Get ready to indulge in our gluten free and dairy free Double Chocolate Zucchini Brownies! They are deliciously decadent and surprisingly healthful – Yes, we’re bringing back the humble zucchini to your dessert table, and trust us, you’ll be coming back for seconds! They are a gluten and dairy free dream!
What makes these brownies so special?
Well, besides using low glycemic unrefined coconut sugar, and their rich and fudgy texture in these decadent delights they are made with zucchini –Zucchini adds moisture, nutrients, and an extra serving of veggies to your dessert! Zucchini, also known as summer squash, has many known benefits most worthy are its antioxidant contents and great for healthy digestion.
These Double Chocolate Zucchini Brownies are the perfect balance of healthy and indulgent, and we promise you and your family will be coming back for more. Plus the dark chocolate chips we use in this brownie recipe are also nut and gluten free.
The trick is, don’t tell them about the secret ingredient! Let them simply enjoy it. You know your kids best. If you want them to guess what secret ingredient you added inside their treat, great! I’ve found cooking with the girls really gave them the opportunity to learn about food, cooking and developing a strong relationship with their food. It was also a wonderful way to connect with each of our daughters, outside of their sports and other activities as they got older. Spending this yummy time together in the kitchen really proved to be a catalyst for each of them. As they moved away, each one has embraced not just the art of cooking, but also the love of good food. A wonderful and rich reward to cooking with our children.
When the girls were in elementary and middle school, I would offer a snack like these better for you brownies after school, after they ate a protein snack. I realized early on that kids love treats. I didn’t want to not offer them. By baking the girls special homemade gluten-free treats using higher quality ingredients, it helped me feel better about the sweet offerings and the girls felt the love from my baking.
In fact, when the girls were little, sweets mostly happened after school not after dinner. My reasoning was knowing and learning from experience how Chocolate and sugars can disturb sleep. Instead of eating treats later in the day that possibly would amp them up right before bed, we would stick to calming bedtime rituals. ☺
Chocolate is proven to be a superfood!
We all know chocolate treats without highly processed sugar and fats makes for a higher quality dessert. Plus, science has proven chocolate is a mood enhancer. As mentioned above, after a stressful day, reaching for a highly processed snack or treat earlier in the afternoon is better than late at night. These chocolate chip zucchini brownies are a treat you can feel good about this better for you! And they are oh so decadent! Developing a healthy relationship with chocolate and the quality of your chocolate is key. Check out our affiliate links for which products we love. #unsponsored
I’ll do just about anything to preserve and help my brain health! I do not feel any guilt when it comes to having a little bit of a high-quality chocolate when I feel the urge. Because the relationship with chocolate and our brain health actually exists!
We hope you’ll whip up a batch of this easy feel good healthy choice brownies! And please let us know in the comments how they turned out and what, if you changed anything, worked for you.
Looking for more sweet and or savory zucchini treats? Check out our Chocolate Zucchini Bread, Chocolate Zucchini Smoothie or Harvest Muffins for more zucchini goodness!
Looking for more such lip-smacking, gluten-free recipes? Our Damn Good Gluten-Free Cookbook is full of them! And if you want to master gluten-free cooking, check out our Damn Good in the Kitchen Video Course.
For personalized advice on your health journey, feel free to schedule a one-on-one coaching session with us. Here’s to making your wellness journey exciting and delicious!
Love, Pegs and Megs
Print
Double Chocolate Zucchini Brownies- A Gluten Free and Dairy Free Dream!
These Double Chocolate Zucchini Brownies are the perfect balance of healthy and indulgent, and we promise you and your family will be coming back for more.
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 9 1x
Ingredients
1 box Miyoko’s plant milk butter
1 Cup coconut sugar
2 eggs
1 generous tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup cocoa powder
6 Tbsp. Pamela’s gluten free baking flour
1/2 over ripe banana (about 1/4 cup)
1 small organic zucchini, shredded, about 1 cup
2/3 cup dark chocolate or semi-sweet morsels
2 pinches of sea salt
Equipment:
8x8 or 9 x 11 baking pan
Parchment paper
Whisk or hand mixer
Medium size mixing bowl
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350-degrees
- Melt butter with sugar until shiny. Whisk to help sugar and butter melt together. Don’t worry if separates.
- Once butter and sugar mixture has cooled, add 1 Egg in at a time whisking until mixture stays shiny and creamy.
- Whisk in vanilla extract
- Blend in cocoa powder, pinches of sea salt and flour into the wet ingredients. Whisking not too hard or too much. Best not to over mix.
- Fold in banana and shredded zucchini.
- Fold in chocolate chips.
- Brownie batter should be smooth and not overly thick.
- Pour batter into a prepared pan lined with parchment.
- Bake for 22 minutes. Done when brownies do not jiggle and are firm to touch.
- Sprinkle with flake salt and or powdered sugar.
- Allow to cool completely before cutting them into squares.
Notes
Variations
- Swap coconut oil or butter instead of the cashew plant based nut butter
- You can totally omit banana.
- Choose milk chocolate morsels instead of dark chocolate morsels
- If using a regular gluten free flour, add in 1 tsp. baking soda. Baking mixes contain baking soda so no need to add it in.
Note: Using a whisk is better than using a food processor so not to over mix the batter.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: dessert
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6-8
1. Can I taste the zucchini in the brownies? Not at all! The zucchini is used primarily for moisture and added nutrition, but it doesn’t contribute a noticeable taste. The rich, chocolatey flavor of the brownies remains front and center.
2. Can I make these brownies vegan? Absolutely! You can replace each egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 2.5 tablespoons water) to make vegan brownies.
3. Can I use a different sweetener? Yes, you can use any sweetener of your choice, keeping in mind that it may slightly alter the taste and texture. Try brown or golden sugar, or a sugar substitute such as golden monk fruit.
4. Are these brownies safe for someone with celiac disease? Yes, these brownies are gluten-free and should be safe for someone with celiac disease. Always ensure that all your ingredients, especially the cocoa powder and chocolate chips, are certified gluten-free.
If you have any other questions, feel free to drop them in the comments on our recipe page or reach out directly to us!
FAQs
What’s the difference between fudgy and cakey brownies?
Fudgy brownies are moist, gooey and have a more dense fudge-like texture. Cakey brownies are airy and moist with a fluffy cake-like interior.
Should I use milk instead of water in brownie mix?
Our homemade brownie recipe uses an egg and an overripe banana for the “liquid”. When using a boxed brownie mix, you can use either water or milk. However, I would choose milk for added flavor and fat content which helps for a moist and gooey texture.
What are the secrets to chewy brownies?
Using melted butter or an alternative fat or oil helps create a chewier texture as does slightly under cooking them.
What not to do when baking brownies?
Its best to not overmix or overcook brownies as they will become overly dense and dry.
Happy baking!