Don’t knock this double chocolate zucchini brownies off until you taste them; it has a nuance of flavors swirled all over it. Allow it to sit in the refrigerator overnight for an explosive blend of flavors.

Fudgy brownies are one of my favorite snack-time addictions. Yea, it’s one of those treats I enjoy by myself without any distraction. Brownies have helped me through a couple of breakups and losses, and I have my waistline to show for that.

I decided to add some vegetables to mask the guilt of eating more than five brownie squares in one stretch. Hey! We agreed last year this is a judgment-free zone. So, instead of hiding and shoving my face with a ton of calories, it’s not like anyone is counting- am I right?

This is the part where you interrupt me with the “oh girl; I do the same; you are not alone.”

A little back story, I made these fudgy zucchini brownies for my sister and her colleagues in the U.S Army sometime in August of 2018 while they were deployed in Poland. The feedback I got from them was very welcoming. They couldn’t believe the brownies had Zucchini and spinach in them. Fast forward a few months later, I decided to make it for my boys, but I couldn’t figure out where I tossed the notes I Jotted down, including the recipe. I was terrified as I intended to blog about it.

So, What Changed?

I went back to the drawing board and started experimenting. There were several failed attempts because not all veggies work well with a brownie. So, I decided to ditch the spinach; hence the Zucchini and spinach retain a lot of water; they left the brownies a little cakey; that wasn’t my aim. However, the beets added moisture to the batter and a little sweetness. So, after a couple of tries, I decided to settle with two vegetables. Drum roll, please!... Zucchini and beets were my winners!

This double chocolate Zucchini and beets brownies are fudgy, dark, and highly satisfying. They are also refined sugar-free! It’s easy to put together, and it’s sure to disappear as soon as they are baked. Yes, I did tell you it was healthy-ish.

How to make Double Chocolate zucchini fudgy brownies

To make this delicious fudgy melt in your melt brownies, you’ll need;

Butter, room temperature
Dark chocolate bars, chopped
instant espresso
Hot water
Swerve Sweetener (Any granulated sweetener is fine)
Eggs
All-purpose flour
Dark cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s special dark)
Salt
Zucchini, grated
Beetroot, cooked and grated (See a step by step on how to cook beetroot here)
Walnuts (optional)
semi-sweet chocolate (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper. Generously spray foil with cooking spray. Set aside.
Add the instant espresso in hot water, and set aside.
Place the chocolate into a heat-resistant bowl with butter over an inch of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. As the chocolate begins to melt, start to stir in a circular motion until completely melted. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Transfer the melted chocolate into the bowl of an electric mixer. Gently add the sugar and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mix thoroughly for about 4 minutes until airy, add the espresso mixture, and beat for another minute. Remove from the stand.
In a different bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
Fold in the dry ingredients with the chocolate batter until well incorporated. Fold in the Zucchini, beets, walnut, and chopped chocolate.
Spread the batter in the baking pan (I used an 8 x 8-inch non-stick square pan) and place it in the oven. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out slightly sticky, approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Allow the brownies to cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 2 hours or overnight. Remove from pan and cut into squares.

Good to know:

Ease your mind if you are worried about tasting the vegetables. The chocolate and cocoa powder will mask off the taste.

Make sure the bowl sits snug in the saucepan and the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. Also, make sure the water isn’t boiling because the steam will rise above the pan, causing water droplets to fall in the pan, making the chocolate harden.

Are you looking for easy, delicious desserts to wow your guests at your next gathering?

Try these collections of Chocolate treats below:↓

Raspberry Chocolate ganache here

Zucchini and beetroot cake here.

Classic Tiramisu

S’mores Martini (Smoretini)

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Go ahead and give this recipe a try. Are you a fan of fudgy brownies or cakey brownies? Could you share with us in the comments below?

Peace & Love

Maureen

📖 Recipe

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