water so the zucchini is moist but not dripping.
Melt chocolate and combine wet ingredients
  1. Warm the chopped chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat or microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring until smooth; stir in the oil and let cool slightly. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, and vanilla until slightly thickened, then stir in the cooled chocolate mixture.
Make the batter
  1. Sift in the cocoa powder, salt, and flour and fold just until combined; fold in the pressed zucchini and optional chips or nuts. If batter seems too loose, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more flour.
Bake
  1. Spread batter into the prepared pan and bake at 325°F for 28–34 minutes, until a toothpick shows moist crumbs but not wet batter and the edges begin to pull away.
Cool and serve
  1. Cool the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes, then lift brownies using the parchment and slice into 16 squares. For frosting, top with a simple chocolate glaze and chill 20 minutes to set.

Notes

Lightly pressing the zucchini is important—too wet and the batter will be loose, too dry and you lose moisture. If using a 9×13 pan, reduce bake time to 20–25 minutes. Store cooled brownies in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator; thaw frozen slices at room temperature.