Decadent and delicious, these velvety and rich one-bowl chocolate zucchini brownies are one of the BEST ways to use up all that zucchini!

If you’ve been wanting a great zucchini brownie recipe like I’ve been wanting a great zucchini brownie recipe, you’re going to be excited about today.

When it comes to chocolate zucchini cake, I’ve got you covered.

Three chocolate chip zucchini brownies stacked on top of each other and layered between sheets of parchment paper.

Apparently, I’m so interested in having my bases covered when it comes to all things chocolate and zucchini and cake that I even have another version of chocolate zucchini cake.

And if you need the best triple chocolate zucchini cookies? Yes, yes. Got ’em right here.

Top view of chocolate chip zucchini brownies on a white countertop.

Going beyond chocolate zucchini desserts, you need look no further for the greatest zucchini bread ever and to-die for whole grain zucchini muffins.

And if you get a kick out of seeing tons of crazy delicious zucchini recipes in one place (sweet and savory), this link is for you.

But when it comes to a really good, really decadent recipe for zucchini brownies, I’ve left you hanging.

For a lot of years.

And for that I am truly sorry.

Because zucchini needs brownies and brownies need zucchini. And that is the truth.

A metal spatula with a chocolate chip zucchini brownie on it.

I’ve made so many variations of zucchini brownies over the years, it isn’t even funny.

But it’s surprising how difficult it’s been to get a zucchini brownie recipe that isn’t a brownie recipe really just masquerading as cake.

Like I mentioned above, I have nothing against chocolate zucchini cake, but I don’t want my brownies to be cake (and vice versa)!

Because zucchini has the tendency to make most baked goods light and fluffy, it’s challenging to get zucchini cookies to be chewy instead of puffy and zucchini brownies to be rich and fudgy instead of cakey.

I’ve weathered more disappointment over failed zucchini brownies in the last decade than I care to remember.

But finally (finally!), I have a zucchini brownie recipe worthy of your attention.

The texture of these brownies is intensely velvety and soft. Rich and decadent. Irresistible (especially when chilled!) and dangerous.

I love them so much.

A chocolate chip brownie with a bite taken out stacked on a sheet of parchment and other brownies.

If you have zucchini still coming out of your ears OR you are harvesting your last few humble green veggies OR you have to pawn some off your neighbors (or maybe even buy it at the store this time of year – gasp!), you must make these fudgy zucchini brownies.

There are no secret ingredients (well, except for the zucchini), no fussy steps, or strange mixing methods.

The ratio of zucchini to chocolate to butter to flour is finally just right, and I couldn’t be happier.

It has been a labor of love to get the perfect zucchini brownies ready for a lifetime of devouring, but this is a recipe I’ll be making for a looooong time.

I’m already excited for next summer.

Looks like my little backyard square foot garden might be sporting a “Zucchini Plants Only” sign to ward off the unintentional overplanting of, say, tomatoes, which to my knowledge do NOT make a yummy brownie.

A white platter of chocolate chip zucchini brownies.

One Year Ago: Tri-Color Pasta Salad {My Favorite Pasta Salad}
Two Years Ago: Amish-Style Apple and Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
Three Years Ago: Thai-Style Fish and Creamy Couscous Packets {Make-Ahead Meal}
Four Years Ago: Big Fat Greek Tacos
Five Years Ago: Healthy Banana Blueberry Muffins

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Double Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

4.73 stars (73 ratings)

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup (170 g) salted butter, (12 tablespoons)
  • 1 cup (170 g) chopped semisweet chocolate or good-quality chocolate chips that melt well (see note)
  • ¼ cup (21 g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ cup (106 g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup (212 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (about 283 g) finely shredded zucchini that has been wrung dry (see note)
  • 1 ¼ cups (178 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups (340 g) chocolate chips or chunks

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9×13-inch aluminum pan (see note) with nonstick cooking spray or line with foil and coat with cooking spray (for easier cleanup and to lift out the brownies in one slab after baking, if desired).
  • In a microwave-safe bowl (you can also do this in a pan on the stovetop), add the butter, chocolate chips, and cocoa. Cook for one minute increments, stirring in between, until the mixture is melted and smooth (don’t overheat).
  • Add the brown sugar and white sugar; mix well. Add the vanilla and egg yolk and mix again until well-combined.
  • Stir in the baking soda and salt until well-combined.
  • Add the zucchini and stir until evenly mixed.
  • Add the flour and ONE CUP of the chocolate chips (or chunks) and stir until just combined (don’t overmix).
  • Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining cup of chocolate chips over the top.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges are set and the middle is soft (a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean or with a few moist crumbs – but if there is wet batter on the toothpick, bake for a few more minutes). Don’t overbake or the brownies can be dry. Let the brownies cool in the pan before cutting. These taste amazing chilled.

Notes

Chocolate Chips: my favorite chocolate chips for melting are the Ghirardelli or Guittard brand. I haven’t had the best luck with other brands (Nestle/Hershey’s), but use the chocolate chips you prefer (taste-wise) and you should be ok. 
Zucchini: I don’t mess with any towels or contraptions for this recipe. I grate it using the fine holes of the shredding disk on my food processor and then just grab handfuls and squeeze over the sink before adding to the measuring cup/scale. You do want it as dry as possible (a key to not ending up with zucchini CAKE instead of zucchini BROWNIES), though, so if you want tips on how to wring it completely dry, here’s a quick 2-minute video. For this recipe to get the 2 cups of DRY zucchini, I use about 2 small-medium size zucchini. 
Baking Pans: I always use metal baking pans for brownies – glass or ceramic pans don’t bake as evenly in my experience. If you are using a glass pan, try decreasing the oven temperature to 325 degrees F so the edges don’t overbake while the middle is still underdone. Also, brownies baked in a light colored metal baking pans may need more time (my metal baking pan has a darker coating). 
Serving: 1 Brownie, Calories: 418kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 40mg, Sodium: 278mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 34g

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe