The New Zucchini Bread: Whole-Wheat Dark Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

I know you love baking Zucchini Bread, especially during the summer, so now I’m going to give you a much better alternative for fall: Whole-Wheat Dark Chocolate Zucchini Brownies! Yes folks, zucchini does belong in brownies – it gives the brownies moisture and weight as well as vitamins and other health benefits. In fact, you can use any light-tasting squash in this recipe.

Last fall, my home garden sprouted several squash/pumpkin/zucchini-looking plants all on its own, which threatened to overtake all the vegetables I had actually planted! I kept them in check by picking and cooking as many blossoms as I could, but I still had a lot of green, striped and orangeish squash to eat during fall and winter. So they almost all went into brownies, but lots went into Squash Risotto with Chardonnay. Also amazing.

Dark chocolate morsels make the flavor rich while adding antioxidants and whole wheat flour works beautifully, making these brownies a little cake-like. And I love encountering the surprise bites of salty-sweet afforded by the coarse sea salt. This brownie recipe is so good; it’s the only one I use now.

Whole-Wheat Dark Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

adapted from VeryBestBaking.com

The dark chocolate in these brownies make them rich and delicious. The zucchini adds moisture, and you’ll never even taste it!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 16

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup white whole-wheat flour
• 1/3 cup baking cocoa
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1 regular-size package dark chocolate morsels
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups grated zucchini about 3 medium

Instructions

 

• PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Line 9-inch-square baking pan with foil.
• COMBINE flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.
• MELT 1 cup morsels in large, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Stir in oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg whites and vanilla extract. Stir in flour mixture; fold in zucchini. Spread into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining morsels over top + a little more coarse sea salt (I like to use the black lava kind on top).
• BAKE for 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Lift brownies from pan; cut into 16 squares. Store in airtight container for up to 5 days.

Keyword brownies, chocolate