Chocolate brownies are a favorite of mine and I’m always trying to find ways to sneak some veggies into the kids. These chocolate zucchini brownies are moist and incorporate fruit and vegetables, along with plenty of delicious chocolate. I added some dried cherries too… you can pretty much chuck anything in the mix before baking!
The boys have had trouble with their digestion recently and we’ve cut out gluten from their diet until we see the specialist next month. Although their wheat allergy test came back negative, they continue to react to all the classic wheat products. So, for now, we are avoiding wheat and have been experimenting with baking and gluten-free flour. The chocolate zucchini brownies are so tasty, the flavor of the flour makes little difference and I can see them working with all types of flour.
Elsie is home on summer break and is always keen to bake, so we had fun putting these together. She was a little apprehensive about putting vegetables in her brownies but she soon came around when she saw all the chocolate chips going in. If you enjoy sneaking veggies into your baking, try my dairy-free coconut carrot muffins… delicious!
We threw in some dried cherries into the baking tray once the brownie mix was poured. They sit on top and sink in as it cooks. If you add them into the mix they tend to head straight to the bottom and bunch together in the middle. Whether you add extra fruit or keep them plain, these chocolate zucchini brownies have a full flavor and the kids really enjoy them (as did I!).
- 2 eggs
- 1 cups flour (all-purpose or Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 baking)
- 1¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup applesauce
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups shredded zucchini (approx 2 zucchinis)
- ½ dried fruit or nuts (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease a 8"x8" pan.
- Mix the eggs, sugar, applesauce and vanilla essence together in a large bowl.
- Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips and stir into the egg mixture.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the flour (I used gluten-free), baking soda and salt.
- Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet, stirring until fully combined.
- Fold in the shredded zucchini and the rest of the chocolate chips.
- Pour the brownie mix into the greased baking pan and add dried fruit or nuts to the top if desired.
- Bake for 35-40minutes until the center is cooked (check for raw mix by inserting a tooth pick).
- Allow to cool before cutting and serving.
The Twins have never been big on cake, but brownies seem to go down like a dream. George got a little precious about gooey chocolate on his hands afterward but overall they were a huge success. If only all vegetables tasted like they were coated in chocolate, my life would be easier. George and Elsie are pretty good with their veggies but Arthur is stubborn… two out of three isn’t bad I suppose!
These were so easy to make. With being a gluten free family it’s hard finding recipes that actually taste good when it comes to desserts. These will definitely be made over and over again. I am going to try using flax egg next time so my dairy and egg free kids can eat them. I used enjoy life chocolate which is dairy free.
I’m so glad they worked out for you, my kids loved them! We’re all good with dairy but I defo give the alternatives a go. It’s so hard to keep things fun for kids when they have allergies!
Looks so yummy! Do you drain/dry out the grated zucchini or do you leave the water in them?
I actually leave mine wet! I hope you emojis them!
Hey just came across this and have made it twice so far!! They are a hit to say the least.
I may have missed it but just wondering if you have a general breakdown of the calorie, carbs, etc. just curious.
As a side note I make all my brownies in mini muffin tins so they are bite sized.
Absolutely awesome recipe! Simple, GF, and Delicious 🙂 will make again and again!
Can I double the recipe and bake in a 9 x 13 pan?
Hi Betty,
I haven’t done that myself but I have with other recipes and it usually works out fine 🙂 It may just take a little longer to bake so just keep checking for a cooked center. I wouldn’t expect more than 5-10mins extra.