These Chocolate Chip Zucchini Brownies are the perfect way to sneak veggies into dessert. The zucchini makes these brownies fudgy and moist, and the chocolate chip frosting is the perfect topping!
Our readers love chocolate and zucchini. This Chocolate Zucchini Cake is a sweet bundt that everyone enjoys. Our chocolate zucchini bread has double the chocolate, making it a kid favorite of course.
Why this Recipe is Best
My kids had no idea that the brownies I served them contained vegetables.
- There’s no zucchini flavor in these Chocolate Chip Brownies but the shredded zucchini in the batter makes them oh-so-moist.
- Add some chocolate chip frosting on top and you have a rich treat that may just slide it’s way to the top of the list of best brownies you’ve ever eaten.
- This recipe only needs one bowl, and no electric mixers!
The brownies are so rich and gooey on their own. But, if you’ve read any of my other Brownies recipes before you’ll know that when it comes to brownies, I believe in frosting.
Chocolate frosted brownies are the perfect treat!
Ingredient Notes
- Zucchini- did you know the larger the zucchini the drier it is? If using a small zucchini or frozen zucchini be sure to squeeze out excess moisture BEFORE measuring. Use our guide on how to shred zucchini for best tips.
- Cocoa Powder- gives these brownies rich flavor! A dark chocolate cocoa powder or regular unsweetened cocoa powder work best (I love using Ghirardelli)
- Sugar- a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar gives these brownies the best chewy texture without making them cake-like.
- Vanilla Extract- enhances the flavor of the chocolate. Use a pure vanilla extract or my homemade vanilla extract recipe.
How to shred zucchini
Just like when you make Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread and Cinnamon Frosted Zucchini Bars, you’ll need to shred your zucchini before adding it to the brownie batter.
I love using a grater to shred my zucchini! Slice off the end tips, then hold the zucchini against the top of the grater and pull downward.
You can also use a food processor fitted with the shredder attachment to shred the zucchini for your chocolate chip brownies. If you use the food processor, cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds first.
Just be careful not to overdo it or you’ll end up with a zucchini puree.
PRO TIP: After mixing the ingredients for the brownies, let the mixture set in the bowl for about 5-10 minutes. This allows the moisture from the zucchini to distribute.
Pour the batter in to your brownie pan, bake and let cool completely before adding the frosting.
Chocolate Chip Frosting
This is a creamy whipped vanilla frosting with mini chocolate chips folded in. The icing is thick and spreadable and I love the taste of the vanilla paired with the fudgy brownie.
To make the frosting, just whip butter and powdered sugar together, along with vanilla and whipped cream. Fold the mini morsels in at the end.
When the pan of brownies is completely cooled, spread the frosting evenly over the top. Cut into squares and serve, preferably with a glass of milk!
Chocolate Chip Frosting isn’t just for brownies! This would also be delicious on a simple chocolate cake or a batch of chocolate cupcakes.
Tips & Tricks
- I use semi-sweet chocolate chips for the batter, and mini chocolate chips for the frosting. I like the smaller sized chips in the frosting, but go with what’s in your pantry.
- If you have a ton of zucchini about to go bad, but it’s more than you need in the Zucchini Brownies recipe, go ahead and grate it all. You can freeze whatever you don’t use right away, so you can have delicious Zucchini bread, cakes, muffins and brownies all year long.
- REFRIGERATE. I find these brownies taste best COLD. Plus it makes them easier to cut and serve. I bake them in the evening, and refrigerate them overnight. THEN, the next day I’ll put on the frosting. Or bake in the morning, refrigerate, then frost before dessert.
- If you want to freeze these brownies, do so before you add the frosting. Cut into squares and store in a freezer safe container. When you’re ready to serve them, thaw and make the frosting fresh! However, you can freeze frosted brownies, just know the texture might loosen after thawing.
More Brownie Recipes
- If you love a fudge frosting instead of this chocolate chip frosting, you can find one here on these Chocolate Zucchini Brownies recipe!
- Mint Chocolate Chip Brownies: no zucchini in here..just lots of delicious mint flavor!
- Rainbow Chip Brownies: sometimes called “cosmic” brownies…either way, AWESOME!
- Buckeye Brownies: with a layer of peanut butter, these are over the top delicious!
- Oreo Brownies
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Chocolate Chip Zucchini Brownies
Ingredients
For the brownies:
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup dark chocolate unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ½ cups finely shredded zucchini
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 13×9-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
- For the brownies: in a large bowl combine all the ingredients together with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. The mixture will be very dry. Allow to sit about 5-10 minutes to let the moisture from the zucchini incorporate into the batter.
- Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely before adding frosting.
- For the frosting: beat butter and powdered sugar with vanilla and cream for about 3-5 minutes, until fluffy. Fold in chocolate chips and spread over cooled brownies.
Notes
Nutrition
Ooey gooey Chocolate Chip Zucchini Brownies are even more irresistible when you slather them in whipped cream chocolate chip frosting No one will ever know the secret ingredient is a vegetable!
Interesting that this recipe calls for no eggs.
Would it be good to make a cream cheese frosting instead
A new favorite dessrt recipe!
Chocolate makes everything taste better! And the zucchini… we didn’t even taste it – and yet it made the brownies so moist and perfectly textured!! So so yummy.
These are heavenly!! The zucchini makes them so moist & that frosting is the best!! I will be adding it to other desserts.
Hi Aimee,
Love when I can sneak in some healthiness and still enjoy chocolate too! And that chocolate chip frosting, yum!!
These are delicious. My husband said he could have this for a birthday cake. The pumpkin zucchini bread is great also ????
So glad they were a hit at your house 🙂
These were delicious! Better than box brownies I’ve been making for years!
yum! i have so much zucchini and will be putting your recipes to good use!!
Enjoy!! I have a ton of zucchini recipes 🙂
That chocolate chip frosting looks INCREDIBLE! The zucchini makes them them a vegetable no matter how much sugar right?! 🙂
&Thanks for the link love!
It didn’t say if you’re to squeeze out liquid from zucchini, so I’m going to say no and give these a try tonight for my coworkers tomorrow for a snack
I don’t, because I use fresh zucchini. If you’re using zucchini that’s been frozen, it tends to have more liquid, so you may want to squeeze some of the juice out!
Must try! Thanks for the recipe!
Batter was dry and almost crumbling but baked up super soft and delicious. Thank you! So good!
Weird how that works, glad you trusted me and baked it!!
These look incredible! Chocolate and zucchini are just too good together and I love the fudginess 🙂
These are my kinda brownies!
These were the best brownies. I used a simple ganache icing. Yum!
yay, glad you loved them!!
I don’t know what it is about chocolate and zucchini…but I love it!!! That layer of frosting is calling my name right now!!!
Honestly, the combo of a fudgy brownie and the moisture of the zucchini is such a powerhouse for me. I would not be able to stop eating these, but that’s okay since it’s a veggie with benefits. And that frosting…melting in my seat right now!